World
Changers
One Spark, One Heart at a Time
encouragement and wisdom for the journey : a devotional
World
Changers
Change starts in our own hearts— then we can reach out to help
others. If we are going to be “World Changers,” let’s consider first
what we need to change personally— it might be our attitude that
needs changing, or maybe it’s our schedule that needs to open up
in order to have time to reach out and change a life.
The music and message of Body & Soul will inspire you to be a
World Changer, starting with your own personal world. Look around
at the needs that are near you. Keep your ears open to hear about
opportunities to help others. Here are the themes to focus on as
you join us to grow in Faith & Fitness this session:
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Changing the World
Simple Acts of Love and Kindness
Prayer Changes Things
Be a Spark that Lights the Dark
Making Things New
Be ready to change your world— one heart, one spark at a time!
Blessings,
Jeannie Blocher
President, Body & Soul Fitness
Newsboys
Hillsong
Rend Collective
Group 1 Crew
Beckah Shae
Sanctus Real
Capital Kings
Sanctus Real
Shuree
Citizen Way
Beckah Shae
LeCrae/for King & Country
Unspoken
Royal Tailor
Francesca Battistelli
LeCrae
Jason Gray
Family Force 5
Group 1 Crew
David Dunn
for King & Country
Big Daddy Weave
Shine Bright Baby
Tembalami
Songs that Inspired
this Devotional
That’s How You Change the World
Wake
Build Your Kingdom Here
Everyday is a Miracle
Incorruptible
Easier on My Heart
Living for the Other Side
I Need You
One Girl Can Change the World
Evidence
Heartbeat
Messengers
Start a Fire
Making Me New
He Knows My Name
Tell the World
With Every Act of Love
Let it be Love
A Little Closer
Today is Beautiful
Steady
Give My Life Away
Beautiful Love
Hande
Changing the World
How does change happen? One small step at a time.
How is a habit formed? Daily repetition of something
new. So how can we ever hope to be a part of changing
our world when we see needs, hopelessness and
loneliness? The lead song of this session says it all:
“It’s the prayer in an empty room, little things we do
when nobody’s around, a hand reaching out to a heart
in doubt. It’s the smallest spark that can light the dark…
It’s the kind words, a simple smile. More than showing
up, going the extra mile. It’s giving everything when
you’ve got nothing left. Sharing a little hope with a single
breath. That’s how you change the world.”1 We can all
encourage people, one heart at a time. We can point
them to God and spark hope in the lives of those who
are starting to despair. We can make a daily habit of
positive change, starting with ourselves personally,
then reaching out to others—one step at a time. Let the
spark of change ignite your heart!
Hebrews 3:13a “ Encourage one another
daily, as long as it is called Today…”
That’s How You Change the World by the Newsboys
1
Be a World Changer,
One Life at a Time
Imagine being offered a pristine internship in a fail-proof business.
That is what the twelve men referred to as “disciples” were offered
by Jesus. He invited them to walk with him as he changed the world
for all of time and eternity. They accepted Jesus’ invitation and were
honored to witness him perform multiple miracles. They heard
him predict his death and claim to be God. They were there when
the Roman guards took him away to be crucified. After Jesus’s
resurrection he appeared to eleven of the men as they were eating.
He spoke honestly to them about their disappointing faith. Then he
shocked them by entrusting them with the global task of spreading
the news about HIM that would change the world.1
Changing the world happened then as it does today, one person at
a time. A little waif of a woman said it this way; “Never worry about
numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the
person nearest you”.2 Go ahead and help the people closest to you.
Make sure they know about the Life-changer, Jesus. It’s your turn to
become a world changer, one person at a time.
Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the
good news to all creation.”
Mark 16:14-15
1
2
Mother Theresa
Simple Acts of Love
and Kindness
“Mercy and grace and compassion. They’re only words without
action. I need hands that are open, reaching out to broken
hearts. ‘Cause that’s the only way this world will ever know who
You are. Love is the evidence.”1 We can all show God’s love by
meeting needs in small, simple ways. We can reach out to the
brokenhearted with simple acts of kindness and compassion.
We don’t have to spend a lot of money to do this, but we do
need to spend a little time. Sit and listen to a friend who needs
to pour out her heart. Take a meal to a grieving family. Do an
errand for a young Mom whose kids are sick. We all know how
special it feels when someone reaches out in kindness to us.
Let’s take time—make time—to do this for others. And when we
do—let’s point people to God. We can be God’s hands and feet.
Let our love be the evidence that God loves those we touch.
Ephesians 5: 1-2 “Be imitators of God, therefore,
as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just
as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a
fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Evidence by Citizen Way
1
Love and Kindness
can Change a Life
A parent commented, “I love it when my kids don’t do
something wrong, but I love it even more when they do
something right.”1 Our loving heavenly Father feels the same
way. Make Him proudly smile with delight by being kind and
loving to someone today. Ask God to show you who you need to
reach out to. “The heavenly Father is preparing good works in
advance with our name on them. He is ordering our footsteps.”1
A simple act of love and kindness could change someone’s day,
possibly even their life.
You may be finding it difficult to love because you don’t feel
loved. God loves you personally, powerfully, unconditionally and
sacrificially. “We love because He first loved us.”2 Drink in His
love, and when your thirst is quenched go and share a cool drink
of love with someone else.
I John 3:16 “This is how we know what love is; Jesus
Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay
down our lives for our brothers.”
Mark Batterson, Going All In, One Decision Can Change
Everything Pg, 41
1
2
I John 4:19
Prayer Changes Things
Have you ever been listening to a friend share a story of personal
hardship and felt helpless to do anything that could change the
situation? When we love someone, we want to “fix it” when life is
going wrong. We want to take action and change the circumstances.
Of course we do!
It’s at times like this we realize that what we need to do—what we
CAN do, is pray! It may at first seem like a small thing, but there is
great POWER in prayer! Prayer changes things. Prayer is, in fact, THE
most important thing we can do. It is often through prayer that God
reveals other action steps that will be appropriate to take. We all have
experienced times when wisdom concerning a situation was found in
the midst of prayer. Let’s make the commitment to pray first. Then we
will stand back in awe as steps for change unfold. “We are the church;
we pray, revive this earth!”1
James 5:16b “ Pray for each other so that you
may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is
powerful and effective.”
Build Your Kingdom Here by Rend Collective
1
The Adventure of Prayer
We want to believe that prayer can change things, but
sometimes our experience with prayer can be disappointing.
Sometimes when we pray we are attempting to “script” God.
When Jesus taught us to pray he made it clear that our heart’s
desire should be for God’s will to be done on this earth (in our lives)
as it is in heaven.1 Mark Batterson remarks: “...the true adventure
of following Jesus didn’t begin until I went all in. That is the day I
stopped asking Jesus to follow me and decided to follow him.
Let me ask the question: Who’s following who? Are you following
Jesus?” (even in your prayer life).2
Batterson stated: “In The Circle Maker, I wrote about the
importance of prayer. It’s the difference between the best you can
do and the best God can do…I promise you this: God is ready and
waiting. It is absolutely imperative at the outset that you come to
terms with this simple yet life-changing truth: God is for you.”2
“There is nothing God loves more than keeping promises, answering
prayers, performing miracles, and fulfilling dreams. That is who He
is. That is what He does.”3 Could it be that God has plans that are
bigger and better than what you could even think to ask? Are you
ready to seek his will in your life, thus giving him the opportunity to
delight you with the changes he has in mind? Prayer does change
things because God is genuinely good... God is creatively able and...
God is consistently faithful!
James 4:2b “You do not have, because you do not ask God.”
Matthew 6:10
Mark Batterson p.19,50
1
2
3
Going All In-One Decision Can Change Everything by
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson p.15
Be a Spark
Do you want to make a difference in this
world? Do you want to be a spark lighting
a fire for positive change? One song in this
session says this: “One girl can change the
world. Yeah, we’re livin’ it loud…I’m movin’
forward, steppin’ up, ain’t playin’ around.
Ready to put up a fight to make a difference
in life.”1 Let your light burst forth—shine
light into the darkness of one life, or stand up
for a cause that matters to you. Do something
small or do something big. The main thing is to do
something! Don’t hide your light under a bowl and
expect anyone to notice. One small spark coupled with
other sparks from brave people stepping out in faith can
start a blaze for change. Be one of those sparks! “Ya’ll
ready? I’m gonna. You’re gonna. We’re gonna—change the
world!”1
Let’s be a spark lighting the darkness! Let’s do this!
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A
city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light
a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on
its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds and praise your
Father in heaven.”
1
One Girl Can Change the World by Shuree
A Spark in the Darkness
It’s possible for all of us to feel burned out after a long period
of enduring difficult days. We can feel surrounded by darkness.
What’s the best action you can take when you feel this way? Is it
to” grimly grit your teeth, simply passing time in a negative frame of
mind”?1 No! This is the perfect time for you to search for, to reach
out to Jesus, the one who said: “I am THE LIGHT of the world.”2 He
understands what your darkness feels like because he lived on this
earth and experienced hunger, pain, rejection and loss.
When you turn to Jesus for help, he will give you “Glory-strength.”
It is limitless and freely available to each of [His] followers. Glory
strength is powerful! ...Glory-strength enables you to keep on
enduring the unendurable.”1 Since this strength is limitless there is
plenty to go around. So...once you’ve experienced “glory-strength”
be a spark in someone else’s life by pointing them to Jesus— the
light of the world.
Ps. 18:28 “You, LORD, keep my
lamp burning; my God turns my
darkness into light.
Jesus Lives by Sarah Young
p. 288
2
John 8:12
See also Ps. 27:1
1
Making things new
When change happens it creates something new! And
powerful change happens first in our hearts—when we are
made new and set free as we take the step of faith to say yes
to Jesus. Royal Tailor says it this way in one of the session
songs: “You’re making me new--everything new. I’ve been
changed by you, like only love can do. You’re making me new.
You gave it all for me; came and set me free!”1 God loves us
so much that he made a way for us to be new—to be “reborn”
if you will. In the book of John, chapter 3 verse 16 it says “ …
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal
life.” What an offer of newness! What a commitment of love!
Love is an amazing catalyst for change. God’s love inspires
us to change, and our love for others in turn inspires them to
change. Take the first step of faith right now, or take the step
to recommit to your faith now. God will make you new!
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the
new has come!
Making Me New by Royal Tailor
1
What Can Really Make You New?
There is one relationship that can make all things new. “The moment
you bow your knee to the lordship of Jesus Christ, all of your sin is
transferred to Christ’s account and paid in full…. It’s like God says, “I’ll
take the blame for everything you did wrong and give you credit for
everything I did right. It doesn’t get any better than that.”1 No more
guilt, no more striving to be good enough. Jesus graciously gives
you righteousness when you receive by faith the salvation He gives.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—this is not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can
boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do
good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”2 A new
creation with new purposes.
Sometimes we mistakenly think that if we say yes to God, we’ll miss
out on something fun, wonderful, or exciting. That is NOT the truth.3
There is one thing for sure: “If you don’t hold out on God, I can assure
you that God will not hold out on you....”1 So give him all of you and he
will make you all new.
Ephesians 4:24b “...put on the new self, created to be like
God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Mark Batterson Going All In, One Decision Can Change Everything
2
3
pg. 35-37
Ephesians 2:8-10
Ps. 84:11
1
Do you need a personal change
before you can change the world?
Sometimes we know that we want to change, but we also know
that we cannot do it in our own power. We know that we need a
higher power outside ourselves. That power is God. He loves us
dearly and he is waiting patiently for each of us to reach out to
him and ask for his help. He is the one who can make us new in
whatever area of our lives we need it.
God offers mercy and grace. He offers forgiveness. He gives us a
second chance. He is the one who helps us change for the better
personally so we can be ready to help change the world around
us.
This change is not a self-help list. It’s not a “I’ll try harder”
commitment. It’s spiritual change.
Take a step of faith to ask God to take control of your life and
change you. Tell him you want to be made new.
Admit your faults and mistakes-- the things that you know you
need to change.
Accept God’s grace and forgiveness. He offers this grace to you
in a supernatural way. He does not ask you to earn it. He knows
you don’t deserve it; he offers it as a free gift.
You can be assured of this supernatural grace if you put your faith
in God and allow him to take control of your life. He loves you so
much that he sent his son to earth to cover your mistakes and open
the door to everlasting life. Jesus bridges the gap between you and
God. Intentionally choose, by faith, to believe that Jesus is the
only way to ensure your eternal life of true freedom in heaven.
Once you have made this decision, your new life of positive change
will begin.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith—and it is not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God—not by works so that no one can boast.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is on Christ, he is a
new creation; the old has gone. The new has come.”
The following is a suggested prayer
Dear God, I want to make a change by trusting in you to make me
new. I am taking the step of faith to believe in you. I open the door
of my heart and accept you as my Lord. Thank you for forgiving my
sins and giving me life that is everlasting. Take control of my life.
Make me the person you want me to be. Thank you for your grace
and your love.
Does this express the desire of your heart? If so, pray this prayer
right now and Jesus will come into your life and make you new, just
as he promised. Then, share the good news with a Body & Soul
friend so she can rejoice with you!
Devotionals written by: Anne Walchshauser & Jeannie Blocher
Art design by: Rebecca Gilbert
www.bodyandsoul.org
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