Spiritual Renewal 2026

Read: Genesis 2:7–9, 15 (NIV)

7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 

… 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Reflect:

•  Think about a time when you felt genuine care from someone. Where were you, and who showed up for you? What do you think motivated them to care so well?
• Reread the passage above and list each action of God that was an act of care.
• Where do you see God’s love for Adam shown in this passage?
• Do you believe that God cares for you? Take a few minutes and list out what blessings God has provided for you.
• This next week, for Spiritual Renewal, we will be attempting to “Take off the Filter” and get real about our faith.
• For many of us, when we think about taking off the filter, we think we are going to give full-vent to what bothers us. However, I’d like to challenge you to start the process differently. Let’s first move to acknowledge and thank God for all that He has blessed us with

Respond:

Lord, Thank You for creating us, thank You for loving us. You are good. You have given us life, the joy of family and friends, meaningful work, and the ability to have a relationship with You. Help us to think about our lives in terms of all that You have provided, and not just what we feel we want from You. Lord, draw us into deeper fellowship with You, and shape our lives to reflect the goodness You designed us for. Amen.

Read: Genesis 3:1-7 (NIV)

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”   4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Reflect:

• Have you ever thought about what you would have done if you were confronted by the serpent? Truthfully, I doubt that any of us would have fared better than Adam or Eve.
• Adam and Eve were created innocent – without sin – but they had the propensity to disobey God. You and I are different. We were born not just with the propensity to sin, but also into the state of sinfulness. In Romans, Paul says it like this, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12, CSB).
• Adam was our representative. His failure, was our failure. But this is not just a principle of doctrine, we have all experienced sin personally. All of us are rebellious at heart, and none of us are free from sin. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way…” (Isaiah 53:6a).
• Today, as we take another step toward “Taking off the Filter,” we need to acknowledge where we were without God’s salvation. In God’s total love and care, He created us, but every one of us has willfully walked away from Him.
• Take a moment to be honest with God: in what ways have you experienced His rescue from sin?

Respond: 

Lord, it is hard to think of all the ways You have saved us. Thank You for loving us even though we did not deserve it. Thank You for seeking to save us, even though we did not know we were lost. As we move forward into this week, help us to remember where we would be without You. Amen.

Read: Genesis 3:14-15 (NIV)

14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Reflect:

• Do you minimize sin, or do you treat it as a serious problem in your life? Be honest with yourself. How might God be inviting you to see it more clearly?
• In today’s text, we see God’s pronouncement to the serpent, after Adam and Eve had sinned, bringing death as its consequence. We see the prophecy that one day, a Son of Eve would defeat the serpent.
• Sin is not something humanity can account for on our own. Its impact is too deep. We require a substitute.
• This text is uniquely known as the first mentioning of the Gospel. It is where God declares, “Satan will not have the last word.” “Death will not have the last word.” But, He will set all things right.
• A great number of generations later, we see that God was true to His word, and a daughter of Eve named Mary bore a child named Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus lived a life of perfect sinlessness, and at just the right moment, He was hung on a cross, died, buried in a tomb, and arose three days later. His ‘heel was struck,’ it looked like the end, but it was not the end. Jesus laid down His life, as our perfect sacrifice for sin, then, He arose, conquering death. Satan was defeated.
• Today, as we “Take off the Filter,” let us acknowledge that sin was our point of greatest need, that God met us in our sin, and offers redemption and eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16).

Respond:

Lord, thank You for loving us when we did not love You. Thank you for being our remedy when we did not know we needed one. Lord, help us to live in light of the Gospel we believe, resisting the temptations of Satan and following You in everything. Amen.

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; 47-49 (NIV)

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

… 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

Reflect:

• Surely, this question will feel odd, but consider it: If God did not exist and you were created through some sort of random cosmic event, how would that impact the way you lived your life?
• I think it is a good question, because I feel that it would matter. Where we are headed matters.
• In the passages above, we read about Adam, the first man, and Jesus, the new heavenly man who has prepared us for heaven. The contrastive style helps us understand the point: that if we are in Christ, we are bound for heaven and our bodies will not merely return to dust.
• If you trust Jesus, do you ever pause to remember that heaven isn’t just an idea — it’s your real, forever home?
• Take a moment and list out at least 5 reasons why heaven being our future forever home matters to how you live.
• You see, when the “Filter is off,” and we see things as they are, our plans matter less, and God’s plans matter more.

Respond:

Without You, Lord, our lives would consist of merely gratifying our desires. Truly, that would be an empty and meaningless existence. Truly then, Lord, we rejoice that you are in fact our divine Creator and God. We thank you for our salvation. We thank You for promising heaven as our home. Help us to live with the hope and purpose that this truth brings. Amen.

Read: Ephesians 4:25-32 (NIV)

25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin:” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Reflect:

• Why do you think it sometimes feels easier to focus on your relationship with God than to live in close, honest community with other believers?
• Regardless, we are called to live in harmony with one another and to seek to help each other live richly, abiding in Christ.
• Reread each directive in the text. As you read, ask the Lord how you are doing in each regard. Is there a habit God may be nudging you to change, someone you need to forgive, or someone you might need to go to and ask for forgiveness?
• Since forgiveness is meant to protect unity, reflect God’s heart, and bring healing, what happens to our relationships — and our own hearts — when we choose not to pursue restoration?
• Most of the time, following Jesus means working hard for unity and choosing peace — but some situations require extra wisdom. If you’re facing something like abuse or harm, it’s important to reach out to a trusted, wise person for help. God often cares for us through the support and guidance of others.
• In the Christian life, getting real about our faith means acknowledging our part in conflicts and seeking peace when possible. If we overlook our errors concerning others, we fail to represent Christ well to the world and risk leading others away from a fruitful life in Christ.

Respond:

Lord, thank you for the goodness and joy of fruitful and encouraging relationships. Give us hearts to care for one another well, and the perspective to be about the work of building others up. Lord, give us patience when situations are hard, and forgiveness when it needs to be extended. Give wisdom and grace. Amen.