November 9 – 15

Curated Reading for November 9 – 15

Sermon Series: Countercultural Week 3
Sermon Title: A Sacrificial Heart in a Self-Centered Society delivered on November 16, 2025
Day 1 READ: 1 John 4:7-21. What is the main message John is trying to communicate to us as followers of Jesus? How does loving others require sacrifice on our part? Who is one person in your life who modelled this for you?
Day 1 PRAY: Take a moment to pause and pray, thanking Jesus for His sacrifice for you. Thank Him for His great love for you, even before you were born. Invite Him to show you ways you can love others more sacrificially. Commit to writing these down and take steps to implement the changes in your relationships.
Day 2 READ: Luke 9:21-27. What standard does Jesus require for those who desire to be His followers? What does daily denying yourself look like in your life? What areas in your life are challenging to follow Jesus, and why?
Day 2 PRAY: Thank Jesus for His willingness to deny Himself and lay down His life for you. Thank Him for His forgiveness and presence in your life. Invite Him to show you an area that you need to be more in alignment with Him and His Word. Offer that area to Him and invite Him to show you practical ways to address those areas in a God-honoring way.
Day 3 READ: Matthew 6:19-34. As you read this passage, what are the things of the world Jesus warns us about? How does He encourage us to prioritize our lives and our life choices? What is the reward for following His commands?
Day 3 PRAY: Find some time to be alone with God today. Make a list of your life’s priorities. Invite Him to show you areas in your life that are competing with these priorities. Offer Him a sacrificial and surrendered heart to yield these areas to Him and better align your life with His priorities.
Day 4 READ: John 15:1-17. Jesus paints a picture of a vine and branches and the relationship between the two, literally and spiritually. How do we remain in Jesus daily? What does pruning look like in your life, either in the past or in your current season of life? What does it mean to lay down one’s life for a friend?
Day 4 PRAY: Thank Jesus for His everlasting presence and unconditional love for you. Invite Him to show you an area in your life that you sense He is pruning to bear more fruit. Offer to Him your willingness to follow Him and remain in Him in this season and beyond.
Day 5 READ: Romans 12:1 & Romans12:9-21‬. What does it mean to offer your body as a living sacrifice? How do you do that practically? In verses 9-21, we see several examples of living and loving sacrificially. What are a couple of those areas, and what makes them sacrificial?
Day 5 PRAY: Pause and thank Jesus for sacrificial love for you. Ask Him to show you practical ways that you can live more sacrificially and devotedly. Make note of those areas and share with at least one other believer who can encourage and hold you accountable.

Memorize and Reflect

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Countercultural Weekly Challenge

  1. Get alone with God – Base Your Confidence in Him.
  2. Get into the Bible – Build Your Confidence on His Word.
  3. Get in a Group – Bolster Your Confidence by Connecting in Community,
  4. Get a New Playlist – Boost Your Confidence by Celebrating our Creator.