DAY 14 - ATTACHMENTS TO CHRIST
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FOOD CALENDAR:
Daniel Fruits, Veggies, Legumes, Grains
DEVO:
God wants to have your heart intimately “attached” to Him! God wants a relational bond with you!
Bonding is the heart’s ability to establish an emotional attachment to another person. It’s the ability to relate to another on the deepest level. When two people have a bond with each other, they share their deepest thoughts, dreams, and feelings with each other with no fear that the other person will reject them. An attachment bond is more than a rational interchange; it is an emotional connection.
Bonding is one of the most basic and foundational ideas in life and the universe. It is a basic human need. God created us with a hunger for relationship—for relationship with Him and with our fellow people. At our very core we are relational beings.
Without a solid, bonded relationship, the human soul will become mired in emotional problems. The soul cannot prosper without being connected to God, and then others. No matter what characteristics we possess, or what accomplishments we amass, without solid emotional connectedness, without bonding to God and other humans, we will suffer sickness of the soul.
Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser… 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing… 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples… 11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:1, 4-5, 7-8, 11 NKJV)."
The word "abide" comes from the Greek word "meno" which means "investing time and nearness; without any gaps in distance; constancy of being present." When you spend time in God's presence—praying, worshipping, journaling, centering, reading Scripture, prophesying, preaching to yourself, etc.—you close the nearness gaps. Your heart can become experientially bonded with Christ's heart. When this happens, this union begins to shape your beliefs, thoughts, feelings, biological systems, and then your behaviors. There is something indescribable about how these bondings with Christ settle your heart, trim off the fears and anxieties, and fill you up with hope, joy, peace, and love.
It is foolish of us to think God will make this happen without us initiating time and nearness of heart towards Him. Make this a daily practice, turning affections to God in a deeper way, rooted and grounded in the love of Christ. God is inviting you to join Him. You don’t have to be flawless in the pursuit of God. The fact is, you should be emotionally present in the process of pursuit. Enjoy every moment of the pursuit. Refuse to keep a scorecard of the measurement of how spectacular the event with God is, and move to the intimacy of being present with the Lord. You will find great joy and contentment there.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord God, I want to have the deepest bond with You. I will give You time and attention. I meet with You to share my worship of You. You are worthy of my time and attention, whether or not I feel or encounter anything. I ask You to help me be present as I wait on You. Help me to simply enjoy the process of pursuing You. Move deep within my innermost being, giving me resolve, and restoring my soul to You.
PRAYER PLAN:
● Bondings for Church Faith Community – That EVERY ATTENDER at my local church faith community would experience the beauty and wonder of bondings with Christ.
● Church Faith Community Pastor and Leadership - That LEADERS at my local church faith community would walk in their callings and anointings.
SUGGESTED READING: PHILIPPIANS 2 (NIV)
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.
25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, coworker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.
DECLARATION:
Jesus is the true vine and My Father is the vinedresser. Therefore I Abide in Jesus, being emotionally present in time and proximity with Jesus in me. I cannot bear fruit of myself, no matter my education, gifts, talents, or hard work. Fruitfulness cannot happen unless I abide in the vine, in Christ. Jesus is the vine and I am the branch. Therefore I bear MUCH fruit; for without Jesus I can do nothing. Since I abide in Jesus, and Jesus’ words abide in me, I will ask for what I desire, and it shall be done for me. By this My Father is glorified, that I bear much fruit. I am Jesus’ disciple. These things Jesus has spoken to me that His supernatural joy may remain in me, and that my joy would be full. (John 15:1, 4-5, 7-8, 11 NKJV)
WORKSHOP SATURATION:
Workshop saturation is taking spiritual topics and listening to them until they change the way you think, believe, and live. During the Awakening fast, we encourage you to binge-listen or binge-watch our Workshops the way you would binge-watch a show on Netflix. See Workshop Saturation for more information and instructions for accessing the Workshops.
COMMENTS:
Throughout your 21 days, please leave comments of how these Daily Devos have encouraged, inspired, and comforted your heart and faith. Read other people's comments and respond. Let's have a conversation!
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