January 9 - Become Like Jesus - Strengthen Your Relationship With The Heavenly Father
“Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” (Luke 2:52)
Devotional Thought: What kind of relationship do you have with the Lord? We all know people who are mentally and physically fit, but their life is a wreck because their spiritual life is messed up. That’s because when people don’t have a good relationship with the Lord they make some not-so-good choices in their lives. So, what does it take to deepen our relationship with the Lord? Here are some answers to that question.
One, to deepen our relationship with the Lord we have to spend time with Him. We can’t have a relationship with someone that we don’t communicate with. And the way that we communicate with the Lord is by worshiping Him and praying to Him. And the way that He communicates back with us is through speaking to us by His Spirit and speaking to us by His Word. So, do you have a daily time when you spend time with the Lord worshiping Him, praying to Him and listening to Him speak to you? Journaling is a good way to record what the Lord says to us through His Word and His Spirit.
Another way to deepen our relationship with the Lord is to make Church engagement a real priority and commitment in our lives in 2026. Church engagement includes regular in-person Church attendance. While we’re all grateful for online worship service opportunities when we’re on vacation or recovering from an illness or injury, online attendance is no substitute for gathering with other Believers in in-person worship services. There is a greater sense of God’s presence when Christians gather together for worship. And then Church engagement also includes serving in some capacity in our Church’s ministry. To find out what opportunities are available at your Celebration Campus, contact a Campus Staff Member or go to www.celebrationchurch.org/serve.
Third, to deepen our relationship with the Lord we need to be willing to submit every area of our life to Him. In our North American culture we like to commit parts of our lives to the Lord. But when we commit parts of our life instead of our whole life that leaves us in control of our decisions. The New Testament way is to surrender our way and our will to the Lord completely. That’s why Paul wrote in Romans 12:1, “Give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him (or live for Him).”
Fourth, to deepen our relationship with the Lord we need to connect regularly with other Christians in a Life Group or on a Ministry Team. Being a part of a Group or Team helps us to grow spiritually and strengthens our resolve to live for the Lord.
Jesus told a story about a wealthy man who relished his wealth, until his life was taken from him. And then Jesus said in Luke 12:21, “A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God." May 2026 be our best year ever when it comes to having a rich relationship with our God.
Prayer Focus: Lord, I want to grow healthier spiritually in 2026 as well as become healthier physically and intellectually. Show me what steps I can take to develop a rich relationship with You in the days ahead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Follow-Up Activity: Look at your daily and weekly schedule and make the changes you need to make in order to deepen your relationship with the Lord in 2026.
