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40 Days of God’s Promises
I would like to invite you to join me on a 40 day journey of standing on the promises of God. Choose one of God’s promises everyday for the next 40 days, then focus your heart and mind on the fact that God has made that promise to you. Look up the scripture reference…pray it back to God…repeat it to yourself throughout the day…stand on it. See what God does in and through you.
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“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:1-11 NLT
What a beautiful imagery Jesus created for us in this passage. What captures your attention the most? The gardener, the grapevine, the branches, or the production of fruit? If we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves focused on our need to be fruit bearers. We may even spend a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what it is we need to do in order to produce the most fruit. However, Jesus makes our focus plain: we are to remain…abide…stay connected to Him (the vine). The branches simply display the fruit the vine produces. Our job is to remain in Jesus, trusting Him to produce His fruit through us. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - John 15:1-11 Monday - Isaiah 40:28-31 Tuesday - Matthew 11:28-30 Wednesday - John 14:23 Thursday - John 1:36-39 Friday - John 14:27 Saturday - Colossians 1:9-10 Prayer: Father, as I abide in Christ, do your work in my life. Lord, produce the kind of fruit in and through me that will glorify you and draw others to you. Thank you God for grafting me into the vine and for pruning me in order that I might grow and produce much fruit. Amen Philippians 3:12-14 - “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”
Are you looking forward to what lies ahead in 2019? Are you carrying forward any regrets, failures, or even achievements from 2018? Let them go…don’t live in the past; Instead, look ahead with great expectancy and hope. Press on toward what God has in store for you in 2019. Paul says it well in Philippians 3:8-11 - “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!” Make this your goal for the coming year: knowing Christ Jesus as Lord, which means giving Him control…complete reign and rule over your life. Jesus is the key to a rich, satisfying, and abundant life Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Philippians 3:1-14 Monday - Isaiah 43:15-19 Tuesday - John 14:21-23 Wednesday - 1 Timothy 1:12 Thursday - Philippians 2:9-11 Friday - 1 John 3:22 Saturday - 1 John 2:6 Prayer: Lord, I want to live with you as Lord of my life. I give 2019 to you. Guide my mind, my heart, and my actions so I might glorify you. May others see you and not me. Amen “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Peace…Is it really possible? It seems like we’ve had anything but peace since the world began. Has there ever been a time in human history where there was world peace? Remember Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 True peace is found in the Prince of Peace not in the world. Jesus promised he would leave us peace. He said in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Jesus has promised us an unimaginable peace; it’s our choice to receive it. In Philippians 4:6-7 Paul explains it this way: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests by made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Sounds good, doesn’t it. And don’t forget, if Jesus can bring peace in the midst of raging storms, He can deliver peace in your life no matter what you’re facing. Experience the unexplainable peace of God… His name is Jesus - The Prince of Peace. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Isaiah 9:6 Monday - John 16:33 Tuesday - John 14:27 Wednesday - Philippians 4:7 Thursday - Romans 5:1 Friday - Romans 8:6 Saturday - Colossians 3:15 Prayer: Lord, I want to live in your peace no matter what I face in life. Thank you for providing the Prince of Peace who makes it possible. Amen “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
Jesus is the Everlasting Father. God is an eternal being. Jesus said in Revelation 22:23: “I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” We are also eternal, having been created in God’s image. We were made to live forever. Our physical bodies may cease to exist, but our true self, our soul, will live on. Jesus provides the way for us to be reunited with our heavenly Father. In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” God’s great love for us moved him to make the most improbable of sacrifices: He gave his own Son that we might be saved. John 3:16 says, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” “He gave” that which is truly the greatest gift of all time: the gift of eternal life; a gift that is available for all who will receive it. In other words, you have to open the gift for it to be yours. How do you open this gift? John 3:16 says it is by believing in God’s son. Believing in Jesus is more than a simple head knowledge of Him or agreeing with information you’ve heard about Him. Believing is admitting to God that you need Jesus…that you need His forgiveness…that you need His leadership in your life. Believing is putting your total faith and trust in Him alone. Do you believe? Are you trusting Him alone? Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Isaiah 9:6 Monday - John 14:6 Tuesday - John 3:16 Wednesday - Ephesians 2:8-9 Thursday - Romans 5:12 Friday - Romans 6:23 Saturday - Isaiah 53:5-6 Prayer: Lord, thank you for providing a way through Jesus Christ that I can know for certain that I will spend eternity with you. God, your gift of salvation is absolutely the greatest gift I have ever or will ever receive. Father, keep me mindful of your gracious gift as I live my life for you. Amen “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
Jesus is Mighty God. How does this impact your life? As believers in Jesus Christ, we have experienced the mighty power of Christ through salvation. Paul writes in Ephesians 1:19-20: ”I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.” We have access to the mighty power of Christ. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20
We use it to defeat the enemy. “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.” 2 Corinthians 10:4
Believe…act in faith. 1 John 5:4 says: “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” God has given us the victory – we must act in faith as though the victory were already ours. Walk in the victory of the one who has overcome the world. Be an overcomer. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Isaiah 9:6 Monday - Luke 1:69 Tuesday - Hebrews 1:3 Wednesday - Philippians 3:10 Thursday - Ephesians 1:19-20 Friday - Ephesians 3:20 Saturday - 2 Corinthians 10:4 Prayer: Father, thank you for the mighty power of Christ that is at work within me. Lord, help me to act in faith…to fight the good fight…to separate myself from the evil of this world…to draw near to Jesus, and to lean on my brothers and sisters in Christ for strength and encouragement. May others see the power of Christ in me as I live for you. Amen It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year and yet can quickly become a time of tremendous stress.
Shopping…Family…Activities…Year-end at work… When life becomes overwhelming, how open are you to seeking counsel? Maybe you just push your way through it all, or do you have someone you turn to?
If you don’t have someone to whom you turn, I’d like to make a suggestion: simply look to Jesus and say, “Lord, I need you to counsel me.” If you do, He will. He is a wonderful counselor. Isaiah 9:6 says, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Secular and Christian counseling are at an all time high in our society. And when you have a need in your life, there’s certainly nothing wrong with seeking out a counselor. In fact the Bible tells us to seek counsel. Proverbs 11:14 says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” But as believers, we must never lose sight of the fact that we have access to the most wonderful counselor imaginable – Jesus Christ. Seek His counsel first and let Him show you the next step to take. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Isaiah 9:6 Monday - Proverbs 11:14 Tuesday - Hebrews 4:15 Wednesday - 1 Peter 5:7 Thursday - Isaiah 25:1 Friday - Psalm 119:24 Saturday - Psalm 16 Prayer: Jesus, thank you for hearing me and for knowing my needs and concerns before I even share them. Thank you for your counsel through your Word, through the Holy Spirit and through your church. Lord, give me ears to hear you when you speak and a heart to obey. Amen Have you ever been at a place in life where you wished you could see enough of the future just to know what to do next? A desire to simply know with certainty which door to open, which path to take, or which choice to make.
Life is full of choices, and our choices all have consequences. We all hope for the best, but there are those times when we end up suffering the consequences of poor choices. The Bible has an answer for this life dilemma: always follow God’s path…only go through the doors that God opens. In Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) it says, “Trust in the Lord with all you heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” It all centers on seeking His will and trusting Him implicitly. It is better understood when we remember that God has a plan for our lives. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord …” Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT Are you willing to follow God’s plan? The passage says to “seek His will in all you do.” God is offering to guide your life if you will surrender to His will and follow His path. The benefit for you is perfect peace. “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord GOD is the eternal Rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4 NLT Let Him show you. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Proverbs 3:5-6 Monday - Mark 12:29-31 Tuesday - Isaiah 55:6-9 Wednesday - Proverbs 16:25 Thursday - Jeremiah 29:11-14 Friday - Matthew 6:33 Saturday - John 10:3-5 Prayer: Father, I want to follow the path you have planned for my life. Help me to stay focused on you and your will. Open my ears to hear you, my eyes to see you, and my heart to know your will for me. Thank you Lord. Amen “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
How easy is it for you to give thanks for everything, in all circumstances? If we’re honest we’ll admit there are times when that seems like an impossibility. When difficulties or hardships come, the furtherest thing from our minds is to say “thank you.” The problem is we have a very narrow perspective on life and its circumstances. God has a very different view. He sees everything…He knows everything…His perspective is the “Big Picture” while ours is focused on isolated instances occurring throughout our lives. Paul writes in Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Do you see it? Everything…both good and bad, pleasant and unpleasant…Everything works together for the good of believers, of those who follow Christ. It sure is a lot easier to thank God in the good times. Do you know what it takes to thank the Lord in the hard times? Trust. Complete and implicit trust in the one who sees and knows everything. “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT God’s got a plan. Thank Him for everything. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Monday - Romans 8:28 Tuesday - Jeremiah 29:11 Wednesday - Philippians 4:4 Thursday - John 14:21 Friday - James 1:2 Saturday - Psalm 136 Prayer: Father, help me be truly thankful for everything, especially in the difficult days. Give me a glimpse of your perspective. I trust you, Lord. Amen Do you remember some of the wonderful words of wisdom your parents may have offered throughout your childhood? Words that perhaps you passed along or are passing along to your children? If you’re not sure, let me refresh your memory:
In Romans 12:9-21, God offers us wonderful words of wisdom as well. 'Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord . Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.' Wise words worth putting into action. Bro. Joe Suggested Readings: Sunday - Romans 12:9-21 Monday - 2 Cor. 6:6 Tuesday - John 13:34 Wednesday - Ps. 34:14 Thursday - Heb. 13:2 Friday - 1 Thess. 3:12 Saturday - Col. 3:15 Prayer: Father, thank you for giving me words to live by . . . biblical instructions for living life your way. Help me to follow them, obey them and share them. Amen |
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January 2019
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