branch

The withered branch


re-post
I am about to have some Bible verses below that I wish you the reader to look at and think upon. They are words spoken by John the Baptist to the Israelites not long before Jesus started His ministry:
Luke 3:7 – When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 9 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
Now you are asking: “Why is this important to me? This about the Jews just before Christ came amongst them. “
Let me put it to you this way: “You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are Christians.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create Christians from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
This is reinforced in John 15
1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 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. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
We are now in a period where many say they are “Christian.” However, they live in, of and for the world. They seek after worldly rewards, sporting events instead of time with God, money, large homes, fancy cars, expensive clothing, and jewelry. All this is of the world, yet this is their true desire. They show no real desire to serve God. To help others. All that matters is themselves and their wants and desires.
They bear no fruit for God. They are a dead branch upon the vine that is Jesus Christ. They were once saved, yet are now dead and withered.
Their destination is made clear and obvious:
“Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”
“Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.”
So where is it you stand within the eyes of the Lord?

Confessions of a screwed up middle-aged man: Today someone new added their words to the world of blogging.


Well when I awoke today I was greeted by a message on my cell phone that a post was waiting for me in one of the groups I post to in Facebook. They are the same posts I place here, I just share them there.
Well I read the post and was pleased by what I read. It is a way I sometime, but rarely post. Trust me I have tried, but they don’t work out that way. I was gladdened that this young lady has added her words to those others like mine that can be found upon the internet in the form of blogs. I pray she is able to reach across the world as my own post of done. I pray that they inspire and cause people to think and ponder their own faith and believes in God and come to know God and His plan for them better.
I know I can be harsh in my post, but I can tell you this it is not intentional. I start to write and I just allow the words to flow from me into typed words upon a screen or hastily written words in notebooks. I do not plan what I am going to write, which is different from many write and blog. Thus the subtitle “thoughts out of the blue” for my blog.
One thing I do know is that I try to place upon these word what I feel is pleasing to God. This is what I wish all to write in their own blogs as the reach out unto the world that is in so much need of God and His Son. Too many are unaware of God or even the stories within the Bible.
A Christian comedian was at our church the other day and he mentions that people going to college has no idea about the story of David and his battle with Goliath. It is a sad commentary of our time that in a world with some much knowledge available to all too too few actually go out and seek it. It also explains how so many can act with rudeness and hatred since they no concepts of the teachings of peace and love have given in the Bible.
It is wonderful when another voice is added to those trying to teach of the wonders of God and His Son for their branch will seek to bear fruit where my branch cannot reach and t is pleasing and wonderful to witness this new growth beginning.

The facts are on the wall. You sin, but are you repentant? That is the important question.


Someone that is repentant over their transgressions is aware they have done something that is not favored by God. So they seek out God through pray and ask forgiveness.
If you go about sinning and it does not phase you then the question must be asked. Are you really saved? The answer is no you are not.
Do you truly desire to be known by God? Then should you not be seeking to have a repentant heart.
Do I sin? Most definitely. Do I seek out God’s forgiveness? Yes I do for I know that I can fall back into the world and become lost. I do not believe in the man-made doctrine of once saved always saved. For I have seen too much and learned so much from God ever to believe you can keep your salvation.
The Bible clearly states that God will remove you from Christ if you do not bear fruit. For Jesus is the vine and we are but a branch within Him and can be cut off and given to man to burn in the fire. So we must seek to bear the fruit of the Lord and to bring glory and honor unto God.
Yet salvation is fleeting. If you do not seek out God then how can you be saved? If you are not saved then how can even think you are a branch within the Vine?

The Blood that cleans


Humans are corrupt beings. They are this way due to the fall from grace in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve. No human on their own can make themselves clean. How can filth clean filth? It is impossible for there will always be filth left behind when this is done.
That was why God created the blood sacrifice. For centuries, it was the blood of the lamb. Then God allowed His Son to come amongst humans. He lived without sin, but witnessed sin. Then it was the humans that called for His death, His sacrifice, and so He went to the cross and shed His pure and clean blood. This Blood is so powerful that it cleaned all the filth from those that called upon Him as their Savior.
This salvation makes people change. That which gave them pleasure before no longer does and so they turn from that which was their old live in the filth. Sometimes though they do get dirty, but they ask God for His forgiveness and blessing and He gives it.
But humans are corrupt beings. They are told within the Bible that they must abide with Jesus. Live in His word and His teachings, but most do not. Soon they find themselves returning to those sins and forgetting to ask Jesus for His cleansing. Therefore, they falter and fall, until one day they are merely paper Christians. Their month says they are but their actions say they are the sin they once were.
Jesus called these the “lukewarm” and He said he would spew them from His month for they are no longer one with Christ or God and no longer worthy to amongst the counted.
Can they fix this? Yes they can, but many are so blinded they do not realize that they have faltered and fallen away. There are those that cry from the wildness calling upon them to repent and return to Christ. Some may listen, but most do not.

Mark Chapter 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
John 15: 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 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. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 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. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Revelation 3: 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Don’t become a broken branch


There are those that believe in the manmade doctrine of “once saved always saved.” I do not follow this doctrine for within the book of John, Christ states you can be removed from Him. This implies that you were are one time with Him since you cannot be removed from something you were not a part of. Many follow this doctrine without being aware that they are.
Christ clearly states that one must “abide” with Him.
Abide – 3306. meno men’-o a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy):–abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.
Dwell – 3 a: to keep the attention directed —used with on or upon
b: to speak or write insistently —used with on or upon
Endure – 1: to continue in the same state: last 2: to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding

This means you have to have an active relationship with Jesus. Just going to church on Sunday and then not spend the other 313 days of the year dwelling in Christ and His teaches is not abiding in Him. We are the bride and He is the Groom. Do you spend 52 days out of the year with your wife or husband? If you did, you will soon find yourself divorced.
Your branch must bear fruit and that God Himself will prune you so that in the end you will bear more fruit. I experienced this pruning personally in my year of Job. Now I am dedicated to writing these words in hopes that they shall bear the fruit of God.
I know without a doubt that I came close to being a branch that bore no fruit and knew again, without a doubt, that I was close to being removed from the vine of Christ and gathered up and burned within the fire. The symbolism is clearly stated in these verses by Jesus Himself.
Know Him.
Have an active relationship with Him. This means to be a living example of what He taught and to strive to do so. Not only through prayer, but actions. So you can be a bearer of Godly fruit.
If you do not bear fruit you will be cast off by God and join the world of man and be thrown into the fire.
John 15: 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Words – 4487. rhema hray’-mah from 4483; an utterance (individually, collectively or specially),; by implication, a matter or topic (especially of narration, command or dispute); with a negative naught whatever:–+ evil, + nothing, saying, word.

John 15: 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 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. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 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. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.