Give Give Give

Give abundantly. Feel that you are rich. Have no mean thought in your heart.
Of love, of thought, of all you have, give, give, give.
You are followers of the World's Greatest Giver.
Give of time,
Give of personal ease and comfort
       of rest...
             of fame...
                of healing....
                   of power....
                     of sympathy.....
                       of all these and more.
Learn this lesson and you will become a great power to help others to do mighty things.

God Calling Aug 30th

Time Out

Isaiah 30:15 says:
In repentance and rest is your salvation
in quietness and trust is your strength
but you would have none of it!

The first two lines are nice and the last one has a sting to it.   Part of Remaining in Jesus - is to take time out with him.

Today where will you find a place of rest and quietness -   so that you may see salvation and strength?

Figs

Jeremiah 24 is a prophecy about the people of Isreal bearing fruit. God gives Jeremiah a picture of some figs - some really good others really bad. The prophecy over the good figs is this

"My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them a heart to know me, that Iam the Lord. They will be my people and I will be thier God, for they will return to me with all my heart"

I think these are amazing words of hope and blessing for people who are about to face the toughest 70 years of their lives in exile - basically slaves in another conuntry.

To the bad figs -  they will be cut of and banished from God's blessing - they would in fact be cursed.

As I read this passage I was trying to work out what the difference betwent he two types of figs. All I can see is the good figs are the ones who REMAINED with God, they kept their faith and kept turing to him and trusting Him. Thet had the active and living relationship with God.  Those that went bad, drifted away from God - loved the world around them became self centred and tried trusting in other gods. They went their own way.

Again in this passage we see it is God who works the fruit in his peoples hearts - God is the one doing all the work - the people are called to KEEP IN STEP with his work. To stay close and listen and obey.

It dosn't mean that the good figs were perfect - they two stuggled with the sin of the world and self - but they kept connected - returning, repenting and seeking to follow their God.

REMAIN IN ME AND FRUIT HAPPENS

Remain in Me & Paitence Happens!!

Cummune with God this week  -  Remain with him - do nothing with out him

Some verses to remind us of God's patience with us and to us:

2 Peter 3:15   Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation,
1 Timothy 1:16  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

NEH 9:17 But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them

If we remain connected with Jesus and His spirit lives in us and we keep in step with his spirit - His patience will flow out of us:
We will see patience fruit -  GRACE, COMPASSION, SLOW TO ANGER, ABUNDANT LOVE

I have chosen you to go and bear fruit!!!

Stay Close

Reading through Jeremiah at the moment the thing that strikes me is how often the people of Israel forgot God. As they forgot God they drifted off and went of in their own ways into a world of idolitory.

The shepherd and sheep picture is so prevalent in the Bible. There is this sense from this picture that God says to his people  "stay close lest you stray" The 60/30 challenge is a way of staying close.

Fruit Happens - Remain in me

Jesus Said, "I'am the vine - you are the branches. If you remain in me - you will bear fruit" John 15

The Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Paitence Kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness and Self Control

If we stay connected with Jesus and the Holy Spirit  -  Fruit Happens!!
But we also remember Jesus words - "Apart from me you can do nothing!"
In Mathew 7 Jesus also talks about a tree bearing fruit with quite starteling comments (have a read!!).
He alludes to people being able to do all sorts of amazing things - prophecy, miracles, drive out deamons - and still not be connected to Him!!  Braches that maybe looking great - but not actually producing the fruit that God wants - because they are remaining with either themselves, or the world or evil rather than remaining in an intimate love relationship with Jesus Christ.

As we do this 60/30 challenge  - it's not about doing more stuff. Its about growing closer to God. Staying connected in a living relationship with Jesus 24/7. Talking, listening and obeying over and over and over again.  Walk and talk with your savior