The Game Plan – The Church’s Championship Strategy

Read The Daily:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” – Acts 2:42

Post by Alisha Miller

When I first started my Jesus journey, I thought being a “good Christian” meant checking all the right boxes—reading my Bible every morning, praying, following the rules and making sure I never messed up too badly. I treated my faith like a game where I had to hustle to earn God’s approval. If I worked hard enough, I’d stay on His good side. But if I missed a day or failed in some way, I felt like I was letting Him down.

A few years back I had a conversation with a friend who asked me a simple but powerful question:

“Do you think God loves you more on the days you get it all right?” 

That question literally changed my life. The truth is, God’s love isn’t something I have to earn—it’s something I get to live in. Just like a great team follows a game plan not to prove themselves but to grow together, the early church was all in, learning, praying, and being in community because they knew it strengthened their faith—not because they were trying to earn God’s favor.

Following Jesus isn’t about religious performance; it’s about staying connected to Him and His people. The early church knew this, and that’s why they committed to a simple but powerful game plan—teaching, sharing meals, spending time together, and prayer. They weren’t hustling for God’s love; they were growing in it.

Prayer for the Day

God what are you  showing me?  What am I going to do about it?
God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?
Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.

Read The New Testament In A Year

4 x 6 Plan | Read: John 12:37-50 & 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: “LORD, who has believed our message? To whom has the LORD revealed his powerful arm?” But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said, “The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts— so that their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and have me heal them.” Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he said this, because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s glory. Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God. Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”   John 12:37-50

Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other. Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us. Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss. I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Read More – Bible Project Overviews: John, 1 Thessalonians