"Looking Ahead" - Week 2 Bible Reading Plan
Life With God 7-Day Devotional — Becoming Like Christ
Big Idea: Spiritual formation is not about trying harder—it’s about training wisely so our whole lives are increasingly shaped by Jesus. The goal of the Christian life is not just forgiveness—but transformation.
DAY 1 — SAVED FOR MORE
Romans 8:29 “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.”
Reflection: Many of us learned to think of salvation as rescue—and it is. But Scripture goes further. God didn’t just save you from something; He saved you for something. The goal isn’t merely a forgiven past—it’s a transformed future. God’s desire is not just to pardon you, but to remake you. Forgiveness removes the barrier. Formation shapes the life.
Practice: Today, finish this sentence in your journal: “God didn’t save me just so I could ________, but so I could become ________.”
DAY 2 — THE INVITATION OF JESUS
Matthew 11:28–29 “Come to Me… take My yoke upon you and learn from Me.”
Reflection: Jesus doesn’t invite you to admire Him from a distance. He invites you to walk close enough to learn His pace. A yoke connects two lives. It assumes proximity, cooperation, and direction. Jesus is not just someone to believe in— He is someone to learn from.
Practice: Throughout the day, pause and ask: “How would Jesus respond if He were living this moment as me?”
DAY 3 — BELIEF VS. APPRENTICESHIP
James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word… Do what it says.”
Reflection: It’s possible to believe all the right things and still not be changed. Apprenticeship is different from agreement. It involves imitation, repetition, and practice. Faith is not just what you accept with your mind—
it’s what you train your life around.
Practice: Identify one teaching of Jesus you admire—but rarely practice. Write it down.
DAY 4 — TRYING HARDER ISN’T THE ANSWER
1 Timothy 4:7 “Train yourself to be godly.”
Reflection: Most of us respond to spiritual frustration by trying harder. But transformation doesn’t come through sheer effort. It comes through wise training, small intentional practices that shape us over time. Trying focuses on willpower. Training forms character.
Practice: Choose one simple spiritual practice today (silence, Scripture, gratitude, prayer) and do it slowly and intentionally.
DAY 5 — LIFE IN THE KINGDOM NOW
Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Reflection: Jesus taught us to pray for heaven’s realities to shape earth’s routines. The Kingdom of God is not just a future destination. It’s a present way of living—marked by love, peace, patience, and trust. Disciples learn how to live now in God’s reign.
Practice: Notice one moment today where you can reflect the Kingdom—through kindness, restraint, or grace.
DAY 6 — WHO YOU ARE BECOMING
2 Corinthians 3:18 “We are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory.”
Reflection: Spiritual formation is often slow and quiet. You may not feel dramatic change—but over time, your reflexes begin to shift. You speak differently. You respond differently. You love differently. The question isn’t “Am I perfect?” It’s “Who am I becoming?”
Practice: Reflect on this question: “How am I different today than I was a year ago because of Jesus?”
DAY 7 — A DAILY APPRENTICE
Luke 9:23 “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me.”
Reflection: Discipleship isn’t a one-time decision. It’s a daily posture. Each day brings a new invitation to trust, follow, and learn. And Jesus meets us again—right where we are. Transformation happens one faithful step at a time.
Practice: Begin each morning this week with this prayer: “Jesus, teach me how to live this day as You would live it—if You were me.”
SUMMARY TRUTH - The gospel is not just about being saved from sin—it’s about being formed into Christ.