Connect Devotionals

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” Joel 2:28

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing (Joel 2:12–14).

I will pour out my Spirit on all people…Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days (Joel 2:28, 29).

Joel 2:12-16, 18-19, 28-32

Return to God with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning … I will pour out my Spirit on all people … (Joel 2:12, 28).

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2).

…the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul [Paul] for the work to which I have called them.” So after [the church leaders] fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:2-3).

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2).

“You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun” (Acts 13:10, 11).

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:2-3).

It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that’s how freedom grows (Galatians 5:13 MSG).

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-25)

But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love … If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other … For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh … The acts of the flesh are obvious … I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God… Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (selected from Galatians 5:13-25).

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (Galatians 5:16–18).

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:16).

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (Ephesians 4:7-8)

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach UNITY in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become MATURE. Then we will no longer be infants… (Ephesians 4:11–14).

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you… Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:15,17).

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:14–17)

I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life (John 13:15-17 MSG).

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:14-17).

Jesus washes His disciples’ feet; please read John 13:1-17.

…let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t (Romans 12:6 MSG).

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you… We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. (Romans 12:3, 6)

I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…(Romans 12:3).

So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Romans 12:5)

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others (Romans 12:4-5).

There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:6-7).

Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits (1 Corinthians 12:7 MSG).

“Now about spiritual gifts, I do not want you to be ignorant…there are different kinds of gifts…different kinds of service…different kinds of working, but the same God works in them all.” (Paul, 1 Cor. 12: 1,4-6)

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work (1 Corinthians 12:4–6).

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. … Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit … by means of the same Spirit … by the same Spirit… by that one Spirit … All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).