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Fresh Encounter Overview
We have purposefully divided the Fresh Encounter booklet into seven week sections, each dedicated to exploring a central theme. We invite you to
join us on this journey of prayer by either following the original time guidelines or by simply reading over the material at you own pace and
allowing God to speak to you through it.
Click an icon below to read that week's devotional. You can also sign up to receive a printed copy or download a copy.
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The moment God spoke creation into existence to this very day, the world around us communicates God's greatness. From the intricate beauty of the smallest flower to the myriad colors that dance across the sky at sunset, the message declaring God's creative power surrounds us. He came here and walked among us, demonstrating the ultimate love and sacrifice. Read more… |
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As people who serve a big God with a huge heart for the nations, One for whom nothing is impossible, we must also intercede on behalf of our brothers and sisters in ministry; we must ask for the continent of Europe as our inheritance; we must pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done around the globe. For when God’s name is glorified in one place, the ripples are felt worldwide. Read more… |
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God created humanity in His image with a soul and spirit. Therefore, I can call out to Him with the expectation that He hears me. Across the galaxies, He recognizes my voice and knows my name. Yet, in the same moment, He’s right here with me! That is an overwhelming fact to comprehend. God is worthy of worship, and our worship of Him is humbling, transformational, and personal. Read more… |
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There might be a tendency for some of us to gloss over the potential for authentic intimacy with God, and in our thinking we move on to things we reckon as more important. Things like service to God, loving our neighbors, God’s provision for our labor, and other certainly legitimate concerns. The “work” eclipses the relationship. Our relationship with God is established, but it might be more disconnected than it needs to be. Read more… |
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What would our lives really be like if there were no such thing as sin and thus no need for confession or forgiveness? Initially, we would feel euphoric. "Wow! We are now free to do as we want. Nothing can hold us back." But then in a more reflective moment, a sense of despair would hit us. Life would be chaotic without the awareness of sin. Egotism would reign in us. Read more… |
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God dwelled on this earth. He came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. He gave up all the comforts of His home in heaven to be homeless. Leaving a world of supreme glory, He forfeited all His rights and privileges as God. Instead of living among angels in an atmosphere of love, He became flesh to live on earth among people (and Satan) who despised Him. His first dwelling was a manger, where he lay swaddled in rags.
Read more… |
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On one hand, we’re to press on; on the other, to simply come. We find a God who “tears us to pieces,” who injures us, yet returns to bind us up and heal us! The “plum tuckered out” put on a yoke to find rest! We count our assets as rubbish! What kind of God is this? These counterintuitive steps are all designed to bring us to a God who is indeed unfathomable, untamed, and beyond our comprehension, yet who invites our company. Read more… |
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