LED BY THE SPIRIT

PSALM 143:10 (ABP)
Teach me, my God, to carry out your agenda in your way. 

Let your good Spirit lead me along a good road.

ROMANS 8:14 (NRSVUE)
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

THE ESSENCE
As God's children, we are led by God's Spirit. 

DAILY FODDER
Our relationship with God is dynamic and as his children we are led by his Spirit. This is helpful to the degree we are willing and able to pay attention to the leading of the Spirit.

PRAYER 
Guiding God, how gracious you are in showing me your will, and how stubborn I can be in refusing to do it! I am sorry for the ways I resist your leading. Come, Spirit of God, and renew my soul. Remind me that I am your child. Help me to walk in the footsteps of your Son. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

FRUITFUL LIVING

2 KINGS 19:30 (NLT)
And you who are left in Judah,
who have escaped the ravages of the siege,
will put roots down in your own soil
and will grow up and flourish.

JOHN 15:4 (NLT)
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

THE ESSENCE
Our purose is to grow through our connection with Christ Jesus and to live fruitful lives.

DAILY FODDER
Not all fruit is good. How do you know if you're living fruitfully? Galatians 5:22-23 (MSG): But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

PRAYER 
Thank you, God, for grafting us onto yourself. Forgive us for trying to make our own way through life. There is just no fruit in that. Help me to stay so close to you that your sap is flowing through me. As crazy as it sounds, I'm expecting a bumper group of divine fruit to develop on my branches. Amen.  

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

RECEIVE THE BEST; GIVE THE BEST

ISAIAH 55:2 (MSG)
Why do you spend your money on junk food,
your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?
Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,
fill yourself with only the finest.

MARK 12:44 (CEB)
But she from her hopeless poverty has given everything she had, even what she needed to live on.

THE ESSENCE
Receive the best; give the best you can.

DAILY FODDER
How do you know if you're consuming spiritual junk food? One way to measure the quality of the spiritual food you are receiving is by measuring the level of sacrifice you're making when you're giving. 

PRAYER 
Generous God, you have already given the ultimate gift by sacrifing your Son to tackle and defeat death. I've failed to recognize the extent of your giving. Help me to grasp the extravagance of your generousity so I can follow suit in my situation, thus drawing attention to your bigheartedness. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

COMPELLING

JEREMIAH 20:9 (MSG)
But if I say, “Forget it!
No more GOD-Messages from me!”
The words are fire in my belly,
a burning in my bones.
I’m worn out trying to hold it in.

COLOSSIANS 4:3-4 (MSG)
Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.

THE ESSENCE
When God has his hand on us his message is so compelling that it drives our lives.

DAILY FODDER
What does the prophet mean when he describes his calling as "fire in my belly" and "burning in my bones"? Is this compulsion comfortable or satisfying in nature? How so?

PRAYER 
I'm grateful, Lord, that your hand is on me—even though sometimes that feels all consuming and uncomfortable. Forgive me for backing down so I can find a place less intense. You know how I'm wired, so I will trust your call on my life. Help me to see the opportunities to reveal the mystery of Christ to those around me. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.