“But If you remain in me and my words remain in you, . . . John 15:7 Do words matter to you? When people give you a compliment or a negative word, does it stay with you? Well, when we study God’s word, the bible, His words will remain in us. They take root and remain in us when we commit His word to memory when we sing His words, when we meditate on His words when we dig deeper to study His words when we hear His words through sermons, podcasts, and books. His words remain in us when we uplift others with His words. His word remains when…
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Six Practices For Believers
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. John 15:4-6 Let’s review somethings from a few days ago. Six practices We think about Jesus We talk to Jesus we talk…
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Those Who Remain In Me
Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15: 5 Do you know what is important to God? Here is a slight hint, it’s what he repeats. This is the time that you really want to pay close attention to these moments. Jesus wants us to understand something significant than an intriguing illustration. So let’s zone in a little deeper to the vine, the gardener, and the branch and see what the outcome is. IT is the fruit produced. The fruit is good for us. It gives us nutrients that our bodies need. And it tastes,…
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Pruned and Purified
You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” John 15:1-3 Do you think that gardening takes time? Or patience? How about waiting? It sure does. So does our life when God is pruning us. Stop and think about when the seed is first planted when you get to pick the fruit of that plant? You wait months for the plant to produce fruit. This is how it can be in our very own lives. It can take a while for the spiritual fruit to blossom for others to see. There are two things mentioned in John 15:3. Pruning and purification. In pruning by God,…
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No Producing Fruit Or Producing Fruit
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit, so they produce even more. John 15:1-3 Pruning! I think this would be the hardest part of gardening. I have plants, I have learned that the dead leaves are to be removed, and the plant will be healthy again. Sometimes I wonder if I am pruning my plants right. I wonder if God feels the same way when He has to start pruning in our lives? What is His motivation for pruning in our lives? Why is it so…
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Mary and Martha: Part 3
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 After waiting for two days, Jesus went to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Jesus was in oneness with God, the father. This is what he wanted for his disciples, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and all followers. Let’s read John 11:9-10. Jesus began to speak to them about why He did what He did. Jesus knew that as long as they were doing the will of the Father, they were protected. Jesus knew that Lazarus had died. He also knew it was the will of the Father to awaken him in due time. Read John 11:11-16. “He said this, and…
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Hannah: Part Two
The Lord instructed Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When a man or woman makes a special vow, a Nazirite vow, to consecrate himself to the Lord, he is to abstain from wine and beer. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or beer. He must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins. He is not to eat anything produced by the grapevine, from seeds to skin, during his vow. “You must not cut his hair throughout the time of his vow of consecration. He must be holy until the time is completed, during which he consecrates himself to the Lord; he is to let the hair of…
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Ruth: Part Two
Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you/ For wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me. Ruth 1: 16-17 In Ruth 2:13-16, what do we learn about Boaz? He comforted Ruth. God does the same thing for us. God speaks kindly to us and comforts us. Ruth goes home and shares about her day with Naomi. While Ruth…
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Deborah: Part One
And he said, “Listen carefully, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15 Do you believe that God is faithful? He is! During the time of the Judges, Israel was walking away from God. God remained faithful. In Joshua’s time, they say victory after victory; in the time of Judges, it was defeat after defeat. God was using this defeat after defeat to bring the people back to Him. When the Israelites got comfortable, they would walk away from God. …
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Rahab: Part Two
Now Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites—no one leaving or entering. The Lord said to Joshua, “Look, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its fighting men over to you. March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times while the priests blow the trumpets. When there is a prolonged blast of the horn, and you hear its sound, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the people will…