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James 5:7-12 Have Patience Don’t Be in Such a Hurry

4/25/2016

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At the set time that I appoint     I will judge with equity. Psalm 75:2
At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. Psalm 75:2
​James 5:7-12
Patience is so difficult. There are things we have no choice but to wait for and there are things we should wait for but choose not to. Either way, waiting is difficult. Waiting patiently is a virtue that extols the Lord. We have two factors that allow us to be patient. The Holy Spirit in us and hope. The hope that keeps believers able to be patient is knowing that this earth and its suffering is temporary. One day, Jesus will return and gather the harvest. Believers know that for us the harvest means eternity united perfectly with Christ, our Maker and Husband. We wait for that awesome day with The Holy Spirit making us over and conforming us to the image of Christ who is the epitome of patience.  Verses 7-8 read,
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 
Establishing our hearts means we allow The Holy Spirit to conform us. Through every trial and circumstance we get to practice, exercise, and strengthen the character of Christ in us through the demonstration of The Holy Spirit in us. We call that the Fruit of the Spirit and patience is one of the proofs that He is living in us (Galatians 5:22-23). Just as that fruit does not pop out fully developed in us instantaneously, neither does farmer’s fruit grow and flower overnight. A farmer can pick fruit too soon. If he does the fruit will not develop its full flavor. When he does harvest his fruit, he needs to have waited long enough for the fruit to go to seed, to have developed seeds that will be able to produce the next crop. Reaping before it is time will give the farmer gratification now but the fruit won’t be as good or healthy as it could be and he won’t have a crop for next year.
Patience is also called endurance, perseverance, forbearance, and longsuffering. It looks like serenity, stamina, and resilience. Waiting is just not a good time sometimes. If you are hungry now, yet you have to wait for the late rains to come before you pick the fruit, you need forbearance. If you are hungry now, yet supper won’t be cooked for 1 more hour, that hour may be a long one. Impatience leads a person to eat now and not be able to fully enjoy supper when it is ready. Eating the fruit, before it is ripe, and at the point where it will offer its most perfect benefits deprives us of the complete enjoyment and reward we could have had. Impatience leads to impetuosity, rashness, and anxiety. The word longsuffering indicates that it is no fun to endure suffering. If I am hungry, I am irritable. Choosing to gratify my flesh instead of demonstrate The Holy Spirit can make me complain, whine, and grumble. It can cause me to become envious and bitter. That is bad news for me and for the people around me. I will not look or act like Jesus when I’m indulging my own desires and glorifying myself. Verses 9-11 read,
Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Impatience leads to satisfying our flesh and that produces what Paul called the works of the flesh. Galatians 5:16-21 describe it this way.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
People gratifying the desires of the flesh will be judging, and it will not be righteous judgement. People gratifying the desires of the flesh will be jealous envious, and angry causing rivalries, dissension, and division. But we are supposed to be the image of Christ, The Judge who stands at the door. Was anyone as patient as Jesus? Is anyone as patient as He is? He stands at the door and knocks, waiting patiently for us to answer and enjoy the riches and blessings he wants to lavish on us. In Revelation 3:18-21 Jesus said,
“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.”
Wouldn’t you rather have the fullness of what God is offering than the paleness of what you can achieve without Him? He is patient with you. He is patient with the world. He doesn’t smite people into following Him. He doesn’t force us. He knocks and waits. He is patient. 2 Peter 3:7-10 describes God’s patience this way.
But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Time is different for God. He has waited an eternity already for His harvest to be ready. At the perfect time, not a moment too soon He will reap His harvest. Revelation 14:14-20 describes it and I have to say, I am extraordinarily thankful that He is waiting. There are people I want to be with me in New Jerusalem and they haven’t chosen Life in Jesus yet.
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.”16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.
If Jesus is patient with us, we have no right to be impatient with anyone, including ourselves. Consider the example of patience James described for us in verse 11.
Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
How do we know Job was patient? Why do we consider the other examples of patience as patient? Because they endured suffering. Job refused to curse God in his anguish. He never acted out in the desperation he may have felt. Desperation can make us act rashly. It can make people try and manipulate The Lord into giving them what they “need” or want now. People will say, “If you heal me, I promise I’ll never complain again!” They will make deals with people who seem to be offering what they need and distraughtly and injudiciously swear to do hold up bargains that they never should. They ‘make deals with the devil’ to get what they want now instead of waiting for God to give them what is better and perfect. Verse 12 warns us against making those desperate vows. We are expected to keep our promises, because God keeps His.
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
When that person swore she would never complain again if only she would be healed. Satan is only too happy to oblige her (although it will be partial and imperfect), because he knows that she will break her vow and complain. He’ll make sure of it because he will give her every reason to complain. Her witness will be destroyed, she will be ineffectual all because she had to be impatient about waiting for God to heal her in His perfect timing.
Believer, Patience is not called longsuffering because it is short and sweet. It is difficult to practice and difficult to master. But you have The Holy Spirit in you. You have faith, hope in the unseen and eternal (Hebrews 11:1). Be patient. Wait for God’s time and don’t rush Him. What He has at that perfect time is so much better than what you can get right now.
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James 3 Control the Tongue and Control Yourself

4/22/2016

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Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,     and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Proverbs 17:27
Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Proverbs 17:27
​James 3
How do you tell a mature Christian from a new believer? How do you tell a mature Christian from the world? It is by the fruit that the Holy Spirit produces in her and the way she expresses Him. It is the self-control she exhibits in choosing to communicate the Holy Spirit and not her flesh, the desires of her old self. One of the clearest exhibitions of maturity, of love through self-control is the ability to command and restrain the tongue. How often have you hurt someone by saying some flippant thing? How often have you been hurt by some careless word? Verses 1-3 read,
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well
No person is perfect, yet as we follow Christ, walking in the Spirit through our lives we are being made perfect (Hebrews 10:14). The closer we come to the perfect image of Christ, the more we look like Him and therefore the more control we wield over the tongue. James talks about putting a bit into a horse’s mouth and by that small piece the entire beast is guided. Words work like that. If we control our words, we can control ourselves. The easiest sin to commit and somehow the hardest to omit is to speak what we should not, to curse (be it ourselves or someone else), to glibly hurt someone, or to obfuscate. And more often than not our glib words motivate follow up in choices and actions. To control the tongue is to control ourselves. Verses 4-6 expand the metaphor.
Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.
Do you know it is possible to tame your tongue? It really is. It is not easy, especially at first but with practice, love, faith, and trust in God it can be done. But it cannot be done by us alone. It is only possible with the Lord God in us. Verses 7-12 say it this way,
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
A person without the Holy Spirit living in her would have no desire to tame her tongue. Being outspoken is seen as a strength in the world, but it is a weakness in the Kingdom of Heaven. There are people in the political realm who are gaining power and momentum due to the inane and shocking things they say. The current presidential candidates vying for their parties’ nominations are the ones who were willing to sling mud, say awful things, and use their tongues as weapons. My favorite candidate was one of the first to drop out of the race. He did not get the votes he needed because he refused to participate in the backbiting, insults, and war of words.
The Holy Spirit in us means we have His heart as the spring to draw from. We pull from God’s nature which is love and not our own which is pride. We choose to use our words to build one another up, teach the Gospel, lead people to Christ, and otherwise love our neighbors. Jesus told us we would know a tree by its fruit (Matthew 7:20). He also said that we would be known as His disciples (followers and students) by our love for one another (John 13:35). Is it love to belittle someone or curse them? No! It is love to edify, encourage, exhort, and elucidate. When the Holy Spirit gives me a word for someone, it is always something loving, always something which lifts the person up closer to Him. When He speaks to me personally or through someone else it is the same, He lifts, lights, and lightens. I will even dare to say that if the message does not elevate, enlighten, or ease then it is not from God. We recognize His voice and there is no condemnation in Christ (John 10:27, Romans 8:1). Like Jesus, we are to use our words for God’s purposes not our own prideful will.
If the Holy Spirit is living in us, then we will look more and more like Him. Our desire becomes to be the new creation who is the image of Christ. If we lack in some area (and we do while we are still walking he earth) then we ask Him and He will be happy to bring us closer to Him and give us what we lack. James 1:5 says,
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
If you can’t control your tongue, it is best to be quiet until you can. God’s wisdom expressed by His believers glorifies Him and brings people to Him. Controlling what comes out of your mouth is a sign of maturity and wisdom. Proverbs 17:27-28 read,
Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
    and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
    when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

We do not prove who we are in Christ and who Christ is by superfluous speech and brandishing words. We prove who Jesus Christ is by our self-control, love, and wielding the Sword of the Spirit. Verses 13-18 reads,
Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
James doesn’t pull any punches here. If you are not controlling your words, the words that are coming from you are demonic! They are not from the Holy Spirit but from Satan and are being used for his purpose to steal, kill, and destroy not for Christ’s purpose to give life (John 10:10). What fruit are your words producing? Are they causing disorder and disunity or are they causing righteousness and peace? Are your words hurtful or merciful?
Believer, God’s wisdom shows through your ability to control your tongue. Compare your words with verses 17-18 are they pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, merciful, and produce righteousness and peace? Are they from the Spirit who produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in you? (Galatians 5:22-23). Are your words loving, patient and kind; not envious, boastful, arrogant or rude; irritable or resentful? (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). If not, be quiet and learn to tame your tongue.
 
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Revelation 14:14-20 The Harvest

12/31/2015

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Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Matthew 3:8
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Matthew 3:8
Revelation 14:14-20
The harvest is the climax of the Revelation given to John. It is what every seal lead to and what every trumpet warned of. It is what the Gospel has proclaimed since God first gave the message to His prophets. Verses 14-16 read,
 “Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.”
What is the harvest? A harvest is a mature crop or fruit ready to be gathered. Jesus compares the people of the earth to the harvest in Matthew 9:35-38,
“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
The people of the harvest must hear the Gospel and make a choice. They need those of us who have chosen Jesus Christ to be the laborers who will tell them the truth and give them the choice (Matthew 24:13-14). When everyone on the earth has had the chance to make that choice the crop will be ready for harvesting. Some people will be wheat, some will be chaff. In Matthew 3:10-12 John the Baptist prophesies about the harvest of Revelation.
“Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Chaff is the seed coverings and other debris separated from the seed in threshing grain, it is a word used to describe something worthless. Your life either produces valuable fruit in the image of Christ which leads people to Christ or its testimony is empty and worthless and will not bring anyone to Christ. The seed becomes more wheat with more seeds, the chaff blows away in the wind or is thrown into the fire. When the earth is harvested the wheat will have one destiny and the chaff another. Matthew 13:24-30 Jesus tells the parable of the wheat and the weeds.
“He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
Jesus sowed good seed, but the enemy sows weeds in an attempt to destroy the harvest. Jesus explains it in Matthew 13:36-43.
“Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”
The harvest begins with Jesus gathering the believers to Him. But before Jesus throws the weeds and chaff into the unquenchable fire, He harvests the grapes of his wrath. Verses 17-20 read,
“Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia”
Jesus paid for our sin with His blood. We commemorate that and worship Him by drinking of the wine as a symbol of Jesus’ blood at the Lord’s Supper. But not everyone has chosen to let Jesus blood pay for their sin. Their blood must still be spilled for their sins. The grape harvest therefore is the procurement of their debt before they are thrown into the fire.
Jesus is taking back His city and He does not soil it with the blood of the lost. The blood is so great that it creates a river of blood and this is not little stream, it is a full on raging river of blood. It is about five feet tall and a little less than 185 miles long. That is a lot of blood. That is not just enough for blood for all the lost on earth, but for every person who ever lived without faith in Jesus. It is not only those living who will have to pay the price, it is everyone, ever.
You have either let Jesus pay the price for your sins, or you will pay the price. You are either good seed maturing into wheat, multiplying the crop or you are empty chaff, trash to be burned. You are either wheat ready to be gathered to the barn or weeds ready to be burned in the fire. Which are you? If you are wheat, are you bearing fruit in keeping with your repentance? Are you laboring for the harvest? 
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Ezekiel 15 A Fruitless Vine is Barely Firewood

3/1/2015

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My friend Art at the Lakeridge Winery in 2009, the grapes were still very tiny and needed tending to grow properly in to the grapes good enough to make wine.
PictureLakeridge Winery Vineyards January of 2015
Ezekiel Chapter 15

In this chapter the Lord compared Jerusalem to a vine. Verses 2-3 read,

“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? 3 Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it?”

Vines grow in various places but one thing all vines have in common is their tendency to grow toward the sun. In the forest where sunlight is harder to come by vines can be quite aggressive and these kind of vines when planted in a garden or other landscape will be invasive and take over, choking out the other plants.  Most vines can’t even support themselves, they must attach to a tree, a wall or some other structure.

What good is a vine on its own? It has no useful purpose except as fuel for a fire. What if it is rescued from the fire? The partially burned vine is even less useful and still can only kindling. The Lord compared to Jerusalem to vines. He said she was good for nothing and even the fire didn’t improve her. Those whom He had rescued would still only be thrown back into the fire as tinder. Verses 6-7 put it this way,

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 7 And I will set my face against them. Though they escape from the fire, the fire shall yet consume them, and you will know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them.”

But vines are good for something when they are properly cared for. When the vinedresser plants them, when they are attached to a strong and good vine they produce fruit. Without the vinedresser and without the true vine there is no fruit. Fruitless branches are pruned and thrown into the fire before they can invade the other branches and make the entire thing unserviceable and nonproductive. In John chapter 15 verses 1-6 Jesus describes it like this,

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”

The Israelites just wouldn’t abide in the Lord. Jerusalem saw herself as something special, above reproach and protected by God. But she refused to let the Lord be her God. She didn’t rest in Him nor depend on Him. She looked elsewhere for help and rather than be a rich vineyard full of grapes for wine and food, she was a fruitless bramble good only to fuel a fire.

We are no more special than they were. We can’t bear fruit on our own. We need to be grafted into Jesus, the True Vine. We need His righteousness to produce His fruit in us. It is the fruit of the Spirit, the harvest of goodness that shows who we are and glorifies the Lord God, our Father.

Abiding in the Jesus, doesn’t mean sweating and struggling to create fruit in ourselves. It means resting in Him and letting His righteousness, His virtue and goodness do its work in us and allowing Him to form and grow the fruit in us. John 15:7-9 read,

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”

Just stay in Jesus’ love. Just remain in Him. Stay faithful to Him and let Him be God. We do that by obeying Him. What are His commandments? Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew22:36-39).  Jesus simplified it for us, He said, “Love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).

All vines grow toward the sun. Are you getting your sustenance to grow from the sun of this world or from the Son of God? Is your support structure a tree or the True Vine? Are you a fruitful vine? When people look at you do they see evidence of God? Is He glorified in your life or are you glorified in your life? Do you desire the ability to love as Jesus loves and receive it when you ask? Do you love others by God’s great power?

What is the fruit you should be bearing? The characteristics of Jesus, whose image you are being conformed to by the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-24 read,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” 

If you aren’t bearing fruit, if God isn’t glorified in your life, then ask yourself if you are truly grafted into Jesus, if you truly depend on Him and only Him. If not then repent and ask Him to graft you in and give you life. If you are grafted in and yet you see no good fruit, maybe you are not truly abiding in Jesus. Maybe you are not loving one another as Jesus loves you. Do you have some “one-anothers” to love and be loved by? You are not the only branch on the vine. Look around and love your one-anothers.

You can’t produce your own fruit. Only the True Vine can give you what you need. Only He can produce the fruit in you. Only the Vinedresser can properly prune, trim, and shape you properly to ensure your fruit is bountiful and prime.


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James 2:14-26 Faith Without Proof is Worthless

1/30/2015

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James Chapter 2 Verses 14-26

Some might try to use these verses in James to say the Bible contradicts itself. That these verses contradict that salvation is a gift of God by grace through Jesus Christ. Scripture makes it clear that salvation is through grace. Grace cannot be earned, otherwise it would not be grace. James is not saying that salvation is by works, he had just finished saying that trying to keep the law at all makes one accountable to the whole law and that we are to speak and act as those judged by the law of liberty. We are supposed to take seriously Jesus’ command to love our neighbors as ourselves. (James 2:8-13).

Verse 14 reads,

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”

Does James really mean faith doesn’t save us? Absolutely not. Ephesians 2:8-9 is very clear.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Our works do not save us. What James is saying is that our works demonstrate our faith. Real faith, just like real love is tangible. It is demonstrated by actions. He uses the example of meeting someone in need. Faith as lip service doesn’t do anything for the person. But faith proven by meeting their needs glorifies God to them. Verses 15-17 say,

“If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Our actions do not save us, our actions reveal our spirits. Our behavior says, we belong to God, we believe He will meet every one of our needs, and that we want what God wants. It is through love and faith in action that people will see God and know we belong to Him.

How can we show someone our faith without showing them how we have stepped out in faith? I can say to you all day, “I believe in God. I follow Jesus. I am filled with the Spirit.” But without action, there is no proof. I may as well tell you, “I believe in Santa Claus. Buddy the Elf is my mentor, and putting maple syrup in coffee will bring you a happy life.” Just speaking my faith sounds just as ludicrous to the world. Verses 18-19 put it this way,

“But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

How do we know Abraham had faith? Because he declared it or because he proved it by nearly sacrificing Isaac? He knew God would save Isaac and he obeyed the Lord in that faith. If Rahab had said to the spies in Jericho, “I hope you get out safely! I’m on your side”, but hadn’t hidden them and allowed them to escape her faith would have been worthless. (Verses 20-25).

Faith does no one any good if it is not expressed through action. It is by the way we live our lives that people see the power of God. Faith enables someone to give the only money she has to buy a meal for a hungry family. They see the love of God expressed, He is glorified. She knows that God will provide her with her needs even though she no longer has money. That is faith exhibited. To say, “I have faith that God provides all my needs” but then not give her coat to the cold and homeless woman on the corner shows she doesn’t really believe God will take care of her.

God will not leave you high and dry. He wants you to do good works for people. He will provide everything you need to be charitable. 2 Corinthians 9:8-12 says it this way,

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever.”


10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”

Do you believe in God? Good on ya! So do demons. But demons at least exhibit their faith through their fear of the LORD. Is your belief manifested in action? Do people see your faith? Do people receive the fruits of your love? I challenge you today to make your faith plain to people. Ask the Lord for opportunities to express His love through your faith today. Take those opportunities regardless of the cost. God will give you everything you need to be a doer of the word. It may not be financial or material, it may be in using your gifts, or abstaining from something. Whatever it is, be faithful and do what it is God has granted you to do.

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John 15:1-11 The True Vine, the Vinedresser and the Branches. What Does it Mean to Abide in Christ?

12/23/2014

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John Chapter 15 Verses 1-11

Jesus and the disciples had left the Seder but He continued to teach them. Perhaps they had gathered together in the Garden of Gethsemane or perhaps He taught them as they walked there. Jesus had a lot of important things to say.

He begins with an illustration of fruit vines. Verse 1 reads,

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser”

Jesus called Himself the true vine. He didn’t say a vine, but “the true vine.” He is the original genuine vine. Without Him, no other vines could have been grown. All the branches stem from Him and have their origin and root in Him.

Then Jesus referred to the Father as the vinedresser. According to Chron.com, the job description of a vinedresser is “an agriculturalist involved in the daily pruning and cultivation of grapevines.” He works daily and year round to ensure the vines produce grapes. He prunes, keeps pests away, irrigates, and harvests. Without the vinedresser, the vines wouldn’t produce good fruit.

In verse 2 Jesus tells says,

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

Bearing fruit means to display or manifest the consequences of Salvation. As you continue your walk with Christ, the Spirit transforms you more and more and you show the effects of it. You mature, you act differently, speak differently, you even begin to want different things for your life than before salvation. That is the fruit. And God knows the difference between real fruit and fake fruit. You can fake it with the world, but you can’t fake it with God. Wax fruit might look like the real thing but it can’t make wine.

Believer, pruning isn’t fun by any means, but it means that you are producing fruit and that God wants you to produce more and better fruit. If you aren’t being regularly disciplined, shaped, or pruned, it is not a good thing. It doesn’t mean you don’t need it. It means you aren’t producing fruit and you are not part of the true vine. You never surrendered yourself to Christ if you bear no fruit. The Father, our Vinedresser will take whatever fruit you bear, prune you and make you produce better fruit.

Jesus was talking to the disciples and that includes you and me, Believer. He told them they had already been forgiven of their sins and they had to continue following Him. Verses 3-6 read,

“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned”

Abide means, to wait for, to endure without yielding, to bear patiently, to accept without objection, to remain stable or fixed in a state, to continue in a place, sojourn, to conform to, to acquiesce in. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). We wait in Jesus, accept Him, stay patiently in Him and acquiesce or submit to Him and He does the same in us. He waits patiently in us, He accepts us without question, He submits to us. Jesus does that! Do you see how amazing that is? Jesus, the Son of God abides in you!

And moreover, He makes it possible for you to bear fruit. The branch can’t produce fruit without the vine. It withers and dies. It has no source of life without the vine. Dead branches are of no use to Vinedresser, He tosses them into the fire.

Jesus promises more than producing good fruit if you abide in Him. He promises that you will be used and that you will glorify the Father, or reflect the Father’s image to the world. You will make the Father known to those who wouldn’t have known Him. How will you do that? Verses 7-8 say,

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

Asking the Father whatever you wish doesn’t mean you can ask Him for a Porsche and He’ll give it to you. If you abide (wait, acquiesce, and conform) in Jesus and Jesus words abide in you, you will ask for what would please the Father. You will ask for what would make His love known. You will ask for what will expand the Kingdom of God.

Believer, don’t be afraid to ask the Father for anything. Ask and it will be done for you! Jesus promised this a few times. Too often I catch myself not asking for the big stuff, being timid about it. No! Ask God to heal the cancer! Ask God to provide for the poor family about to be evicted. Ask Him for miracles! Let Him be glorified. What glory is there to God if you pray some weak faithless prayer like, “if it is your will let the doctors heal Joe.” God will always do His will. Pray for a miracle. Pray with knowledge of who God is and how deeply He loves. Pray, “Thank you Father that you are Healer. Heal Joe. Sickness leave Joe now. Father, refresh him and heal Him in Jesus’ name.” You don’t have to give God permission to do His own will. If He doesn’t want Joe healed for some reason, He’ll let you know. God will tell you what and who to pray for. If you abide in Jesus and Jesus abides in you, don’t you imagine He will tell you His will, that your desires will conform to His and that His power and strength is with you? When you pray like that, when you ask God for whatever you wish, you will bear more, bigger, and better fruit. You will mature.

Apart from Jesus you can do nothing! But in Him, nothing is impossible. Nothing. Ask the Father whatever you wish and it will be done. The Father’s love is perfect, boundless, and lavish. He is love. And through Jesus, that love is heaped and poured on you. That love is amazing. It is active and tangible. Sometimes that love means pruning, but it always means the best for us. Abiding in Jesus means abiding in the love of the Father. That can give you joy even through the pruning. It gave Jesus joy through His suffering. He knew the Father’s will was being done. Verses 9-11 read,

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

How do you abide in Jesus? Keep His commandments. Jesus kept the Father’s commandments. He loves the Father with His soul, strength, heart, and mind. He loves us the same way. Jesus commanded that we love others as He loves us. In doing that, we abide in Him. By doing that we can have complete joy regardless of the circumstances.

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    Donna Campbell

    As I read the Bible every day, I take what God teaches me, what He says, and write it out. I then share that with you. It gives me a deeper understanding of the Word and I hope that it will encourage you as it does me, to put your love and faith into action.

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