A FRUITFUL VINE

 A FRUITFUL VINE

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 30, 2011

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house:  thy children like olive plants round about thy table.  Psalm 128:3
in me
The church of God is the bride of Christ, married, in perfect union with Christ Jesus.  So what it the result of this wonderful union?  Fruitfulness.  Jesus states:

I am the vine, ye are the branches; He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth  forth much fruit:  for without me ye can do nothing.  John 15;5

This productivity occurs as we stay connected to the Word.  And just as Hannah asked for Samuel, we must ask for good works that will produce good fruit that will bring glory to God; we must pray to be raised from our impotent state.    As we believe  and receive all that the Lord has for us, we will be like Mary whose fruitfulness caused her to proclaim:

My soul doth magnify the Lord,  And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.  For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.  For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.  And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.  He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.  He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.  He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.  He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. 
 Luke 1:46-55

Indeed, the fruitfulness of our union with Christ requires that we ask; for life in God flows through the channel of prayer:   If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7

Today, let us rejoice, for he that is mighty hath done to me great things!

MARRIED TO ANOTHER

MARRIED TO ANOTHER
IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 29, 2011

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Romans 7:4

God desires for His church to be in complete unity with His son, Jesus Christ.  In that sense, we are married to Him.  We take on His identity.  And we live according to His rule.  Scripture tells us that "...in him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). This union that we have with Christ is living, active, and supernatural.  It is so alive, that it will bring forth fruit--satisfying to the Father.  The law could never do that, though it was good.  The law made us impotent, sold to sin.  Our union with Christ liberates us to productive life. 
Today,  God has saved the best wine for last!

I WORK

I WORK
IN THE BEGINNING THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 26,2011

The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool:  but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up they bed, and walk.
And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked:  and on the same day was the sabbath.
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day:  it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.
He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
And he that was healed wist not who it was:  for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
The mand departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
But Jesus answered them , My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
John 5:5-17

In this passage of Scripture, we see Jesus set a captive free.  A man that had been impotent for thirty-eight years was made whole.  He could finally get up and ...work.  The Scripture tells us that he immediately began to work; for he took up his bed and walked.  It was this act of work that brought immediate persecution from the Pharisees. They were judging him according to the law, when he had been made free in and by the Holy Spirit.  To work, for this man, was a radical act.  Still Jesus commanded:  Rise, take up they bed, and walk.  The season of new life had finally come, after such a long, lonely wait.
 When Jesus tells us to rise and get to work, we will agree with him, regardless of the  persecution we may face.
Certainly, the enemy of our soul wants us impotent in every way, but Jesus wants us free-- for now and eternity.

Today, let us be freed from every bondage attempting to hold us back, and let us get to work.

LORD OF ALL

LORD OF ALL IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 21, 2011 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, Preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) Acts 10:36 Jesus is Lord of all, and as we dwell in His power we have Peace. Today, let's have peace through Christ Jesus-- He is Lord of all.

FAMILY TIME

FAMILY TIME

IN THE BEGINNING…THE WORD

DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 19, 2011

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife:  and they twain shall be one flesh?  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.  What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.  Matthew 19:5,6

The family unit is established by God.  It is through one man, Abraham, who was married to one woman Sarah, which established God’s family on earth, the family of Faith.  “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee:  And I will make of thee a great nation, and will bless thee, and make  thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  And I will bless them  that bless thee, and curse him that curse thee:  and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3). 

The husband and wife unit is the most intimate family unit.  The marriage unit must be protected, guarded and revered.  The enemy knows that if he can destroy the husband-wife unit he can wipe out the entire family, destroying a godly lineage, destroying godly seed.  If there is someone who hates your spouse, this cannot be your friend.  Will you befriend he whom is formed to destroy your family?  We take so much, so lightly, but God is so serious--and life is so precious.  We must guard our life in God, our faith in God and our family in God.

“What therefore God hath joined together let no man put asunder “(Matthew 19:6).

Today, let us guard Marriage, and let us have sweet, blessed family time.

PEACE

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 18, 2011
PEACE

For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and  living.
Romans 14:9

When Christ died, when he rose and when he revived, he had a specific purpose: Lordship.  Through His death and resurrection he purchased dominion over everything alive and dead, in heaven and on earth.  And because all things are under His control and His authority we have PEACE.

Today, let us recognize that Jesus is Lord  over every situation.  Today, let us know Peace.

BE WON

IN THE BEGINNING...THE WORD
 DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR TODAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

 BE WON

 Likewise ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. IPeter 3:1,2

 What is your behavior saying? How might we make sure our behavior is of excellent speech? The sinner is beholding you, watching your conversation. Perhaps the froward and wayward unbeliever is unable to hear you: let him behold your purity and good works.

 Today, let our conduct cause the sinner to be won to God.