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Day 43: Hebrews 6/Psalm 115
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Wednesday April 7, 2004
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Land that drinks in
the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those
for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that
produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being
cursed. In the end it will be burned.
Hebrews 6:7-8 (New International
Version)
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Reality
Check
There is a clear and consistent expectation throughout the New
Testament that when people become followers of Jesus there will be a
very real change in the types of things their lives produce: they will gain
freedom in areas where they had no self-control, they will have a
positive impact on people that they used to hurt, and they will be an
avenue by which others discover the goodness of God. Jesus said, “No
good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each
tree is recognized by its own fruit” (Luke 6:43, 44).
This expectation of
bearing fruit is often expressed rather bluntly and seems to be God’s
way of helping us to take a reality check, helping us discover if we
are on the right track in our spiritual growth or if we are just
playing games. This kind of reality check can be life changing if we
are brave enough to take an honest assessment of ourselves.
But this warning
can also bring a danger. What if you look at your life and there isn’t
much change? What if you aren’t bearing fruit? Most of us are tempted
to condemn ourselves and to work harder at bearing fruit, but this is
getting the cart before the horse. Jesus said, “If you love me, you’ll
obey my commandments”; but it doesn’t work the other way around. He
never says, “If you obey my commandments, you will love me.” If you
look at your life and see you are not bearing the kind of fruit that
God desires, the biblical response is not “try harder.” The biblical
response is “fall in love with Jesus”--read the gospels and get to know
him; see how he treats people; discover what he treasured; spend time
talking to him, and ask him to make himself real to you; hang out with
people who have come to know him; be awed by how completely and utterly
he loves you. If you do this, your reality check will help to get you
back to a fruitful life.
Today’s
Prayer:
Jesus, give me the courage to take a look at the kind of fruit my
life is bearing. Help me to fall more deeply in love with you each day.
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Memory Verse of the Week:
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the
Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus..."
Hebrews 10:19 (New International Version)
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For a complete
listing of all the previous devotionals in this "50 Day Experience,"
click here.
To read the chapter or psalm of the day online, click on one of the
following links:
o
Hebrews
6
o
Psalm
115
Greg Williams, williams@cincyvineyard.com,
oversees a team of people who lead leadership and training, staff
development, volunteer mobilization, and connections ministries at VCC
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