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THE SPIRIT ON A ROD

"There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding…" ~ Isaiah 11:1-2   REFERENCE: Isaiah 11:1-5   Prophet Isaiah earlier prophesied about a Son that would 'be given,' upon whose shoulders the government shall rest and whose name shall be Wonderful, Counselor... He was referring to the offspring of Jesse, Jesus Christ. This prophecy hinted at a dark period in Israel's future when the tree of David's royal line would be cut down. Jesus would...
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PARAKLETOS

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.” ~ John 14:16   REFERENCE:  John 14:15-26   Jesus gives His valedictory speech to His disciples; the thought of Him dying left them morose, like a child who had just got separated from his parents. That prompted Jesus to tell them He would not leave them as orphans; although He would not be present, He would send them a Helper just like Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit. The Greek for ‘Helper’ is Parakletos.  Parakletos describes the ministry of...
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BE A TRUE FRIEND

"Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight by hearty counsel." ~ Proverbs 27:9   REFERENCE: Proverbs 17:17, Proverbs 27:9   In concluding the devotion to fostering friendships, let us focus on being true friends to others. Just as we desire meaningful connections, we must extend the same love, support, and grace to those around us. Instead of wondering if people are good friends, be one; be to people what you would want them to be to you. Be a true friend. Today's verses show the ingredients for friendship; you will be considered a...
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FOSTERING FULFILLING FRIENDSHIPS

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” ~ Proverbs 18:24   REFERENCE: Proverbs 18:24   Some people cringe when they hear about friendship because friends have once hurt them, so they steer clear of it. However, God designed us for connection and community; so, friendships are vital in our lives. Friends have supported, helped, and given people leverage over the years. Friendship is a good thing, and you need good friends around you. Fostering fulfilling friendships is an asset you need on your life’s journey. To have friends,...
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THE SIGNAL IS FOR CHANGE

“When birth pangs signaled it was time to be born, Ephraim was too stupid to come out of the womb. When the passage into life opened up, he didn’t show.” ~ Hosea 13:13 (MSG)   REFERENCE: Hosea 13:12-13 (AMPC)   This imagery is quite disheartening; Ephraim sinned against God, and He brought the tribe into distress and trouble – intense sorrows like the pangs of a woman about to give birth. The plan was that the distress would signal the need for repentance to Ephraim and that a new nation would be born. However, Ephraim did not see that but remained...
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REPENTANCE: TRUE TRANSFORMATION

"Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance..." ~ Matthew 3:8   REFERENCE: Matthew 3:1-8   It is a season of transformation (moving from one form to another). A transformed person is a changed person, and true change begins from the mind; hence, repentance. The Greek word 'metanoia' means a change of mind or mode of thought. Biblical repentance is a genuine turning away from sin and a sincere desire to return to God. It is not just admitting you are wrong; it is a spiritual awakening that leads to restoration and a renewed relationship with God.   Let us consider the characteristics of...
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REVIVAL: IGNITE THE FIRE WITHIN

"And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage." ~ Ezra 9:8   REFERENCE: Ezra 9:5-8   Ezra, the scribe and the leader of the Israelites, bemoaned the morally deplorable state they had plunged into. Having spent years in captivity amongst the Babylonians, Israel turned from God to the idols of Babylon. Ezra decided to fast for God to reclaim the...
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STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE

"That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ." ~ Philippians 1:10   REFERENCE: Philippians 1:9-11 As we begin a new week, let's talk about excellence and what it means to strive for it in all aspects of your life. The pursuit of excellence is not about achieving a specific goal or level of success. The journey requires patience, dedication, attention to detail, and faith. When you strive for excellence, you are constantly growing and improving yourself. You are pushing yourself to be better than you were yesterday,...
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BROKEN-DOWN ALTAR

“Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So, all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.” ~ I Kings 18:30   REFERENCE: I Kings 18:20-39   Israel was in a famine that lasted for three years. It had not rained, and the nation was in dire desperation. Rain represents the nourishment of the earth, refreshing, cleansing, renewal, and fruitfulness. The lack of rainfall in Israel’s agrarian (farming) society was bad for the people. They looked upward for a remedy, but the solution to the problem would...
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WHEN SUCCESS LOOKS EASY

“Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.” ~ Luke 4:14   REFERENCE: Luke 4:1-15   Have you seen professionals at their game, work, or art? They make it look easy. Ronaldo and Messi make scoring goals in football look easy, Israel Adesanya makes mixed martial arts look easy, Lebron James makes playing basketball look easy, and several other musicians, authors, actors, preachers, scientists, etc., who excel in their vocation make success look easy. Some people seem born to be successful, make money, or excel in all...
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