Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in images, song and lyrics from Sara Groves singing Abide With Me … poignantly singing of how we as Christians must abide in the Spirit to experience His fruitfulness.
Keeping "tuned in" to God's Spirit
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Highlight Verse[s]: Galatians 5:25 [NLT] ... 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
… Being tuned into and following God’s Spirit is the only way to experience His fruit (see below in Gal. 5:22-23).
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Highlight Passage [context]: Galatians 5:16-29 [NLT] ... USE THIS LINK ...
… The Apostle Paul exhorted fellow Christians to be fruitful as disciples by being tuned in to God’s Spirit.
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Reference Passage : … John 14:21, 26 … USE THIS LINK … [NLT] …
… Jesus teaches His disciples of the necessity to abide in and follow God’s Spirit.
Reference Passage : … John 15:1-4 … USE THIS LINK … [NLT] …
… Jesus relates to His disciples (and to you and me) that they (we) can only be fruitful when/if we abide in Him, staying connected to His Spirit.
Reference Passage : … Romans 8:14 [NLT] … 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
… God is our Abba Father when we are led by His Spirit.
Reference Passage : … Ephesians 4:30 [NLT] … 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
… Paul once again warns fellow Christians to avoid grieving God’s Spirit by living in the flesh rather than following [i.e., abiding in] God’s Spirit.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Cindy Hess Kasper, uses the picture of a piano tuner to illustrate how we, as Christians, must stay in tune with God’s Spirit, dwelling in us, to be fruitful as Christians. … The ODB author wrote: As I listened to the piano tuner work on the elegant grand piano, [see photo] I thought about the times when I’d heard that very same piano pour out the incredible sound of the “Warsaw Concerto” and the rich melody of “How Great Thou Art.” But now the instrument desperately needed to be tuned. While some notes were right on pitch, others were sharp or flat, creating an unpleasant sound. The piano tuner’s responsibility wasn’t to make each of the keys play the same sound but to assure that each note’s unique sound combined with others to create a pleasing harmonious whole.
Jesus certainly taught His Disciples in the upper room (see John 14, 15 passages) to stay “tuned in” to His Spirit Who would come and dwell in them (and us). And the Apostle Paul, exhorted many fellow Christians (see Pauline passages above) to avoid grieving The Spirit by living in the flesh, … thereby being “tuned-in,” (using the ODB word picture) or abiding in the Holy Spirit’s lead so that we can experience Christlike fruitfulness (see Gal. 5:22-23).
And I assume that all reading here with me desire to be fruitful as Jesus and Paul taught. So, … I pray we stay “tuned into” Christlikeness and His fruitfulness, … by abiding in God’s word, which, of course is Authored by God’s Spirit, … so that we can be fruitful in/for God’s glory.
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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … and my Spirit-leader for showing me the way to be fruitful for You.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will tune in and abide in You by following the lead of Your Spirit today. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.</ span>
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