We continue this week’s devotions on praying with all our souls. Today we will be in Matthew 6:6-7 and our focus will be on experiencing “The Power of Faith in Prayer”. 

Matthew 6:7-8
“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

As we learned Sunday, God is not impressed by lengthy, repetitive prayers—He desires faith-filled prayers. Jesus reminds us that God already knows our needs. We don’t have to convince Him to listen; He is already paying attention. This reminds me of the Old Testament prophet Elijah when he defeated the prophets of Baal. In 1 Kings 18:20-40. It was 450 prophets versus 1, and the odds were against him, but God knew what he was facing, and God came through in a big way, the Lord demonstrated a powerful miracle before Elijah and the 450 prophets and brought fire down from heaven to show his acceptance of Elijah’s sacrifice, ultimately showing that He was real,  and listening and more than able to come through for Elijah in his time of need. Elijah had so much faith that God was listening to his prayers that he made it impossible for his sacrifice to be accepted by anyone else other than God. Take some time today to read it, it will surely bolster your faith and reinforce the truth that God knows what you need even before you ask him. 

Try this  

• Instead of focusing on how long or eloquent your prayers are, simply pray from your heart.
• Trust that God knows and cares about your needs.
• Reflect on a time when God answered a prayer, even before you asked.

Let’s pray together, Lord, thank You for knowing my heart even before I speak. Help me to trust You completely like the prophet Elijah did, praying with confidence, not worry. Strengthen my faith to believe that You hear and answer. Amen.

And always remember 

Jesus loves you and so do I

Pastor Will

Hey Advent Family.

This week’s devotional will be a deeper dive into this weekend’s message which I encourage you to listen to on our YouTube channel or our Facebook if you didn’t get a chance to be here in person. Let’s look deeper at praying with all your soul.

Matthew 6:5-6

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Jesus teaches that prayer is not about impressing others but about intimacy with God. The Pharisees prayed for show, but true prayer happens in a place of humility and sincerity. When we pray with all our soul, we seek God’s presence, not human recognition. When Jesus says that you should go to your “closet”, it not only means doing it in secret, it also has another meaning, in the Greek the word for closet was used for an innermost room, a storeroom where you would store your most valuables in your home.  The concept of intimacy with God also hits home when you realize that those hearing these words in Jesus’ day would have understood that Jesus was also alluding to how valuable this intimate time with God is. The reward we get in prayer is a rich and valuable time with our heavenly Father!

Try this

• Find a quiet place today to pray without distractions.
• Focus on talking to God, don’t worry about how you sound, He already does. 
• Ask yourself: Why am I praying? It is to check off a list? Or is it to spend intimate time with my heavenly Father? 

Let’s Pray together:  Father, help me to pray with sincerity, not for attention. Let my heart long for Your presence and not the approval of others. Teach me to pray with all my heart, mind and soul. And let me relish in the valuable riches of spending intimate time with you. In Jesus name Amen.

And don’t forget,

Jesus Loves you, and so do I

Pastor Will

Muhammad Ali was known for being the greatest boxer of all time—but let’s be honest, he was just as famous for his words as for his punches. “I’m so fast, when I turn off the light, I’m in bed before the room is dark!” or “I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!” He boasted constantly, but it was funny, confident, and oddly charming. That’s why people loved him—he was bold and didn’t hold back.

But let me ask you—what do you boast about? Is it your grades? Your body? Your car? Your social media following? Your talents? Listen, those things aren’t bad. Achieving something you’re proud of is great! But in the grand scheme of eternity… they vanish in an instant. God told Jeremiah something powerful: “Don’t boast about your wisdom, strength, or riches. Boast that you know Me.” Let that sink in. The Creator of the universe—the God who breathed stars into existence—says the greatest thing you can brag about is knowing Him. Not just knowing about Him—but actually knowing Him.

Here’s the reality: your accomplishments will fade. Your body won’t always be strong, your money can disappear, and people’s applause will quiet down. But God’s kindness, justice, and righteousness last forever. He’s the One who gives, takes, restores, and reigns. When you stand before Him one day, He won’t ask about your followers, trophies, or bank account. He’ll ask, “Did you know Me?”

So here’s the challenge: What’s the loudest boast in your life? Is it about things that won’t last, or about a relationship with the God who never ends? Boast in Him. Love Him more than your success. Brag about His goodness, His faithfulness, and His mercy—because that’s a boast that will echo into eternity.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” — Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

Have you ever met someone who thinks they’ve got life completely figured out? (I’m being sarcastic here.) You know the type—the person whose opinion is always “right” and whose experience somehow trumps yours, even if you’re the expert. Yeah… it’s frustrating. But honestly? We’re often that person. We act like our perspective is the ultimate truth, don’t we? In today’s culture, phrases like “live your truth” or “I wouldn’t do that, so why would God?” get tossed around like they’re biblical wisdom. But let me be clear: If you find yourself disagreeing with Scripture, the issue isn’t with God’s Word—it’s with you.

As a youth pastor, I hear it all the time. Students wrestling with hard truths in the Bible, saying things like, “Well, I just don’t feel like God would do that,” or “That doesn’t fit with what culture says is right.” And honestly? Feelings aren’t the standard—God’s Word is. Truth doesn’t shift with trends or emotions. Imagine trying to argue with the Creator of the universe—the One who spoke the cosmos into existence, crafted the human brain, designed ecosystems with insane complexity, and oversees mysteries we haven’t even discovered in the depths of the ocean or the vastness of space. The Sun is 91.9 million miles away from Earth, and God says that’s how much higher His thoughts are than ours. Yet we still think we know better? We’ve been alive for, what—15, 25, maybe 80 years? God’s been around forever. Who really knows best here?

So here’s the challenge: Humble yourself. Stop trying to squeeze God into the mold of your opinions. Submit to the authority of His Word, even when it’s uncomfortable. Trust that His ways—though higher and sometimes beyond your understanding—are infinitely better than yours. God isn’t asking for your agreement; He’s asking for your surrender.

Imagine driving full speed into a brick wall, convinced you’re going the right way. You keep hitting it, frustrated, bruised, ignoring the open door just a few feet away. It sounds ridiculous, but how often do we do this with God? We face closed doors, setbacks, or redirections, yet stubbornly insist on our own way. Jonah is a perfect example. God called him to go to Nineveh, but Jonah ran in the opposite direction, thinking he knew better. His refusal led him into a storm, overboard, and inside the belly of a fish. It took darkness and desperation to break through his stubbornness. Even after obeying, Jonah was angry when God showed mercy to Nineveh—revealing that stubbornness isn’t just about what we do; it’s about the posture of our hearts. Through it all, God patiently pursued Jonah, gently asking, “Is it right for you to be angry?” God isn’t threatened by our resistance—He lovingly works to soften our hardened hearts and steer us back toward His best.

“But Jesus replied, ‘My Father is always working, and so am I.” –  John 5:17 (NLT)

Do you always feel stressed? overwhelmed? Exhausted? I found myself walking to work thinking about how this is normalized and how Jesus never handled life’s problems this way so why should we? Like Bruce Lee said “Water never resists, it flows.” It moves around obstacles, fills empty spaces, and adapts to whatever it encounters without losing its essence. Jesus lived like water. He was never hurried, never caught off guard, never rattled by interruptions. He embraced problems as opportunities, disruptions as divine appointments, and difficulties as part of the Father’s will.

Most of us do the opposite. We fight interruptions, resent problems, and become agitated when things don’t go according to plan. But what if we truly believed that every problem is under the Father’s watchful care, every obstacle is met with the Spirit’s power, and every challenge is carried to the Father by Jesus Himself? Would we still panic? Would we still resist?

Jesus walked with the confidence that His Father was watching, the Spirit was guiding, and heaven was interceding. When storms arose, He slept (Mark 4:38). When crowds pressed in, He remained present (Mark 5:30). When His plans were disrupted, He saw divine purpose instead of frustration (Luke 8:40-56). He welcomed interruptions because He never saw them as interruptions—only as part of the Father’s plan.

Most of our exhaustion does not come from the work we do, but from the tension between our expectations and God’s reality. We get upset because life does not unfold according to our preferences. But a surrendered heart lets go of control, welcomes interruptions, and trusts that God is working in every detail.

What if today, instead of resisting, you flowed like water? What if you saw interruptions as divine assignments, problems as refining tools, and delays as God’s protection? The Father watches you. The Spirit empowers you. And Jesus intercedes for you. There is nothing to fear.

— 1 Peter 5:2-3 (NLT)

God has never called His people to idleness. Many believers spend their lives searching for a calling, waiting for some grand assignment from heaven, all the while neglecting the ministry already before them. Your mission field is not in some distant land—it is wherever God has placed you today.

If you are a manager, your employees are your flock. If you are a teacher, your students are your ministry. If you are a parent, your children are your disciples. The place where you work, serve, and interact with others is where God intends you to be His witness. But do you serve willingly, or do you carry your responsibilities as a burden?

Peter warns against leading for personal gain or recognition. The world chases titles, influence, and power, but the kingdom of God is built by those who serve out of eagerness, not obligation. Many misunderstand leadership as authority over people, yet Christ calls us to lead by example, not by dominance. Are you living in such a way that your life makes Christ attractive to those around you?

Perhaps you are waiting for God to give you something greater before you serve wholeheartedly. But God is not preparing you for ministry—this is your ministry. The circumstances, job, and people in your life are not accidents. They are entrusted to you by God, and He is watching how you care for them.

Do not despise the small things. It is in the daily faithfulness, the quiet obedience, and the unnoticed acts of integrity that God shapes His servants. Live honorably before non-believers, not seeking your own gain, but reflecting Christ in every interaction. Speak when He prompts you, encourage the weary, and challenge the complacent. Most of all, pray for those entrusted to you.

You do not need a pulpit to preach—your life is the sermon.

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, but the greatest love we could ever know isn’t found in chocolates or cards. It is found in Jesus. He gave up everything for us, laying down His life so that we could have life with Him. His love is perfect, unchanging, and eternal.  

As we celebrate today, let’s remember that love is more than a holiday—it is a calling. Every day, we have the opportunity to love like Jesus, to share His grace, and to reflect His heart. Love is why we are here. Love is why we teach, serve, and worship. And love is what will continue to draw us closer to Him and to one another.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the greatest love of all—the love You showed us on the cross. Help us to love as You love, giving freely and serving joyfully. May Your love be our guide, today and always. Amen.

Scripture: Romans 12:10 – “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

God’s love isn’t just something we receive—it’s something that changes us. When we experience His love, we are transformed from the inside out. It teaches us to put others before ourselves, to seek peace instead of division, and to lift others up instead of tearing them down. Love is not just a concept; it is the way of Christ.

In a world that often focuses on self-interest, we are called to be different. We are called to honor, serve, and uplift those around us. Imagine the impact if we all loved with the same sacrificial love that Jesus showed us. That kind of love can change hearts, homes, schools, and communities.

The world often defines love by emotions, but God defines love by action. Love is patient when people are struggling, kind when stress levels rise, and humble when disagreements arise. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. True love, God’s love, is steadfast.

As we walk through this week, let’s challenge ourselves to put love into action. Let’s choose patience over frustration, kindness over criticism, and grace over judgment. When we do, we reflect the heart of Christ to those around us.

Prayer: Gracious God, teach us to love as You do—not just in words, but in actions. Strengthen us to be patient, kind, and forgiving, just as You are with us. Amen.