Spending time in God's word at least 4 days a week can have a major impact in our spiritual lives. It impacts our loneliness, the way we interact with people around us, our ability to overcome temptation, and our willingness to share our faith.

Each week we will upload 4 devotionals based on the sermon from that week. Our goal is to have everyone connected to GFC digging into God's word at least 4 days per week to see how God will grow each of us as we grow closer to him. You can also access these devotionals on the Bible App using the QR code in the graphic below!

Weekly GFC Devotionals

Week of September 6th 2026

Mark 11

Day 1 — Welcoming the King

Mark 11:1–11

Big idea:

Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a young donkey, fulfilling the picture of a humble King. The crowds shout praises and welcome Him, but within days many will turn against Him. It is easy to praise Jesus when following Him feels exciting or when life is going well. But Jesus isn't looking for temporary enthusiasm—He calls us to faithful discipleship. Welcoming Jesus as King means more than singing His praises on Sunday. It means allowing Him to have authority over our choices, priorities, relationships, and plans throughout the week.

Reflection questions:

• What area of my life am I still trying to control instead of submitting to Jesus?
• What is one decision I need to make this week that reflects Jesus as my King?
• Does my commitment to Jesus continue when following Him becomes inconvenient?

Prayer:

Jesus, You are my King. Help me honor You not only with my words and worship but with the everyday choices I make. Amen.

Day 2 — A Life That Bears Fruit

Mark 11:12–21

Big idea:

Jesus encounters a fig tree covered with leaves but without fruit. He then enters the temple and finds people who appear religious but have lost sight of God's purpose. Together, these events challenge us to consider the difference between looking fruitful and actually bearing fruit. It is possible to attend church, know Scripture, and participate in ministry while our everyday lives produce little evidence of Christ's character. Jesus isn't interested in appearances alone. He wants our faith to produce real fruit—love, obedience, generosity, patience, forgiveness, and holiness.

Reflection questions:

• What evidence of my faith would the people closest to me see this week?
• Is there an area where my outward Christianity looks stronger than my actual obedience?
• What is one specific way I can put my faith into practice this week?

Prayer:

Lord, don't let my faith become merely outward appearance. Produce genuine fruit in my life that reflects the character of Jesus. Amen.

Day 3 — A House of Prayer

Mark 11:15–19

Big idea:

When Jesus enters the temple, He finds God's house being used in ways that have distracted people from worship. Jesus declares that God's house should be "a house of prayer for all nations." His concern wasn't simply about what was happening in the temple—it was about people losing sight of God. We can make the same mistake. Even good things like church activities, serving, and ministry can become distractions if they replace our relationship with God. Jesus calls us back to a life centered on prayer and dependence upon Him.

Reflection questions:

• Has busyness in church or life crowded out time with God?
• When was the last time I intentionally set aside time simply to pray and listen?
• What practical change can I make to become more consistent in prayer?

Prayer:

Father, bring my attention back to You. Help me make prayer a priority rather than something I fit in when everything else is finished. Amen.

Day 4 — Faith That Trusts God

Mark 11:20–33

Big idea:

After seeing the withered fig tree, Jesus tells His disciples to have faith in God. He connects that faith with prayer, forgiveness, and trust. Faith isn't simply believing that God can do something; it means trusting Him enough to bring our needs to Him and obey what He says. Jesus also reminds His disciples to forgive others. Faith affects more than our prayers—it changes our relationships. We cannot separate trusting God from how we treat the people around us.

Reflection questions:

• What specific situation do I need to bring to God in prayer rather than carry alone?
• Is there someone I need to forgive or make peace with?
• What would trusting God look like in one difficult situation I'm facing this week?

Prayer:

God, help me trust You with the things I cannot control. Give me faith to pray, courage to obey, and grace to forgive others as You have forgiven me. Amen.

Spiritual Exercise – Letters of Forgiveness

This practice involves forgiving those who have wronged you in the past. This is not an easy task. Move at your own pace through this exercise. The key is to understand how much Christ has forgiven us. Paul says in Colossians 3:13, “Forgive as the Lord forgave you,” and in Ephesians 4:32, “forgive one another, just as God through Christ forgave you.”

Reflect

Find a quiet place where you can be alone with God. On a piece of paper, write down the names of those who have wronged you in the past. Also write out what was done to you and how it has affected you.

Pray

Next ask God to give you the courage and the grace to forgive them. Reflect on the cross and how Christ willingly suffered for our wrongdoings rather than pushing them back upon us. Instead of retaliating, he absorbed the blow. Real forgiveness is costly. But it’s the only way for there to be resurrection.

Write

Next, if you’re able to, write letters of forgiveness to those who have wronged you. Address them by name and tell them what you’re forgiving them for. (You may need to write yourself one as well.) If it’s helpful, imagine yourself sitting with the person — and read to him or her your letter.

Dispose

Lastly, when you are ready, tear up the letters or burn them outside. This is a holy moment. As you dispose of the letters, ask God to help you truly release any resentment or bitterness you have toward them.

Keep in mind that forgiveness is not the same thing as reconciliation. Reconciliation requires something from the other person, whereas forgiveness only depends on you. We ought to seek reconciliation whenever we can, yet sometimes it’s not possible nor appropriate. However, we can choose to forgive a person regardless of their response.

Sidenote: Once you’ve completed this spiritual exercise, it doesn’t mean that you will never feel anger or resentment towards the person again. Those negative emotions might flare up again in the future. But you’ve taken a giant step forward in the healing process by intentionally releasing your animosity toward this person, and you now have a pattern for forgiving to return to if the old emotions return.

Reflection (Journaling)

After you have practiced this spiritual exercise, write a short reflection on your experience. Explore such questions as: How did this practice impact you? Did you find God at work in this practice?  Also write about the experience in general.