Showing posts with label Service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Service. Show all posts

Monday, September 7, 2015

Fruit ~ More Fruit ~ Much Fruit

Spirit producing fruit will go on producing
from one life to another.
There will be fruit, more fruit, much fruit.
~**~
Such a beautiful picture but not always an easy process.
As Christians, we often pray that God will
make us more fruitful, but we do not always
enjoy the pruning process that follows.


In my last post I shared with you on The True Vine  
that apart from the Vine we can do nothing.
Abiding in Christ reflects one's dependence on Him,
communion with Him, and obedience to Him.
When we remain in these things our lives will
result in becoming fruitful for Christ.
It is Christ alone, who provides grace and provision
for the needs in life.
 Therefore ~ we must remain faithful to our service for
               the Lord and to the study of His Word in order to bear fruit.  


"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;
so shall ye be my disciples."
(John 15:8)
 A true branch, united with the vine, will always bear fruit.
There is always fruit where there is life.
"I am the Vine, ye are the branches;
He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit;
for without me ye can do nothing."
(John 15:5)
If there is no fruit, the branch is worthless
and it is cast away and burned.


There are two ways that the branches are pruned,
by cutting away the dead wood and by cutting away living tissue.
With the living tissue you do not want the life of the vine 
to become dissipated causing the quality of the crop to become jeopardized.
~ I found it quite interesting as I researched the pruning process of a vine ~
The pruning process is the most important part of the enterprise,
and those who do the pruning must be carefully trained
so as to know where to cut, how much to cut and even what angle to make the cut. 
After finding this out I've made sure my husband and I were extra careful
when pruning our trees.


"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away;
and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it,
that it may bring forth more fruit."
(John 15:1-2)
Because the Father loves us, He prunes us and encourages us
to bear more fruit for His glory.
Sometimes this pruning process hurts,
but in the end we will rejoice over God's love for us.
We may not want it ~ but we need it.


  How does the Father prune us?
Many times it is simply through His Word as it convicts and cleanses us.
"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with
the washing of water by the word.
That he might present it to himself a glorious church,
not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing;
but that it should be holy and without blemish."
(Ephesians 5:26-27)
Our Heavenly Father is ever so near to us 
when He is pruning our lives.
It is the sweet fruit of trusting in the Lord
and allowing Him to do the work that is needed in and through us
that will produce joy to the glory of God.     

~**~

Sometimes the pruning process comes as God must chasten us.
            "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous;
nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness
unto them which are exercised thereby."
(Hebrews 12:11) 
Hebrews 12 1 through 11 is excellent!
Our Heavenly Father makes no mistakes ~ He knows what we need
in order to grow and produce more fruit.

~**~

In the end we must remember that the fruit we are producing
is not for ourselves, but for others.
We should strive to be gracious women
who willingly feed others by our words as well as our actions.
"The lips of the righteous feed many;
but fools die for want of wisdom."
(Proverbs 10:21)
This verse should cause us to see the importance
of serving others, not just pleasing ourselves.
The Spirit produced fruit will go on producing from one life to another.
There will be fruit ~ more fruit ~ much fruit.




We bear fruit when we win others for Christ (Romans 1:13)
We are a part of the harvest (John 4:35-38)
As we grow in holiness and obedience,
we are bearing fruit (Romans 6:22)
The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is the kind of Christian
character that glorifies God and makes Christ real to others.
God's Word has so much for us.
Oh ~ that we might dig deep and grace our lives with the nuggets of gold
that are found through out the Scriptures.
"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord,
unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every
good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."
(Colossians 1:10)
All to the glory of God, that should be our utmost desire!
"By him therefore let us offer sacrifice of praise to God continually,
that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."
(Hebrews 13:15) 

~**~

All for Jesus, all for Jesus!
Our Precious Heavenly Father,
have Your own way in our lives.
Prune us as needed so we may
bear much fruit to Your glory.
Amen.

Be Beautiful!
~ Debbie ~ 

I have joined Stephanie's party over at
Roses of Inspiration 

Monday, August 3, 2015

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Every morning as I make the bed
I love to sing the beautiful Hymn 
"I have decided to follow Jesus."
I have made this a practice for many years now,
and since I make the bed first thing in the morning
singing the words to this hymn saturates 
my heart and mind for the remainder of the day.
I find the words of this hymn challenging 
in my walk with the Lord,
for the desire of my heart is to
"take up my cross and follow Jesus." (Matthew 10:38)

 ~~~**~~~

If we so desire to "follow" Jesus we must 
forsake (deny) our own agendas in order
to completely comply with God's agenda.
We must not only give up our own agenda but die to it.
We deny self when we surrender ourselves
to Christ and determine to obey His will.
When we live for Christ,
"daily dying to self" we become more like Him.
This is a practiced life, a choice to decide to follow.

~~~**~~~

"I have decided to follow Jesus.
No turning back, no turning back."



Peter says to Jesus in Mark 10:29-31
"See we have left all and followed you."
And Jesus answered and said,
"Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left
house or brothers or sisters or father or mother
or wife or children or lands, for my sake
and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold
now in this time - houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands, 
with persecutions - and in the age to come, eternal life.
But many who are first will be last,
and the last first." 

~~~**~~~

"Tho no one join me, still I will follow.
No turning back, no turning back."


Peter and his fellow apostles left all and followed Jesus.
They obeyed the Masters voice.
Jesus answered Peter in verses 28-31
that God would reward them beyond all
proportion to their supposed sacrifice.
No one who gives up anything to follow
Jesus misses out on anything in the end.
God will reward each one.

~~~**~~~

But... We must be sure our motives are right.
"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life 
for My sake and the gospel's will save it. (Mark 8:35)
Being great in God's kingdom means:
self denial and sacrificial service.
To lose ourselves is an act of devotion
that should lead us to share the gospel with a lost and hurting world.
God sees things from eternity's perspective.
"But many who are first, will be last,
and the last first."
Those who are first in their own eye's
will be last in God's eye's,
but those who are last in their own eye's
will be rewarded as first. 
May our service be to God and His glory only.

~~~**~~~

"The world behind me, the cross before me.
No turning back, no turning back." 


Jesus also promised that persecutions would come. Mark 10:30
Jesus Himself was persecuted
and as followers, we too will go through persecutions
should we choose to devote ourselves to
Christ and His work for the Kingdom.
But God balances the blessings with the battles,
developing us into mature and gracious daughters of the King.
May we not miss the opportunities God affords us
to make our life count for the Kingdom.
God promises us persecutions (suffering),
but in the end that suffering is transformed into glory.
If we acknowledge Christ and live for Him,
He will one day acknowledge us 
and share His glory with us.
Praise God!

~~~**~~~

~ Questions we can ask ourselves ~
*Are we surrendering ourselves completely to Jesus?
* Are we identifying with Jesus in His suffering and death?
* Are we following Jesus obediently wherever He leads?  
*
I will go where You lead dear Lord,
no turning back ~ no turning back.

~~~**~~~

"I will love Thee O Lord, my strength."
O Precious Heavenly Father,
cause us to fall upon our knees before You,
in total surrender to the work You have called us to do
for Your Kingdom at hand.
May we keep our eye's upon You,
while walking this life of faith in You,
 no looking back, no looking back.
Amen.

Be Blessed
~ Debbie ~

  

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Servants Prepared for Service




" I will speak of the glorious honor of thy majesty,
and of thy wondrous works!"
~ Psalm 145:5 ~

In my last post I shared with you how we should be
 "vessels fit for the Master"
clean, empty and available.
~ 2 Timothy 2:21 ~

Now to be vessels honorable for the Master, in the lives of
our family's ~ neighbor's ~ friends ~
and even strangers God brings across our paths.

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the exellency of the power
may be of God, and not of us."
~ 2 Corinthians 4:7 ~

This is the exciting part!
As believers we are simply a jar of clay.
It is the treasure within the vessel that gives the vessel it's value.
Isn't that the most beautiful promise of God?

~ Acts 9:15 God said of Paul ~
"Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me,
go bear my name before the Gentiles,
and kings, and the children of Israel"

We must focus on the treasure and not the vessel (ourselves).
We are "earthen vessels" so that we might depend on God's power
and not our own.

This treasure of the gospel is currently contained within the
frail, fragile and fickle bodies of the redeemed.
When we allow ourselves to be servants prepared for service ~ 2 Timothy 2:21 ~
God's glory will shine through our humanity ~ and
it will be seen as His power, not ours.

God has beautifully fashioned each one of us to be uniquely different.
He wants us to be useable as His servants in the lives of others.
Like these beautiful bottles/ jars/ vases of mine 
they come in all shapes sizes and colors
made for different uses.
Some vessels may be chipped and broken, yet still useable.

" For thou hast possessed my reins; 
thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
marvelous are thy works:
and that my soul knoweth right well.
My substance was not hid from thee,
when I was made in secret,
and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Thine eyes did see my substance,
yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written,
which in continuance were fashioned
when as yet there was none of them.
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!
how great is the sum of them."
~ Psalm 139:13-17 ~

Oh the beauty of God's hand in each one of our lives.
May we rejoice with one another!

Then; as God's vessels unto honor, life will not always be easy.
Paul was not afraid of suffering or trial
because he knew God would guard the vessel. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:8 ~
What a beautiful promise; God guards the vessel.

God permits trials, He controls trials, and he uses trials and sufferings for His own glory.
Sometimes God permits our vessels to be shaken up
so that some of the "treasure"
will spill out and touch the lives of others.

When we ourselves have gone through suffering or a trial,
 God will use us to lovingly minister to hearting hearts
who may be going through what we ourselves went through.
Blessings come through pain, and God's glory shines in suffering ~ 2 Timothy 2:10 ~
through those who have given themselves to His use.
We are all different, and each of our lives has a story to tell.
It is God's love that is poured into the vessel,
and it will be His love that is poured out
into other lives.
We just have to be willing vessels, with a servants heart, desiring to be used.

May we be as Paul and see that
" the excellency of the power may be of God and not of ourselves."
All that we are ~ all that we have become ~ and all that we will be
is of the power of God, and NOT of ourselves.
May we rest in knowing that God will guard us,
He will prepare us, and He will use us for His service
so that we can graciously and lovingly
minister to others for His glory.

Our Precious Heavenly Father,
make us servants useful for Your service.
Help us to graciously accept who You created us to be
keeping our focus on the treasure, and not ourselves.
Give us a thankful heart
for whatever may come into our lives
so that we may be ready and prepared
by Your power to minister in the lives of others.
To God be the Glory.
Amen

Be lovely,
~ Debbie ~


Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Vessels Useful to the Master

What a glorious day it is, my dear friends!

" Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I must first thank each and every one of you for your precious visit here with my first post,
my, you blessed my heart greatly!
I got to see and experience for myself
what each of you describe here in the blogging community - love.
Isn't it just beautiful that we can meet genuine women who love the Lord
out there through the computer all around the world.
What a HUGE God we have!

Just to let you know, I plan to post every Wednesday for now.
I may begin posting a little more often later, but for now, just Wednesdays.

Vessels Useful to the Master


Wouldn't it be beautiful if we graced our homes as the "earthen vessels"
that God has designed us to be?
It is attainable you know.
If we read and apply the Word of God to our lives, God's grace is sufficient
and He will transform us into His likeness.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
( Ephesians 2:8-10)
We need to be empty, clean and available vessels for God's service.
By His grace He will take us and fill us to use for his glory.
We will then be useful for the Master.
What a tremendous honor!

"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor,
sanctified, and meet for the master's use,
and prepared unto every good work."
(2 Timothy 2:21)

When we, as God's glorious vessels, are filled with sin or defiled by disobedience,
He will first have to "purge" us. OUCH!
That is not always the most enjoyable experience,
but needed by the Master's loving hand to be all that He desires us to be.
By His grace, He must "prepare us unto every good work."
Purging:  to cleanse - to purify by separating - carrying off impurities.
You see, it's needed in order to be fit for the Master's use.
But oh... God is gracious and gentle as He does the preparing and the transforming.

" Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness,
faith, charity, peace,
with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart."

God's Word tells us to FLEE youthful lusts. RUN!!
Then He tells us to FOLLOW after righteousness, faith, charity and peace,
with them that call on the Lord with a pure heart.
His instructions are very clear, and they are attainable by His grace poured upon us.
Why would we not want all those beauties in our lives?

I have some jars in my collection that will NOT come clean
no matter what I use as a cleanser
or how hard I clean them.
They refuse to be "purged !"
Do you ever find yourself like that?
Fighting God all the way and yet, in His love towards us, He is ever so gentle.


"With purpose of heart" (Acts 11:23)
" Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God,
was glad and exorted them all,
that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord."

Oh that we as God's vessels would cleave unto the Lord and live for Him on purpose.
That we would be still and sit at the feet of Jesus,
allowing Him to transform our lives into the vessels He wants us to be.
Let us purpose in our heart to follow after righteousness, faith, charity and peace,
so that we can grace our homes in the beauty of God.


Our precious Heavenly Father,
grant us the grace as Your earthen vessels,
to be empty, to be clean, fit and available
to serve you in our homes where  You have placed us.
Grace us with Your beauty, so that through our lives You may be glorified.
Amen

Be Lovely!
~ Debbie ~
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