From Believers to Disciples
Thursday, February 1, 2007
From Believers to Disciples Calendar
Daily Bible Study Menu
A note about online study
“Study to show yourself approved by God …” 2 Timothy 2:15a KJV
Prayer Focus for Today
Pray that the Holy Spirit will give us a heart for the lost that will result in our inviting them into fellowship with us!
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the gift of fellowship with You and with other believers. Today, I pray for those who aren’t in that fellowship. I pray for the lost, who have either intentionally separated themselves from fellowship with You, or who have not had the opportunity to respond to Your invitation. I pay that you empower me this day to love all people as You love us, and to extend the right hand of fellowship even to strangers, that in that process they may come to know and trust You as Savior and Lord. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word Today: John 15:1-17
[Jesus said,] 1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you. 4Remain 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 apart from me.
5“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! 8My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father.
9“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. 13And here is how to measure it—the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends. 14You are my friends if you obey me. 15I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17I command you to love each other.
From Today’s Reading, a Believer …
One of the results of remaining in Jesus and obeying Him, is that our lives will be filled with joy! How much joy is in your life right now? What does that say about your “remaining” in Jesus?
Let’s Go Deeper in Our Walk with Jesus
After reading today’s Scripture, what do you see as one necessity for moving from believers to disciples?
From Today’s Reading, a Disciple of Jesus Will …
What actions do you see as being necessary for experiencing the joy of Jesus in your life? List them below, and make a plan to start living in His joy today!
Ministry, Mission, Outreach, Service Opportunities to Consider
Next Sunday, February 4th following worship, you will have the opportunity to hear about the Community and Family Missions Trip to Guadalupe, Mexico this summer. (Dates of the trip are June 23-30, 2007) This trip provides opportunities for physical labor in constructing the Tapestries of Life orphanage, which will soon house as many as 500 orphans from the surrounding region. It also provides the opportunity for a truly “cross-cultural” missions experience as we are exposed daily to the Mexican culture and language. If you’d like to know more about this year’s trip, join us after worship on February 5th!
My Journal
Note any thoughts from Through the Bible or the Daily Reading here:
Overflowing Joy!
How is your “joy quotient” right now? Do you have a lot of joy or only a little? Remember, joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness is related to our circumstances. We may be happy if we found out that we just won the Reader’s Digest Sweepstakes, but joy is an abiding sense that all is well that comes from the INSIDE, as the Holy Spirit leads in our lives and as we stay connected to Jesus! Do you sense that abiding joy that Jesus promises those who remain in Him in your life right now? If you do, then take some time right now and praise God for it—after all, what an amazing gift to know the overflowing joy of God in our lives! If you don’t feel that joy, then take some time to confess any unconfessed sin in your life, or to remind Satan that You belong to Jesus NOT him! Practice living the joy of Jesus and others will want it in their lives, too!