The Coffee Table

Running to Win 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Devotionals for Church Family 📖 Main Verse: “Run in such a way as to get the prize.” — 1 Corinthians 9:24 📚 Bible in a Year: Reading for the Day Old Testament: 2 Samuel 6–8 New Testament: 1 Corinthians 9 💡 Devotional Thought: 2 Samuel 6–8 shows David bringing the ark to Jerusalem and establishing his kingdom. His passion for God’s presence shaped his leadership. 1 Corinthians 9 compares the Christian life to a race that requires discipline and focus. Spiritual growth does not happen accidentally — it requires intentional effort. A disciplined church pursues God wholeheartedly and remains focused on the eternal prize. 📝 Application: Council & Pastoral: Lead with discipline and vision. Men & Ladies: Stay committed to spiritual growth. Youth & Children: Be consistent in prayer and Bible reading. 🤔 Reflection: Am I running my spiritual race with purpose and discipline? 💭 Take Away: Live with focus on the eternal prize. 🙏 Praye...

The Power and Purpose of Fasting 📖 What is Fasting? Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from food (and sometimes drink) for a spiritual purpose. In the Bible, fasting is often linked with prayer, repentance, and seeking God’s guidance. It is not merely skipping meals — it’s setting aside physical nourishment to focus on spiritual nourishment. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” — Matthew 4:4 💊 Medicinal & Physical Benefits of Fasting While fasting is primarily spiritual, modern science recognizes its physical benefits, including: Improved metabolism and digestion -  It also promotes metabolic switching —where the body burns stored fat for fuel (producing ketones) instead of using glucose from food. Cellular repair (autophagy) -  Fasting is believed to initiate a cellular "house-cleaning" process called autophagy (Greek for "self-eating"), where cells remove damaged and waste materials. This i...