I enjoy reading Max Lucado books; however, I find that I cannot read a lot in one setting. This is because there is a lot to think about in each chapter. I have decided to incoporate a chapter a day into my devotions. Right now I am reaading though his book "A Gentle Thunder". Today's chapter was on John 15:1-3, which reads:
"I am the true vine; my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that does not produce fruit. And he trims and cleans every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit."

Now, you may have known this; but I didn't so I am going to share it.

I knew that God prunes us so that we will produce more fruit, like a gardener prunes back bushes and vines, so that they will grow healthier and produce more fruit. What I didn't know is this: Nowhere does God command US to bear fruit! Let me explain. It's like a branch; can a branch produce an apple by wanting to? No. It's the same with us. Have you ever heard anyone say (or maybe you've said something like this yourself), "I'm going to forgive that jerk if it kills me" or I'm going to be patient, and I'm going to do it right now"? You can't force things like that. That's why Jesus doesn't tell us in this passage to bear fruit. So what does He command us to do? Keep reading in John 15. At least 7 times in the next 7 verses He commands us to "remain in me...remain in the vine...remain in my love..." So, we are to stay close to the vine - Jesus, and we will be fruitful. Verse 5 says, "If any remain in me and I remain in them, they will produce fruit....apart from me you can do nothing." Is it an easy process? No, it hurts...but you will be healthier because of it. I don't know about you, but I'm glad He doesn't give up on us and cuts us down altogether and says that we are't worth the effort. No, if you are His child He loves you and thinks that you are salvagable by trimming off the stuff that is holding you back. He is making you a healthier child by doing this and in doing so He is causing us to be able to bear fruit.

So, dear Christian, stay close to the vine if you want to bear fruit, you can't do it by yourself!

Do we really meditate on what we read in God's Word or do we just read it because we know we should? Today in my devotions I read about meditation - the way God intended it to be, not like the world and The New Age Movememt wants it to be. As I continue in my quest to become the woman God wants me to be, I am realizing that we need to do more than just read the Bible. We need to meditate on what we read - to think about it and what it means to us, to me, in this day and age. If we think on it and even memorize it (yes, you can do it), then it will become a part of us and then we have it when we need to use it. It says in Matthew 12:34, "Out of the overflow of our heart the mouth speaks". What is in our hearts comes out of our mouths. So, if junk is in our hearts, then junk will come out of our mouths; but if the Word of God is in our hearts, then the Word of God with come out when we speak. How do you think Jesus could reply to Satan in the wilderness like He did if He didn't know Scripture? We need to be able to do the same thing with Satan; we need to know what the Scripture says so that when we are tempted, we can say, "No, that's not right, this is what God says..." Let's not just read the Bible because we know we should, or because we want to look good in front of other Christians or because we want to rack up brownie points; let's read the Bible because we want it to change our lives and the only way it will do that is if we meditate on it and memorize it so it seeps into our very being and changes us from the inside out.

I am memorizing right now Proverbs 31:10-31 and Isaiah 54:5-6. I challenge you to memorize something too and to really think about what you read in God's Word. He may even speak to you through it!

I have found that the best way to become a better wife to my earthly husband is to think of God as my Heavenly husband. After all, how I treat my earthly husband is a reflection on my relationship with God. It says in Isaiah 54 verses 5 and 6, "For your Maker is your husband - the Lord Almighty is his name - the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distresased in your spirit - a wife who married young, only to be rejected, says your God."

If you think of God as your heavenly husband and treat your earthly husband the way you would treat God, don't you think our marriages would be a lot better. Husbands can do this as well. Treat your wife the same way you would treat God if he were here in person - because He is here - we just can't physically see him. I guarantee that if we treat each other in the same way we would treat God, all of our relationships would be better.

There is a poem that would like to share with you; I have had it in my possession since I was a child. The paper is tattered and torn, but I love the message it conveys. It is called: If Jesus Came To Your House

If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two -
If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you'd do.
Oh, I know you'd give your nicest room to such an honored Guest,
And all the food you'd serve to Him would be the very best,
And you would keep assuring Him you're glad to have Him there -
That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.

But - when when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly Visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they'd been?
Would you turn off the radio and hoped He hadn't heard?
And wish you hadn't uttered that last, loud, hasty word?

Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about?
And I wonder - if the Saviour spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing the things you always do?
Would you go right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?

Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace?
And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?
Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books you read,
And let Him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?
Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you'd plan to go?
Or would you, maybe, change your plans for just a day or so?

Would you be glad for Him to meet your very closest friends?
Or would you hope they'd stay away until his visit ends?
Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?
It might be interesting to know the things that you would do
If Jesus Christ in person came to spend some time with you.
Lois Blanchard Eades

Treat each other the way you would treat Jesus, and treat Jesus the way you would if He was staying at your house - because He is!