Category: September2019

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Choose Wisely

Friday – Are you thinking about what you’ll do this weekend? Maybe you’ve planned to be at the kids soccer or football games. Possibly taking the weekend away for one more trip to the mountains before it gets too chilly. Or maybe you’ve decided to just stay home and get some yardwork done. Better yet, just stay home and relax.

Choose wisely!

We make choices everyday. Some only effect us for the moment but others direct us for a lifetime. It amazes me how some people think that if they choose to follow the Lord their lives will be rigid, sad and no fun at all. They have a misconception of the Father. He gives us a choice, we have a free will. There is one choice that brings us to life and blessing and another that brings destruction and death. Moses told the children of Israel that God was giving them a choice:

“But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and worship other gods, 18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live a long, good life in the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy.

19 “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! 20 You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:17-21 CEV

Moses made it very plain that the choice belonged to the people. However, he went on to say the best option was to choose life! Jesus made the same statement in His teaching.

“I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11 I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep.” John 10:9-11 CEV

A full life compared to one where we will be robbed, killed and destroyed. Yes, I choose life!

Choose wisely – choose life!

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If Not Now, When?

Last month while Dave and I were in the mountains I took time to read. I don’t know why but I rarely take time to read at home…That’s not a completely honest statement. I do know why. There is always one more text to write, one more call to make, one more search for product or information that needs to be done and reading falls to the bottom of my list.

In the mountains, with the computer at home, cell service was virtually non-existent. So there was time; time to read, time to talk, time to walk, time to refresh. That’s when I read a book that had been sitting dormant on my bookshelf for years.

I had removed it from the bookshelf last fall while I was writing my book. I used it as a literary model; font size, chapter length, number of total pages, publishing layout.

It was written by a former pastor’s wife, she and her family moved to Yuma while I was in high school. Her husband married Dave and I. Her daughter and I had become best friends in high school and we are still dear friends today. The title of this book interested me so I took it camping. Singing the Song I Came to Sing by Joy P Gage drew me into it’s pages.

Here’s an excerpt: “We must seize moments of quiet interlude amidst hours of inescapable responsibility. We must find ways to connect with people who are important to us. We must ask ourselves, ‘If not now, when?’ That is how we celebrate life one day at a time…

I looked at my life and asked, ‘What matters most for me and what do I want to do about it?’ Like many other women I longed for more time to nurture relationships and I longed for quiet interludes in which I could refresh body and sprit alike. I yearned to take a break from my crowded schedule and celebrate life one day at a time.”

If not now, when? If I don’t take the time to celebrate each day that the Father has blessed me with, when will I?

Those words from the beginning pages of her book were the words of my own heart. I had to read on. Those aren’t just words from Joy’s heart and mine but they are words of God’s heart. After all, He was the one who said it was not good for man to be alone and then He created Eve. Mankind was the creative outpouring of God’s desire for fellowship. It was God who came to walk and talk with Adam and Eve in the garden at the end of each day.

It was God who said through Paul that we are all members of Christ’s body and we need to nurture and care for one another. We draw strength from our friendships, especially if they are with others who have a heart for the Father and His word.

“Christ gave gifts to men. He gave to some the gift to be missionaries, some to be preachers, others to be preachers who go from town to town. He gave others the gift to be church leaders and teachers. 12 These gifts help His people work well for Him. And then the church which is the body of Christ will be made strong. 13 All of us are to be as one in the faith and in knowing the Son of God. We are to be full-grown Christians standing as high and complete as Christ is Himself. 14 Then we will not be as children any longer. Children are like boats thrown up and down on big waves. They are blown with the wind. False teaching is like the wind. False teachers try everything possible to make people believe a lie, 15 but we are to hold to the truth with love in our hearts. We are to grow up and be more like Christ. He is the leader of the church. 16 Christ has put each part of the church in its right place. Each part helps other parts. This is what is needed to keep the whole body together. In this way, the whole body grows strong in love.” Ephesians 4:11-16 NLV

We each have a part in the Father’s plan. Sometimes life gets in the way. What is it that pulls on your heart but is being put off for “someday”? Let the Lord use those four simple words, “If not now, when”, to remind you to make every day a celebration of His love, cultivating and nourishing the relationships He brings to your life. 

(I found copies of Joy's book can be found on eBay and Amazon)

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Greater Than

And the greatest of these is love!

God’s love for us is beyond amazing. We are to follow the example of Jesus and be imitators of the Father. Jesus told us that our greatest commandment was to love the Father and then to love our neighbors.

The commandment to love is always greater than any circumstance or situation we will face.

“The Pharisees learned that Jesus had made the Sadducees look so foolish that they stopped trying to argue with him. So the Pharisees had a meeting. 35 Then one of them, an expert in the Law of Moses, asked Jesus a question to test him. 36 He said, “Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?”
37 Jesus answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and most important command. 39 And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.’ 40 All of the law and the writings of the prophets take their meaning from these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40 CEV

The Pharisees were trying to test and even trick Jesus into a wrong answer; something that would discredit him to his followers and better yet, something that would give them place to prosecute him and silence him in public.

What Jesus did with his answer was discredit the Pharisees. By giving the answer that He did, Jesus proved that their heart’s motive was anything but love. If they weren’t walking in love toward Him, their neighbor, they weren’t keeping what they called the greatest commandments.

(Remember yesterday’s teaching: What is in our hearts will be revealed by our actions and our words. The Pharisees were showing what was really in their hearts.)

The Pharisees had all the outward trappings of religion and righteousness but their hearts were wrong. It was self-righteousness and it was religion instead of relationship. Jesus was talking about a living relationship with the Father.

As we spent time loving the Father we will reflect His love to others. The moon has no light source in itself but it reflects the light of the sun. In the same way, as we spend time absorbing the Father’s love we will reflect that love to others. We can’t give what we don’t have – so as we receive more and more love from the Father we are able to love others more.

There is nothing GREATER THAN God’s love. Our love for Him should always be our first and greatest desire!

Father, I desire to love You with all that I am and then to reflect Your love to those around me today.

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Be An Example

Living like Christ…what does that mean?

When Jesus left this earth, He gave us with the responsibility of living a life that exemplifies Him. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

“Love each other in a way that makes you feel close like brothers and sisters. And give each other more honor than you give yourself. 11 As you serve the Lord, work hard and don’t be lazy. Be excited about serving him! 12 Be happy because of the hope you have. Be patient when you have troubles. Pray all the time. 13 Share with God’s people who need help. Look for people who need help and welcome them into your homes.

14 Wish only good for those who treat you badly. Ask God to bless them, not curse them. 15 When others are happy, you should be happy with them. And when others are sad, you should be sad too. 16 Live together in peace with each other. Don’t be proud, but be willing to be friends with people who are not important to others. Don’t think of yourself as smarter than everyone else.

17 If someone does you wrong, don’t try to pay them back by hurting them. Try to do what everyone thinks is right. 18 Do the best you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 My friends, don’t try to punish anyone who does wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. In the Scriptures the Lord says,

“I am the one who punishes; I will pay people back.”

20 But you should do this: “If you have enemies who are hungry, give them something to eat. If you have enemies who are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this you will make them feel ashamed.” 21 Don’t let evil defeat you, but defeat evil by doing good.” Romans 12:10-21 ERV

Father, today I choose to walk worthy of your calling in my life and to be an example to those around me. Thank you for giving me the strength and the compassion I need to let others see Jesus through me.

May my actions be filled with kindness. May my actions speak volumes on grace and goodness even if my words are silent.

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Crippled by Life

Have you ever been crippled? Maybe broken an ankle, had foot surgery, broken a leg or two…Or was your crippling a fear that had you weakened, possibly you were an emotional cripple or even financially unable to move.

Most of us have been crippled at one point or another in life but imagine now that this wasn’t something you could get over and the longer you live with the limitation it begins to steal your hope.

That was the man that Jesus met by the pool side. He had been a cripple for thirty-eight years.

38 years!

Thirty-eight years he waited for his miracle and quite frankly I think he had lost hope. When Jesus found him the first question Jesus asked was do you want to get well. Now the crippled man didn’t really answer Jesus question but instead began to make excuses, “I don’t have anyone to put me in the water”.

Don’t you hear it – it’s not my fault I’m laying here and nobody will help me, there’s nothing I can do about my situation, I’m stuck! Before we judge him to harshly let’s examine our own life – what situation has crippled us and we find that you are blaming someone else for not giving us what we need -assistance, pity, money, understanding.

“Many sick people were lying on the porches beside the pool. Some of them were blind, some were crippled, and some were paralyzed. 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for 38 years. 6 Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been sick for a very long time. So he asked him, “Do you want to be well?”

7 The sick man answered, “Sir, there is no one to help me get into the water when it starts moving. I try to be the first one into the water. But when I try, someone else always goes in before I can.” John 5:3-7 ERV

Now look what Jesus said. No excuses accepted, no pity but words that demanded action and responsibility.

“Then Jesus said, “Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 Immediately the man was well. He picked up his mat and started walking. The day all this happened was a Sabbath day.” John 5:8-9 ERV

The power of the Word of God spoken over our lives is life changing if we obey. What made the difference? I’m sure this man sensed the power in those words, it brought hope and hope brought action. Now this man went from a cripple to a person of determination and strength.

“But he answered, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” John 5:11 ERV

If only we were so confident in God’s Word that we said I’m just doing what I was told! We would see the power of God working in our lives like never before. This isn’t just a nice story of healing that happened in the Bible long ago but it is an example to us for today.

Look what Jesus said when he was questioned by the Jewish leaders for healing the man on the Sabbath.

“Jesus was doing all this on the Sabbath day. So these Jews began trying to make him stop. 17 But he said to them, “My Father never stops working, and so I work too.” 18 This made them even more determined to kill him. They thought it was bad enough that he was breaking the law about the Sabbath day. And now he was saying that God is his Father, making himself equal with God! 19 But Jesus answered, “I assure you that the Son can do nothing alone. He does only what he sees his Father doing. The Son does the same things that the Father does.” John 5:16-19 ERV

Our Father never stops working! He is still working today and the things He does, He does because He loves us.

Have you been crippled? Follow God’s word, take up your bed and walk!

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Say It Again

I hope all of you have experienced hearing someone you love say your name. Words cannot describe what happens in my heart, the center of my emotions, when I hear “Kris” spoken lovingly from David’s lips. That same emotion rises when I hear “Mom” and “Besta”. There’s a tenderness, a caring, a verbal loving embrace.

It reminds me of a scene from the movie Ever After. Some of you have heard me tell of this before but it came to mind again this morning. I think it has something to do with the fact that this last week I have spoken with all of my family except for AJ and Kylee and heard that sweetness in their voices and had them call my name.

In the movie, close to the end, Henry, the prince, realizes he can’t live without Danielle, Cinderella, so he rides out to save her from her indentured life to Jacque LePew. As he comes up the hill to the fortress walls, she is walking out, having gained her own freedom. He apologizes for doubting her, tells her he loves her and can’t live without her. She stops him in his conversation and says, “Say that again.” He starts to apologize again for failing to trust her and then she says “No, not that. Say the part where you call me by name again.” And then he says her name, Danielle, and declares his love. AWWWW!

There is nothing so sweet than to hear the one you love say your name. It stirs the heart and words can’t explain fully explain the feeling it gives you. WOW! It is completely over-the-top.

I’ve been reading about Samuel and how God called him to service:

“The boy Samuel was Eli’s helper and served the LORD with him. At that time the LORD did not speak directly to people very often. There were very few visions…. 4 The LORD called Samuel, and Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 Samuel thought Eli was calling him, so he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.” But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed.”
…Finally, Eli understood that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 Eli told Samuel, “Go to bed. If he calls you again, say, ‘Speak, LORD. I am your servant, and I am listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed. 10 The LORD came and stood there. He called as he did before, saying, “Samuel, Samuel!”
Samuel said, “Speak. I am your servant, and I am listening.” I Samuel 3:1-10

Can you imagine? The voice of God calling your name, what a joy!

Then I remembered that God called others by name as well; it started with Adam & Eve; Noah, David, Daniel, Jeremiah, Zacchaeus, the disciples, Mary at the garden tomb, Saul on the road to Damascus and John on the Isle of Patmos; all of these and more had that same wonderful experience of hearing God call them by name.

See what Isaiah says to the children of Israel:

“Descendants of Jacob, I, the LORD, created you and formed your nation.
Israel, don’t be afraid. I have rescued you. I have called you by name; now you belong to me. 2 When you cross deep rivers, I will be with you, and you won’t drown. When you walk through fire, you won’t be burned or scorched by the flames. 3 I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, the God who saves you. I gave up Egypt, Ethiopia, and the region of Seba in exchange for you.
4 To me, you are very dear, and I love you. That’s why I gave up nations and people to rescue you. 5 Don’t be afraid! I am with you.” Isaiah 43:1-5 ERV

God the Father has called us by name as well. Yes, He has! In His love He called our name telling us that He has a plan for our lives; a plan to be in fellowship and relationship with Him; a plan of adoption so that we can call Him “Abba Father.”

Hearing God speak our name shouldn’t be a one time experience, limited only to the day we accept Him as Savior. How sad it would be if I only heard David say my name the one time when he made me his wife. No, daily he says my name and tells me he loves me and it never gets old.

Daily God is calling our name and telling us He loves us. Do you hear it or are you too busy and distracted? Take time to listen…and take time to respond. Can you imagine how it thrills His heart to hear you say, “Abba Father, I love you. I want to spend time with you today”?

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It Hurts!

This morning I am a living testimony to what I am going to share. Not that I want to be because this morning’s teaching is painful.

I stepped out the back door to let Glory out, took two steps and ouch! I thought I had stepped on a small rock so I bent down to brush it away. Not a rock – a cactus thorn of some sort and all I did was break the head off it. The thorn is still there.

I came back in, got Glory her food and sat down to try and pull out the thorn. My nails are too short and the thorn is too deep. I had to walk around on my tip toes to keep the pressure off the area. Yes, I have tweezers but they are in my bathroom and I would have to wake Dave to get them. Beside that, I’m not as limber as I used to be so getting my foot into a position where I can see the thorn well is a bit difficult.

My body encouraged me to sit down, put my foot up and wait. Wait for Dave to come to my aid. I’m listening to my body!

The Apostle Paul tells us about helping our body when it hurts.

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.” I Corinthians 12:12-27 NLV

We, as Christians, should be listening to our body. We are all one body just as these verses say. We should be taking care of one another. Helping out the parts that hurt. Jesus said that the world would know we are Christians by our love for one another.

I’m concerned that many times what the world sees is bickering and fighting; animosity, gossip and amputation have infiltrated our actions. It shouldn’t be this way. These things limit our mobility, our effectiveness, our usefulness. We are to be Christ to the world. We are to let Him live through us.

Are you hurting today? Have you asked for help? My heel “screams” for help each time I put weight on it. I’m going to get help as soon as Dave gets up. I’m not going to be proud and say nothing’s wrong, I can do it myself. I can’t. Neither can you – ask for help, ask for prayer. Let others come along and be your strength and healing.

And then look for the hurting. Don’t cause more damage by being hard hearted or gossiping. Do what you can to lighten someone’s load, to bring healing and not criticism.

Be aware, be involved. Be Jesus!

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Find Rest

A few days ago I addressed the issue of contentment. This isn’t something that we receive a one-time teaching on. No, daily there are things, that creep in subtly or hit us like a Mac truck, that try to steal or successfully steal our contentment. It’s then we need to be reminded that God is in control and we can trust Him.

So this morning I feel admonished to bring you another teaching on contentment. The Lord has always used personal experiences to teach me His word and today’s lesson is no different. I know of nothing that depicts contentment and trust more than a sleeping baby. They are the epitome of trust and contentment.

“Be still, and know that I am God:” Psalm 46:10

I remember when our youngest daughter, Kaci, was just around a year old. She awaken in the middle of the night and I got up with her and took her to the living room to rock her. She shared a bedroom with her sister and I didn’t want to wake her too.

When I got to the living room I sat down on the couch and began to rock back and forth, thinking the rocking motion would lull Kaci back to sleep. She really wanted none of that. She began to lean her body in the direction of the family room and kitchen. (You know that kind of lean, the one little kids have when they want you to take them somewhere. They communicate with body language before they can talk.) I told her softly that there wasn’t anything in there and she just needed to cuddle in and sleep. She continued crying and leaning so I got up, with her in my arms, and walked into the family room, then the kitchen, through the dining room and back to the living room – all the while being led by the leaning of a child.

Once we were back in the living room we sat down on the couch, again. As I began the rocking motion that I had tried to comfort her with just minutes before, she settled in and went to sleep. I looked at her, smiled and thought, “This is where we started, why couldn’t we have done this the first time?”

With that, I heard the Lord minister to me; “How many times do I take you somewhere and you insist on leaning/leading to another place? I patiently give in to your will and then we go full circle and end up back where I had you at the start. I take you back and there you find peace.”

Wow! Lord what a graphic lesson. There have been times when I thought I knew best – I thought I wanted to be any place but here and so I would go from place to place, room to room and come back to find “Be still and know that I am God!”

Here was the place God wanted me to rest. Here was the place He wanted me to be content.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;  do not depend (lean) on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NLV

This doesn’t mean we take a laissez-faire approach and give up on our dreams and desires. It does mean that we can trust God with our dreams and let Him bring them to pass.

Thanking God today for His mercy – for allowing me to come back to the place of peace where I can “Be Still and Know that He is God!”

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Be a Kid!

This morning I was remembering a friend of ours and his wife who had nine children. When we first met them they had seven children. The two oldest were in preschool with Kaci, our youngest. Later we learned that they also attended the same church we did.

What a happy family! It was always a fun time at their house – kids everywhere. Laughter filled the air. Each time we went over, the twins took great pleasure in making Dave their living jungle gym. Dave would sit down on the couch to visit with Brian and one child would be crawling up his legs while the other one was crawling down over his shoulders.

To be honest, it was a bit distracting to adult conversation but the kids were having a ball. They knew they were loved and they were important because they were being treated with kindness, affection and were given priority over the other things that were happening.

Each time I read about Jesus taking time to pray for and bless the children I picture it very similar to the way it was for Dave with Luke & Lizzie. Total joy and focus.

Jesus’ disciples seem to have been a bit annoyed that these parents were wanting Jesus to take time for their children. In fact, the disciples scolded the parents for taking up Jesus valuable time.

“Some people brought their children to Jesus, so that he could place his hands on them and pray for them. His disciples told the people to stop bothering him. 14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and don’t try to stop them! People who are like these children belong to God’s kingdom.” Matthew 19:13-14 CEV

“Some people brought their children to Jesus so that he could bless them by placing his hands on them. But his disciples told the people to stop bothering him.

14 When Jesus saw this, he became angry and said, “Let the children come to me! Don’t try to stop them. People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God. 15 I promise you that you cannot get into God’s kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does.” 16 Then Jesus took the children in his arms and blessed them by placing his hands on them.” Mark 10:13-16 CEV

This event of Jesus blessing the children is recorded in the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke. It made an impression on all three writers. Jesus used what his disciples thought was an interruption in his busy schedule to teach a valuable lesson.

Be child-like. Accept spiritual things as a child, in simple faith!

As adults we have a tendency to analyze, rationalize and criticize when we don’t understand what we see or experience. Children accept things by faith and aren’t bothered by the technicalities.

I find it interesting that just a short time earlier than this situation with the children, Jesus had used another child to teach his disciples about being humble and having a servant’s heart. Obviously, the disciples had forgotten what Jesus had said about children.

“After Jesus sat down and told the twelve disciples to gather around him, he said, “If you want the place of honor, you must become a slave and serve others!”

36 Then Jesus had a child stand near him. He put his arm around the child and said, 37 “When you welcome even a child because of me, you welcome me. And when you welcome me, you welcome the one who sent me.” Mark 9:35-37 CEV

Jesus had a compassion for all people – no one was of greater or lesser value in His estimation. He wanted his disciples to see that.

You know that I frequently use this verse in Hebrews when I talk about the Father and His desire to help us. I see this verse through the eyes of a child.

“So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” Hebrews 4:16 CEV

I have always imagined this verse like this. A small child comes running through the door calling “Daddy, Daddy. I need your help! My toy is broken; the neighbor kids are picking on me…Daddy help!” And it’s there, at the Father’s throne that I see myself standing in child-like faith saying “Daddy, I need your help” and He, my Father, has never turned me away.

God, the Father, is inviting us to be like a kid – take Him at His word, bring Him everything. He always has time for us!

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Growth – A Good Thing

This morning I would like to talk to you about growth. Facebook reminded me that five years ago we were just starting construction of our front courtyard wall. There were only a couple native plants, a short little sidewalk and no wall. It was a blank canvas, a barren land.

But Dave and I had a vision of what we wanted it to become and the work was started…

Fast forward to today – five years later we have a beautiful courtyard wall, a long sidewalk, gates, tons of vegetation and benches so we can sit out front and enjoy the view and the solitude.

Change is good! Growth is good!

That got me to thinking. I can look at our front courtyard and our back patio and see growth. How much growth can I see in my spiritual life? I read once that if we aren’t growing everyday in our relationship with the Lord we are regressing because living things grow.

“My dear friends, you have been warned ahead of time! So don’t let the errors of evil people lead you down the wrong path and make you lose your balance. 18 Let the wonderful kindness and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you to keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen.” II Peter 3:17-18 CEV

Peter had written a letter to Christians everywhere and the verses above were his final admonishment in that letter. This is how he started the letter:

“From Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ. To everyone who shares with us in the privilege of believing that our God and Savior Jesus Christ will do what is just and fair. 2 I pray that God will be kind to you and will let you live in perfect peace! May you keep learning more and more about God and our Lord Jesus.” II Peter 1:1-2 CEV

He wanted us ALL to keep learning about God the Father and our Lord Jesus. It is a continuing growth process; the deepening of our relationship. It’s change that is good.

We may not notice the daily growth but it’s happening. Sometimes we hit a “grow spurt” and it seems that we have shot up over night in our knowledge and relationship with the Lord. At other times the growth is gradual, almost unnoticeable until we look back and see how things used to be.

Our responsibility is to stay attached to Jesus. He is the vine from which we draw our life.

“Get your life from Me and I will live in you. No branch can give fruit by itself. It has to get life from the vine. You are able to give fruit only when you have life from Me. 5 I am the Vine and you are the branches. Get your life from Me. Then I will live in you and you will give much fruit. You can do nothing without Me.” John 15:4-5 NLV

When we stay in our relationship with Jesus good fruit will grow! It’s a natural occurrence, just the same as apples and oranges grow on the branches of the tree we will see fruit growing in our lives. Good and beneficial fruit.

“But the fruit that comes from having the Holy Spirit in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, having faith, 23 being gentle, and being the boss over our own desires. The Law is not against these things.” Galatians 5:22-23 NLV

Branches naturally grow when they are attached to a strong trunk. There is no stronger trunk (or vine) than Jesus. We can trust Him to produce spiritual growth in us.

Grow today – grow strong – grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour!


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