Thank God I'm Forgiven! Amen! May we live a life that produces lasting fruit flowing through Christ and our salvation to bring Him glory! Thank God we are forgiven and empowered to go with Him to produce good and lasting fruit! And thank God He has brought us together to do our parts in His Good News delivery Company! Amen!
Good Morning Forgiven, Gifted and Empowered Producers of Good and lasting Kingdom Fruit! Amen! Yes PTL! Humble yourself before Him and go be about Him and His business . What's he saying to you? What will you do about it? Who is helping you? What is your role in His Good News Delivery Company? We need each other to do our parts and we need the Holy Spirit given to us to help us repent and grow His Kingdom. How does that apply to you ? Process that with God and some friends . Work prayerfully through the connection blogs, praying Scripture in it back to God and release His power and provision, and engage more through our devotionals. TGIF and thank God He is with me/us and making a way to be producers of good and lasting fruit just as we are. And thank Him for growing us as we remain faithful and connected to Him and each other. Amen! He has great plans for you! Come as you are and grow in your gifts and faith journey as you go. Great fruit lies ahead for you and us! PTL! Let us commit to allowing Him to use us and pray for His Kingdom to come and will to be done in, through and around you and us! It's a great day to go shine bright and drive back the darkness. It could be a day to plant, seed, water, fertilize and even harvest. Thank God I'm forgiven and empowered and he will bring good and lasting fruit alive as we humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways, repent, worship and grow in trust as we go! Yes rejoice for good and lasting fruit is at hand! May God come and use us to heal this land and grow His Kingdom and may we unite and go live and love more like Jesus! Amen!
Connection Blogs
- In His Name
Hebrews tells us that Jesus “always lives to intercede for [believers]” (7:25). Because of our standing in Christ Jesus, and because the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we can pray. We are drawn to pray.
And Jesus Himself said to pray in His name, including several times in His Last Supper discourse:
“I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (15:16)
“In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. . . . In that day you will ask in my name.” (16:23-24,26)
What does it mean to ask or to pray in Jesus’ name? Books could be written on the subject, but here’s a simple explanation. Because the Holy Spirit indwells us when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have the right to call God “Father”. As His children, we have complete access to Him. We have the right to use Jesus’ name as our authority.
Father, I glorify Your name for the amazing privilege You have given me through prayer! You have made a way for every believer to have complete access to Your throne, and to have Your undivided attention when we seek You. Holy Spirit, thank You for coming to dwell within me so that I can more fully know what is on the heart of God. Lord and Savior, Jesus, Your name is holy above every other name! Thank You for giving me access and authority to come before the Father. May every prayer I utter bring glory and honor to Your name.
Praise God, the one mightier than all the officials of all the nations.
Give thanks that he is interested in the substance of justice and mercy rather than mere outward forms (Zechariah 7).
Confess times during which your walk with God doesn’t go much deeper than formality.
Commit yourself to a lifestyle of justice, mercy, and compassion (Zech. 7:9).
Ask God to regularly prompt you to loving faithfulness in such a life.
Pray that your church’s leaders will not be sidetracked by mere adherence to forms or accepted patterns. Ask God to fill them with courage to effectively lead you into his justice, mercy, and compassion.
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayerleader.com. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
When Chris McCandless wandered off the grid and into the Alaskan wilderness, he expected to return. But he crossed the Teklanika in April, well before summer ice-melt would swell that river into an impassable torrent. Months later, out of food, McCandless couldn’t get back. His tragic death is memorialized in book and film.
The people of ancient Israel faced a crucial river crossing in order to enter the promised land. However, “the Jordan [was] at flood stage” (Joshua 3:15), a challenge that would grow their faith. God told Joshua, “ I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses” (v. 7).
Joshua told the people, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you” (v. 11). Taking the ark, the priests stepped into the Jordan, and “the water from upstream stopped flowing” (vv. 15-16). The entire nation stepped across on a dry riverbed (v. 17).
From time to time we’ll face “river crossings”—impossible situations that can grow our faith if we’ll turn to the one who makes the way across. The greatest of these crossings is from this life into the next. No matter what it is, the God who was with Moses, Joshua, and the Israelites also makes a way for us.
By Tim Gustafson
REFLECT & PRAY
What “river crossing” do you face ? How have you seen God show His power on your behalf in the past?
Thank You, dear Jesus, that You make the way across any river I face, including the final one.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
God personally led Israel out of Egypt, through the sea, across the wilderness, and through the Jordan River (Joshua 3:13-17) into the promised land. These miracles are explainable only by God’s presence among them. At Mount Sinai, Moses had confessed, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:15-16). God’s presence is vital for us too and the primary source of our witness to an onlooking world. No matter what situations we face, He’ll go with us and make a way for us.
Tim Laniak
UR: Transforming Light
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light. - John 1:5 (CEB)
Skyscrapers cast cold shadows through my drive downtown to work on Good . An occasional intersection crossing, however, allowed a brief blast of sunlight. My mind drifted as I drove. Darkness had plagued our family for so long, and I had clung to the small glimmers of hope that broke through.
Turning west, I in awe as the ’s reflection against a mirrored skywalk scattered rays of light everywhere, bouncing off the windowpanes of an old brick building nearby to yet another glass structure. It made the appear to be shining from every direction. I was surrounded by incredible brilliance and felt a sense of peace come over me.
The old buildings downtown had seemed drab and worn-out, but in the light they had a new radiance. On Easter , the darkness of Jesus’ crucifixion gave way to glory in our risen Savior. Similarly, Jesus can take our broken-down lives and transform them. No matter our struggles, the Son is all around us!
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's Prayer
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for embracing us with your peace. Help us remember that your light shines through even our darkest moments. Amen.
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