Abide, Mature, Bear Fruit

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 Devotions: Ps 12-14, 119:1-24; Ex 15:22-16:10; 1 Pet 2:1-10; Jn 15:1-11 Lord, the number of godly people is dwindling fast; it seems that everybody lies from false hearts. YHWH, cut off lying lips, boasting tongues, those who oppress the poor and needy. Let God arise and strike them down. His promises are pure, refined seven times. Vileness is exalted among the sons of men. Let God strike now; don't wait longer, Master! Deliver me from the pain in my soul. I will trust in Your steadfast truth; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me. Only fools deny God's existence, knowledge, and power. God's looking for righteous people. He will bring deliverance for His own. Blessed are all who walk by His words. God, help me: that my ways may be steadfast in keeping Your statutes. Then I shall not be put to shame; don't forsake me, Lord. How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your word. I seek You with all my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands. I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Your word is my delight and treasure. Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and observe Your word. Open my eyes and heart to behold the wonders in Your word. How I long for God! Your testimonies are my counselors and my delight! Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, through the wilderness of Shur. They were thirsty. When they came to Marah, the water was bitter and undrinkable, and the people murmured against Moses. God provided means to sweeten the waters. God covenanted to protect the people, if they would obey His voice, follow His guidance and keep His commands. Then the people moved to the bountiful oasis of Elim—with 12 water springs and seventy palm trees. From Elim, they sojourned through the wilderness of Sin, moving toward Sinai, and again the people complained, for they were hungry and missed the food they took for granted in Egypt. But YHWH told Moses, 'I will rain bread from heaven, and each day the people should gather that day's rations—twice as much on the sixth day, so they will not gather or work on My Sabbath. Moses and Aaron passed God's message along to the people, and Moses warned them that their complaints were not against Moses and Aaron, but against YHWH. And God's glory appeared to the people in a column of cloud. Put away all malice and guile, all insincerity and envy and slander. Like newborns, crave pure spiritual milk, by which you may grow up to salvation; you have tasted God's kindness. Come to Him, the living Stone, rejected by men but unique and priceless in God's sight. Like living stones, be built into a spiritual house, as a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus the Messiah. To you believers, Jesus is precious; believers reject Him. As was written: 'The very stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.' And He Is 'a stone that will make them stumble and a rock that will make them fall.' Unbelievers fulfill their destiny in this way. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people—so that you may declare the wonderful deeds of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once, you were no people; now, you are God's own people. Once you had received no mercy, but now you have received God's eternal mercy. Jesus taught His disciples: I Am the true Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch of Mine that bears no fruit, He takes away; and every fruit-bearing branch, He prunes so that it may bear more fruit. You are already cleansed by the word I have spoken to you. Now abide in Me, and I abide in you. A branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine; so with you: you bear no good fruit unless you abide in Me. I Am the Vine and you are the branches; all who abide in Me and I in them, they bear much fruit. Apart from Me, you can do no good thing. Those who do not abide in Me will be cast forth, wither, be gathered and burned in the fire. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you will and it will be done for you. This is to My Father's glory, they you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so I have loved you. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commands and abide in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.