I am the Vine--verses 15 & 16

Good Morning Everyone!

Our verses for this week are John 15:15 & 16:

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."

Servants to Friends.  Did you catch that first part?  Jesus instructed His disciples to think of God as a friend rather than as a taskmaster.  Yet we are the created ones--He is the Creator.  We are the ones who messed up His creation.  How He can call us friends is beyond my thinking.  It seems more "right" that we be called His enemies!  After all, look what we did to Jesus on the cross!  But then Isaiah 55:8 & 9 whispers across my mind. . . "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says The Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."  And instead of leaving us in our muddy sin, He reaches down and picks us up, cleaning us up once again.  And He calls us His friend.

Go and bear fruit.  What does it look like to bear fruit?  What does it FEEL like?  Sometimes it is wonderful!  We see people we have prayed for come to know The Lord as their personal Savior.  Yet sometimes it hurts--"every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."  John 15:2  Do we trust Him?  How much?  "Whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."  But what if He doesn't?  What if you asked Him to heal your loved one--and they died anyway?  Do we trust Him then?

"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him."  Job 13:15

Do I trust Him enough to still abide?  Do I trust Him enough to wait?

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4

He calls me Friend.  Do I call Him my Savior?

~Susan

I am the Vine--verses 13 & 14

Good Morning Everyone!

Our verses for this week are some of the most beautiful verses in the Bible.  God IS love, and these verses are ALL about that love. . .

"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." John 15:13

"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you."  John 15:14

Not very long.  Not very complicated.  Yet how to really understand and wrap my brain around a love that is so big, so great.

Greater love has no one than this. . . Jesus did exactly this.  He lay down His life for us.  For me.  For you.

What more could He have given?  He gave everything--because He wanted to be able to live with me in heaven.  He would miss me too much if I wasn't there.  So He called me "Friend."  He laid down His life for me.

But.  Am I willing to call HIM "Friend?"  Am I willing to obey Him?

Are you?

Have a beautiful week, walking with your very best Friend!

~Susan

I am the Vine--verses 11 & 12

Good Morning Everyone!

We are moving right along with our John chapter 15 project!  It is hard to believe we are this far into it!  I do not have it all down as firm as I would like, but I do fairly well when I review using first letter helps.  My goal now is to move more into using the Scripture Typer app for some better review so I can get off of the first letter helps eventually. . . but we'll see how it goes!  At least I know I am hiding more of it in my heart than I ever had before!

This week our verses are 11 & 12:

"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

The first thing that really stood out to me when I read these verses was God's joy remaining in us, and our joy being full.  Think about that for a minute--what exactly IS "full?"  Full means--well, FULL!  If your glass is full and you keep pouring juice into it, what is going to happen?  It overflows!  It cannot possibly expand to contain any more at all, no matter how much you may want it to!  If my drawer is full and I keep putting more things into it, the drawer will stop working, because it is TOO full.  Eventually I suppose the drawer might be pushed into falling apart, if things were continually being put into it beyond it's capacity.

Now think about joy--do we have a capacity limit for joy?  I know what it feels like to be full of food--especially after a Thanksgiving feast!  But what exactly would it feel like to be full of joy?  I read in my study of these verses that it is the absence of Christ from the soul that makes people sad.  If that is true, then the opposite would also be equally true--the presence of Christ in the soul would make people glad!  So very glad, that the happiness bubbled out of you and spilled onto those around you!

Which moves me to the second verse for this week--verse 12.  What would it look like if we were loving each other as God has loved us?  Instead of a "me first" world we would live in a "you first" one.  Instead of building ourselves up by perhaps putting others down, we would look for ways to lift others up.  When you really think about a world like that--there would be no crime, for who would steal from another if they were treating them and loving them as God had loved THEM?  Yes, in our sinful world we would still have things we couldn't control such as sickness, but it still starts to sound and look a lot more like heaven--if we were truly loving others as God has loved us.

I found this statement in my reading this morning, that I thought illustrated this beautifully:

"Love to man is the earthward manifestation of the love of God.  It was to implant this love, to make us children of one family, that the King of glory became one with us.  And when His parting words are fulfilled, 'Love one another as I have loved you' (John 15:12); when we love the world as He has loved it, then for us His mission is accomplished.  We are fitted for heaven; for we have heaven in our hearts."
Desire of Ages, E.G. White, p. 641

THAT's what I want!  I want my joy to be full.  I want to look at others as God looks at them.  I want heaven in my heart.

Have a beautiful week, walking with your Savior!

~Susan

Breathing Room--Part 4

Hi Everyone!

Well here it is--Part 4 and the final part of the Breathing Room series.  I have to say, while ALL of this series have been good, trust me when I say that this final part is not good--it's GREAT!  Really!  As I sat at our church group and watched it, there were parts where I just felt like "How does he KNOW what goes on in our house?" sort of thing!  And some of the insights that the pastor shares are VERY profound.  But I don't want to give too much away, because you really really really need to go and watch this one yourself--so here it is!

http://findbreathingroom.org/choosing-to-cheat/

May this be as much of a blessing for you and your family as it has been for our family.

~Susan

Point Park--Part 1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=8tXtC-Qzegg

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to share a little video with you all that my son Austin made.  In our area we are surrounded by Civil War history,  as Chattanooga was a very important gateway to the rest of the southern states.  Anyway, so if you have any Civil War history buffs in your family, I hope you enjoy this short history lesson! :)

I am the Vine--verses 9 & 10

Good Morning Everyone!

I am a little late in posting for this week, but I will cling to the expression "Better Late than Never!"   So after having last week as our "Break Week," which--by the way--was very helpful for me in continuing to review the first few verses, it is time to start marching on.

This week, our two verses are John 15: 9 & 10:

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you:  abide in My love.  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."

As I read over and thought about these two verses, what seemed to be the summary of the two could be just four words:  Abide in My love.  I thought it was neat that it isn't just the command "Abide."  It isn't just a "stay there and be quiet" kind of command, as a superior might order someone under them.  Jesus--and the Father--certainly ARE superior to us, their created beings--yet we are not ordered around, but rather kept safe--in Their love.  As if we are Their treasure.  And Jesus' love will cause the disciples to live and to love the way that Jesus loved them.

I found something which spoke to me as I was looking through different study guides and commentaries.  This following paragraph, which stresses the importance of God's commandments, I thought others might also enjoy:

"We need to be anchored in Christ, rooted and grounded in the faith.  Satan works through agents.  He selects those who have not been drinking of the living waters, whose souls are athirst for something new and strange, and who are ever ready to drink at any fountain that may present itself.  Voices will be heard, saying 'Lo, here is Christ,' or 'Lo, there;' but we must believe them not.  We have unmistakable evidence of the voice of the True Shepherd, and He is calling upon us to follow Him.  He says, 'I have kept my Father's commandments.'  He leads His sheep in the path of humble obedience to the law of God, but He never encourages them in the transgression of that law."
                                        --SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7A p. 1099, E.G.White

The True Shepherd.  The True Vine.  How will we know His voice or His commandments if we are not studying the Word which He has given to us???

Have a beautiful week, abiding in God's love.

~Susan

When I Cry

Good Morning Everyone!

This past weekend has been hard.  You see, a dear friend of mine had a son around the same age as my son.  Three years ago, "J" was diagnosed with leukemia, but had received chemo treatments and had been doing great.  Their family was just up in our town in May, as they all attended their two daughter's graduation from the college where my husband teaches.  My friend and I sat in our living room and talked about how great "J" was doing, and how he would most likely come to attend college here as well, like his sisters did.  But then several weeks ago everything changed.

A fever sent "J" to the hospital, and because he was considered high risk due to his leukemia he was admitted.  Things went from bad to worse.  Prayer warriors around the country were constantly lifting "J" up in their prayers.  We would see little miracles--at one point he was on life support, but actually rallied around and was able to start breathing on his own and was removed from all life support measures!  Slowly, ever slowly, we could see our prayed for miracle starting to happen.  He was able to drink a liquid nutrition drink on his own.  But then 24 hours later his body was fighting new, multiple infections.  It was more than he could fight, and Friday afternoon, July 4, he passed away.

I felt sick.  Literally.  I was so upset when I read the message that I couldn't even speak and tell my husband what had happened.  All I wanted to do was throw up.  Since my friend is my sister-in-Christ, in a small way I felt as if I had lost a son or a nephew as well.   This was not the end I had prayed for.

Fortunately--this is not the end.

I know that "J" is currently sleeping.  In the Bible, Jesus referred to the death of Lazarus as a sleep.
"These things He said, and after that He said to them, 'Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.'  Then His disciples said, 'Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.' However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.  Then Jesus said to them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead.'"  John 11:11-14

David also referred to death as sleep.  "Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death."  Psalms 13:3

I know that "J" is no longer in pain nor does he know anything.  "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten."  Ecclesiastes 9:5

I know that "J" is simply waiting--he is not currently in heaven praising God.  "For in death there is no remembrance of You.  In the grave who will give You thanks?"  Psalm 6:5

When Jesus comes the second time, the judgement will take place. "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened.  And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books."  Revelation 20:12

And I know at that time there will be no more death.  "Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.  God Himself will be with them and be their God.  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."  Revelation 21:2-4

I know Jesus is coming soon.  "'And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.'  Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city."  Revelation 22:12-14

So while I may be crying now, "J's" story is not finished.  This is not the end.  It is only the close of one chapter.  Because Jesus loves him too much to not return for him.  "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb?  Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.  See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;  Your walls are continually before Me."  Isaiah 49:15-16

Someone on Facebook shared the following song with my friend, "J's" mom.  I thought it was beautiful--and so very true.  Hope you can find some comfort in it as well, and know that when you are hurting, God hurts too.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_2LF_TZ6Pu8

And in the meantime, I am waiting for God's end to "J's" story.  Because this isn't it.

Have a beautiful week, walking close by your Savior.

~Susan

Breathing Room--Part 3

Happy Sabbath Everyone!

Just wanted to share the link for the next "Breathing Room" talk.  Our family has been SO blessed by this series, and we are thankful that our church showed it so we would become aware of it and therefore watch and learn from it.  One friend of mine who is also watching it at the group at church commented today that it is all stuff we already know--but it is so easy to lose track of and to forget.  I agree with her completely!

Today's talk is on having breathing room in the area of your finances.  Something lots of people don't want to talk about--money, that is--as it reminds them of budgets which so many people associate with deprivation.  I, however, have learned that budgets do the exact opposite--they do not bind--they free!  But anyway, I digress, because the pastor in this talk is not talking about budgets.  Go pull up a comfy chair and click the link to find out what breathing room and money have to do with each other!

http://findbreathingroom.org/dollars-and-sense/

Enjoy!

~Susan

I am the Vine--Break week

Photo Credit:  Austin Menzmer

Hi Everyone!

Well, we have made it this far--through eight verses and this week is the first week scheduled as a "break" with no new verses to learn.  In a word--Phew!  I am thankful to be at this point, as I want to use this week to review and better cement in my mind the first eight verses.  I think I would like a break every four weeks, but the next and final break in the schedule won't come for another eight weeks I believe.  One thing I AM sure of--I will be more than ready for that break as well, as I am sure I will be needing to use it to review and better learn the part of John 15 we will have covered.

Overall, however, I am still very pleased.  And even when I have not learned word perfect that week's verses, I am finding that as I move on and just keep reviewing daily even while adding in new verses I am starting to remember better the verses that were originally not as firm as I would like.  So onward and upward! :)

One of the study resources I have used for digging deeper into learning about the book of John is a sermon I found on YouTube by Pastor Elizabeth Talbot.  I was SO very blessed by listening to her sermon on the book of John, I wanted to share it with you all here.  And I thought the break week would be the perfect week to do that since I do not have any thoughts to share with you on new verses this week.

So--follow the link below to find the sermon--I promise you will be richly blessed for your time!

Have a beautiful week with your Jesus!

~Susan


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mI7YdkKubiw&list=PLM6TM_3xeMZFitWlSURm8vBPPJurQ5JpG