The Art of Pruning {Abide}

“1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Just happen to stumble across this article while browsing Pinterest this week: The Art of Pruning Fruit Trees

So much insight into what it means to prune and how to prune to produce more fruit.

You will be pruning to make a healthy, more productive tree as well as to produce larger fruit.
{Pruning seems painful, but it is necessary for health and fruit production.}

Limit the branches to the number that produces well for that species. Remember that too many branches will result in smaller fruit. {Know what you're capacity is and thrive in that. If you're spread too thin, your fruit will be small. Better to have fewer branches with better fruit, than spread all over the place with little fruit.}

Different trees need a different type of pruning. You have to prune differently according to the age of the tree, making sure you give it time to grow into it's space.

So many analogies here in regards to discipleship . . . Worth the read.
Click here: The Art of Pruning Fruit Trees

Surrender of the Schedule

It’s amazing what can happen when you surrender your day, your week, your time to the LORD.

It’s amazing to see him go through your schedule and your agenda, take things away that busy you, that keep you from Him, and add things that HE wants for your time.

How often do you take your schedule before the LORD and surrender it?
How often do you ask of God “What do you want of me today?
This week?
This month?
This semester?
How often do you slow down enough to hear where and how you can serve Him?

I sometimes wonder if all the “doing” I’m doing is His doing, or my doing?
Is the reason I’m so exhausted because I don’t go to the one who sustains?

Where am I too busy to abide?
Too tired to serve?
Too overwhelmed to grow?

What in my life can I eliminate so He can illuminate?

{Yep that’s right. Straight up wrote a Jesus riddle right there!}

Really though . . . this week I surrendered my schedule to the LORD. He wiped a lot away and added in things I wouldn’t have placed on my calendar.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My Father knows me so well.

Will you go to Him this week and practice the surrender of your schedule?
Let Him guide you and direct this week?
Walk in the works that HE has prepared for you?

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Preaching the Gospel: Work & Reward

As I prepare my heart and mind for entering back into 1 Corinthians at church, I decided to go back and reread the book on my own time . . . just me, my bible, and the Holy Spirit.

And
I
keep
coming
back
to
1 Corinthians 9.

I can’t stop thinking about Paul’s perspective on preaching the gospel.

“15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:15-18)

Paul was not being paid for his work in preaching the gospel, though he should’ve been. He had a right to be! But, he wanted his ministry to be one of purity and simple devotion to just one thing . . . proclaiming Christ. Paul ministered freely and willingly from his heart. He did not want to be accused of preaching for any.other.reason. Not money, not fame, not popularity. But solely for the purpose of making Christ known!

That’s all he wanted to be said of him. A man faithful to proclaiming Christ.
Paul preached because he wanted to. He tells us even if he didn’t want to, he would still be entrusted with the stewardship of sharing the gospel.

Have you ever considered your stewardship of the gospel? You have been given the greatest gift on this earth, with freedom to share with everyone. How sacrificially generous are you being toward others by sharing Christ?

When I was teaching full time, I used to think that was my job . . . teaching. To teach kids how to read, learn math, be organized, etc. I realize now . . . No it wasn’t. That was my side job. My real job was to love and share Christ with 25 children 180 days out of the year!

Our real work is to be a good steward of the gospel. The LORD has given us our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our family rooms to do just that.


Paul viewed preaching the gospel as both his work and his reward. Do you?
Do you work hard at proclaiming Christ?
Or is it something you view as an obligation?

Do you find your reward in getting to tell people about Jesus?
Or do you find your reward in success, home, money, family, or other things?

Isn’t that a beautiful and mysteriously simple purpose for life? To proclaim Christ. To view preaching the gospel as your work and as your reward?

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

Why "Try Harder" Won't Work

{My Journey Through the Sermon on the Mount}

I always wonder how Jesus taught the sermon on the mount? Did he just go up to the mountain and start blurting all of this stuff out? Were his disciples asking him topical questions and these were his responses? Did he know that the pharisees were listening, defending their prideful religious behavior by saying "Well it's not like I've committed murder or adultery Jesus. Why are you making me out to be so bad?"

Can't you just imagine that conversation among the disciples and pharisees and this is Jesus' response? This is how I imagine the conversation going down:

Pharisees: Jesus, you're always saying we've broken the commandments, when we haven't. You're always warning us that we're hypocrites, that we only appear to be righteous. How can you accuse us of such a thing when we are working so hard at keeping the Law?

Jesus: 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

You guys think you're so "good" at keeping the law? Well how about your heart? Have you ever had an impure thought? Have you ever looked at a woman with lustful intent? If so, it's your thought life, the deep recesses of your heart that declare your guilt before the LORD, not just your actions.

Pharisees: Okay, you got us there. Well, I guess we'll just try harder in our own strength not to even let our minds wander. We'll do everything within our own power to stop sinning.

Jesus: Really? You'll do anything. You think that you can just beat sin in your own strength? Okay . . . 29 "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."

Do you see Jesus' point here? We can't defeat sin in our own strength. We'd have to mutilate our entire body! We can't be "good enough" on the outside, because even our hearts are deeply sinful.

This issue of sin, religion, try hard, etc is a battle that we can't fight on our own. The act of sinning starts long before the hands, it starts in the heart. We can (and should) take drastic measures against sin. We should be willing to do whatever it takes, to keep our hearts from wandering. But, that still won't be enough. We have to allow Jesus to work in us and through us. We have to rest in His promise of Matthew 11:30 that his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.

That's the beauty of the Cross. We no longer have to fight sin on our own, because the battle has already been won! We can't keep trying harder, because we will never be able to try hard enough. We must accept the grace God has given us through Jesus and the Holy Spirit to pay the penalty of sin and free us from its power.

We don't have to work at being good, because He is good. We don't have to put sin to death, because He was put to death. We don't have to do enough, because He is enough.

We just have to believe, trust, rest, and be thankful.

Anger: Why We Can't Worship With It

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny." (Matthew 5:21-26)

Oh Jesus, why are you always making things so hard?! It's so much easier to separate my real life with my church life and pretend like the two have nothing to do with one another.

Are you really trying to tell me that it dishonors you when I'm at church trying "worship" and I have anger in my heart and unresolved issues with my brother or sister? Are you serious? Being angry, speaking insults, and calling someone a fool is the same as murder in your eyes??

Are you saying not having the last 10% of the conversation with friends in the church is a sin against you?

Are you really saying that if I can't be reconciled to my brother, it will be difficult to be reconciled to our Father?

I'm starting to think that the peace we have with others is directly related to the peace we have with you. If we don't have right relationship with our own neighbor, how then oh LORD, can we have right relationship with you?

Is there someone, a brother or sister, a neighbor, a friend, a co-worker you need to be reconciled to? Is there someone in your life you need to have a conversation with? Go and be reconciled first . . . then come and offer your gift.

Let's stop pretending, let's stop gossiping, let's stop letting anger fester. It causes division between one another and most importantly division between us and the LORD. Go and have that hard conversation and worship Him all the more!

What Defines You?

Jacob was a liar.
Moses was a murderer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
David was an adulterer.
Paul was persecutor.
Matthew was greedy.
Mary Magdalene was demon-posessed.
The Woman at the well was promiscuous.

God takes messed up, sinful, broken people . . .
Makes them new . . .
And uses them for His Kingdom.

Know what their reputation reads now?
Forgiven.
Redeemed.
Cleansed.
Purified.
Justified.
Sanctified.
Adopted.
Heir.
Renewed.

Same as yours. Same as mine.

In Christ, our past does not define us.
His does.

He IS our Fulfillment

{My Journey Through the Sermon on the Mount}

v.17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
This section presents the heart of Jesus’ message, for it demonstrates His relationship to the Law of God. Jesus was not presenting a rival system to the Law of Moses and the words of the Prophets, but a true fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets—in contrast with the Pharisees’ traditions. “The Law and the Prophets” refer to the entire Old Testament.

Fulfill:
a : to put into effect : EXECUTE
b : to meet the requirements of (a business order)
c : to bring to an end
d : to measure up to : SATISFY

v.18 "For truly, I say to you, . . .
I tell you the truth is literally, “Surely (or Verily, KJV) I say to you.” “Surely” renders the word “Amen” (Gr. amēn, transliterated from the Heb. ’āman, “to be firm, true”). This expression, “I tell you the truth,” points to a solemn declaration that the hearers should note. It occurs 31 times in Matthew alone.

. . . until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished."
Jesus’ fulfillment would extend to the smallest Hebrew letter, the “jot” (lit., yôd), and even to the smallest stroke of a Hebrew letter, the “tittle.” In English a jot would correspond to the dot above the letter “i” (and look like an apostrophe), and a tittle would be seen in the difference between a “P” and an “R”. The small angled line that completes the “R” is like a tittle. These things are important because letters make up words and even a slight change in a letter might change the meaning of a word.

Jesus said He would fulfill the Law by obeying it perfectly and would fulfill the prophets’ predictions of the Messiah and His kingdom. But the responsibility of the people was made clear. The righteousness they were currently seeking—that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law—was insufficient for entrance into the kingdom Jesus was offering. The righteousness He demanded was not merely external; it was a true inner righteousness based on faith in God’s Word.

*Thank you Logos for the information above.

Have you, like me, thought that the Old Testament, was well OLD and that Jesus is NEW?? It’s texts like these that remind me, Jesus was not “new”. He is not Plan B. He is not a different way, a better way . . . He IS the way.

Jesus is fulfillment.
All that was taught in the Old Testament points to Him. He doesn’t abolish, he fulfills. Like the missing pieces to the puzzle, he fits it ALL together to see the big picture.

While in Israel, they encouraged us on the last day to rip out the page in our bible that says “Old Testament”. We were taught to see Christ throughout all of the pages in our bible, not just the “new”.

He IS the fulfillment of our OLD Testament and He IS our hope in the NEW!

Prayer Is . . .

“Sometimes I consider myself there as a stone before a carver, whereof he is to make a statue; presenting myself thus before GOD, I desire Him to form His perfect image in my soul, and make me entirely like Himself.” –Brother Lawerence (Practicing the Presence of God)



I love this imagery . . . we are the stone and prayer is going to God and saying “chip away”. Form me, cut me, mold me . . . make me look like you.

Prayer is to be carved into the image of the Son.

Oh LORD would you carve me with your tools . . . your people, trials, challenges . . .



Oh LORD would you carve me with your Living Water . . . your word, your very presence . . .



To look less like me and more like Christ.

100 Names of Jesus

Found this on Twitter a few days ago, posted by Emmanuel Fellowship's blog here

Too good not to share this post! How cool would it be to study each of these names this summer??

After personally experiencing the authority and power of Jesus as He spoke peace to a raging sea, the disciples were left sitting in the stillness, wet from the rain and wondering:

“Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!” –Matthew 8:27 (NLT)

Over and again the Bible answers this amazing question by giving us glimpses of the character of Jesus through the names and descriptions we find of Him.

Here is a list of 100 Names of Jesus we find in the pages of the Bible. You can find the verses and study the context of each name by accessing the Logos Online Bible.

Advocate (1 John 2:1)
Almighty (Rev. 1:8; Mt. 28:18)
Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:13)
Amen (Rev. 3:14)
Apostle of our Profession (Heb. 3:1)
Atoning Sacrifice for our Sins (1 John 2:2)
Author of Life (Acts 3:15)
Author and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:2)
Author of Salvation (Heb. 2:10)
Beginning and End (Rev. 22:13)
Blessed and only Ruler (1 Tim. 6:15)
Bread of God (John 6:33)
Bread of Life (John 6:35; 6:48)
Capstone (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7)
Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20)
Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4)
Christ (1 John 2:22)
Creator (John 1:3)
Deliverer (Rom. 11:26)
Eternal Life (1 John 1:2; 5:20)
Everlasting Father (Isa. 9:6)
Gate (John 10:9)
Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11)
Faithful Witness (Rev. 1:5)
Faith and True Witness (Rev. 3:14)
First and Last (Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13)
Firstborn From the Dead (Rev. 1:5)
God (John 1:1; 20:28; Heb. 1:8; Rom. 9:5; 2 Pet. 1:1;1 John 5:20; etc.)
Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20)
Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14)
Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23)
Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2)
High Priest (Heb. 2:17)
Holy and True (Rev. 3:7)
Holy One (Acts 3:14)
Hope (1 Tim. 1:1)
Hope of Glory (Col. 1:27)
Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69)
I Am (John 8:58)
Image of God (2 Cor. 4:4)
King Eternal (1 Tim. 1:17)
King of Israel (John 1:49)
King of the Jews (Mt. 27:11)
King of kings (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16)
King of the Ages (Rev. 15:3)
Lamb (Rev. 13:8)
Lamb of God (John 1:29)
Lamb Without Blemish (1 Pet. 1:19)
Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)
Life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4)
Light of the World (John 8:12)
Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)
Living One (Rev. 1:18)
Living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4)
Lord (2 Pet. 2:20)
Lord of All (Acts 10:36)
Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8)
Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16)
LORD [YHWH] our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6)
Man from Heaven (1 Cor. 15:48)
Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15)
Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)
Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)
Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16)
Only Begotten Son of God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:9)
Our Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13)
Our Holiness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Husband (2 Cor. 11:2)
Our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3)
Our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7)
Power of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Precious Cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6)
Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6)
Prophet (Acts 3:22)
Resurrection and Life (John 11:25)
Righteous Branch (Jer. 23:5)
Righteous One (Acts 7:52; 1 John 2:1)
Rock (1 Cor. 10:4)
Root of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16)
Ruler of God’s Creation (Rev. 3:14)
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth (Rev. 1:5)
Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20)
Son of David (Lk. 18:39)
Son of God (John 1:49; Heb. 4:14)
Son of Man (Mt. 8:20)
Son of the Most High God (Lk. 1:32)
Source of Eternal Salvation for all who obey him (Heb. 5:9)
The One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5)
The Stone the builders rejected (Acts 4:11)
True Bread (John 6:32)
True Light (John 1:9)
True Vine (John 15:1)
Truth (John 1:14; 14:6)
Way (John 14:6)
Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Wonderful Counselor (Isa. 9:6)
Word (John 1:1)
Word of God (Rev. 19:13)

I have personally experienced Jesus through many of the names found on this list, but one of my greatest treasures is to know Him as my friend.

Do you know Jesus? Which of these names have you discovered Him to be?

{Emmanuel Fellowship Church Blog: Monday Morning Review}

Loving the Word

{Why we as Christians should love the Word the most}

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

The Word was God.
The Word put on flesh and dwelt among us.

Spending time in the Word is the closest thing we have to spending time with Jesus himself. Talking with Him, chatting with Him, sitting with Him over a cup of coffee. God daily invites us to sit with Him, learn from Him, learn about Him, be comforted by Him, challenged by Him, loved by Him.

Just as with any relationship, we can't expect depth and intimacy without time. Time spent sitting with the other person, listening, learning, talking.

I think of my relationship with my father. Can you imagine if I went weeks running errands for him, doing chores around the house, getting my school work done, all the things a child should "do" . . . without ever talking with him? I wouldn't expect a deep relationship with my dad, the kind where I could cuddle up on his lap and he would read to me. And that's what I want! That's what he wants. A daughter who obeys out of delight and love for him. A daughter who talks to her daddy, who loves to listen to his wisdom, walk with him, hug him, and learn from him.

Or I think of my marriage. I can't tell you the number of times I'm cleaning, or organizing something, or folding laundry, or whatever to serve my husband and he says "Will you just come over here and sit with me?". He is thankful for all I'm doing, but really just wants me to be with him.

Intimacy in a relationship isn't developed in doing for, it's developed in being with.

Being still.
Being with.
Being present.

So it is with our Lord. We are not designed to go weeks, months, etc without communing with the Father, without talking with Jesus, without reading the Word. We are designed for intimacy, relationship, and fellowship with the LORD. He beckons us daily.

So do you accept the invitation? To sit with the Word? To sit with the Lord? To connect with Him?

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples." (John 15:7-8)

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103)

"The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward." (Psalm 19:7-11)

Celebrating with a Broken Heart

So much to be thankful for this time of year.
So much reason to have JOY and PEACE because we are in Christ.

Yet . . . the reality is this season can be so hard for people. Thinking of many who will celebrate the holidays with a feeling of loneliness, emptiness, and a broken heart.

Joyful, yet longing for those we’ve lost.
Those we miss.
Broken relationships to be healed.
Dreams of what could be.

Mothers whose children are in heaven.
Wives whose husbands have passed away.
Daughters missing their fathers.
Mothers missing their sons.
Brothers feeling distant.
Friends longing for a spouse.
Couples longing for children.

For those feeling that way, you are not forgotten. This whole season represents a God who loves you so much, HE came to you. He left Heaven on high, to dwell among you, to call you to Himself, and offer you a hope and a future.

While our hearts long for what was, or what could be, that we would remember this kind of love . . . and long for Christ.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
(Psalm 73:25-26)

Crumbs

This morning I woke up thinking about crumbs. Thinking about the story in Matthew 15 where the woman begs Jesus to heal her daughter and the disciples are bothered by her.

"And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon." But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly." (Matthew 15:21-28)

She begs for just crumbs from the master’s table. Do you hear the desperation in her plea? The hope in her Healer? Knowing that she is not worthy to have her request granted, but believing only Jesus can grant her request.


This Caananite woman recognized she was not a part of chosen Israel, the nation that was set apart, she was a dog, a gentile, a nobody. In her humility, she recognized Jesus was somebody.

This woman recognizes that Jesus is the Son of David. She knows He is powerful. She probably doesn’t have all her theology down or know all of the right answers, but she has heard of His healing power and knows that He is the One who can heal. He is the only one who can free her daughter from oppression.

There is humility, exaltation, faith, and desperation.

Our LORD does not require us to have it all figured out before coming to Him. We do not have to be clean, just a confession of being dirty. We don’t have to be sinless, just honest faith that He is the One without sin. It is not so much about how we ask, but what we believe about the One we’re asking. He is waiting to heal, He is waiting to free us from oppression, if we believe. So comforting.

Our God is like none other. In a time when Gentiles were referred to as dogs, and women even lower than that . . . He grants the request of a Gentile woman.

Jesus is inviting His chosen nation to dine with him and they reject his invitation. This woman is thankful to receive just his crumbs. I love that.

Are you thankful for crumbs from the master’s table? Or do you feel worthy of more? Do you understand that He is the only One who can heal, or do you turn to other things first? Do you understand that we are not Israel, a part of God’s Holy nation? But, because of Israel’s rejection, we are accepted. We are invited to dine at the table, grafted in to the nourishing root.

Today . . . I am thankful for being a part of a much bigger story. I am thankful to be grafted in. I am thankful for crumbs.

Perspective

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

We must be bankrupt, to become rich. Emptied to be filled. Low to be lifted high.
Humility

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom." (Matthew 26:26-29)

Facing death, he gave thanks. Ann Voskamp calls it “eucharistic living”. Giving thanks in ALL circumstances.
Thanksgiving

“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:35-38)

Jesus went. He taught, proclaimed, healed. When he saw the crowds, he was merciful. He instructs us to pray earnestly.
Compassion

"And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." (Revelation 21:5).

He sees. He is working. He is coming back. To heal, to restore, to make new.
Hope

Asking for His perspective. To live in humility. With thanksgiving and compassion. Praying for His eyes, His heart, for His people. Waiting in hope.