Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Nazarene Publishing House (The Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Wednesday, 23 August 2017 - "The Extraordinary Invitation" by Stuart Williams John 15:1-10John 15:1 “I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch which is part of me but fails to bear fruit, he cuts off; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. 3 Right now, because of the word which I have spoken to you, you are pruned. 4 Stay united with me, as I will with you — for just as the branch can’t put forth fruit by itself apart from the vine, so you can’t bear fruit apart from me.
5 “I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who stay united with me, and I with them, are the ones who bear much fruit; because apart from me you can’t do a thing. 6 Unless a person remains united with me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up. Such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire, where they are burned up.
7 “If you remain united with me, and my words with you, then ask whatever you want, and it will happen for you. 8 This is how my Father is glorified — in your bearing much fruit; this is how you will prove to be my talmidim.
9 “Just as my Father has loved me, I too have loved you; so stay in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will stay in my love — just as I have kept my Father’s commands and stay in his love.
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The extraordinary invitation of John 15:4 invites us into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. To be a disciple is not to simply behave like Jesus, but to enter into a transforming relationship with Him. When we in faith accept His offer for relationship we will be transformed. His Spirit will flow through us. Like a branch attached to a vine has life and produces fruit, so the disciple who remains connected to Jesus will produce an abundance of spiritual fruit.
Our growth and formation as Christians cannot take place apart from Him: “Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4b). If we desire to bear witness to Christ, we must make our relationship with Him our top priority. He is the source of eternal life, and He is the One who enables us to live lives that daily reveal the fruit of His Spirit. Our response to His invitation must be to remain in this relationship through prayer and meditation upon His Word. The Word of God was given to help us maintain and remain in this relationship with Jesus.
May we accept this extraordinary invitation and spend time with Him daily.
Hymn for Today:
The extraordinary invitation of John 15:4 invites us into a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. To be a disciple is not to simply behave like Jesus, but to enter into a transforming relationship with Him. When we in faith accept His offer for relationship we will be transformed. His Spirit will flow through us. Like a branch attached to a vine has life and produces fruit, so the disciple who remains connected to Jesus will produce an abundance of spiritual fruit.
Our growth and formation as Christians cannot take place apart from Him: “Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4b). If we desire to bear witness to Christ, we must make our relationship with Him our top priority. He is the source of eternal life, and He is the One who enables us to live lives that daily reveal the fruit of His Spirit. Our response to His invitation must be to remain in this relationship through prayer and meditation upon His Word. The Word of God was given to help us maintain and remain in this relationship with Jesus.
May we accept this extraordinary invitation and spend time with Him daily.
Hymn for Today:
"I Know That My Redeemer Lives" by Charles Wesley
1. I know that my Redeemer lives,
And ever prays for me;
A token of His love He gives,
A pledge of liberty.
2. I find him lifting up my head,
He brings salvation near,
His presence makes me free indeed,
And He will soon appear.
3. He wills that I should holy be,
What can withstand His will?
The counsel of His grace in me
He surely shall fulfill.
4. Jesus, I hang upon Thy Word;
I steadfastly believe
Thou wilt return and claim me, Lord
And to Thyself receive,
5. Joyful in hope, my spirit soars
To meet Thee from above,
Thy goodness thankfully adores;
And sure I taste Thy love.
6. Thy love I soon expect to find,
In all its depth and height;
To comprehend the eternal mind,
And grasp the Infinite.
7. When God is Mine and I am His,
Of paradise possessed,
I taste unutterable bliss,
And everlasting rest.
8. The bliss of those that fully dwell,
Fully in Thee believe,
’Tis more than angel tongues can tell,
Or angel minds conceive.
9. Thou only knowst, who didst obtain,
And die to make it known;
The great salvation now explain,
And perfect us in one!
Thought for Today:
To them God wanted to make known how great among the Gentiles is the glorious richness of this secret. And the secret is this: the Messiah is united with you people! In that rests your hope of glory!(Colossians 1:27)
Please pray:
That people in the areas of A
frica that are resistant to the Gospel will have the opportunity to hear about God's grace and righteousness.
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-------Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living- WordAction - The Nazarene Publishing House (The Foundry Publishing House) in Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Tuesday, 22 August 2017 - "Pursuing Righteousness" by Stuart Williams
- 1 Timothy 6:11-211 Timothy 6:11 But you, as a man of God, flee from these things; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you testified so well to your faith before many witnesses. 13 I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before the Messiah Yeshua, who in his witness to Pontius Pilate gave the same good testimony, 14 to obey your commission spotlessly and irreproachably until our Lord Yeshua the Messiah appears. 15 His appearing will be brought about in its own time by the blessed and sole Sovereign, who is King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal, who dwells in unapproachable light that no human being has ever seen or can see — to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
17 As for those who do have riches in this present world, charge them not to be proud and not to let their hopes rest on the uncertainties of riches but to rest their hopes on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. 18 Charge them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and ready to share. 19 In this way they will treasure up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may lay hold of the real life.
20 Oh, Timothy! Keep safe what has been entrusted to you. Turn away from the ungodly babblings and the argumentative opposition of what is falsely called “knowledge.” 21 For many who promise this “knowledge” have missed the mark, as far as the faith is concerned. Grace be with you.
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What we pursue in life will shape who we become. Unlike the false teachers in Timothy’s day who pursued godliness with wrong motives, Paul challenges Timothy to flee from the temptation that has overtaken them. Instead he must pursue the virtues that characterized the life of Jesus Christ: “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11b).
Our salvation marks the beginning of a life destined to reveal the very nature of Christ. We are not to see ourselves as passive observers in our spiritual formation but are invited to actively participate in laying hold of the life to which we are called. Our growth begins at the point of our confession and as we learn to remain in Christ we are connected to the source of all spiritual growth. We will then grow up into the character and nature of Christ Himself.
Since we first confessed Jesus as Lord, how have our lives been transformed? Can we testify to growth and maturation in character? Is there a definitive difference that reveals the true nature of Christ? Let us fix our eyes firmly on Him for without Him there is no life and no spiritual growth.
Hymn for Today:
"All for Jesus" by Mary D. James
Indeed, this is what you were called to; because the Messiah too suffered, on your behalf, leaving an example so that you should follow in his steps.(1 Peter 2:21).
Please pray:
1. All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
All my being’s ransomed pow’rs;
All my thoughts and words and doings,
All my days and all my hours.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
All my days and all my hours.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
All my days and all my hours.
2. Let my hands perform His bidding;
Let my feet run in His ways;
Let mine eyes see Jesus only;
Let my lips speak forth His praise.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Let my lips speak forth His praise.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Let my lips speak forth His praise.
3. Worldlings prize their gems of beauty,
Cling to gilded toys of dust;
Boast of wealth, and fame, and pleasure;
Only Jesus will I trust.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Only Jesus will I trust.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Only Jesus will I trust.
4. Since mine eyes were fixed on Jesus,
I’ve lost sight of all beside—
So enchained my spirit’s vision,
Looking at the Crucified.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Looking at the Crucified.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Looking at the Crucified.
5.
Oh, what wonder! how amazing!
Jesus, glorious King of kings,
Deigns to call me His beloved,
Lets me rest beneath His wings.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Resting now beneath His wings.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Resting now beneath His wings.
Thought for Today:Indeed, this is what you were called to; because the Messiah too suffered, on your behalf, leaving an example so that you should follow in his steps.(1 Peter 2:21).
Please pray:
For the development of Christian leaders in Zimbabwe.
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