Promise Confirmation: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 103:20-22, James 1:22-25
Day 13
Growing God’s Way
John 15:1-2
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
Promise: God promises pruning (discipline, training) to make me grow in Christ so that my life will be more fruitful.
I love my garden and the beautiful flowers and vegetables that I grow. They are pleasing to look at and a joy to eat. The image given in these verses is that just as I need to cultivate, prune, and water my garden, God needs to do the same with me. He directs, guides, and causes me to hurt at times to produce a more steadfast character that is deeply rooted in Jesus. I don’t particularly like the pruning, as it is often difficult, but I can look back and see how those hard times caused me to draw nearer to Him and walk more closely in trust. I know that God wants the very best for me and that He is good. His ways are not my ways, yet He will cause me to grow and develop that steadfast character He desires, if I will trust Him and depend fully upon Jesus to guide, mold, and uplift me.
Lessons and Truths:
1.Jesus is the source of growth and life for the believer.
2.A believer’s life must show fruit.
3.God disciplines those He loves.
4.God’s pruning produces even more fruit in my life.
5.God tends to me. He oversees my growth and productivity.
Prayer: Father God, I know that pruning and discipline are difficult when they come into my life. I want to joyfully thank you for loving me and molding my character so that I will be able to stand firm in my faith. Produce in me your fruit that I can be used more effectively for your kingdom. Let others see Jesus in me. Amen.
What is my response to God’s promise?
What kind of fruit is evident in my life? Galatians 5:22-23a says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
Promise Confirmation: Psalm 25:8-10, Proverbs 3:11-12, Matthew 7:16-20, Romans 8:28, Ephesians 5:8-11, James 1:2-4
Day 14
Godly Commitment
Psalm 37:5-6
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.”
Promise: God promises to act on my behalf, bring out righteousness and justice for me if I will commit myself to Him and trust Him.
How are you at commitment? Do you start new things with great enthusiasm just to let them go in a day or a week? Learning to commit to the LORD is a lifetime process that increases as we study His Word, pray, and seek to follow Him. Truly committing to Him, in both faith and action, allows us to walk in God’s light and see His righteousness and justice more clearly. Will you persevere in God’s pathway, allowing Him to mold and shape you into the righteous person He desires you to be?
Lessons and Truths:
1.God is good and wants only good things for me.
2.Following God requires trust and commitment.
3.God has the power to mold and shape my character.
4.God is just and righteous.
Prayer: Lord, create in me a spirit of commitment to you that I may grow and see evidence of righteousness and justice in my life. I know that you are good and that you want only good things for me. Help me to trust you fully so that I can grow and become more like Jesus each day. Amen.
What is my response to God’s promise?
Am I fully trusting God and committing myself to following Him? What evidence is there in my life that this is happening?
Where do I see godly righteousness in my life?
Promise Confirmation: 1 Samuel 7:3-4, Psalm 103:6, Psalm 145:17-20, Isaiah 30:18, Matthew 7:11, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, 1 Peter 2:23-25
Day 15
Salvation Assured
Romans 10:9-10
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Promise: God promises salvation to those who confess Jesus as Lord and believe He died and rose again.
God has a wonderful plan to save us, which requires faith in Jesus and His work on the cross. We do not have to fulfill a list of good works to be saved. In no way can we earn God’s favor without faith in His Son. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” All God requires of us is faith. Many people spend their lives fighting, rationalizing, and trying to deny faith. Many spend their lives trying to earn God’s good favor and to be good enough for Him. God tells us simply that only faith is required. Simple enough. Do you have it?
Lessons and Truths:
1.God hears me when I speak to him.
2.Faith, believing in Jesus, is essential for salvation.
3.God can save me.
4.I am justified by faith in Jesus, not by anything I do.
5.God knows my heart attitude and whether or not my faith in Jesus is real.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins and for His victory over death. Thank you for the gift of faith and the knowledge that I am saved. Lord give me a heart for the unsaved and, especially, those I already know who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Give me opportunities to speak boldly about salvation. Amen.
What is my response to God’s promise?
Do you know for sure that you are saved? Have you done the following in faith?
Admitted