Cultivate Abiding In A Culture Of Abandon
Saturday, September 08, 2018
Our new recommended daily prayer:
Holy Spirit, I pray that this day You will fill me with Yourself and cause Your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Day 1: Read Ephesians 3:16-19. Great spiritual moves of God often begin with prayer that prepares our hearts. What do you notice about Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians that you desire for your life? Besides yourself whom will you pray this prayer for from Ephesians 3?
Day 2: Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. When you read the Bible, God speaks to you about you. Notice the four uses Paul shares with Timothy in verse 16, for the one purpose in verse 17. As you read God’s Word, pray “God, tell me what I need to hear in order to become more like Jesus.” What do you sense God telling you through His Word today?
Day 3: Read Psalm 19:7-8. Former NFL coach George Allen had a sign on his office wall that said: "Is what I'm doing right now taking me closer to my ultimate goal of winning?" This is the kind of question we ask when we're pruning our daily lives: Is this way of doing things taking me closer to my ultimate goal of becoming a spiritually mature follower of Jesus Christ?
Day 4: Read John 15:16-17. We are saved by Jesus’ choice. Now as a child of God, we are invited to let the Spirit flow through our life. “Saved by Jesus’ choice” - the fancy theological term is called justification. That happens only by God’s gift. Part of that gift is the Fruit of the Holy Spirit as part of God’s blessing in your life. Growing up and maturing as God’s child, cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit - the fancy theological term is Sanctification, set apart for God’s purpose. We join the Holy Spirit in His work. The Fruit of the Spirit is the inner working of the Holy Spirit to bring Christ’s character in and through my life. How have you sensed the Holy Spirit working in your life in the past week?
Day 5: Read Galatians 5:22-23. So how does God produce such Fruit of the Spirit in our lives? Usually by putting us in the exact opposite circumstances! God teaches us to how to really love by putting us around unlovable people. God is far more concerned with our character than our comfort. Where has He been building your character this week? Where do you see some “future” work ahead for your character- building?
Day 6: Read John 15:5. Where do you find it easy to stay connected (remain/abide) with Jesus? Where do you sense a place of disconnect? Why?
You can GO DEEPER this week by reading the following book: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit - Growing in Christlikeness by Christopher J. H. Wright.
Don't forget you can listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.