A Daily Reminder

My Daily Reminder:

John 15:1-4

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch  that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

This passage reminds me that I need God in every area of my life. I need God in order to bear fruit for His kingdom. Many times I try to do things based on my own vision and belief of what certain aspects of my life should look like. Many times I neglect what God really wants me to do.

Because I desire to be in God’s will and continue to ask God to guide me, the Holy Spirit convicts me that when I gravitate to my own vision for life I can easily be distracted from the things God wants me to do. In a sense I begin to live for myself and push God to the side. The results of my leading a self centered life always ends up being painful and unfruitful. Living apart from God is a serious matter because it can lead to sinful behavior. Sin always bears consequences. God will discipline us when we sin, yet it is also His way of refining us, so discipline from God is a good thing and it will help grow us spiritually. 

On the other hand, blessings come when I began to listen to the Holy Spirit and became teachable in the areas I tend to work apart from God.  It is difficult sometimes for me to be teachable due to my pride but I  realize that my humility is the catalyst to opening the door to being set apart to God. Just because I am a believer does not mean everything I do honors God. On the contrary I began to understand going my own way does not bear fruit for God’s kingdom. When I embrace the concept of dying to self, I gain so much more richness to life because living for God satisfies the soul. Being in fellowship with God quenches my thirst for deep meaningful relationships. 

So to keep myself accountable to this idea of dying to self, I connect with God each day in a personal way so as to renew my passion and desire to bear fruit for His kingdom. This may mean putting aside some personal goals in order to make time for God’s work.  It may also mean looking at my heart to evaluate my inner motives. This may mean humbling myself before God due to my old self trying trying to gain a foothold back in my life again. We have to spend time with God if we want to have a deeper relationship with Him. I know we all have daily obligations that must be taken care of. They are all necessary.  But spending  time with God  has eternal value. If we allow His Spirit to fill us we can be set on a course that leads to blessing.  Blessing for God who loves our obedience and heart focused devotion. And to others who need encouragement and a word of hope. You see the way we treat others ultimately describes who we are in Christ. Hypocrisy is the most common complaint a non believer has of the Church so it is important that we live out God's calling to be Holy.  We also need to daily put on the New Self in order for us to be Christ-like. Christ-likeness sets us apart from the world and people do recognize the difference. If one is known as a true follower of Christ, one must act as an ambassador for Christ. That is part of our commission from God.

2 Corinthians 5:20
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Matthew 28:18-20 New International Version 1984 

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 Ephesians 4:22-25 New International Version 1984

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

So each day we must remember who we are and whose we are. We must remember why God rescued us.

Yes, because He loves us.  And yes because He wants us to impact the world with the Gospel. And yes, He wants us to do good works, not to earn His favor, but to do good works out of love and gratitude for the price Jesus paid on the Cross for our salvation. 

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God 

prepared in advance for us to do.

So Remember,  If we remain in Christ we will bear fruit for God's kingdom. This is a promise from Jesus Himself. This is part of what God has called us to do.

Just Sayin.................Dave