Devotions for Church Leaders and Small Groups

ALSO BY LYNNE MODRANSKI

Devotions Inspired by Life

Dive In to a Life of Freedom

Quiet Times for Busy Moms

A Reflection of the Beauty of God

DEVOTIONS FOR CHURCH LEADERS AND SMALL GROUPS

Revised and Expanded

© 2020 by Lynne Modranski

www.LynneModranski.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law

Published by Mansion Hill Press

Steubenville, Ohio

www.ManionHillPress.com

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020914756

EPub ISBN: 978-1-953374-03-5

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked NCV are taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, (NASB) Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

King James Version (KJV) – Public Domain

To Steve,

my best friend,

the best gift God ever gave me

and my best guy (after Jesus).

Thank you for giving me the

space and time to write and sing!

I Love You!

Introduction

On the next pages you’ll find seventy-five devotions written especially for you. Each one comes from an aha moment in my life, so although you’ll find them divided into four sections, don’t let the category titles limit their use. The section titles, especially the first two, simply identify the most obvious place to use those devotionals.

Before I sent out weekly devotional readings, I created songs. The section entitled Devotions Inspired by Songs include ten devotions that tell the stories behind lyrics I wrote many years ago. Each can be found on my album, Lookin’ Up, and all are  available for streaming on Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple, iTunes and Amazon. Every tune you hear on the radio could be a four minute devotional.

The final section represents devotions originally sent to my readers during special seasons or holidays. But even these eight messages offer evergreen lessons designed to encourage you and your small group.

Be creative with these messages. Use them for sermon starters or to jump start discussion. Don’t allow the inspiration to stop when you get to the bottom of the page; let the heart of the devotion be the beginning of growth. May each page give you an aha moment I hadn’t even imagined

A Note to Readers

Since you picked this up to read it, I’m going to make an assumption. You want to grow in Christ. Like me, you try your best to fill yourself with words of inspiration and encouragement. You and I have discovered learning from other’s aha moments can lead us to our own, and each one brings us closer to Jesus.

Some ask me why I write. Others wonder why I go to the effort to put my thoughts together in a book with no guarantee anyone will ever read it. I think it’s because I feel like Paul. In First Corinthians 9:16 the apostle says:

For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast,

since I am compelled to preach.

Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

That’s how I feel. I can’t really boast about writing this book because something within me compelled me to do it. I couldn’t not put these words on paper if I tried. They just sort of leak out.

Leaders growing in the likeness of the Almighty are essential to the body of Christ, as are fellowship groups. I meet with two small groups weekly and another each month. These friends help me in my walk with Christ. Some inspire me with their insights, others with their questions.

Perhaps you decided to read this because something inside tells you to be a leader, yet you don’t feel like a leader. Most of us don’t; even after people follow us. Fortunately, the leader simply has to follow Christ so that those following can get Him in their sight. We set a goal that those who walk behind us begin to see Jesus so clearly they don’t need us to lead the way anymore.

My prayer as I write is that someone who reads will be inspired to push past the limitations the world has set, that you’ll see yourself more like God sees you and begin to walk in that truth. I pray you’ll begin to noticed Jesus in the everyday. And if you don’t have a group of two or more that you meet with on a regular basis, you’ll call some folks today and start.

So we all can see Christ more clearly,

Lynne

Devotions

for

Church Leaders

Do your best

to present yourself to God

as one approved,

a worker who does not need to be ashamed

and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

Why Do We Do the Things We Do?

¹⁵ It is true that some preach Christ

out of envy and rivalry,

but others out of goodwill. 

¹⁶ The latter do so out of love,

knowing that I am put here

for the defense of the gospel. 

¹⁷ The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, 

not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble

for me while I am in chains.

Philippians 1:15-17 (NIV)

As church leaders or individuals trying to become more like Christ, that’s an important question. Why do we do the things we do? Paul said a few label themselves as followers of Christ but share the gospel for selfserving reasons. This kind of evangelizing has been going on since the beginning of Christianity. Fortunately, the apostle had a good attitude about the whole thing. He believed as long as the gospel had a voice, it didn’t matter who delivered it.

Despite Paul’s willingness to look on the bright side, this passage can be good for leaders and 21st century Christ followers to ponder. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen local politicians get involved in a church just long enough to get the vote. As a musician in the Christian world, I’ve met a few singers and performers who were more interested in notoriety than spreading the message of Jesus. For these kinds of Christians, the message is a leg up, a rung on the ladder of success. Countless businessmen have discovered they appear more respectable if they frequent a church and serve on the board or give big.

However, just because some call themselves Christian and promote the gospel of Jesus Christ with less than pure motives, does that give us permission to disregard our own? 1 Corinthians 4:5 says [the Lord] will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

What will the world find out about you at that time? What will Christ say about the thing that drives us, the truth in the depths of our hearts? Will we receive Praise from God? Or will He be disappointed in us, revealing the truth of our misdirected intentions? And if the truth comes to the surface before that time, will you be embarrassed, ashamed, or disgraced?

Because of this world’s influence and the message it sends to achieve, succeed and excel, it’s easy to allow the gospel to become a badge of honor or a marketing tool. The Christian music and writing world debate where to draw the line between marketing Christ and the worker being worth his wages. It’s not an easy thing to judge, even when we examine our own hearts. And as the most famous apostle knew, it’s impossible and unwise to judge the hearts of our brothers and sisters.

Like Paul, I’ll praise God for all who spread the gospel even when I question the motives. And each day I’ll pray the words of the Psalmist:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is an offensive way in me

and lead me in the way everlasting."

(Psalm 139:23-24)

The Prayer of the Righteous . . .

So Peter was kept in prison,

but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Acts 12:5 (NIV)

Elijah was a human being, even as we are.

He prayed earnestly that it would not rain,

and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain,

and the earth produced its crops.

James 5:17-18 (NIV)

The church prayed for Peter as he slept, chained between two soldiers and guarded by fourteen more. Imagine his surprise when the angel woke him and led him out of the prison. For a moment Peter thought he was dreaming, and his praying friends scoffed at Rhoda when she told them Peter waited at the door.

Hundreds of years earlier, in just as astounding a story, Elijah prays for drought, and God grants his request. Three and a half years later, he asks God to send rain, and the rain begins to fall. These miracles seem to be reserved for scripture, but what if we too easily dismiss modern day miracles?

I don’t believe God is a fairy type Santa, granting requests like a grandfather passing out candy. Scripture tells us prayer must follow God’s will. And we need to understand the bigger picture, God’s ways are higher than ours.

However, James and Acts include another aspect we might consider as we pray. In both the word earnestly stands out. The dictionary says earnest means seriously important, sincerely zealous, demanding serious attention. Its synonyms are fervent, purposeful, resolute and sincere, while the opposite of earnest is frivolous.

These verses inspire us to ask, Are my prayers earnest or frivolous? As we grow in Christ, it’s vital our prayers become more and more earnest.

But what does earnest prayer look like? Is it always on bended knee? Is fasting a requirement? Does the length of the prayer demonstrate our earnestness?

I personally don’t think any of those things, in and of themselves, make a prayer more sincere. However, a kneeling position shows humility, demonstrating our true dependence on Him. In the same way, going without food on its own does nothing, while true fasting demonstrates our personal needs are much less important than God’s call. And Jesus made it clear lengthy prayers don’t necessarily impress Him. But when we pour ourselves out to God, remaining quiet before Him until His Spirit releases us, our heart begins to look like Hannah’s when she got Eli’s attention in the temple. (1 Samuel 1:10-15)

Earnest prayer doesn’t follow some pattern or method. It comes from the heart. Earnest prayer believes our heavenly Father cares about the things we care about. Earnest prayer gets God’s attention because we believe it deserves God’s attention. It’s full of love, passion, grace and power and based firmly on James 5:16, believing every moment that the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

Woe to You

¹ Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

² "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.

³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you.

But do not do what they do,

for they do not practice what they preach. . ..

¹³ "Woe to you, teachers of the law

and Pharisees, you hypocrites! . . .

¹⁶ "Woe to you, blind guides! . . .

²⁷ "Woe to you, teachers of the law

and Pharisees, you hypocrites!

You are like whitewashed tombs,

which look beautiful on the outside

but on the inside are full

of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.

²⁸ In the same way,

on the outside you appear to people as righteous

but on the inside

you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. . . 

³³ "You snakes! You brood of vipers!

How will you escape being condemned to hell?

Matthew 23:1-36 (NIV)

This passage will never be called uplifting. In fact, it's kind of a downer. But despite all the negativity, Jesus gives us an important lesson.

Our Savior seldom spoke with this kind of pessimism. When He talked with the women at the well, He kept it positive. Surprisingly, even his Last Supper discussion with Judas lacked harsh remarks. Yet in this conversation Jesus speaks with a severity that seems almost out of character.

Why do you suppose Jesus treated the Pharisees and teachers of the law so sternly? I think it's because people looked up to them. These men had earned the respect of most of the population, primarily because of their title. Their conduct caused their followers to sin. And to top it all off, they didn't think they were doing anything wrong.

Jesus never treated