Acts 2-6. The beginning of the church. The Lord added to their numbers daily. The believers had everything in common. No one among them had any need. Miracles happened. Praise to the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob happened. Jesus Christ was proclaimed as the only name by which men could be saved!
This lesson in giving to God what you say you're going to give...what a faith builder!--
Gamaliel gives us the lesson on purpose and activity! He said: '...for if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.'
Interesting to me: Gamaliel's speech persuaded the Sanhedrin to free Peter & John. Not until, however, they'd been flogged, and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus. (there is a clue here about the power that Name has!) These apostles went away from being flogged rejoicing because they'd been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.--plus, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Lesson learned? Absolutely. (a different lesson than the flogging by the Sanhedrin had hoped to teach, however!)
Jesus had told them they'd be persecuted. They realized this to be true as they watched Him be beaten and killed. They realized this when they saw their brothers being flogged. They also knew that death did not hold Jesus, and that promise was theirs, as well.
I wonder if we are prepared? if we're equipped? --We can be delivered from illness, from disease, from temptation (remember, Jesus said 'pray so you won't fall into temptation), from sin...but not trouble or persecution because of Jesus' Name.
In our culture, we don't want to be embarrassed, humiliated, or disgraced (although what brings public shame, or disgrace, to people in 2009 looks much different than it did even 10 years ago)...yet these precious men, went away rejoicing because they'd 'been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.'
I'm prompted to stop and think...stop and consider. We must be able to apply scripture to our lives, in order to be equipped. How do I apply this section to me?
I take great comfort and glean great confidence in my God because of Acts 3. Re-read it and let it speak to your soul.
Peter & John were doing a 'normal day'...livin' the dream, so to speak. They were going up to the temple to pray. Custom, at that time, shows that prayers were at 6am, 9am, noon, 3pm and 6pm, at the temple. The morning prayers were for praise, the evening were for thanksgiving. Peter & John were going at three in the afternoon. Approaching the Gate Beautiful, there is this crippled beggar wanting money. They don't have any money (ok, this hits me, anyone else!?)
They do have a what the man needs, though. They heal him in Jesus' Name. They tied their deeds back to the Lord. (speak His name as you bless people) They give him more than he'd asked or could have imagined. (We learn later that he was over 40 years old...he probably never imagined being healed. Never walked before, and all the sudden, he's running and jumping and praising the Lord!)
The beggar is holding on to Peter and John, can't you just see this? The people are gathering around (I'm telling you, they took the times of prayer very seriously then--do we?) and they are astonished!--(When was the last time you were astonished by God's provision in your life, or in the life of someone you know? If it wasn't as recent as this morning, you may want to consider looking in to why?) This man's healing gave Peter & John a platform to speak to the crowd gathering there. This didn't set well with the Jewish leaders!--This is a very significant healing...this act was the catalyst for many more miracles, and the ultimate reason for the flogging in chapter 6...but, as you look at this, go ahead and read chapter 4 again..then 'dive in and really get' the verses written as Acts 4:12-14.
You see, we may be publicly humiliated because of the Name, we may be flogged in the streets (not today, perhaps, but it could come to this)...but the Name remains the same, and these could not help speak about what Jesus had done in their lives. They didn't have to know book, chapter and verse, they just lived it...they had witnessed first hand what God, this God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, had done and couldn't help speaking about Him and His provision in their lives and in the lives of others!
You see, people don't care how much scripture you know--they care what the living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, has done in your life! What's He doing in YOUR LIFE?
Speak of it often, my friend. Bring Honor to His Name. The Name. Jesus. --No other Name by which men must be saved. Proclaim Him! Praise Him!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Projects to Start List
School is almost over, summer is just beginning...many new projects to work on...here are a few:
We are counting down the days until Vacation Bible School starts! VBS is a huge outreach to our community! Many children--they are expecting around 175 (give or take a few)! I love VBS. Now that I'm older, the days must include a nap, or I'm grouchy! Old school,though...red kool-aid and the off-brand sandwich cookies...nothing tastes better at around 10am on a summer morning...great memories! The smell of glue, and kids, and construction paper! Much excitement! Much fun! Can't wait...let the countdown begin!
I'll be working on another little project this week, it has to do with a 'right of passage' for a 'going-on 13' year old girl. This young lady is very fortunate to have such loving parents. For 12 weeks, leading up to her 13th birthday, she will meet with 12 different Godly women to glean wisdom and insight on a different Bible-based subject. My subject to share with her is 'faith'! This is a subject that I'm continually learning more about, but I could talk about it for a long time! I think that I only get a two hour time slot with her! I'm very excited to have a part, and, ultimately thinking that if more parents (for girls AND boys) made this kind of investment for their kids' lives, the world would look different! this countdown has begun!
A leadership-type event is floating around in my brain for some of the ladies in our church. This would help develop their leadership skills and place them in their gifted areas of service. I'm really excited about this prospect--and the ministry that can happen in the future by laying this vital ground work now!--I can't wait to see what God does with this and through this effort! Late summer, is what I'm thinking, so counting down, now!
Also, plastered all over my desk are brightly colored sticky notes that have to do with the area ladies event (or retreat) for 2010--you may remember, we just finished that event in April! Tomorrow, I get to call a 'potential speaker' for that event! Right now, April 2010, seems SO far in the future...but, like this year, I'll blink and it will be here! Let the countdown begin!
At home, we have much to do to make our home comfortable for all of our family this summer...and a vacation to get ready for! We need to work on landscaping (which I am horrible at!!)...I could fill an entire calendar with much busy work...I don't want to be anxious about anything...I only want to do 'the next thing' that God would have me work on--keeping priorities straight, enjoying my days, because they are numbered!--so, the countdown has already begun!
We are counting down the days until Vacation Bible School starts! VBS is a huge outreach to our community! Many children--they are expecting around 175 (give or take a few)! I love VBS. Now that I'm older, the days must include a nap, or I'm grouchy! Old school,though...red kool-aid and the off-brand sandwich cookies...nothing tastes better at around 10am on a summer morning...great memories! The smell of glue, and kids, and construction paper! Much excitement! Much fun! Can't wait...let the countdown begin!
I'll be working on another little project this week, it has to do with a 'right of passage' for a 'going-on 13' year old girl. This young lady is very fortunate to have such loving parents. For 12 weeks, leading up to her 13th birthday, she will meet with 12 different Godly women to glean wisdom and insight on a different Bible-based subject. My subject to share with her is 'faith'! This is a subject that I'm continually learning more about, but I could talk about it for a long time! I think that I only get a two hour time slot with her! I'm very excited to have a part, and, ultimately thinking that if more parents (for girls AND boys) made this kind of investment for their kids' lives, the world would look different! this countdown has begun!
A leadership-type event is floating around in my brain for some of the ladies in our church. This would help develop their leadership skills and place them in their gifted areas of service. I'm really excited about this prospect--and the ministry that can happen in the future by laying this vital ground work now!--I can't wait to see what God does with this and through this effort! Late summer, is what I'm thinking, so counting down, now!
Also, plastered all over my desk are brightly colored sticky notes that have to do with the area ladies event (or retreat) for 2010--you may remember, we just finished that event in April! Tomorrow, I get to call a 'potential speaker' for that event! Right now, April 2010, seems SO far in the future...but, like this year, I'll blink and it will be here! Let the countdown begin!
At home, we have much to do to make our home comfortable for all of our family this summer...and a vacation to get ready for! We need to work on landscaping (which I am horrible at!!)...I could fill an entire calendar with much busy work...I don't want to be anxious about anything...I only want to do 'the next thing' that God would have me work on--keeping priorities straight, enjoying my days, because they are numbered!--so, the countdown has already begun!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mothers' Day...hmmmmm...
Mother's Day.
My first memory of a Mother' Day is being a very little girl, running from the balcony of our church, down the stairs, to the front of the auditorium to get the gift my Mom would receive for being the "Youngest Mom" in attendance that day!
I was SO proud..I was 3 or 4, which would have made her 23 or 24...I don't even remember what the 'gift' was, but I remember being very proud of her. I still am. She's a woman of great faith...of great strength and courage. She's a woman who fears little, and is a constant encouragement to me in my walk with my God! I praise God for her life. I praise God for the love she instilled in me at a very young age to love Jesus, His church and serving in His kingdom! She's a wonderful woman. I love her very much, and because she's a follower of this blog: I LOVE YOU, MOM!
I come from a long line of very strong, courageous, faithful women. Women who, for the most part, found God at a young age, and served Him faithfully their whole lives....gr
andmas, aunts, cousins, my sister, ...all very sweet women of God! I praise God for the legacy they left for me...and pray that I continue to pass that faith on to my children and grandchildren!
Mother's Day, in recent years, has been very difficult for me...I wrote about that a few 'posts' ago. But, as I shared then, I have been praying about this day for a few weeks, and purposed in my heart for it to be a day of rejoicing! The focus would be on enjoying who IS here, not who ISN'T here.
I can tell you: God is faithful! This day, no, this entire week end, has been a gift. A beautiful gift of celebration and laughter and food and more laughter and pictures.
This morning at church, though, it came to me: The Reason that I had felt prompted to bathe the prospect of this day in prayer, it was to prepare me for the events of the day. You see, a couple from our church lost their son this morning. We got the call during our Sunday school time.
As I sat in the ER 'trauma room' with them for a few moments, it just came to me, 'we're sitting in the exact same room where we last said good bye to our little one, and here's this couple saying their last good bye to their son on Mother's Day. Mother's Day. hmmmm.
My prayer will be for comfort for them, in the quiet places of their soul, the places that only God can touch and minister to in these times.
Through the brief moments there, I was again reminded of the brevity of life itself. I was also reminded that our lives can change in an instant. These facts make me even more determined to celebrate each and every moment we have with those we love! I do not intend to take anything that we enjoy for granted. Join me in living this life on purpose. Let's do our best to purpose to honor God with our lives, our choices and our celebrations...He is Faithful--remember: Honor your Mother!--But, above that: Honor God in all we do!!!
My first memory of a Mother' Day is being a very little girl, running from the balcony of our church, down the stairs, to the front of the auditorium to get the gift my Mom would receive for being the "Youngest Mom" in attendance that day!
I was SO proud..I was 3 or 4, which would have made her 23 or 24...I don't even remember what the 'gift' was, but I remember being very proud of her. I still am. She's a woman of great faith...of great strength and courage. She's a woman who fears little, and is a constant encouragement to me in my walk with my God! I praise God for her life. I praise God for the love she instilled in me at a very young age to love Jesus, His church and serving in His kingdom! She's a wonderful woman. I love her very much, and because she's a follower of this blog: I LOVE YOU, MOM!
I come from a long line of very strong, courageous, faithful women. Women who, for the most part, found God at a young age, and served Him faithfully their whole lives....gr
andmas, aunts, cousins, my sister, ...all very sweet women of God! I praise God for the legacy they left for me...and pray that I continue to pass that faith on to my children and grandchildren!Mother's Day, in recent years, has been very difficult for me...I wrote about that a few 'posts' ago. But, as I shared then, I have been praying about this day for a few weeks, and purposed in my heart for it to be a day of rejoicing! The focus would be on enjoying who IS here, not who ISN'T here.
I can tell you: God is faithful! This day, no, this entire week end, has been a gift. A beautiful gift of celebration and laughter and food and more laughter and pictures.
This morning at church, though, it came to me: The Reason that I had felt prompted to bathe the prospect of this day in prayer, it was to prepare me for the events of the day. You see, a couple from our church lost their son this morning. We got the call during our Sunday school time.
As I sat in the ER 'trauma room' with them for a few moments, it just came to me, 'we're sitting in the exact same room where we last said good bye to our little one, and here's this couple saying their last good bye to their son on Mother's Day. Mother's Day. hmmmm.
My prayer will be for comfort for them, in the quiet places of their soul, the places that only God can touch and minister to in these times.
Through the brief moments there, I was again reminded of the brevity of life itself. I was also reminded that our lives can change in an instant. These facts make me even more determined to celebrate each and every moment we have with those we love! I do not intend to take anything that we enjoy for granted. Join me in living this life on purpose. Let's do our best to purpose to honor God with our lives, our choices and our celebrations...He is Faithful--remember: Honor your Mother!--But, above that: Honor God in all we do!!!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Spring Banquets...'tis the Season!
May is a crazy-busy month! School is winding down, the ball park is winding up! May, 2009 has been particularly enjoyable for me, I love the way it is unfolding! I love parties and celebrating! I'm feeling very blessed! Our Holly will graduate from college Saturday, and Mother's Day is Sunday. This will be a great week end for celebrations!
Mother's Day has been a 'difficult' day for me over these past five years. In fact, I can honestly say that there were a couple of years that 'Mother's Day' ranked among the most painful days of the entire year for me. It's a day that Satan really uses to trip me up. So, this year, I have purposed and prayed that it WILL be a great day of celebration!(--This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!)
God is blessing that effort, as only He can! I've had opportunities to reconnect with old friends and spend time with people I really love. He has brought this about by allowing me to have lunch with friends, meet friends for coffee, phone calls, e-mails, facebook 'posts' and, this week, two spring banquets!
With Mother's Day right around the corner, this is the season for women to get together! These gatherings give girlfriends a reason to celebrate and laugh and reconnect. We do it with food and dessert and coffee and conversation and laughter and song and laughter! Traditionally, spring banquets were called 'Mother/Daughter Banquets'. Thankfully, the name has evolved to include women in general...Not all daughters have mothers, not all mothers have daughters...all are women or ladies, though!
Our church's spring banquet, we called it "How Does Your Garden Grow?", was Tuesday evening. There was great food, 108 women, a women's quartet for a short concert, and no one had to 'clean up the mess' because we took it off-site to a local restaurant! It was great! I'm hearing comments about it even today!
This evening, I was blessed to attend another such banquet. I went as a guest of a dear friend. We had much fun, the men of their church cooked everything and cleaned up the mess...great job! Their entertainment was 3 singing duets. Each duet was either made up of mother/daughter combo or grandmother/granddaughter combo...very cute! They played a comic video for entertainment, so there was laughter, food and conversation!
God is faithful to give us exactly what we need, when we need it! I know the days of my life were numbered, even before I was born. I just want them all to count as joy to my King! And, so, Mother's Day, or any other random day of the week, I need to purpose to celebrate! Banquet or not...celebrate! China or paper plates...celebrate! Graduation or just the fact that I felt like walking to the mailbox...celebrate! 'tis ALWAYS the Season--to celebrate! --Celebrate the King!
Mother's Day has been a 'difficult' day for me over these past five years. In fact, I can honestly say that there were a couple of years that 'Mother's Day' ranked among the most painful days of the entire year for me. It's a day that Satan really uses to trip me up. So, this year, I have purposed and prayed that it WILL be a great day of celebration!(--This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!)
God is blessing that effort, as only He can! I've had opportunities to reconnect with old friends and spend time with people I really love. He has brought this about by allowing me to have lunch with friends, meet friends for coffee, phone calls, e-mails, facebook 'posts' and, this week, two spring banquets!
With Mother's Day right around the corner, this is the season for women to get together! These gatherings give girlfriends a reason to celebrate and laugh and reconnect. We do it with food and dessert and coffee and conversation and laughter and song and laughter! Traditionally, spring banquets were called 'Mother/Daughter Banquets'. Thankfully, the name has evolved to include women in general...Not all daughters have mothers, not all mothers have daughters...all are women or ladies, though!
Our church's spring banquet, we called it "How Does Your Garden Grow?", was Tuesday evening. There was great food, 108 women, a women's quartet for a short concert, and no one had to 'clean up the mess' because we took it off-site to a local restaurant! It was great! I'm hearing comments about it even today!
This evening, I was blessed to attend another such banquet. I went as a guest of a dear friend. We had much fun, the men of their church cooked everything and cleaned up the mess...great job! Their entertainment was 3 singing duets. Each duet was either made up of mother/daughter combo or grandmother/granddaughter combo...very cute! They played a comic video for entertainment, so there was laughter, food and conversation!
God is faithful to give us exactly what we need, when we need it! I know the days of my life were numbered, even before I was born. I just want them all to count as joy to my King! And, so, Mother's Day, or any other random day of the week, I need to purpose to celebrate! Banquet or not...celebrate! China or paper plates...celebrate! Graduation or just the fact that I felt like walking to the mailbox...celebrate! 'tis ALWAYS the Season--to celebrate! --Celebrate the King!
Monday, May 4, 2009
The Journey--I'm on it!
I want to share with you what the "Journey" is that I spoke of last night. "Everyday Mom" wanted to know, so, I'm hoping this will answer her questions, and give everyone else great information!
The Journey is not a type of Bible. It really isn't even a Bible study...
It is, however, a Bible reading program that our whole congregation is doing this year, 2009. People who wanted to participate were issued a 'flight bag' and a 'ticket' on the first Sunday in January.
The ticket was a commitment card.
The 'flight bag' contained a pen, highlighter, a journal, and a bag of peanuts, a 'flight' schedule (laminated, this schedule lists the chapters to be read on corresponding dates of the year--today we read John 18, tomorrow will be John 19, etc.)...and 'flight instructions' (also laminated, this card contains the SOAP exercise for journaling, explained in detail).
Also, we made available, NIRV(reader's version) New Testaments available for those who didn't have Bibles, or the version they have is hard to understand.
This Journey is through the New Testament. One chapter per day, Monday-Friday. The journal is for each of us to do a 'SOAP' exercise each day.
SOAP exercise stands for:
S...a Scripture that pops out at us, speaks to our hearts.
O...this is for Observations for the chapter we just read...things that are there that we notice...places and times...people present...usage of words, etc.
A...how we, as individuals, Apply the chapter to our every-day lives. Scripture is useless, unless and until we apply it or integrate it into our lives and our character.
P...closing the journal exercise each day with a short written Prayer about what this means to our lives.
The sermon on Sunday morning goes along with the previous week's reading. On Wednesday evenings there is a more in-depth Bible study offered to take an even closer look at those chapters. Questions are also taken from the group that meets.
I, personally, am using this for our ladies Sunday school class. Because, we're all reading the same thing each week, it makes class very exciting! The ladies bring their journals, or notes, and we have an open-forum discussion about what the scriptures said to us in the previous week...really good stuff! Of course, you can't go wrong talking about God's word!
I said it last week in Sunday school, I'll say it here: People are so thirsty for living water, and don't even realize it!--They'll drink anything at all, including poison (false doctrines). Keep that in mind when you are tempted NOT to read and Love God's word!
It's refreshing to think truth is really available--not a myth! And, it satisfies our thirst!--Remember: "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." In my Bible, these words are in red, that means they are very important, because My Saviour spoke them!
--Also from our Journey reading...but more importantly, from the book of John (7:37 & 38),. Jesus spoke these on the last and greatest day of the Feast...the day when THE Party started!, right after they poured out the pitcher of water that had been drawn from Siloam... Very cool picture of Jesus standing and saying those words!!!--At just the right moment!
See, here I could go on and on about Scripture...but I was trying to write about the Journey! I get excited when I talk about the Bible and applying it's words to our lives--can you tell!??!?!
The Journey is not a type of Bible. It really isn't even a Bible study...
It is, however, a Bible reading program that our whole congregation is doing this year, 2009. People who wanted to participate were issued a 'flight bag' and a 'ticket' on the first Sunday in January.
The ticket was a commitment card.
The 'flight bag' contained a pen, highlighter, a journal, and a bag of peanuts, a 'flight' schedule (laminated, this schedule lists the chapters to be read on corresponding dates of the year--today we read John 18, tomorrow will be John 19, etc.)...and 'flight instructions' (also laminated, this card contains the SOAP exercise for journaling, explained in detail).
Also, we made available, NIRV(reader's version) New Testaments available for those who didn't have Bibles, or the version they have is hard to understand.
This Journey is through the New Testament. One chapter per day, Monday-Friday. The journal is for each of us to do a 'SOAP' exercise each day.
SOAP exercise stands for:
S...a Scripture that pops out at us, speaks to our hearts.
O...this is for Observations for the chapter we just read...things that are there that we notice...places and times...people present...usage of words, etc.
A...how we, as individuals, Apply the chapter to our every-day lives. Scripture is useless, unless and until we apply it or integrate it into our lives and our character.
P...closing the journal exercise each day with a short written Prayer about what this means to our lives.
The sermon on Sunday morning goes along with the previous week's reading. On Wednesday evenings there is a more in-depth Bible study offered to take an even closer look at those chapters. Questions are also taken from the group that meets.
I, personally, am using this for our ladies Sunday school class. Because, we're all reading the same thing each week, it makes class very exciting! The ladies bring their journals, or notes, and we have an open-forum discussion about what the scriptures said to us in the previous week...really good stuff! Of course, you can't go wrong talking about God's word!
I said it last week in Sunday school, I'll say it here: People are so thirsty for living water, and don't even realize it!--They'll drink anything at all, including poison (false doctrines). Keep that in mind when you are tempted NOT to read and Love God's word!
It's refreshing to think truth is really available--not a myth! And, it satisfies our thirst!--Remember: "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." In my Bible, these words are in red, that means they are very important, because My Saviour spoke them!
--Also from our Journey reading...but more importantly, from the book of John (7:37 & 38),. Jesus spoke these on the last and greatest day of the Feast...the day when THE Party started!, right after they poured out the pitcher of water that had been drawn from Siloam... Very cool picture of Jesus standing and saying those words!!!--At just the right moment!
See, here I could go on and on about Scripture...but I was trying to write about the Journey! I get excited when I talk about the Bible and applying it's words to our lives--can you tell!??!?!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Remain
This past week during our Journey reading, John 15:4 really spoke to my heart. I wanted to take a look at it, with you. This verse in the NIV "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "
The word ‘remain’, there I think is key to John’s theology. He uses the word ‘remain’ 11 times in this chapter…40 times in this Gospel…and 27 times in his other writings!
What does it mean to ‘remain’? Remain is to stay...stay the course...wait!
To remain in Christ is to accept Him as Lord & Savior. John 6:54 & 56, ‘for whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’ Verse 56 there says: ‘Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.’ Think of the Holy Communion we celebrate during church services. We remember the sacrifice Jesus made on that cross, by eating His body in the bread we take and drink His blood, in the juice we take.
To remain in Christ can mean to continue, or persevere…in believing, as in John 8:31 which says “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples” Hold, there is to remain in Christ’s teachings…Hold to your belief in Him and His word, even when things around you don't look like you think they should. 'My life wasn't supposed to turn out this way'. 'I don't know why this is happening to me.' Remaining here is to know that you know that you know that Christ has it under control.
To remain in Christ can also mean believing, loving obedience, according to John 15:9 & 10
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. We obey because of our love for Christ. We love Him and because of that love, we are motivated to live for Him, please Him, draw people to Him, but above all, obey Him!
John 15:4 --Jesus said these words just after He talked about the Father cutting off every branch that doesn’t bear fruit. Pruning hurts, but the branches that remain will bear even more fruit. Remaining in the Father is necessary, Jesus used this example because the branch that is not attached to the vine has no chance of bearing fruit…we cannot bear fruit without being fully dependent on Christ and His word in us.
If we’re focused on what’s been cut off, we become helpless…this is exactly where our enemy would like us to stay focused. Instead, I would say, focus on the vine...focus on the health that pruning ultimately produces.
In spite of the pruning, enduring in our faith is what produces the life God intends for us to live, to glorify Him…We glorify Him with our fruit, and the only way we’re going to produce fruit is by REMAINING in Him! --Attached to the 'vine' or The Father!
If you're still attached to the vine, you have the ability to bear fruit...much fruit...healthy fruit...by remaining. Stay...endure...wait!
The word ‘remain’, there I think is key to John’s theology. He uses the word ‘remain’ 11 times in this chapter…40 times in this Gospel…and 27 times in his other writings!
What does it mean to ‘remain’? Remain is to stay...stay the course...wait!
To remain in Christ is to accept Him as Lord & Savior. John 6:54 & 56, ‘for whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’ Verse 56 there says: ‘Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.’ Think of the Holy Communion we celebrate during church services. We remember the sacrifice Jesus made on that cross, by eating His body in the bread we take and drink His blood, in the juice we take.
To remain in Christ can mean to continue, or persevere…in believing, as in John 8:31 which says “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples” Hold, there is to remain in Christ’s teachings…Hold to your belief in Him and His word, even when things around you don't look like you think they should. 'My life wasn't supposed to turn out this way'. 'I don't know why this is happening to me.' Remaining here is to know that you know that you know that Christ has it under control.
To remain in Christ can also mean believing, loving obedience, according to John 15:9 & 10
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. We obey because of our love for Christ. We love Him and because of that love, we are motivated to live for Him, please Him, draw people to Him, but above all, obey Him!
John 15:4 --Jesus said these words just after He talked about the Father cutting off every branch that doesn’t bear fruit. Pruning hurts, but the branches that remain will bear even more fruit. Remaining in the Father is necessary, Jesus used this example because the branch that is not attached to the vine has no chance of bearing fruit…we cannot bear fruit without being fully dependent on Christ and His word in us.
If we’re focused on what’s been cut off, we become helpless…this is exactly where our enemy would like us to stay focused. Instead, I would say, focus on the vine...focus on the health that pruning ultimately produces.
In spite of the pruning, enduring in our faith is what produces the life God intends for us to live, to glorify Him…We glorify Him with our fruit, and the only way we’re going to produce fruit is by REMAINING in Him! --Attached to the 'vine' or The Father!
If you're still attached to the vine, you have the ability to bear fruit...much fruit...healthy fruit...by remaining. Stay...endure...wait!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
So glad I sorted through my desk!!!
Sometimes, I write random thoughts and scriptures down...I get a thought, and have to write it somewhere!
This week, I was going through a couple of 'stacks' on my desk and found an 'abandoned' pad of lined paper. I had written on the first four pieces of the pad and that was it--left for later!! I love office supplies. I love colored pens, and fresh, clean, lined paper! So, The first page was neatly written in brown ink with key words written with purple ink. At the bottom of the page in large letters were more 'key words' neatly printed in large purple letters and then a small colored brown heart surrounded by a larger purple heart.--I obviously must have had a lot of time on my hands that day...or else I did it in the middle of the night!--I don't usually have a lot of 'coloring' time!
So, here's what I had written that particular day:
This week, I was going through a couple of 'stacks' on my desk and found an 'abandoned' pad of lined paper. I had written on the first four pieces of the pad and that was it--left for later!! I love office supplies. I love colored pens, and fresh, clean, lined paper! So, The first page was neatly written in brown ink with key words written with purple ink. At the bottom of the page in large letters were more 'key words' neatly printed in large purple letters and then a small colored brown heart surrounded by a larger purple heart.--I obviously must have had a lot of time on my hands that day...or else I did it in the middle of the night!--I don't usually have a lot of 'coloring' time!
So, here's what I had written that particular day:
Clean Hands
Psalm 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.
Psalm 10:4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
Proverbs 31:20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
Isaiah 55:12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
I Thess. 4:11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands ( v. 12--so that your daily life will win respect of outsiders and so that you won't be dependent on anybody.)
I Timothy 2:8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
Pure Heart
This is the way I connect all this...our hands are very important...they need to be clean or holy...they need to be extended to the poor (the least of these) they need to be diligent, and busy...working to help us live quiet mindful lives...the purposes of our hands are a reflection of our heart...
Psalm 24:4 holds a particularly significant place in my heart, as it was part of the Bible study I do on Wednesday mornings. That first listed verse...it is talking about who may 'ascend the hill of the Lord, or stand in His holy place...who has access to the Lord...the one with clean hands and a pure heart...and, for me, personally: again with the weeping from earlier in the week...because it goes on to say the one who has access to the Lord is the one who doesn't lift up his soul to an idol...this is the one the Lord will bless!
I don't know about you, but keeping my hands busy in my home, living a quiet life--one where I'm minding my own business...if these are the things that help me have access to the God of the Universe...the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob...then, my prayer would be for my Father God to help me to keep my hands clean, and my heart pure...I need more of Him! I also need Him to help me be mindful of the whole idol thing...I want no other god before the One True God!
How good of Our God to give, as a gift to us, the Holy Spirit, to help us discern such things! WOW! Clean hands...Pure heart!
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