Taste & See: Church of God
Taste & See: Church of God
February 8, 2026 Week One 5-Day Devotional
See the full sermon here.
Day 1: The Invitation to Taste
Reading: Psalm 34:8; Matthew 11:28-30
Devotional: God's first invitation isn't to change, but to taste. Before He asks anything of you, He sets a table and says, "Come, discover for yourself that I am good." Like a child tasting fruit for the first time, God wants you to experience His goodness firsthand. There are no prerequisites, no requirements for entry—just an open invitation to encounter His kindness. Today, reflect on how you've tasted God's goodness in your life. Where have you experienced His faithfulness? His invitation to rest isn't about striving harder; it's about learning the rhythms of grace. He offers refuge not as a reward for performance, but as a gift of His love. Come to Him weary, and find the rest your soul desperately needs.
Reflection Question: When have you most tangibly experienced God's goodness in your life?
Day 2: Called Out for a Purpose
Reading: Exodus 9:1; Acts 2:42-47
Devotional: "Let my people go so that they may worship me." God's liberation always has purpose. He doesn't free us from bondage simply to leave us wandering—He calls us out to call us into something greater. The Hebrew word for worship encompasses our entire lifestyle, not just Sunday songs. Worship is how you treat your family at 6 a.m., how you respond when wronged, what you consume on social media, and how you steward your body. The early church understood this, devoting themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer while meeting each other's needs. You are called out from your old patterns, old thinking, and old bondage to live a life that glorifies God in everything. Your daily choices become your melody of worship.
Reflection Question: What does your lifestyle of worship look like when no one else is watching?
Day 3: Refuge Fulfilled in Christ
Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 8:36
Devotional: The exodus story foreshadowed a greater deliverance. Moses led people from physical slavery; Jesus delivers us from eternal bondage. God became our refuge throughout Israel's history, but in Christ, that refuge is fully realized. Jesus didn't just point to freedom—He became our freedom. He who knew no sin became sin so we could become the righteousness of God. This isn't merely theological theory; it's transformational reality. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed—not partially free, not conditionally free, but completely free. Yet here's the challenge: leaving Egypt is an event, but getting Egypt out of you is a journey. Saying the sinner's prayer takes a moment; renewing your mind in Christ is a lifelong process. Liberation isn't instantaneous—it's progressive, requiring patience, community, and the Holy Spirit's continual work.
Reflection Question: What "Egypt mindsets" do you still need God to remove from your thinking?
Day 4: The Body Cannot Be Divided
Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Hebrews 10:24-25
Devotional: You cannot separate Jesus from His church—they are inseparable like treasure and field. The church is messy, imperfect, and frustrating because it's filled with people still being transformed. But it's also beautiful, powerful, and essential because Christ dwells within it. God never designed you to follow Him alone. Even God Himself exists in community—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Paul describes us as different body parts collectively forming Christ's body. The toe needs the hand; the eye needs the ear. We have blind spots that require brothers and sisters to lovingly point them out. Iron sharpens iron, and we spur one another toward love and good deeds. Don't forsake gathering together. You need the church to help you get heaven into your heart, and the church needs you to do the same for others.
Reflection Question: How are you actively spurring others toward love and good deeds in your faith community?
Day 5: Oneness, Not Sameness
Reading: John 13:34-35; Acts 2:1-11
Devotional: At Babel, God dispersed people through different languages because unified pride leads to destruction. At Pentecost, God reunited people through the Holy Spirit, allowing them to understand each other despite language barriers. This reveals a profound truth: oneness doesn't mean sameness. The church isn't about everyone looking alike, dressing alike, or preferring the same worship style. It's about being united by the same Spirit while celebrating our differences. Jesus said the world would know we're His disciples by our love for one another—not our uniformity, but our unity in diversity. Loving someone just like you is easy; loving someone different requires the Holy Spirit's power. Don't let your love grow cold. The messy, beautiful, diverse field that is the church belongs to Jesus, and He's inseparable from it.
Reflection Question: Who in your church community is different from you, and how can you intentionally love them this week?
February 8, 2026 Week One 5-Day Devotional
See the full sermon here.
Day 1: The Invitation to Taste
Reading: Psalm 34:8; Matthew 11:28-30
Devotional: God's first invitation isn't to change, but to taste. Before He asks anything of you, He sets a table and says, "Come, discover for yourself that I am good." Like a child tasting fruit for the first time, God wants you to experience His goodness firsthand. There are no prerequisites, no requirements for entry—just an open invitation to encounter His kindness. Today, reflect on how you've tasted God's goodness in your life. Where have you experienced His faithfulness? His invitation to rest isn't about striving harder; it's about learning the rhythms of grace. He offers refuge not as a reward for performance, but as a gift of His love. Come to Him weary, and find the rest your soul desperately needs.
Reflection Question: When have you most tangibly experienced God's goodness in your life?
Day 2: Called Out for a Purpose
Reading: Exodus 9:1; Acts 2:42-47
Devotional: "Let my people go so that they may worship me." God's liberation always has purpose. He doesn't free us from bondage simply to leave us wandering—He calls us out to call us into something greater. The Hebrew word for worship encompasses our entire lifestyle, not just Sunday songs. Worship is how you treat your family at 6 a.m., how you respond when wronged, what you consume on social media, and how you steward your body. The early church understood this, devoting themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer while meeting each other's needs. You are called out from your old patterns, old thinking, and old bondage to live a life that glorifies God in everything. Your daily choices become your melody of worship.
Reflection Question: What does your lifestyle of worship look like when no one else is watching?
Day 3: Refuge Fulfilled in Christ
Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:21; John 8:36
Devotional: The exodus story foreshadowed a greater deliverance. Moses led people from physical slavery; Jesus delivers us from eternal bondage. God became our refuge throughout Israel's history, but in Christ, that refuge is fully realized. Jesus didn't just point to freedom—He became our freedom. He who knew no sin became sin so we could become the righteousness of God. This isn't merely theological theory; it's transformational reality. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed—not partially free, not conditionally free, but completely free. Yet here's the challenge: leaving Egypt is an event, but getting Egypt out of you is a journey. Saying the sinner's prayer takes a moment; renewing your mind in Christ is a lifelong process. Liberation isn't instantaneous—it's progressive, requiring patience, community, and the Holy Spirit's continual work.
Reflection Question: What "Egypt mindsets" do you still need God to remove from your thinking?
Day 4: The Body Cannot Be Divided
Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Hebrews 10:24-25
Devotional: You cannot separate Jesus from His church—they are inseparable like treasure and field. The church is messy, imperfect, and frustrating because it's filled with people still being transformed. But it's also beautiful, powerful, and essential because Christ dwells within it. God never designed you to follow Him alone. Even God Himself exists in community—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Paul describes us as different body parts collectively forming Christ's body. The toe needs the hand; the eye needs the ear. We have blind spots that require brothers and sisters to lovingly point them out. Iron sharpens iron, and we spur one another toward love and good deeds. Don't forsake gathering together. You need the church to help you get heaven into your heart, and the church needs you to do the same for others.
Reflection Question: How are you actively spurring others toward love and good deeds in your faith community?
Day 5: Oneness, Not Sameness
Reading: John 13:34-35; Acts 2:1-11
Devotional: At Babel, God dispersed people through different languages because unified pride leads to destruction. At Pentecost, God reunited people through the Holy Spirit, allowing them to understand each other despite language barriers. This reveals a profound truth: oneness doesn't mean sameness. The church isn't about everyone looking alike, dressing alike, or preferring the same worship style. It's about being united by the same Spirit while celebrating our differences. Jesus said the world would know we're His disciples by our love for one another—not our uniformity, but our unity in diversity. Loving someone just like you is easy; loving someone different requires the Holy Spirit's power. Don't let your love grow cold. The messy, beautiful, diverse field that is the church belongs to Jesus, and He's inseparable from it.
Reflection Question: Who in your church community is different from you, and how can you intentionally love them this week?
Recent
Archive
2026
2025
2023
May
Parenting Millennials: March 25, 2017Newsletter 2: January 23, 2017A Husband’s Love: April 19, 2017The 316 Launch: Sep 21, 2017The Perfect Storm: Jan 23, 2020The 316 Church NEWSLETTER: Feb 28, 2018Re-Thinking Church: Mar 23, 2018A Tribute to Carmelo: May 9, 2018Immigrants, the Innocent, and Other Holy Things : Jun 22, 2018On Earth as it is in Heaven!: Aug 24, 2019Healthy Church: Mar 17, 2021On Politics: Oct 20, 2020316 Fundraiser: Dec 1, 2020Motherhood Is Not Oppression: Feb 27, 2021“Release Him”: Mar 3, 2021Parenting Adult Children: Feb 27, 2022Champion Your KidsWho is Initiating?
No Comments