Week One: First Fruits Day 5: Seal March 31, 2016

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"Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of

unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground;

for it is time to seek the LORD, until He comes

and showers righteousness upon you."

(Hosea 10:12)

Day Five Devotions:

MORNING MEDITATION

AFTERNOON DEVOTION

EVENING PRAYER

MORNING MEDITATION

Glean the Word: John 20:19-23

Glimpse of Glory: "He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corimthians 1:21b-22)

As evening was falling on the day of His resurrection, the Lord had one more important appointment on His divine schedule. Jesus had predicted, and seen, His closest companions tuck tail and run away at the first sign of trouble just three days earlier, and now they were locked up in a room together, being held prisoners by their own fear. They had already received joyful testimony from the women, the two men who had met Jesus on the road to Emmaus, and from Peter, but they were slow to believe, and remained "with the doors locked for fear of the Jews" (v. 19b).

The door may have been locked, but Jesus was not deterred, as He came and stood among them and spoke a few simple words that would calm the raging storm that consumed their fearful hearts: "Peace be with you!" (v. 19b). By His presence and with His words He calmed their fears, and then He reassured them as He showed them the evidence of His costly sacrifice. They were overjoyed, for all that they had been told was true, and the door of faith was unlocked to them. The Lord brings joy to our hearts to be a source of strength for the work He calls us to do. "Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10b).

Their broken and fearful hearts had been revived, and now they had work to do. No longer would they hide in fear behind closed doors. Now they would be sent out and entrusted with the greatest message the world would ever hear. Jesus repeated His words of peace, and then commissioned them to publish His message of peace to the world. He armed them with divine power as "He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." They were to be sent out to carry on His work in the world, and they needed the breath of spiritual life to carry them as they walked in the power of their new birth. This morning as we sit and meditate on the peace and liberty we have received in Christ Jesus, may our hearts be encouraged that our Lord is always with us - He lives in us! And let us praise Him for His Word which reassures us as we continue the work that has been passed down to us by every faithful follower of Jesus Christ who did not hide in fear, but courageously carried the gospel of peace throughout the generations so we could hear and believe! May it also be said of us that we were found faithful in holding up the light of the gospel and passing the blazing torch of truth on to the next generation.

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AFTERNOON DEVOTION

Glean the Word: John 14:15-21

Gift of Grace: "...this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us." (1 John 3:24b)

Prior to His crucifixion, the Lord had promised His disciples that He would send them "another Comforter"; the "Spirit of truth" who would be with them forever. The memory of His words should have comforted His disciples during those dark hours as they remained locked in fear behind closed doors, but their lack of belief and hardness of heart prevented them from resting on the precious promises of the word of God.

Jesus knew it was time to depart, however He was leaving His disciples to carry on His work in the world, and they would need the assistance of heaven to fulfill their divine calling. Without the life of Christ it is impossible to walk the Christian life. The Holy Spirit was given in answer to prayer: "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16,17a). How blessed we are that we have a faithful Mediator who knows exactly what we need, and a good and gracious heavenly Father who "will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13b). The Holy Spirit is the greatest of God's gifts. He is our guarantee that God will accomplish all that He has promised in and through His people. And the witness of the Holy Spirit within guarantees that we are the children of God. We have been sealed in God's love, and we are enabled to love and serve others in that love. "This is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us" (1 John 3:24b).

When we yield to the life of the Holy Spirit dwelling within, we submit to the power of the Word of God, and are willing to be controlled by it. The Holy Spirit, as the "Spirit of Truth," illuminates the Word of God and guides us into all truth, so we can understand it, and then enables us to obey God's will so we can do God's work. This afternoon, let us take time to praise God for "The love of God [that] is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5). And let us pray that we, ourselves, and all believers, would experience the joy and rewards of the deeper, abiding life in Christ Jesus through His Word and in prayer, and the comfort and peace of an inseparable union with God through His Holy Spirit.

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EVENING PRAYER

Glean the Word: 1 John 4:7-21

Fruit of Repentance: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear..." (v. 18a).

This evening we will offer up a prayer for courage in times of fear (click on the image below for our evening prayer).

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." (John 14:1-4).

Click on the image below to draw close to the fire
and experience the warmth, love and light of Christ
as we come boldly before the Throne of Grace and
join our hearts together in prayer:

HARVEST The Kingdom of God

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