The Bibles says much about the love of God towards His children. His love is deeper than the ocean and higher than the sky. His love is so big we can not comprehend it. Todays scripture tells us that the same love that God has given to Jesus is the same love that Jesus gives to us. That is so amazing! Jesus goes a step further and says that if we are to abide in His love then we must keep His comandments just as He has kept God's comandments. This is what it means to abide in Christ, keeping His comandments. Loving the Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul. This is the most important thing in your life, your relationship with God. Everything is deependant on this very thing.
What is one thing you need to change so that your relationship with God grow deeper?
Romans 8:31-39
When we understand and accept God's love for us we become alive in Christ. The grace that is given to us is what saves us. We are a new creation according to 2 Cor. 5:17. This grace that has saved us, is through the faith that we have put in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We have been saved, there is nothing that we can do to take away or add to what God has done in our lives. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. The only thing that we have to do is walk in them. They are all finished works in the eyes of God. It is all a work of God through His wonderful grace.
Here are some things that become true about a person when they believe in Christ. These are spiritual things that we must live out here on earth that are already true about you before God.
Rewrite the list of spiritual things from above but write, I am in front each one. For example, I am choosen by Him. Once you do that to all ten things meditate on the list all day and live like it.
Romans 12:1
The Lord accepts you how you are but He does not want to leave you that way. In todays reading the writer of Hebrews is talking about the discipline of the Lord. Most of the time we think of discipline as something that happens to us because we have done someting wrong. But this is not the kind of discipline that these verses are talking about.
Today you are going to pick out some verses from the reading and you are going to do a H.E.A.R. study on them. It is importnat that you do this because you will need it for tomorrows devotional.
Find other verses that talk about the discipline of the Lord. Write them down and meditate on them.
If you have not done a H.E.A.R. study on the reading, then stop and do that because you will need it for todays devotional.
When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior we are complete in Him. However, practically speaking, on a behavioral, day-to-day basis, Christ-like character must be developed. One tool that God uses to change us is loving discipline.
Based on your study of the passage of scripture answer these questions.
Meditate on these two truths today:
If you found other verses that talk about God's discipline do a H.E.A.R. study on some of those.
Rest in God
Today we are going to take a look at what Paul says is important in our lives. Paul was desperate for God. More than anything in his life he wanted to know God and make Him known. Paul says over and over that he counts everything as loss. He wants to know him in such an intimate and personal way that he would become more like Jesus. May hope and prayer is that we would desire the same for our own lives.
John 4:13-14
Do a H.E.A.R. study on todays reading. You will need to do this for tomorrows devotional.
Luke 18:1-8
The most important thing that a disciple of Jesus does is being with HIm. Jesus was visiting with Martha and Mary and Martha was upset because she was busy for Jesus, while Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus. Which one are you? Are you a Martha? So busy that you don't sit and talk with God. Or are you Mary? You sit and just talk with God. In the reading, Jesus asks Philip, "I have been with you all this time and you still don't know me?" I believe that is the biggest problem with disciples today. They are so busy that they don't talk with God. This one thing is probably the most important thing that we do in our Christian life. It is why we say at Ecclesia, that we exsist to help people Know God.
If you have not done the H.E.A.R. study from yesterdays devotional, you will need to do that before you continue.
Write down five things that you are going to talk to God about this week and then journal or write down how God responds.
Find other scriptures in the Bible that talk about talking with God and do a H.E.A.R. study on them.
Knowing God is the most importnat thing in our lives. Who we are hinges on this one thing, that we know Him. In fact our verse for today says that our eternal life is knowing Him. We can not have eternal life with our knowing God. It is impossible. The greatest pursuit in life is to know God more intimately. God wants us to know Him more. All throughout the Bible there are people who incounter God in an intimate way. He wants us to know Him!
Below is a list or verses in which God reveals Himself. Beside each one write the name, title or description of God that is revealed in each verse. Pray and ask God to help you know Him intimately and not just know about HIm.
Pick one or a couple of the verses above and do a H.E.A.R. study on them.
If you have been coming to ECC for any period of time you have heard this statement, We exist to help people Know God, Love God, & Serve God. Today we are going to talk about Loving God. The scriptures say that we are able to love God because He first loved us. It is the only reason that we are able to accept His grace and mercy. In todays reading Jesus says that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all you heart, soul, mind, and strength. He desires that we love Him with the core of our being (heart). He desires that we love Him with all of our emotions (soul). He desires that we love Him with all of our energy (strength). He desires that we willing choose to love Him (mind). It is not a suggestion it is a command that expresses God's desire for us.
Ask God to give you the hunger to know Him more that will result in a growing love relationship, which is what being a disciple of Jesus is all about.
Write down a plan to know God more and how that is going to help you love God more.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on one or more of your favorite verses today.
Today we are going to rest and abide in God.
Good morning church! Last night I encouraged you all to have a plan to share the Gospel with your friends, family and the world. I believe that this is very important. In todays verse Paul tells us that we should always be prepared or ready to give a defense or an answer to any one who wants to know about the hope that we have in Jesus. This is our mission, to share the Gospel and make disciples. People are literally dying with out the truth of Jesus Christ. Today's devotion is going to help you write down the first part of your plan.
You are creating a gospel profile on each one of your freinds or family members. Pray and ask God to help you with this process. Remeber you have been given power by the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you and help you come up with this part of your plan.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on Matthew 28:19-20.
Today is all about praying for the people in your life that you are planning to share the Gospel with. Prayer is the work of a disciple. We don't pray and then work, prayer is the work. All day be praying for those who you are going to be connecting with.
Call the people on your Gospel list and ask them how you can specifically pray for them.
A disciple serves the Lord their God. Who will you serve today. Will you serve the world or will you serve God. The bible says that you can not serve two masters. Let us meditate on this today and really ask God to help us serve Him with all of heart, mind, strength and soul.
Write down a plan and a prayer to help you serve the Lord.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on Joshua 24:14-15
Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's scripture verses. This is to help you with tomorrows devotion.
Rest in God today!
Do a H.E.A.R. study on the scripture reading for today.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on todays verse. I would encourge you to read John 15:1-11.
Write down a list of things that you think you can do on your own. How is that working for you?
Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's verses.
Share the Gospel with that one person.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on the these verses. This is how Jesus said we should pray.
Pray
Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's verse. Do you have joy in your life?
Write down all the things that bring you joy and thank God for them.
God wants us to have peace in our life. He tells us that His peace guards our hearts and minds. Today pray and ask God to help you have the peace that passes all understanding.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's verses.
Pray without ceasing.
Continue to pray.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's scripture. Write down some diferences between this account of The Great Commission and the account in Matthew 28.
Share the gospel with your One.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's scripture.
Write down the different ways the Word of God can change you.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's verse.
Write down how you can serve God this year?
Today spend time and catch up on all devotions if you are behind.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's verses. Holy week starts today, with the triumphant entry of Jesus. We want to start the week off focusing on Jesus, who is the author and perfecter of our faith.
Find all the other places in the Gospels that give an account of the Triumphant entry of Jesus and do a H.E.A.R. on each one.
This week is Holy Week or Semana Santa, where we focus on the events that led up to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everyday this week we are going to focus on an event that Jesus did or went through. Today we are reading about Jesus cleansing the temple. Do a H.E.A.R. study on these scriptures. The bible tells us that we are the temple of the Lord, so focus on the correlation between us and the fisical temple of the Lord.
Write down all the things that need to be cleaned out of your life and ask Jesus to cleanse you of all those things.
Ask someone to keep you accountable to getting rid of those things in your life that need to be cleaned out.
Today we are going to read about Jesus rebuking the Pharisees. I want you to pay attention to how Jesus uses scripture at the end of the passage. We see Jesus doing this over and over again. Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's verses.
Do a H.E.A.R. study on one of the parables.
In todays reading Jesus is going to be betrayed by Judas. The plan to murder Jesus begins. Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's scripture reading.
Repent and ask God for forgiveness for the way you betray Him everyday.
Wrtie down a list of things that you prioritze over Jesus and next to it what you are going to replace it with.
We are reading about the last supper today. Jesus is instituting the Lord's Supper and serving the disciples one last time before He is going to be arrested. Do a H.E.A.R. study on today's scripture reading.
Pray and spend time with the Lord in meditation today.