#bekind – herbcotton.org

What Fruits Are Hanging on the Tree of Your Life?

Text:

Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Observation:

Do you know that you were born again to bear much fruit? Why not take a long look at your life for a day, and examine whether you are yielding much fruit?

God has something to say about the topic of fruit in the lives of His children. Do you have a moment to read this devotional that I received from the mouth of the Lord, written with my pen, and now typing them to send them to you?

The Bible says:

John 15:4 (KJV)

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

The Bible says about the gift of love; the first fruit mentioned in Galatians 5:22.

Romans 5:5 (NKJV)

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

God has spoken to us, and He gets the final word, and the Bible says this about love.

1 John 4:7-8 (NKJV)

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Prayer:

Father God, we thank You for the privilege of living in Your presence every hour of every day, and all the day and night long. We have Your iron-clad promise that You would never leave us.

Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Father, help us to always remember Your abiding presence with us, and that we would draw near to You when we feel we cannot love others as we love ourselves.

Father, help us to love others first with the love that was poured into our hearts when we received the gift of the Holy Spirit. In mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

—

My new book was released on December 8, 2017, and is currently available at the following links. It is possible for your local bookstores to obtain it from the Ingram Network, a primary distribution source for Book Stores nationwide.

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/

Barnes & Nobles

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Xulon Press

htpps://www.xulon.com/

Title: 31 Days of Hearing God Speak

How Are You Using Your Freedom?

Text:

Galatians 5:13 (NLT)

13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.

Observation:

Are you using your God given freedom in Christ to serve one another in love?

Yesterday I heard a very soul penetrating sermon by my pastor that had these three points.

Look
Lift
Love

How can you love like this? God would not ask you to do it if He did not provide the means.

Galatians 5:17-18 (NLT)

17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

Are you living daily by the power of the Holy Spirit of God who lives in you? Does the Holy Spirit of God, who is love, live in you?

Romans 5:5 (NLT)

5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Prayer:

Father God, we have so much to be grateful and thankful for as we celebrate the freedom we have in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:9 (NLT)

9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)

Father, You have provided the means for us to love others. Father, help us to appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives to love others. In the might name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV)
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Read all the Daily Devotionals by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Why Do I Believe Now is the Time?

Text:

Hebrews 13:15 (KJV)

15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Observation:

This week in America we will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day. One month later we will be celebrating Christmas Day.

I cannot think of a better time to focus on gratitude and giving than in this current season.

Now is the time for Christ followers to be imitators of God in our love for God, and our love for others. If not now, then when?

What have we all received from God that we can be thankful for, and offer to God continually the sacrifice of praise?

I can think of three; His presence, His peace, and His power.

God has said, “I am with you always”.

Matthew 28:20 (KJV)

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

God has said, “I will give you peace”,

John 14:27 (KJV)

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

God has said, “Ye shall receive power”.

Acts 1:8 (KJV)

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Who is willing to agree to begin, and to continuously offer up to God the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving?

“And we offer up to You

The sacrifices of thanksgiving;

And we offer up to You

The sacrifices of praise.”

Prayer:

Father, we give You the praise, honor, glory, and thanksgiving that only You deserve. Father, we agree that everyday is a day of thanksgiving, and thanks-living. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
¹¹ So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

There Is A Thief In The House

Text:

Ephesians 4:1-3 (HCSB)

1 Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,

2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, accepting one another in love,

3 diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds ?us?.

Observation:

In this passage the Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus about unity in the Body of Christ.

Paul warned the church that there is a thief that will break in, and attempt to steal your peace, and destroy your unity.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (HCSB)

26 Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,

27 and don’t give the Devil an opportunity.

The church is not the first institution that God created. The first of God’s creation was the family.

Genesis 2:18 (HCSB)

18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.”

The thief of peace and unity has been at work since the beginning, and here is his attack on the first family.

Genesis 3:1 (HCSB)

1 Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Whether in the Body of Christ, the big church, or in the family, the little church, we must be diligent to live in unity with one another in the family, and in the church. Don’t give the Devil an opportunity to destroy your family or your church.

Galatians 3:27-28 (HCSB)

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ ?like a garment?.

28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

How do we do this? It’s an inside, outside thing. It is Christ in you that gives you the ability to live in unity with people that are different from you.

Philippians 2:12 (HCSB)

12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Philippians 2:13 (HCSB)

13 For it is God who is working in you, ?enabling you? both to desire and to work out His good purpose.

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, we praise You because we are fearfully, and wonderfully made by You.

Father, thank you for making us one, and depositing the power of Your presence in us.

Father, help us, by Your power, to workout what You have deposited in us for the glory of Your name. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

—

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

Do You Know the Power of Small Things?

Text:

Colossians 3:12-14 (HCSB)

12 Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

13 accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also ?forgive?.

14 Above all, ?put on? love—the perfect bond of unity.

Observation:

Almost everyone wants big results, and they want them now. However, let me remind you that when God wanted to do something really HUGE, He sent help in the form of one little baby boy; His only begotten son.

John 3:16 (KJV)

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We should never lose sight of the power of one. Also, we should also remember the principle that one plus one equals three or more. It is the power of synergy.

If we do our part, surely God will do His part. Let the Word of God speak to your heart, apply it with acts of loving-kindness, and see what God will do in us and through us.

Ephesians 4:32 (HCSB)

32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

Also, it helps to build a wall around your heart and your mouth.

Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)

23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

James 3:10 (NLT)

10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, forgive us when we falter and fail to be lovers of people, and become lovers of things. Father, forgive us, and help us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love others with undeserved kindness. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

—

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry

Is this A Prayer You Would Pray?

Text:

Philippians 1:9-11 (HCSB)

9 And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment,

10 so that you can approve the things that are superior and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ,

11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that ?comes? through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Observation:

This is not only a prayer that I would pray for you, but it is a prayer that I desire that you would pray for me.

This prayer has two huge petitions. The first, in verse nine, is for a growing love. This love is agape love; the love that benefits others, and glorifies God. He prays that this love will be accompanied by growth in knowledge and discernment.

The second petition, in verse ten, is a request for a growing Christlike character. O how I cherish the blessing of being pure and blameless in the eyes of our heavenly Father. And, it is possible because of Christ Jesus our Savior.

Let’s pray for one another that all of us who are in Christ Jesus, and He is us would walk in love, and this verse would be evident by the fruit of our lives.

Philippians 1:11 (AMP)

11 May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honor and praise of God [that His glory may be both manifested and recognized].

Prayer:

Father, hallowed be Your name. Father, help us to work out more and more of the love of God that You have poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that You have given to us.

Father, we desire this so that You will be glorified, and that others will be blessed. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

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The Power of One

Text:

Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)

13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Observation:

I read an eBook in January; It was about one word that will change your life. I was reviewing weekly goals last weekend, and I came across a report that indicated six people had viewed that post in my blog uploaded to Google. That came at a good time for me because I was reviewing my progress toward reaching the one word goal focus at the six month review.

My goal was to identify my one word goal for 2015. In working through the plan for how to accomplish that goal I decided to write about one word each day in January.

The word for today is one I wrote in January. There is great power in focusing on one thing. The key in selecting a one word goal is to select a worthy goal; one that will move you in the direction of fulfilling the purpose for which you were born.

There is amazing power when you focus on one thing; when you focus on the most important thing.

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

You were not made to accomplish everything. But, you can accomplish the will of God for your life. You can’t do all things, but you can do one thing.

What is the one thing that you could do today that would move you in the direction of being more like Jesus?

2 Peter 3:18 (ESV)

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I ask this one thing from You today, and it is that You help Your people to accomplish one thing today that will move them toward fulfilling their tailor made purpose You have for them. In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

—

Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/

Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:

https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry