Being Good Just Isn’t Good Enough
Father, I must admit it has been a dreary day. I would pray that I would feel the Sonshine in my soul as we come together. May Your love radiant throughout my being! Amen.
John 15:1-8 (<<click here to read the passage)
I can’t leave this passage without addressing one more thing…
How many good people do we know? How many who are reading this would consider ourselves good people? I think overall that most of us assume that most people are good, don’t you? All kinds of bad things happen in our lives and it is not out of the ordinary that good people step forward and help if they can.
Being a good person is definitely a good thing. We are all very much aware that if good people weren’t there to stand in the gap, the world would be a much more unbearable place. But here’s the thing…being good…it just isn’t good enough…
There are many good, honest people who do what is right but if they are a branch that is not connected to the Vine…if they have never chosen to be a part of the Vine…all of their efforts and energies used in the name of “goodness” make them a dead branch. Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful.
If we chose to stop eating and drinking for our daily sustenance, what happens?
There is a “rule of three” that brings into focus how long the human body can last without the basics: three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, and three weeks without food.
We need these things to continue to live! We can live a lifetime without the nourishment and life offered by Christ – our Vine, but I would dare say that most people on their deathbed who have not known Him, would seriously wonder if their lives really meant anything at all…for all the time and energy they invested in it. All of the good acts, what did they amount to?
Remember the last part of John 10:10? Jesus said,
I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]. AMP
It’s not good enough to just be a good person. Jesus has so much more for us if we remain in Him. For as Jesus also said,
“I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6 AMP
Lord Jesus, help us to find the reality of that in our lives each and every day. Amen.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Sept 22nd, 2021, Wed, 6:31 pm
The Importance of Pruning
Not the best of days, but here I sit once again before You, Father. Once again use this poor lump of clay to accomplish Your will. Bring out from the weak, something that may be proclaimed as strong in Your name! Amen.
John 15:1-8 (<<click here to read the passage)
So, yesterday I spoke of fruit but just because Karen’s cousin did all the research and got all the arbors in place and planted the vines at just the right distance from each other, just because he did all of that, they didn’t have a great harvest that first year. The vines had to mature and as they did so, Ty had to laboriously tend to the vines.
For vineyards to produce a good crop of grapes the vines have to be tediously groomed. If a branch does not produce fruit, it is cut off. Even branches that do produce fruit are pruned in just the right way so that they will produce even more fruit!
Jesus says the same thing of us in these first few verses,
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” vs1-4 NLT
So, to be very clear God is the gardener, Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches.
When a grape farmer prunes the branches on his vines, he aims to accomplish two things: one, he will cut back, and second, he will cut off branches.
We all realize that when we live our lives striving to follow Christ, that it is not always easy. Life can get rocky. It definitely has its ups and downs. And some of those rocky places, some of those downs are more than just the difficulties of life. Ofttimes God may instigate or use whatever is already there to discipline us, to strengthen us, to cause us to realize that we must depend on Him. We cannot do it all on our own. When we do that, our faith is built and in turn, we can encourage others in having gone through those things ourselves.
God is not out to tear us down nor does He get a kick out of seeing us suffer. He loves us and does everything possible to make us strong in our faith. Even in the middle of it all, He is by our side all along the way.
If we have nothing to do with Jesus at all we obviously cannot be productive at all, so we are as good as dead and will be cut off and tossed aside. Those kinds of branches are cut off at the trunk not only because they are worthless but also because they often infect the rest of the tree. People who don’t bear fruit for God or who try to block the efforts of God’s followers will be cut off from his life-giving power.*
One last thing, we are never…ever beyond the point of redemption. Our Creator God can graft back the deadest of branches, bringing us back to life. The only thing that would stop that would be dying in our sins, separating ourselves eternally from Him. Lord, may it not be so…
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Sept 21st, 2021, Tues, 7:57 pm
Be Prolific Producers of Fruit!
Father, I call Your name tonight because, as always, I want to submit myself to Your direction. You know what I do but I acknowledge that I am handling a very holy thing when I do so – Your Word. Use me as You would to touch those who know You and those who do not, may they be drawn to Your light! Amen!
John 15:1-8 (<<click here to read the passage)
There is a cousin on my wife’s side who before his retirement decided to become a vigneron…oh, you don’t know what that is? (I didn’t either – I had to look it up!) OK, how about a viticulturist? No? Well, the more common term is a grape grower or a grape farmer!
A few years back he started getting it all set up. He did his homework in figuring out all he needed to do to get started. He readied 2½ acres and got his arbors up, and then got his plants in the ground. It was a lot of work, for sure! (And, it still is!) But you can tell, it’s his passion!
The above picture shows this year’s harvest for just one of the six varieties he grows! They picked and loaded and delivered 2,140 pounds of Niagara grapes. That’s over a ton! Now that’s passion!
God is passionate about His vineyard, as well!
First of all, this is the seventh and final “I am” statement of Jesus, “I am the true Vine…” But He finishes that statement by saying, “…and My Father is the vinedresser.” v1 AMP It is the Father who cares for and tends the vine. God’s sole purpose in being the “gardener”, as the New Living Translation puts it, is to provide such care for the Vine that He, and His many branches – us! – become prolific producers of fruit!
This is probably going to be a two-parter because there are a couple of ways to go with this passage!
The first “branch” we’ll go down is to establish that all true followers of Jesus are individual branches – we are attached directly to the vine. My Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation uses the phrase, living union. Our living union with Christ enables us to produce much fruit.
Bringing others to a living union with Christ is one fruit, but there are many others. At the beginning of this chapter alone, joy (v11) and love (v12) are mentioned. Galatians 5:22-24 mentions those, as well as peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
2 Peter 1:5b-8 states,
Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is much fruit to be born because of our living union with Jesus! It is our calling as His followers to be prolific producers of fruit!
Sept 20th, 2021, Mon, 7:08 pm
Maci
Father, I am grateful to be where I am. So many others are struggling so – dealing with death, going through life-threatening health issues, and all from multiple angles. Father, give us strength and wisdom as we place our trust in You. Amen.
********
Very early this morning, Maci a 5-year-old little girl took her final earthly breath. Before she was even born, her parents knew that she would not live very long. Upon her birth, because she only had half a heart, she was sent home to live out her few days, for her condition, coupled with other equally complicated conditions, was beyond the expertise of the pediatric surgeons close to home.
But God held up a finger and said, “Uh, not so fast! I have more in store for her!” And her family’s pediatrician reached out to colleagues at another facility far from home. And their expertise gave her parents hope! God was at work, for the Great Physician had plans for Maci. And she lived!
It was not a life without trial, but God had placed her in a home with a father of strong character, a mother who was an exceptional nurse, and a brother, who despite his young age, would love her without condition. For he and his new sister were loved in the same way. And this small family of faith pushed forward into the unknown, living each day to the fullest, taking advantage of each day given, never truly knowing which one would be her last.
That first surgery was quickly followed by another…and God’s hand was upon Maci. His hand was upon her mother, her father, her brother, and, over time, her little sister. There were many ups and downs but there was always faith and hope that the Great Physician would have his way and the miracle would continue.
Two years later, another surgery was needed. I would say it was extremely risky but her first surgeries had been, as well. The family knew that she may not live through them but again, God held her up…he sustained her throughout it all. And she thrived!
She was beautiful! She was cherished – and not just by her family! Her mom, as a means of expressing herself, as she made this difficult journey, went to social media to share where they were and her thoughts along the way. And word spread…and the love spread. As of this evening, her followers add up to over 122,000 people!
Maci’s life impacted – not just her own family, not just a few friends…but literally 1,000s of people! Praying, encouraging, loving – all of it directed toward one small child none of us had met.
And though her life was short – for after a time her life had radiated enough love that the Father felt it was time to call her home. Time and time again, He had intervened on her behalf, His life radiating through hers. But the time had come for her struggles to be over. His love was so great that it far exceeded His gift of loving family overflowing with unconditional love. It even exceeded the love of 1,000s who loved her from afar. He had prepared a place for this littlest of warriors to be…with Him, for all eternity. No more pain. No more “pokes”. Just wholeness and unconditional love for all of eternity.
Won’t you take a moment to pray with me this day for Maci’s mom…and her dad…and her brother and sister…and the rest of her family? They mourn but there is joy, as well, for they will see her again!
“For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
|How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27 NKJV
Sept 19th, 2021, Sun, 5:54 pm
Mug Handles
Well, Father, I am grateful that everything is in Your mighty hands! There were some surprising developments today, but I place my trust in You! Lead and I will follow!
John 14:27-31 (<<click here to read the passage)
Mugs are definitely convenient and handy devices. A couple of days ago, two moms and their four elementary kids all ended up in one driveway! They are “neighbors” but in our area, our lots are multiple acres in size! Regardless, as I pulled up, there they stood chatting, each with a mug of what I assumed to be their morning coffee.
I’ve seen many pictures of people holding that warm mug of coffee or hot cocoa, their fingers firmly grasping the handle. They are obviously enjoying their beverage and the warmth of it in their hands brings a look of satisfaction on their face.
The handles on those mugs are definitely an asset of which the drinkers take full advantage. They provide a secure way to grasp the mug and it also offers a way to hold on to it without getting burned by the hot contents.
As I read through my study Bible* notes on the latter portion of today’s passage, it said, “Although Satan, the ruler of this world, was unable to overpower Jesus (Matthew 4), he still had the arrogance to try.”
It goes on to say, “…because Jesus is sinless, Satan has no power over him. If we obey Jesus and align ourselves closely with God’s purposes, Satan can have no power over us.”
So, here’s what came to mind. Think of the sin in our lives as the handle on a mug. Because Jesus is sinless, Satan had nothing to grab ahold of. Though he tempted Jesus in the wilderness following his baptism (that’s the Matthew 4 passage by the way), Jesus gave Satan nothing by which to overpower Him.
Now here is a tall order, by loving Jesus and obeying His commandments, we eliminate the “handles” of sin in our lives. The less sin the less power Satan has over us. God’s power is insurmountable, and Satan is defeated!
Lord Jesus, may we strive to show our love through obedience. May we give that great deceiver, the devil, nothing to grab hold of!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Sept 16th, 2021, Thurs, 6:50 pm