Devotion:
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Read Hebrews 12:14-15.
These two verses are calling us to live in accordance with our faith. In verse 15, the church receives a call to make sure that no one misses out on the grace given to us in our lives, and that same verse contains a warning. We are to make sure that no bad influence is allowed to take root and grow in the church, leading others astray. In Scripture, “bitter root” refers to the root of a plant that will produce poisonous fruit. Moses issued a similar call to the Children of Israel in Deuteronomy 29:18, in which he referred to those who worshiped other gods and might lead other people to do so as “roots...that produce such bitter poison.”
We know that, when we are removing weeds and other harmful plants in our gardens, we must dig out the roots, or the offending plant will return. This is a difficult task for the church, as it requires us to discern between ideas, teachings, and behaviors that are simply different than ours and those that will cause harm if not addressed. But we must be bold to keep the church pure.
Personal Worship Option:
Knowing that it is easy to see “bitter roots” in others, reflect today on whether there are any actions or words on your part that might lead others astray. Pray for the will to dig out those bad roots and replace them with good ones.
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