The Path: Grow With Us

Day 14 John 15:1-2 NIV “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” I once lived in a house that had Concord grape vines growing along a fence in the back yard. The first year I picked the grapes, made some jelly, a few jars worth. It seemed that I ha...

Day 13 Before Jesus died, He had one last dinner with His friends. His followers. At this last meal, so many subtle but powerful things happened and were said. Perhaps most striking was when Jesus, Son of God, got up and began to wash their filthy-from-miles-of-daily-walking-in-sandals feet. John 13 records: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from...

Day 12 2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” What we sow we will reap. That’s kind of obvious, right? If a farmer doesn’t sow wheat seed, he will never have a wheat harvest. And if he only sows a few wheat seeds he will only harvest a small crop. But lots of seed produce a huge harvest. Sometim...

Day 11 Galatians 6:9 NLT “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” You are halfway through your fast! Congratulations! Without asking, I’m sure there have been some great days and others that have been really difficult. There have been days when you haven’t followed your fast or you haven’t had any time with God....

Day 10 “They forgot what he had done, the wonders he had shown them.” - Psalm 78:11 NIV I forgot. I hate when I have to say that. Especially if it’s my wallet. Or my car keys. Or an important appointment. Sometimes forgetting isn’t a big deal. Other times it can be nearly fatal. Over and over again, Scripture warns us of the danger of spiritual amnesia. One of the greatest case studies is the chil...

Day 9 2 Timothy 3:16-17 MSG “Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” Your bible is amazing. It’s one epic story that leads to Jesus. It’s about people who lived thousands of years ago. And i...

Day 8 I love the promises of faith. Even just a little faith. “Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains,” Jesus once said. My problem is sometimes I don’t feel much faith, how about you? Sometimes I really believe and sometimes I really doubt. Sometimes I “sort of believe” God can help me, come through for me, and do what He promised. And so I feel the need to fake faith or try to muste...

Day 7 - Jan 11 Matthew 6:16-18 NLT “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do...

Day 6 “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”- Psalm 5:3 NIV “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” - Matthew 6:33 We’ve been talking about “first fruits.” It’s the power of firsts. The power of priority. There’s also a practical element to this as well. It’s a reall...

Day 5 Hebrews 13:15 NIV “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” What does the word “praise” bring to your mind? Compliments from your family and friends?  Awards? Your picture in the news with a story about your accomplishments and what a great person you are? Those are all ways we can be praised. And it’s al...

Day 4 Maybe one of the most moving places in all of Scripture is recorded in John 21. Jesus has died and risen but not yet ascended back to heaven. As for his student and friend, Peter, he was back out fishing. Nothing wrong with that, except that was his life before Jesus called him to be something else. And that’s what shame will do - drive us back into what Jesus called us out of. This was, aft...

Day 3 This week we’ve been talking about the power of firsts. Our “offering of firsts” (love towards others, prayer, etc.) should be the natural response of gratitude to an incredibly generous God. It also postures our heart and brings blessing and reward. I want to think (and worship) for a moment today, though, on the reality that we give God the first in every area because He already went first...

Day 2 1 John 4:19 NLT “We love each other because he loved us first.” Let’s be honest - sometimes people are difficult to love. People are messy. Frustrating. At times even hurtful and damaging. They can hurt us, misunderstand us and betray us. Jesus knows all that and yet still says, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”...

Day 1 Nehemiah 10:35 NLT “We promise to bring the first part of every harvest to the Lord’s Temple year after year—whether it be a crop from the soil or from our fruit trees.” Welcome, 2023. Some of us greet this year with anticipation of good things, some of us with anxiety about what may be coming in the next 365 days. No matter what you are feeling, one thing is for sure: this is the beginning...