Exceptional

Exceptional

The City Blessing Church theme for 2026 is TRANSFORMATION. Transformation always requires transitions. This year’s theme is taken from:

Romans 12:1-2, MSG:

“So, here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

The month of January will focus on “Exceptional”. Exceptional means unusual, extraordinary, special, and peculiar. You are special. See yourself how God sees you because he has called you to be his special possession, so do not be dictated by any negative thoughts you have about yourself.
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Week 1: Exceptional Obedience

Understand God’s presence and guidance in our lives. Learn from Moses: encourage the congregation to embrace their identity as children of God, rather than fearing the king's anger or confusion. Read Hebrews 11:23-29.
Living free from secret identity. Moses’ identity doesn't come from public opinion, accomplishments, or successes.
David was quick to repent. Psalms‬ 51‬:10‬-11‬ NKJV‬‬, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” Read the whole chapter of Psalm 51.
Church often puts wrong identities on people, judging them by behavior and failures.
Knowing the importance of encountering God in worship, valuing an environment where hearts are ignited by His presence.

‍PRAYER POINTS

Pray for courage like that of Moses. Through faith, he abandoned the fame and fortune of the Egyptian kingdom, choosing his identity as a child of God over his status as Pharaoh’s son. Just as Moses stood firm against the most powerful empire of his time, we too can remain unshakable in our faith, no matter how intimidating our circumstances may be.
Pray that we fully embrace our identity as the child of the Almighty God. Deliver us from the need for human approval or the pursuit of worldly status, and acknowledge that our true value is found only in Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Pray that we can recognize our worth in Jesus that far exceeds our net worth, knowing He died so that we may have the rich and satisfying life promised in John 10:10 NLT.
Pray that we would live daily by David’s prayer: "Create in me a pure heart, O God." - Psalm 51:10 NLT. Ask for the Holy Spirit to search us and remove any hidden pride or bitterness, renewing our spirits so that we can experience the fullness of His presence.
Pray that we recognize that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness as we choose to value God’s presence above every earthly thing.

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Week 2: Exceptional Generosity

Read John 12:1-7. Mary anointed Jesus' feet with expensive perfume and wiping them with her hair.
Understand the importance of generosity and worship. Mary's act is contrasted with Judas' criticizing her for wasting the perfume.
There’s a debate between practicality versus exceptional and extravagant generosity as an act of worship and gratitude. True worship expresses worth, not just practicality.
Exceptional generosity is not transactional analysis.
The voice of Judas often contradicts the voice of God; the voice of Judas will always sound reasonable, but it is not the voice of heaven.
Understand that practical giving often undermines the worth of Jesus.

PRAYER POINTS

Pray that we cultivate a heart like Mary’s, which values the person of Jesus above all else. May we enter His presence with such devotion that nothing else matters, recognizing that being near Him is worth far more than the costliest of earthly treasures.
Pray that we do not emulate Judas, who relied on worldly wisdom rather than the discernment of the Spirit. He justified the cost and value of Mary’s worship with earthly measurement. May we never justify or dismiss the cost of worship based on earthly measurements, but instead see through the eyes of heaven.
Proverbs 3:15-17 NLT, “Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help us to prize God’s wisdom above all else, recognizing that nothing we desire compares to it. Grant us the discernment to reject a 'sensory-only' wisdom that is limited to what we can see and touch, and lead us into the paths of peace and honor found only in Your Spirit."
Pray for transforming us into extravagant givers. Help us to offer all we are, our time, our resources, and our strength as a sacrifice of praise. Let our lives be a bridge that brings the reality of Your kingdom into this world.

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Week 3: Exceptional Peace

Read Philippians 4:4-9. The book of Philippians was Paul’s writing from a prison cell in Rome.
An encounter with the Prince of Peace will transform you, not only giving you calm in the midst of the storm but also bringing you to your desired haven. Read Psalm 107:28-31.
“Shalom” in Hebrew means wholeness, complete satisfaction, and fulfillment. Peace is an internal state not an outward resource.
Philippians‬ 4‬:7‬ NKJV‬‬, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
The importance of abiding under the shadow of the Almighty: believers are provided for, protected, and supported. Read Psalm 91.

PRAYER POINTS

Pray that we, like Paul, would experience a peace that transcends all human understanding, even in our “prison” moments. May our joy remain unshakable, regardless of our circumstances, rooted in the deep and certain knowledge of who we are in Christ.
Pray for a fresh encounter with Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Just as Jesus stilled the raging waves with a word, we lay hold of our authority in Christ to speak “Peace, be still” over the raging storms currently raging in our lives.
Pray that we won’t just experience the absence of conflict, but the presence of wholeness, complete satisfaction, and fulfillment in you. Let this peace be an internal state that remains unshaken, regardless of the outward challenging appearance we are facing.
Declare the promises of Psalm 91 to be our portion over our lives. We choose to live under the shadow of the Almighty God, believing that no evil shall befall us and no plague shall come near our dwelling. We thank you for being our shield and our buckler, providing for every need and supporting us in every trial.

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Week 4: Exceptional Commitment

Paul’s charge to Timothy in 2 Timothy‬ 2‬:3-4‬ NKJV‬‬, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
Understand the importance of not quitting, even when faced with extreme hardships; have inner strength and faithfulness in difficult times.
In Judges 16:6 Delilah asked the secret of Samson’s strength. Let’s apply that question to us today: “What’s the secret of your strength, physically, emotionally, mentally?”
For Paul, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 1 Philippians 1:21
Exceptional commitment as a disciple of Christ. 2 Timothy 2:1-2, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

PRAYER POINTS

Pray that as we face battles in life, we must learn to be able to endure hardship not entangle ourselves with the affairs of life that makes us weak and unable to fight the good fight of faith.
Pray for the strength of our spirits to persevere through every trial. Pray for our freedom from the distractions and worldly cares that drain our strength and hinder our walk.
Pray for the grace to remain focused and not become entangled in the everyday business of this world, so that we may remain strong and ready to fight the good fight of faith.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to strengthen our inner man so that we can stand firm in the face of hardship. Ask for freedom from the noise and anxieties of this world that seek to clutter our heart and slow our progress. Pray that we continually to cast every care upon Jesus, so that we may walk in the lightness and power of His Spirit.

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