[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Dear Daily Message Readers,[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']READ: [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif']John 15:1-11[/FONT]
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[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']John 15:10 [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'](NET)If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commandments and remain in his love.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Please read carefully the two scenarios below before proceeding with the devotion:[/FONT]
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[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']SCENARIO 1:[/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']You wake up refreshed, have an amazing quiet time, and enjoy time with your wife and kids before heading off to work. On your way to work, you see a man who needs help changing his tire. Knowing you will be late to an important meeting, you think twice about helping the man, but you are able to share the Gospel with him in the process. Because you are late to the meeting, you must take on an additional project. By Gods grace, you finish the project well ahead of time and with much success. [/FONT]
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[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']SCENARIO 2:[/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']You wake up feeling sick, forget to have your quiet time, and your wife gets mad at you for not doing some chore you forgot about. On your way to work, you have a flat tire and no one is there to help you. You miss your meeting and the project you take on is a terrible failure. [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']What is the difference in these two scenarios? How would you feel with number one (I bet content and happy?) How would you feel with number two (bitter, grumpy?)? [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Your satisfaction in the plan and work of God is not contingent on your performance or circumstances. Your comfort, your joy, and your peace is not derived from what you can do for God. Rather, biblically speaking, those things come from what God has done for you in the finished work of Christ. God cannot and will not allow your source to be anything but Him and His grace. [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']A lesson you must learn as a Christian is that God often brings you failure into your life and your ministry to get you to re-focus your priorities on Him. During this process, God allows you to see that you can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:4) and that absolutely everything depends on Him. [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Are you there yet?[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Faith Lesson: [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif']"I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in himbears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.John 15:5 [/FONT]
In Christ,
Darin Smith
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']READ: [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif']John 15:1-11[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']John 15:10 [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'](NET)If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commandments and remain in his love.[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Please read carefully the two scenarios below before proceeding with the devotion:[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']SCENARIO 1:[/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']You wake up refreshed, have an amazing quiet time, and enjoy time with your wife and kids before heading off to work. On your way to work, you see a man who needs help changing his tire. Knowing you will be late to an important meeting, you think twice about helping the man, but you are able to share the Gospel with him in the process. Because you are late to the meeting, you must take on an additional project. By Gods grace, you finish the project well ahead of time and with much success. [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']SCENARIO 2:[/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']You wake up feeling sick, forget to have your quiet time, and your wife gets mad at you for not doing some chore you forgot about. On your way to work, you have a flat tire and no one is there to help you. You miss your meeting and the project you take on is a terrible failure. [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']What is the difference in these two scenarios? How would you feel with number one (I bet content and happy?) How would you feel with number two (bitter, grumpy?)? [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Your satisfaction in the plan and work of God is not contingent on your performance or circumstances. Your comfort, your joy, and your peace is not derived from what you can do for God. Rather, biblically speaking, those things come from what God has done for you in the finished work of Christ. God cannot and will not allow your source to be anything but Him and His grace. [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']A lesson you must learn as a Christian is that God often brings you failure into your life and your ministry to get you to re-focus your priorities on Him. During this process, God allows you to see that you can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:4) and that absolutely everything depends on Him. [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Are you there yet?[/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif'] [/FONT]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Faith Lesson: [/FONT][FONT='Arial','sans-serif']"I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in himbears much fruit, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.John 15:5 [/FONT]
In Christ,
Darin Smith
