SPIRIT ABLAZE: A podcast of the Northeast GMC

Devotional for May 14, 2026 with Rev. Steven Taylor

Welcome to the final stop in our Vision.Church series! This week, Rev. Steven Taylor takes us into The Dining Room, the place where our faith takes us from inside our church walls to becoming a public mission. In Acts 6, the early church realized that serving a meal is just as spiritual as preaching a sermon. When we meet physical needs with the heart of Jesus, the world doesn't just hear the Gospel; they experience it!
Focus Scripture: Acts 6:1-7
Verse for Today: “The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly…” Acts 6:7
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Devotional for May 7, 2026 with Rev. Steven Taylor

We’ve built the foundation by loving Jesus. We’ve opened the front door by inviting others in. We’ve stepped into the kitchen, where disciples are formed and prepared. Now we move into the next room: the living room. Welcome to Week 4 of our Vision.Church devotional series! Join Rev. Steven Taylor as he invites us to explore what it means to be a true community, not just a collection of individuals.
Focus Scripture: Acts 2:44–47
Verse for Today: “All who believed were together and had all things in common.”  Acts 2:44
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Devotional for April 30, 2026 with Rev. Steven Taylor

We’ve laid the foundation - love Jesus. We’ve opened the front door - invite others to follow Him. Now, we step into the next room, which is the kitchen. Welcome to week 3 of our devotional series, Vision.Church! This week, Rev. Steven Taylor reminds us that the early church didn’t just invite people to believe, they invited them into a rhythm of life: learning together, praying together, sharing life together. That’s the kitchen - the heart of the home where disciples are formed, shaped, and prepared for mission!
Focus Scripture: Acts 2:42–47
Verse for Today: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”  Acts 2:42
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Devotional for April 23, 2026 with Rev. Steven Taylor

Welcome to Week 2 of our Vision.Church devotional series! Last week, with the reminder that we are building something eternal, we laid the foundation. This week, Rev. Steven Taylor takes us to "The Front Door." In Acts 2, when the people were "cut to the heart" and asked what they should do, Peter opened that door by inviting them into a relationship with Jesus. Today, people are still asking what to do with their past, their guilt, their fear - and if the Church doesn't answer them, the world will.
 
Focus Scripture: Acts 2:37-42
Verse for Today: “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’”  Acts 2:37For print version: PRINT DEVOTIONAL

Devotional for April 16, 2026 with Rev. Steven Taylor

Today we’re launching a brand new devotional series, Vision.Church. In Week 1, Rev. Steven Taylor reminds us that Resurrection Sunday wasn't the end of the story - it was the beginning of God's vision for the Church. Every church, every ministry, every life is being built on something. What is your foundation?
 
Focus Scripture: Acts 2:22–36
Verse for Today: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11
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Devotional for April 9, 2026 with Rev. Steven Taylor

Easter may be over, but the transformation is just beginning! Join Conference Superintendent Rev. Steven Taylor for the final installment of his "Chiseled" devotional series. As we move past the celebrations of the empty tomb, we’re leaning into the beautiful, messy, and life-giving work of becoming a "new creation" in Christ. If you’ve felt the Master Carver working on your heart this Lenten season, this message is for you. Take a moment to breathe, reflect, and pray with us today. 
 
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!”  2 Corinthians 5:17
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Devotional for April 2, 2026 with Rev. Steven Taylor

As we enter the stillness of Holy Week, we reach the conclusion and the heart of our Chiseled series. We’ve talked about letting God shape our lives, but today we face a powerful truth: there are some burdens only the Cross can remove. Join Conference Superintendent Rev. Steven Taylor for a special Maundy Thursday devotional as we look at the ultimate work of grace.
 
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Luke 23:42For print version: PRINT DEVOTIONAL
 

Devotional for March 26, 2026 with Rev. Steven Taylor

As we enter Week 6 of our Chiseled Lenten series, Conference Superintendent Rev. Steven Taylor invites us to look at the one thing we might still be holding back from God. Following Jesus isn't just about what we do - it's about what we are willing to surrender. Listen to this week’s devotional, "Resistance to Surrender," and join us as we pray for the courage to let go of control and follow Him fully. 
“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor… then come, follow me.’”  Mark 10:21
 
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