So Loved, To Show love; So Go Love: Five Day Devotional

Here are a few additional resources to guide your quiet time this week:

• Watch the replay of "So Loved, To Show Love; So Go Love" by Elder Mack Allen

• Use this small group discussion guide with family, friends and co-workers.

• Join us for our 6 AM Prayer Call, Monday through Friday (EST)

Day 1: Clearing the Blockage?

Based on the Message: "So Loved, To Show Love; So Go Love" by Elder Mack Allen

"Search me, O God, and know my heart" - Psalm 139:23

Devotional: Have you ever tried to drink through a clogged straw? No matter how hard you suck, nothing comes through. Our hearts can function the same way spiritually. When unforgiveness, bitterness, pride, or toxic emotions settle in, they create blockages that stop God’s love and blessings from flowing freely into our lives. It’s not that God has stopped being good or stopped reaching toward us; it’s that something inside of us has tightened up, making it hard to receive what He’s already pouring out.

Think about a feeding tube that gets clogged. The nourishment is there, ready to strengthen and bring life, but it can’t reach the place it was designed to help. In the same way, God is constantly releasing grace, peace, wisdom, and provision. But, when our souls are clogged with pain we won’t release, resentment we keep rehearsing, or pride that refuses to soften, we can feel spiritually drained even while heaven is open. The enemy loves to use these hidden blockages to convince us God is distant, when in reality God is near and inviting us to let Him heal what’s stuck.

The beautiful truth is that God never stops trying to reach us. He is patient, gentle, and persistent. He doesn’t shame us for having wounds; He offers to cleanse them. Today, take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart. Is it hurt from the past, anger toward someone who wronged you, fear about the future, or disappointment you’ve been carrying alone? God wants to clear away every blockage so His life-giving love can flow freely into every area of your heart again, bringing healing, restoring joy, and renewing your connection with Him.

Quote: "What we hide in our heart will kill us if we don't change." - Elder Mack Allen

Question: What emotions or experiences might be blocking God's love and blessings from flowing freely into your life?

Prayer: Lord, help me identify what's blocking my heart from receiving all You want to give me. Give me the courage to let go of anything that's preventing Your love from flowing freely in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Day 2: The Hidden Sin

Based on the Message: "So Loved, To Show Love; So Go Love" by Elder Mack Allen

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins" - James 4:17

Devotional: We often think of sin as the big, obvious stuff; the kind that makes headlines or shocks our conscience. But there’s a quieter, more subtle kind of sin that many of us wrestle with daily: knowing what’s right and choosing not to do it. It can look “small” on the outside, but it matters deeply because it reveals what’s happening in our hearts. Sometimes it’s not about doing something evil; it’s about refusing to do what God is clearly asking, even when it’s loving, wise, and necessary.

Maybe God has been nudging you to forgive someone, to be more generous, to speak up for what’s right, to stop entertaining a harmful habit, or to step out in faith. Instead of responding to what He said, we delay. We tell ourselves we’ll do it later, when we feel ready, when the timing is better, when the fear goes away. But delayed obedience often becomes disobedience, and ignoring His promptings doesn’t just mean we miss opportunities, it means we’re resisting the very voice of God. When He speaks to our hearts, it’s not to pressure us, but to lead us into freedom and to let His love flow through us to others.

This isn’t about condemnation; it’s about recognition and realignment. God speaks because He loves you and because He has purpose for your life. The good news is that His grace covers even this kind of disobedience. He doesn’t give up on you when you don’t follow through. Instead, He keeps calling you back, patiently reminding you that obedience isn’t punishment, it’s protection. Today, listen for His voice again, and choose obedience even in the small things because small steps of faith often unlock big spiritual growth.

Quote: "If He put it in our spirit to do it and then we don't, we just sinned against Him"- Elder Mack Allen

Question: What is one thing God has been prompting you to do that you've been avoiding or putting off?

Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times I've known what You wanted me to do but chose not to do it. Help me be sensitive to Your voice and quick to obey, even when it's difficult. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Day 3: Walking Dead No More

Based on the Message: "So Loved, To Show Love; So Go Love" by Elder Mack Allen

"But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." - Ephesians 2:4-6

Devotional: Before we met Jesus, we were living, but we weren’t truly alive. In many ways, we were walking dead, spiritually disconnected from the One who gives life meaning, direction, and purpose. On the outside, everything may have looked normal: we worked, laughed, made plans, and kept moving forward. But deep down, there was still a sense that something was missing. That emptiness wasn’t random; it was the ache of a heart created for God but trying to function without Him.

Many of us tried to fill that void with things that seemed like they would satisfy. Maybe it was chasing success, needing approval, depending on relationships, or turning to distractions and unhealthy habits just to cope. Some of those things may have helped temporarily, but they couldn’t bring lasting peace because they were never meant to replace the presence of God. Without Christ, we can gain the world and still feel hollow inside, because spiritual life doesn’t come from what we have, it comes from who we belong to.

The absence of God in our lives is spiritual death, even when our bodies are functioning perfectly. But here’s the incredible news: Jesus came to give us life; real, abundant, eternal life. When we accept Him, we’re no longer walking dead; we’re spiritually alive, connected to the source of all life and love. This transformation isn’t just about going to heaven someday; it’s about experiencing God’s life flowing through us right now. If you’ve accepted Christ, celebrate the miracle that you have moved from death to life. And if you haven’t, today could be the day you stop walking dead and start truly living because God is calling you from emptiness to fullness, from despair to hope, and into a life that is truly alive in Him.

Quote: "The absence of God is death" - Elder Mack Allen

Question: In what ways have you tried to fill the God-shaped void in your life, and how has accepting Christ changed that search?

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for bringing me from spiritual death to life. Help me live each day aware of the incredible gift of life You've given me and share that life with others who are still walking dead. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Day 4: Loved Beyond Measure

Based on the Message: "So Loved, To Show Love; So Go Love" by Elder Mack Allen

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8

Devotional: Here’s a truth that might be hard to accept: God loves you completely, unconditionally, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. He knows every secret you’ve never told anyone, every mistake you’ve made and every time you’ve fallen short, and He loves you anyway. His love isn’t fragile or easily offended, and it doesn’t disappear when you struggle. Even when you feel unworthy, overlooked, or ashamed, God’s love remains steady, reaching for you with the same intensity every single time.

In fact, the Bible tells us that while we were still sinning, still running, still making a mess of things, God proved His love by sending Jesus to die for us. That means His love wasn’t a reward for your improvement, it was a rescue in the middle of your brokenness. You don’t have to earn it, chase it, or maintain it through perfect behavior. This is not a love that rises and falls depending on your performance. It is secure, unchanging, and eternal because it’s rooted in God’s character, not your consistency.

Jesus knew exactly what it would cost Him to love you, the cross, the pain, the rejection, the separation, and He chose you anyway. Even in your worst moments, your most shameful decisions, and your deepest failures, God’s love for you never wavered. This isn’t just a comforting thought; it’s the foundation of your identity and worth. You are loved not because of what you do, but because of who you are, God’s beloved child. Let this truth settle into your heart today and allow His love to silence every lie that says you have to prove yourself to be worthy.

Quote: "He really did die for us...so I know that He loves us" - Elder Mack Allen

Question: What makes it difficult for you to fully accept and believe in God's unconditional love for you?

Prayer: God, help me truly understand and accept Your unconditional love for me. When I struggle with shame or feel unworthy, remind me that Your love isn't based on my performance but on Your character.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Day 5: Learning to Love Yourself

Based on the Message: "So Loved, To Show Love; So Go Love" by Elder Mack Allen

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23

Devotional: One of the biggest barriers to receiving God’s love is often our struggle to love ourselves. When we constantly tear ourselves down with negative self-talk, punish ourselves through unhealthy choices, or stay stuck in patterns that harm us, it reveals something deeper; we aren’t valuing ourselves the way God values us. When we don’t believe we are worth loving, it becomes hard to fully receive love from anyone, including the Lord. We may hear “God loves you,” but our hearts quietly argue back, “Not me… not like this… not after everything.”

That’s why so many people reach for external things to feel whole: substances, achievements, attention, relationships, and approval. But if we really need those things to feel okay, then we aren’t living from our true identity, we’re living from a version of ourselves that depends on something else to feel valuable. God never designed you to be held together by temporary fixes. He created you to be complete in Him, secure in His love, and rooted in the truth that you are already chosen, already known, and already wanted.

Learning to love yourself the way God loves you is a crucial part of spiritual growth. It doesn’t mean becoming prideful or self-centered, it means agreeing with God about your worth. It means treating yourself with grace, speaking to yourself with compassion, and rejecting the lies that say you’re not enough. When you begin to see yourself through God’s eyes, you stop living like a rejected person and start living like a beloved child. It's from that place that you’re able to love others more freely and receive God’s love more deeply, becoming a conduit of His love instead of a blocked pipe.

Quote: The problem is, it's more than likely because you haven't learned how to love you where you are. - Elder Mack Allen

Question: How do your actions and thoughts toward yourself reflect whether you truly believe you are loved and valued by God?

Prayer: Father, teach me to see myself through Your eyes and to love myself as You love me. Help me break free from destructive patterns and embrace the identity You've given me as Your beloved child.  In Jesus' name, Amen.