September 01, 2026 | The Movement - A Study in Acts by Byron McWilliams
Day 1: The Confession That Changes Everything
Reading: Romans 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Devotional: Salvation is not inherited, purchased, or earned. It is received. Romans 10:9-10 makes clear that confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in the resurrection is the foundation of eternal life. Like Sanctus, who faced burning bronze plates and still declared "I am a Christian," your confession carries weight beyond this world. It is not merely a statement of belief -- it is a declaration of identity. Today, ask yourself honestly: Is Jesus truly Lord of your life, or simply a part of it? A genuine confession reshapes everything that follows.
Personal Reflection: What does it mean for Jesus to be Lord -- not just Savior -- in your daily decisions?
Practical Application: Write out your personal confession of faith in your own words. Speak it aloud today as an act of intentional declaration.
Day 2: You Are a New Creation
Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:8-9
Devotional: The moment you placed your faith in Christ, something permanent happened. The old passed away. The new came. Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us that this transformation is entirely a gift -- not a reward for good behavior. You did not earn it. You cannot maintain it through effort alone. You simply received it. The simplicity of grace is not a weakness in God's plan; it is the beauty of it. Many stumble over the fact that salvation seems too accessible. But that is precisely the point. God's grace is scandalously generous, and it is meant to produce in you a life that looks entirely different from the one you lived before.
Personal Reflection: In what areas of your life does the "old self" still seem to have a voice? What would it look like to walk more fully in your new identity?
Practical Application: Identify one habit or attitude that belongs to the old creation. Bring it before God today in honest prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to replace it with something new.
Day 3: The Spirit Who Lives in You
Reading: Romans 8:9-16; Ephesians 1:13-14
Devotional: You are not left to figure out the Christian life on your own. The Holy Spirit -- the very presence of God -- has taken up residence within every believer. Romans 8:16 describes the Spirit bearing witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. This is not a distant theological concept. It is a living, daily reality. The Spirit guides, convicts, comforts, and confirms. No earthly parent wants their child to wonder whether they are truly loved and claimed. How much more does your heavenly Father desire that you live with the settled assurance that you belong to him?
Personal Reflection: Do you regularly sense the Holy Spirit's guidance in your life? If not, what might be hindering that awareness?
Practical Application: Before making any decision today -- large or small -- pause and ask the Holy Spirit to direct your steps. Practice this throughout the entire day as an exercise in Spirit-dependence.
Day 4: Drawing Near to the God Who Draws Near
Reading: James 4:8; Psalm 16:11; Psalm 27:4
Devotional: God is omnipresent -- he is everywhere. But there is a difference between the omnipresence of God and the manifest, conscious nearness of God. Psalm 16:11 declares that in his presence there is fullness of joy. Not partial joy. Not temporary happiness. Fullness. James 4:8 offers one of the most straightforward promises in all of Scripture: draw near to God and he will draw near to you. The pathway into that nearness is not mystical or complicated. It runs through consecration, worship, the Word, and prayer. Most believers never experience this depth of closeness -- not because God withholds it, but because they never pursue it.
Personal Reflection: Would you describe your relationship with God as close and conscious, or distant and routine? What is one honest reason for where you are?
Practical Application: Set aside an uninterrupted block of time today -- even fifteen minutes -- for the sole purpose of drawing near to God. Begin with confession, move into worship, read a passage of Scripture slowly, and then simply talk to him.
Day 5: Evidence of a Christian Life
Reading: 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 4:7-12; Matthew 28:19-20
Devotional: The Christian life is not merely a private transaction between you and God. It produces visible fruit: obedience, love for others, and a willingness to share the hope you carry. First John makes it plain -- those who claim to know God but do not keep his commandments, and those who claim to love God but harbor hatred toward a brother or sister, reveal a contradiction that demands honest examination. And Matthew 28:19-20 reminds us that the mission of the church is to go and make disciples. The angels do not carry the gospel. God entrusted that privilege to you. If you were arrested today for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Personal Reflection: Which of the seven marks discussed in this sermon is most underdeveloped in your life right now? What is one honest step you can take toward growth in that area?
Practical Application: Think of one person in your life who does not know Jesus. Commit to praying for that person every day this week. Ask God to open a door for a natural, genuine conversation about your faith.
"I am a Christian." -- Sanctus, 177 AD
May those words be yours -- not only in declaration, but in evidence.