Today’s Devotion:

Fruitfulness to the Glory of God

Read John 15:1-5

The scene takes place right after the Last Supper.  Judas has gone off to do his wicked deed, and Jesus has just washed the feet of the disciples, teaching them a lesson about servant leadership.  Jesus and His disciples left the Upper Room and walked toward the Garden of Gethsemane.  Passing the temple, they could not help but notice that one of the chief ornaments on the gate was a golden vine with a cluster of grapes as large as a man, which, to the Apostles, represented the nation of Israel.  Jesus is about to change the direction of their focus.  He told them that they were the branches, that Jesus was the true vine, and the Father was the vinedresser.

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Today’s Devotion:

Christ Our Glorious King

Read Matthew 25:31-46

With great certainty Jesus spoke of a coming Day of Glory, for Himself and all true believers. He did not say, “IF,” but “WHEN the Son of Man shall come…” This is Messianic language, the day when He returns to earth to be manifested in all His glory. John saw this in rapturous vision – Revelation 19. And nothing more inspires an ardent pursuit of God, His Son, and His will, than the Book in which we perceive our Lord’s own fore-showing to His people as to how and wherein all their faith and expectations in Him will reach their ultimate goal.

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Today’s Devotion:

The Mighty Heart of Jesus

Read Mark 10:13-16

It’s a very moving and significant event in the life and ministry of Jesus.  He has answered the Pharisees on a crucial subject – that of the Divine institution, sacredness, and permanence of the marriage covenant. He lays down solid principles as He defines and dignifies marriage.  Resorting to a nearby house to give more teaching in private to His disciples they are soon joined by many mothers bringing their infant children to Jesus for His blessing.  Sadly, the disciples rudely “rebuked those that brought them”, waving them away.  Why did they show little regard for the feelings of the mothers, as well as for the rights of the children? Did they not know that the mighty heart of Jesus has room for all, whoever they are! John 3:16.
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Today’s Devotion:

Ransomed From the Power of the Grave

Read Hosea 13:14

The greatest ransom ever reported in modern times was $60 million dollars for the release of the brothers Jorge and Juan Born, paid to the left-wing urban guerrilla group Montoneros, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 20, 1975.

The greatest ransom ever was paid in full by the precious shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  He has ransomed us, not from Satan, but from the death penalty for sin, decreed by the righteous decree of the Father.  It is to Him alone that the ransom was owed, and to Him that it was paid.
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Today’s Devotion:

A Lesson About Prayer

Read Luke 11:1-4

The Lord’s Prayer is the most famous of all prayers found in the New Testament.  Many can recall learning this prayer as a child, which has likely been taught to succeeding generations too.

If you have been teaching your children or grandchildren this prayer, you would be teaching more than just words to them as they recite this.

You would be teaching them theology!
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Today’s Devotion:

The Cost of Discipleship

Read Matthew 8:18-22

This passage stresses the radical demands of following the call of Jesus.  A crowd had gathered around Jesus, and out of it came a scribe who said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever You go”.  How little he realized what following the Master would really mean.  He was moved by the emotion surrounding Jesus, but had no concept of what it was to make the fateful decision to become a true follower, a disciple, of Jesus.  He had not counted the cost.  If he had, he would have realized that to be a disciple of Jesus is to submit all of one’s desires, hopes, dreams, expectations, and allegiance to Him and Him alone.  To be a true disciple is to “take up the cross”, and follow Him.  One thing that was certain in Jesus’ day, if you saw a man walking out of town carrying a cross, followed by a contingent of Roman soldiers, you knew he was not coming back.
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Today’s Devotion:

You Can’t Keep Quiet About Jesus!

Read John 4:21-30

How wonderful an experience it was for many to have personally met and talked with Jesus when He was on earth! Sadly, many who saw Him were blind to who He really was. Some said, “Is not this the Carpenter’s son?” Or, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” But this woman’s eyes were opened to Him, when He told her things about her life that took her by complete surprise. At first she said, “Sir, you must be a prophet?” But because in the ensuing conversation her immoral life was exposed, she spoke up: “I know that the Messiah is coming, and He will know everything.” It appears she is weighing things up: is He just a prophet OR is He the Christ? Jesus does not hold her in suspense – “I that speak unto thee am He!” Face to face with Him she was overwhelmed! That dayher life was radically altered forever.

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Today’s Devotion:

A Storm is Coming

Read Matthew 7:24-29

This past week’s tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan are a great reminder to all of us that when an event like this occurs, very little withstood the powerful force of water as it rushed through villages and cities, decimating anything in its path.  Even those buildings that remain standing, their foundations have been severely compromised too and will likely be condemned.

The parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 7:24-29 illustrates a great comparison for us to learn from, in light of these past events.
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What IS 40 days with Jesus? Simply, a churchwide campaign to prepare our hearts and reach out to our friends at Easter 2011. From March 14th through Easter Sunday everyone at First Assembly is being challenged to read together through a series of daily Bible readings about the life of Jesus and the prophecies about Him from the Old Testament.  Then a couple of weeks before Easter we’re asking everyone to give away a second book, “The Risen Savior”, to a friend or family member with a personal invitation for them to come to church on Easter Sunday morning.

Today’s Devotion:

Whose Business?

Read Luke 2:39-49

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by Pastor Aeron Morgan

Many hymns and songs of worship constantly impress us, inspiring us with their comfort and encouragement, and often presenting a timely challenge. One such hymn, for me, was written by George Matheson (1842-1906).

Matheson was a brilliant and promising young student in Scotland. The call of God was on his life and he was preparing for the preaching and teaching ministry. However, when he was just eighteen years old he lost his sight almost completely. Apparently he only saw shadows, so that such visual impairment necessitated him having to give up his research and scholarship in the field of apologetic theology.

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by Pastor Bill Randles 

I very recently have been accused of thinking that babies are evil – by Jesse Morrell, an open air preacher, and Moral Government proponent. How did he possibly arrive at such a conclusion?  After all, I have 6 children and 10 grandchildren, (my secret plan for taking over the world…shhhhh!). I love babies, and celebrate the birth of every one of them as gifts of God. Where did Jesse Morrell ever get the idea that I pastor a church that thinks babies are evil?

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by Pastor Al Van Geersdaele

The long-awaited day had finally arrived.  It was June 6, 1944 . The order to commence Operation Overlord was issued by the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D.  Eisenhower.  After many months of preparation, and more than a few postponements, the greatest armada ever assembled set forth from England.  A total of 155,000 soldiers, 5,000 ships and landing craft, 50,000 vehicles and 11,000 planes, all headed towards beaches code-named Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.

They had a single purpose in mind, to oust the formidable German army from France, and drive Hitler’s forces back to Berlin in defeat.  The headline In the New York Times read, “Allied Armies Land in France, the Great Invasion is Under Way”.  The day before the invasion, it was a secret.  The day after, the whole world was aware of it, as the hopes of the free nations rested on the troops that went ashore. 

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by Kurt Michaelson

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24 (KJV)

What the Law Reveals

The Law reveals how utterly helpless humanity really is compared to the standard requirements that it contained, to live holy and righteous before God. It also reveals for whom it is intended, which it is certainly not for good people, but for sinners: “the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,” (1 Timothy 1:9-10).

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by Kurt Michaelson

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24 (KJV)

Over the last five years, my eyes and ears have become ever more attentive to the absurd ways in which pastors of Christian churches have made great efforts to draw people into their community of believers. This absurdity has been going on for more than five years though, 20 years in fact and where I was once blind, now I see.

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