Read between the vines

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. (John 15:4 NLT)

We can work, toil, strive and pursue but get no where fast and bear no fruit without God. If we live our days for God, he will bring fruit into our lives whether it is in the form of love, life, peace, joy, or happiness. He may even give us more earthly treasure to help advance his kingdom.

Live your life for God and he will give you a life you could never imagine.

--God's Best

The student becomes the teacher

Over the last five weeks, I have been teaching my first class at a local university. Little did I know that I would be learning even more than the students would. I prepared and prepared as best I could with very little training. From the very start, my students began to teach me about attention to detail. As much time as we spend and think we have things covered, we can still fall short.

John 1:8 (NLT): Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward.

We can sometimes take shortcuts and hope for the best when we know deep in our hearts that we didn’t truly prepare for the trials of life. By doing this, we risk losing everything we have worked for and have achieved. Our reputations can be damaged and trust will have to be earned again. Spending more time is an investment in ourselves. The more time you spend, the more valuable you will become to others.

--God’s best

The fishing trip

During one of our journey groups last weekend, a friend was telling us about a fishing trip he went on with a couple of his friends. The plan was to spend the weekend together in fellowship along with doing bible study along the way. So, they packed up and went to a remote cabin on the water.
They got up early, excited at the prospect of spending the day out on the water with food, friends, and their bibles. Six hours later, they sat in the boat without a single fish. They passed the time reading passages and talking them through. At lunch time, they decided to pack up and head home to get a bite to eat.

When they got home, one of the friends had a sudden revelation. He said, “hey, this is just like the story of Simon. He fished and fished all day and caught nothing. He obeyed God when he told him to put down his nets for another catch. God provided for him fully. So much so that their boats began to sink under the weight of the fish”. After being reminded of this story, the friends stayed home, opened their bibles again and spent the rest of the weekend in bible study.

Clearly, God was guiding these gentlemen toward him and reminding them that they needed to spend more time in the word and in fellowship with each other. We don’t always catch on when God is clearly trying to communicate with us. But, when we spend time with each other, we amplify our prayers and studies to be able to hear God’s word more clearly. Perhaps God is speaking to you right now and you didn’t even realize it. Continue to get into the word, spend time with others to share your experiences with them and so they can share theirs with you.

-God’s Best

My plan or God's plan?

I just started teaching at a university where the subject is introduction to logic and design. It is a computer course designed to teach the principles of programming without actually programming. Huh? Hang on, it will make sense in a minute.

One does not even need to know a programming language or even have a computer in order to learn how to program. In fact it is designed that way on purpose. By ignoring the complexity of learning a programming language you can focus on the principles of logic and design of programs.

Reading the bible, along with it's parables, gives us the core principles for us to apply to or lives. It doesn't tell us how to apply it. That is our choice. I heard somewhere recently that we have freedom of choice in life but that doesn't give us freedom from consequences.

Then the question becomes what comes of my plans and choices that I make in this life? You probably already know the answer. We shouldn't fool ourselves into believing that we are in charge. Proverbs 16:9 says: We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

In talking with my friend Jim, I agree with his view that if God deems our decision appropriate for his purpose for us and, it is aligned with life principles in the bible, he will allow our needs and desires to be met, gracing us with joy and peace along the way. If not, then it is a clear message that we need to grow or character or take another path.

God bless

Face to face

It's been a very busy week and although I've been thinking about my next blog entry, I was feeling a little uninspired. I saw a Facebook post that said if you're too busy to read the scriptures, than you're way busier than God intended you to be. The real question is are you really as busy as you think you are?
The other message that presented itself over and over this week is how the bible is not only Gods word, it is God himself. This idea didn't really click in my mind until tonight. Reading the bible gives you answers but not always when you read it for the first time. The real message comes when you are praying and a scripture pops into your mind that you haven't read in a long time. That is when you know God has spoken to you and is guiding your path.