Do you remember last week’s devotion on Day four of week one, where we talked about the two branches? Today we are going to focus on another branch that Jesus talked about. This is found in John 15:2: 1) Branches that belong to Jesus but aren’t bearing fruit need to be “lifted” by the gardener – Father. 2) Branches that belong to Jesus and are bearing fruit need to be carefully pruned for even greater fruit production. Now we will learn about the third branch – the kind that doesn’t remain in the vine. This is about the branch that chooses to leave. In verse 6, we get down…
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Advent Day: Twenty-Three
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 Can we get serious for a moment and ask some hard questions? What are your beliefs based on? Truth or lies? Where do you base these truths on? Where do they come from? The Bible, the world, or our enemy, the father of lies? Read the following verses: John 8:44, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding…
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Bless His Holy Name
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. Psalm 103: 1-5 Do you ever talk to yourself about where your soul is with God? Do you bless the Lord and his Holy name? Do you remember the benefits he gives you? This Psalm is an expression of thanksgiving and praise to…
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Songs Of Thanks
Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers. “Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name; make known his deeds among the people. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works. 1 Chronicles. 16: 7-9 You may want to read all the verses up to verse 36 of this chapter. I put in verses 10-36 for you to read below. 10 Honor His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek Yahweh rejoice. 11 Search for the Lord and for His strength; seek His face always. 12 Remember the wonderful works He has done, His…
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Lives Unburdened
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3 Come to me, all who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 28: 28-30 What do these two passages say? What do we learn about God and Jesus from these passages? Living a life for Christ is all about relationships. When we look…
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Share God
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 Read Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father, who is in heaven. Matthew 28:19-20 says, …
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Gathering In Small Groups
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord…
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Together In Worship
And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, Acts 2:46 Let’s start by also reading Hebrews 10:24-25 and Psalm 95: 1-3. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful…
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Spending Time With God
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35 Read the following passages and then answer the following questions. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Psalm 119: 103-105, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore, I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a…
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Unburdened
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35 What is a relationship in your life you’ve seen grow as you’ve intentionally devoted time to that relationship? Every relationship grows in direct proportion to the amount of time we invest in that relationship. Guess what? It is the same way with our relationship with Jesus. The desire of our hearts when we follow Christ should be one that wants to be like him. There is no substitution for time spent alone with God. IF you have developed a regular Bible time with God,…