John 15:7 – “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”  NASB

In His discourse about us being the vine and the Father the vinedresser, Jesus informed those hearing that He expected His followers to “bear fruit.” He also warned that if there was no “fruit-bearing” that branch would be taken away.  Is that austere only if you are disobedient or rebellious.  If you make Matthew 6:33 your aim, this is a good word. 

He talked about the cleansing of the vine by pruning.  That sounds painful and might require some uncomfortable introspection and self-examination or examination by the Holy Spirit.  He told those listening that they were clean already because of His Word.  That is interesting and powerful.  The Words of Jesus prune us or makes us complete and enable us to bear fruit!  He identified that there could be no fruit except that which is produced from the life of the Vine.  Therefore, since we are branches and He is the vine our fruit is the result of the life that exudes from the vine. 

In verse seven, He makes a statement that far too often is taken as a stand-alone passage but must be viewed in the context of the whole – “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask WHATEVER you wish, and it will be done for you.”  (Emphasis mine).

This door to the miraculous is conditioned not only upon the context of the whole but hinges on the small word – ‘IF.’  The two facets of the “if” are – Abiding in Him, and His words abiding in us.  With the understanding and image that we draw life from the Vine and thereby produce fruit, Jesus identified that we are recipients of His Divine Life.  He makes it clear that as Living Branches, we produce fruit because we are Abiding in Him and His Words are Abiding in us!  That is the flow to us and from us. We receive of His life and as a result of that reception we produce fruit which produces seed which produces more fruit, and the cycle is endless.  In that context, we can “Ask what we wish and receive answers to our prayers.”

Unfortunately, it would seem that too often we either are not abiding in Him, and His words are not abiding in us to the level that He is our ALL-IN-ALL!  Too often we live in a relatively casual relationship rather than a totally committed life in which we “seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.”  

It is in the condition of living casually that too often we develop a mindset where we do not expect to receive whatever we pray for.  We do not expect it to come to pass.  It is deeply saddening that by not abiding in Him and His words in us, we allow a condition of heart to develop that is not conducive to the reception of His faith and the reception of His Promises. 

On the other hand, if we are abiding in Him and His words are abiding in us, His life will nudge, prod, and encourage us to rise to the level of life where we live in expectancy! We will manifest the fulfillment of His promise that “the Works that He did we will do and greater works because He has gone to the Father.”  We will exhibit in this life the life of Jesus and through the fruit of that relationship, others will be positively impacted for the Kingdom. 

The operative word is “IF.”  If we abide in Him.  If His words abide in us.  IF is the condition and the conduit through which that life brings the faith for the miraculous.  Lord help me to change the “IF” to“I DO.” 

May God be with you as you go through your day!

MARK 11:12-14 –” And on the next day, when they had departed from Bethany, He became hungry. 13 And seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And He answered and said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.”  NASB

If you read the Pilgrim’s Progress, you will recall that the interpreter took Christiana and her family into his “Significant Rooms” and showed them the wonders he had formerly exhibited to Christian, and then the story continues…

When he had done that, he took them out into his garden and had them come to a tree whose inside was all rotten and gone, and yet it grew and had leaves.  Mercy asked, “What meaneth this?”  “This tree,” said he “whose outside is fair, and whose inside is all rotten, is that to which many may be compared that is in the garden of God, but indeed will do nothing for Him; whose leaves are fair, but their heart good for nothing but to be tinder in the devil’s tinderbox.”

That was Bunyan’s way of putting into allegory what he had preached in his sermon on the ‘Barren Fig Tree.’  Several things need to be drawn out in this consideration.

God has a right to expect fruitfulness from all His creatures.  Fruitfulness is to be a normal part of the Christian life.  On one occasion Jesus told His disciples that He had ordained them so that they would not only go forth but bring forth fruit and their fruit would be of the lasting kind.  (John 15:16).

This account reveals that God expects what is appropriate to the nature and ability of the person.  God expects nothing out of harmony with the way He has made and gifted us.  God expects that each person brings forth his or her own fruit.  We must remember that it is not the vineyard that bears grapes but the vine.  It is not the orchard that bears figs, but the tree.  God expects a proportionate quantity and quality of fruit from each person.  Use the talents and gifts He has bestowed upon you, not what someone else has and does.

Consider it this way, suppose one lone fig tree was standing in a place where it got a little more sunshine and refreshing moisture and its roots run deeper into the soil drawing more nutrients.  That fig tree should produce more fruit and fruit of the richest quality.  That principle is found in a single scriptural formula – “Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required.”  No matter what your gift is, use it to the fullest!

We should always remember that God always looks for fruit at the proper time for fruit-bearing.  In this particular incidence, the time was not yet.  It is important to note that the figs come before leaves on this type of tree.  Therefore, it gave all the appearance of bearing fruit but had nothing but leaves.  Jesus had every reason to believe there was fruit on the tree.  If you will, the tree was a hypocrite.  It had the appearance but no substance.  By its outward appearance, it presented the image that it was fruitful, but it was barren. 

Jesus used this event to teach his followers about the peril of profession without equivalent performance and fruit.  He did not ask for fruit as soon as the tree was planted but waited until it was mature.  He respected the laws of growing and ripening.

God is mocked by professions that do not produce fruit.  Jesus came for figs but found only leaves.  He responded to hypocrisy in a manner that demonstrates how God views hypocrisy.  It is not only possible but evident that some merely profess and have an outward show but no fruit.  When fruitlessness is present the tendency is to try to hide it through meaningless professions that sound good but have no substance.

Fruit is the product of proper relationships and conditions.  For a tree to be fruitful it endures pruning, is fertilized, watered, cultivated, and bathed in sunshine.  As believers, we must endure the chastening of the LORD, and receive the fertilization, watering, cultivation, pruning, and the sunshine (Sonshine) of God’s Word, Prayer, and interaction with the Holy Spirit.  The Fruit comes from the Vine, we are simply the branches.

In the final analysis, God will give false professions their just due.  The decision will be final with no additional appeals.  We are God’s workmanship.  He has made us with His own hands and expects us to produce fruit according to the talent, gifts, training, and opportunity He has granted to us.

God does not expect us to produce fruit according to what another produces.  He expects us to bloom where we are planted and exercise the gifts and talents, He has given us.  The plans we make or boast we declare are not what God is looking at, He is looking at the fruit. 

God’s desire is commitment for obedience is better than sacrifice. God has given each of us a measure of faith and distributes gifts and talents to each of us according to His purpose for us.  Our desire and ambition should be to be useful and productive for the Kingdom of God.

God bless you as you enjoy this day!

Matthew 7:13-14 – “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. ¹⁴ How narrow is the gate and difficult the way that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” TLV

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Messiah who strengthens me.” TLV

I continue to be amazed at how some people reason.  I often find there their logic or lack thereof confusing.  Often, without examining the facts, with little to no first-hand information, and by following the advice or suggestion of the father of lies and deception they make illogical decisions.  They decide that it is too hard to live for God, so they decide not to decide for Jesus.  They also, decide that they cannot do anything significant for God, so they do not try.

Some present their arguments as to why they cannot do what God has instructed and they believe the lie of hell.  I say, balderdash!  The devil is full of prunes!  I am stunned at how easily he convinces people to reject God’s mercy and grace.  I am shocked at how often some decide that there is no reason to try to live for God.  However, they are right, in our own strength we cannot, but God never said we had to do it alone.  It is ‘Christ in us, the hope of glory.”

It is my conviction that we should never make a decision without gaining all the facts, or as many facts as possible.  Elisha said to his servant in 2 Kings 6:16 – “Fear not…for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  The apostle John declared in 1 John 4:4, “You are from God, children, and you have overcome them because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”  Also, our LORD Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 – “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 

I declare that we can Live For God and do exploits for God because Christ is in us. Therefore, I declare with absolute certainty – The devil is full of prunes!  Don’t listen to him, he is a liar and the father of lies.  You are more than a match for the devil because God is with you, in you, and lives His life through you.  You are an Overcomer!

You can serve God!  You can enforce the Victory of Calvary!  I love what the apostle Paul declared to the Philippian Christians in Philippians 1:6 – “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then in 2 Timothy 1:12, he declared, “For this reason, I also am suffering these things—but I am not ashamed, for I know in whom I have trusted, and I am convinced He is able to safeguard what I have entrusted to Him until that Day.”

God is not only able, but He forgives all sin that is repented of.  He is also able to keep us and will keep us if we will set our hearts to serve Him.  We are never without comfort, guidance, and protection of the Holy Spirit. 

You can work the works Jesus did and do greater works!  Jesus affirmed that reality in John 14:12 – “Amen, amen I tell you, he who puts his trust in Me, the works that I do he will do; and greater than these he will do, because I am going to the Father.”  Mark’s Gospel expands upon that in Mark 11:22-24 and Mark 19:23 we are assured that all things are possible to those who believe.

The question should be, “believe what?”  Believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God!  Believe that the Words of Jesus are Truth and Light!  Believe that it is possible to live for God because we are living through Him!  Believe that God desires to use you and He desires to use you more than you want to be used. Believe that He is not looking for talent and ability alone, but a willing heart.  I urge you to reconsider the account of exploit through obedience as is revealed in Gideon in Judges Chapter Seven.

In that event, God used 300 men to win a victory over a Midianite army of 135,000.  Gideon began with 32,000 which is still more than four to one.  God instructed him to let those who are fearful go home and 22,000 saddled up and left.  That left Gideon with 10,000 and God said, “Still too many.”  God narrowed it down to 300 or about 450 to 1 odds!  I can only imagine the thoughts in many of those men’s heads, but God proved to be the God of the miraculous and God of His Word!

In Leviticus 26:7-8 we are told that five can chase a hundred, and a hundred can put ten thousand to flight when they are trusting in God.  In Deuteronomy, God made it even more astounding saying that one could chase a thousand and two could put ten thousand to flight.  That is the God we serve!   Based on that formula, those men with Gideon could have defeated an army of 300,000 to 1.2 million.  That is the God we serve! Jesus is still the same yesterday, today, and forever – Past, Present, and Future!

The key to this victory is found in our willingness to obey and our complete confidence in God.  The question is, “Whose report will we believe?”  The devil who is full of prunes or the Living God?  God has proved Himself throughout the ages, so let us Trust God and reject the devil.

God bless you as you embark on your day of victory in Jesus today!

John 15:7 – “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”  NASB

What a powerful word “IF” is. What Jesus had to say in this passage is incredibly powerful and life-changing. In His discourse on being the Vine and the Father the vinedresser, Jesus informed those hearing that He expected His follower to “bear fruit” and if there was no “fruit-bearing” that branch would be taken away. 

He talked about the cleansing of the vine by pruning and told those listening that they were clean already because of His Word.  He identified that there could be no fruit except that which comes from the life of the vine and that since we are branches and He is the vine our fruit is the result of the life that exudes from the vine. 

Then in verse seven, He makes a statement that far too often is taken as a stand-alone passage but must be viewed in the context of the whole – “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask WHATEVER you wish, and it will be done for you.”  (Emphasis mine).

This doorway to the miraculous is conditioned not only upon the context of the whole but hinges on the small word – ‘IF.’  The two facets of the “if” are abiding in Him, and His words abiding in us.  It is in light of drawing life from the Vine and producing fruit that He identifies that we are recipients of life and as living branches, we produce fruit because we are Abiding in Him and His Words are Abiding in Us!  That is the flow to us and from us. We receive of His life and as a result of that reception we produce fruit which produces seed which produces more fruit, and the cycle is endless.  In that context, we can “Ask what we wish and receive answers to our prayers.”

Unfortunately, it would seem that too often we are not abiding in Him, and His words are not abiding in us to the level that He is our All-in-All and we are living in a relatively casual, relationship rather than a totally committed life in which we “seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.”  

Too often we do not expect that whatever we wish or pray for will come to pass and develop a condition of the heart that does not rise to the level of faith to receive.  Conversely, if we are abiding in Him and His words are abiding in us His life will prod us to the level of life that we live in expectancy and become the fulfillment of His promise that “the Works that He did we will do and greater works because He has gone to the Father.”  We will exhibit in this life the life of Jesus and through the fruit of that relationship, others will be positively impacted for the Kingdom. 

The operative word is “IF.”  If we abide in Him.  If His words abide in us.  IF is the condition and the conduit through which the life that brings the faith for the miraculous is realized.  Lord help, me to change the “IF” to “I DO.” 

May God be with you as you go through your day!

Romans 8:10-12 – “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh….”  NASB

We are the “Living Dead” and I not talking about Zombies as Hollywood seems to be obsessed with these days.  When I say the “Living Dead” I am talking about people who have “died to sin” and “risen to life” in Jesus Christ through the Power of the Blood.  It is a beautiful place to be – Living Dead!

Paul informs the Roman believers that “IF” the Spirit of God, that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us that same Spirit will give us Life in our mortal bodies.  We are then Dead and Alive and that is because we are not controlled by the “flesh” but by the “spirit.”  As a result, we are no longer under Obligation to Live According to the Flesh.  That leads me to my next question – “Why do we?” 

Why do we allow the Flesh to have so much power in our daily lives?  Why do we allow the Flesh to be such a dominant force in our lives?  WHY?  There can only be one of a few possibilities.

• We are uninformed as to our position and condition in Christ.
• We are willing participants with the Flesh.
• We are so underdeveloped spiritually that the devil easily sways and overcomes us.

None of those conditions are required or that we are Obligated to.  When Jesus came, lived a sinless life, died sacrificially on the Cross, rose on the third day, and is now ascended to the Right Hand of the Father – the devil was defeated.  That is not a maybe or someday, somehow when we all get to heaven he will be – He is Defeated Now! 

Jesus said that All Power or Authority in heaven was given to Him, and He gave that to us.  Therefore, we have authority and power over the devil which would mean that the Flesh is to be subject to the Spirit of God, not vice versa. We are under No Obligation to succumb to the temptations or whims of the flesh.  We are More Than Conquerors through Jesus and We Can do all things through Christ!  That is our Covenant, Heritage, and Promise from the Lord Himself so why not employ it and enjoy it?

Therefore, as you go through this day go in the strength of the Power of the Spirit of God and walk in Victory!  

God bless you richly is my prayer!

1 Corinthians 8:9-13 – “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become an obstacle to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”

The matter of personal liberty has always been and will always be an issue of importance and contention in the Church.  The conscience of a weaker brother or sister is a topic of importance.  How far do we press our liberty before we become a stumbling block for a “weaker brother”?  Is there a time to say, “Grow up and realize that different people have different convictions?” Before you answer that and insist there is I ask that you ask, “Is exercising our liberty worth causing another to stumble?”  How you answer those questions will determine how you relate to those around you.  Everything must be done with grace!

There was a time in my Christian walk when I felt that everyone should hold the same convictions that I held. If they did not, I felt that they were “carnal” at best and “backslidden” at worst.  Most of them both and I was a Pharisee of Pharisees! 

It took God rattling my cage in a major way to cause me to rethink everything. In that shaking, I developed an understanding which enabled me to realize that I was not God’s Fruit Inspector. I realized that He could handle that job just fine without my input.  Likewise, I had to learn, although in my heart I knew, that most of what I called “convictions” were simply “opinions” and did not have the weight of Scripture.  

An opinion is just that – opinion! It is something that may and should change if new light is revealed.  If God “convicts” your heart regarding an action, belief, or anything you should follow what God says implicitly and explicitly.  Yet you must always remember that what God “convicts” you of He may not convict another.  Many times, the roots of that conviction stem from something within you or the geographic region in which you live and the mindset of those around you.  God will bring conviction to your heart for your benefit not so you can attempt to impose it on everyone else that would be what a Pharisee does.

There have been times that I could have done something but knew that there were those around me who would be hindered in their Christian walk if they saw me so doing.  Therefore, in the interest of another, I choose to abstain.  In traveling to other parts of the country and world I have found that there are many differing views on various things that Christians do or do not do and sometimes the dogmatism is so strong that no amount of reason or biblical teaching can break it.  

Unless God brings light to the heart, that person or those people will remain as they are.  Attempting to legislate to them a particular mindset or lifestyle would be futile and brings to mind the old saying: “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”  They may yield to your insistence, but their hearts and minds have not profoundly changed.  You are not God, so why try to be?

As you go through your day realize that what you do and say will have an impact on others so choose your words and deeds carefully considering another for your liberty is not worth hindering another in their pursuit of GOD and His Grace!

May God be with you as you go through your day!

Ephesians 4:25 – “Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.” NASB

I do not want to get political or go on an all-out attack on religious hypocrisy but will say that what we need in this present world is men and women of The Truth!  Paul tells the Ephesian church that they are to “lay aside” Falsehood and “speak the truth.”  He reminds them and us that we are not isolated from each other but as members of both the human race and the family of God we are part of the same fabric and while we sometimes are guilty of lying to ourselves or distorting reality in our minds, we do not practice that regularly, at least I hope we do not.

My grandfather and father always told me, “Tell the truth it is easier to remember than a lie.”  They usually told me that when I attempted to pull the wool over on their eyes and they saw through it with amazing clarity and regularity.  Neither would tolerate laziness or dishonesty and were truthful to a fault and even if telling the truth brought them personal or financial difficulty. 

They believed and so do I that “honesty” is not just the best policy it is the “only policy.”  If we are truthful then we do not have to worry about being exposed and that in itself brings a certain sense of peace and security to the heart and mind.  We have all known people who it seems would climb a tree to tell a lie when they could have stood on the ground and told the truth.

My children know that I told them, “If you lie to me and I catch you it will be far worse than if you tell me the truth.”  If they remember they can recall sometimes when they told me the truth and escaped punishment and times when they did not, and the punishment or correction was stepped up a notch. 

If we encounter someone who tells us untruths on a regular basis, no matter how hard we try not to label or characterize them as being a liar we still do so, at least in the back of our minds and it affects our relationship or prevents us developing one that is positive.  No one wants to do business with a person that distorts the truth or facts. 

No one would want to sit under a preacher who tells fabrications.  As a friend of mine had a member of his congregation asked him, “Pastor was that story you told the truth, or were you just preaching?”  What a statement and while she may not have meant it as it came across that she would even entertain it is a tragedy. 

You do not want anyone to tell you anything but the truth so why practice telling others something that is not truthful?  You would not want your doctor to tell you something that was not true regarding your health because that could cost you your life.  You would not want your banker or financial adviser to misrepresent your finances which might cost you your possessions.  In life (all of it) let us be People of the Truth!

May God bless you as you go through your day!

Galatians 4:1-7 – “Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father. 3 So also, we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. 4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ” Abba! Father!” 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” NASB

Paul’s way of explaining our relationship with God is powerful.  He brings to mind that a child, although a member of the family and ultimately owner of all the family fortunes and worth is very little different from a slave because the child is under the authority of his/her parents or those whom the parents have placed over them.  They are not allowed the privilege of operating as an “owner” until it is deemed by the father that they are ready. Owner of all but the authority of a slave is the condition described.

Then he declares to us that we are sons (a non-gender term as used here) and because of that truth God has sent the Spirit of God into our hearts crying Abba! Father!  As a result, we are no longer slaves but sons and daughters and if we are sons and daughters, we are Heirs of God! 

My friends, how often do we, as children of the Most-High, live beneath our privilege?  How frequently do we live as slaves rather than sons and daughters?  It is time that we assess who we are and whose we are.  It is time to reread the Bible and determine what this New Covenant that is established upon Better Promises is all about and what it affords.  It is time that we reevaluate our relationship with the Lord and that we have the authority and power to not only overcome the enemy of our souls but the grace to live The Abundant Life that Jesus promised.  You are not a Slave you are a Child of God and an Heir according to His Promise!

Let us move from a slave mentality to a son and daughter mentality.  Let us move from timidity to boldness in our relationship, heritage, and covenant.  Let us begin to live as Heirs and bring real hope to this hopeless world outside of Christ.  It is as we move into that mentality that we find ourselves filled with the desire to be totally His. Remember 1 John 4:17 – “By this, is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, we also are in this world.”

God bless and keep you as you go through your day!

2 Timothy 2:1, 11-13 – “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus…11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” NASB

How about you, do you want to be “Strong in Grace?”  I believe that I can answer that for you without violating your right to make the decision for yourself and say YES!  Paul identified in verses 11-13 some truths regarding our walk with Christ in this life by saying:

1. If we have died in Him, we will also live in Him.
2. If we endure, we will reign.
3. If we deny Him, He will deny us.
4. If we are faithless, He will remain faithful
5. God cannot deny Himself.

We are dead in Christ in the “new birth” and have been made a new creation through the gift of Salvation and one day we will live with Him eternally.  Jesus never hid the fact that we would face difficulties in life and the Christian walk and neither does Paul.  He tells us the end of that enduring is reigning with Jesus.  He warns that if we deny the Lord, God will deny us on that day and that is not something that any of us desires.  He tells us that we may be less than faithful, but God will always be faithful because He cannot deny Himself and He is faithful.

So, to be “Strong in Grace” is to embrace the faith that is in Jesus Himself.  It is to allow the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, words, and deeds. It is to allow the Holy Spirit to shed the Love of God abroad in our hearts and to teach us all things that Jesus said.  It is to allow the Holy Spirit to quicken our mortal bodies so that we shake off the shackles of carnality and move into the realm of the spiritual.  It is to become focused on the King and the Kingdom of God as paramount and supreme above all else.  It is to Totally Surrender our life, all of it to GOD!

It is in that condition and position that we become “Strong in Grace” and no matter what comes we come out the other side In Christ and therefore Victorious! 

May God be with you as you go through your day!