Stay

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:1-6 NKJV

I heard a 6-minute message today that was part of our church's 25th Anniversary Celebration. It was so rich, I will be chewing on it for days. 

Abide in Me, and I in you. On the surface, I've never taken that any further than "Follow Christ. Be a Christian and He would never leave me." Today, I realized, it is SO much more than that. Thank You, Jesus, for Your Word!

What is the first thing we want to do when we get into trouble or face adversity? We want to cut and run. Turn tail and run in the opposite direction. If there is pain involved, we want no part of it. Right? The last thing we want to do is stay. Likewise, pruning is painful. It's cutting back. It's cutting away things that suck life out of us. Things that allow the enemy to steal from us our time, our health. Our very faith! We shouldn't want that even more!

Abide is translated from the Greek word 'meno', which, according to Strong's Concordance, means to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy). In our Promise for Today, Jesus tells us it is the pruning process of our lives that allows us to bear more fruit. And if we don't bear fruit, we are cut completely away from Him. When we read verse 2, we see it is the branch already bearing fruit that God prunes. In other words, you're doing something right, and God is going to prune so you can do even better. That may feel or even look like you're being punished for doing good things, but keep in mind, God's ways are not our ways. Jesus tells us to "Stay in place." "Stay in relation to Me." "Stay in expectancy."  Stay in the pruning process. Stay in the fire. Be refined. The key is to stay. 

Prayer:

Father,

          Open Your Word to us. Reveal Your great Truths so that we may live and not die. Give us hearts of understanding and opportunities to share Your Good News. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Stay with God

O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!
Psalm 61:1-4 NLT

Encouraging the Discouraged - sometimes, we don't have the words to say, but we can always find what we need in His Word.

Psalm 27 from the Message Bible
 ¹ Light, space, zest— that's God!
   So, with him on my side I'm fearless,
      afraid of no one and nothing.

 ² When vandal hordes ride down
      ready to eat me alive,
   Those bullies and toughs
      fall flat on their faces.

 ³ When besieged,
      I'm calm as a baby.
   When all hell breaks loose,
      I'm collected and cool.

 ⁴ I'm asking God for one thing,
      only one thing:
   To live with him in his house
      my whole life long.
   I'll contemplate his beauty;
      I'll study at his feet.

 ⁵ That's the only quiet, secure place
      in a noisy world,
   The perfect getaway,
      far from the buzz of traffic.

 ⁶ God holds me head and shoulders
      above all who try to pull me down.
   I'm headed for his place to offer anthems
      that will raise the roof!
   Already I'm singing God-songs;
      I'm making music to God.

 ^7-9 Listen, God, I'm calling at the top of my lungs:
      "Be good to me! Answer me!"
   When my heart whispered, "Seek God,"
      my whole being replied,
   "I'm seeking him!"
      Don't hide from me now!

 ^9-10 You've always been right there for me;
      don't turn your back on me now.
   Don't throw me out, don't abandon me;
      you've always kept the door open.
   My father and mother walked out and left me,
      but God took me in.

 ^11-12 Point me down your highway, God;
      direct me along a well-lighted street;
      show my enemies whose side you're on.
   Don't throw me to the dogs,
      those liars who are out to get me,
      filling the air with their threats.

 ^13-14 I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness
      in the exuberant earth.
   Stay with God!
      Take heart. Don't quit.
   I'll say it again:
      Stay with God.

Prayer:

Father,
          You've always been right there for us; don't turn Your back on us now. Don't throw us out, don't abandon us; You've always kept the door open. Point us down Your highway, O God; direct us along a well-lighted street... In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen