Growing on the Vine

  There are times when we feel overwhelmed and discouraged in life. There are times when our hope can wane, and we question if we will be able to hold on. It is precisely during these times when we cannot give up our hope and need to take up the shield of faith. Whether we are having to endure hardship, going through a trial, suffering unjustly, or are being attacked by the enemy, by choosing to draw near to God during these situations, we are actively taking up the shield of faith which will protect us and cause the battle to belong to the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:15). When we choose to draw near to God and trust Him, we place ourselves under His protection and will receive His help (Isaiah 46:4). So, we never have to fight our battles alone. Take a look at these promises from God’s Word to you: Psalm 144:2 (NIV) - He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold, and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. Psalm 119:114 – (NIV) You...

1 Peter 1:3-7 has a lot to say about the purpose of trials in just a few short verses. Often times it does not feel like trials and hardship have any purpose at all except to threaten us and cause grief. Yet, the Lord, has great purposes He wants to achieve during such times. Hardship, grief, and trials can come from many sources and we are no stranger to them. Yet, the Lord reminds us that our hope is not in vain. In vs. 3 we are told that He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus. When Peter says “living hope” it is an actively alive, energizing hope, that is to be a living dynamic principle in the life of the believer. It is a Godly hopefulness and optimism in our lives which is the fruit of being yielded to the Holy Spirit who lives and works powerfully in us. This power is made possible because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Ephesians 1:19-20 makes it clear that the same resurrection power, which raised Jesus from the de...

God’s Not Fair! Have you ever heard anyone say this? Well, in a very real sense they are right. Please let me explain before you get upset with me. Nowhere in scripture is God described as fair. I checked three concordances (NIV, NASB, & KJV) and I couldn't find the word “fair” used anywhere to describe God. Unfortunately, when people expect God to be fair, they are using a standard of this world to try to explain an aspect of God’s character, and it just doesn’t fit who He is. God is Holy and, as such, He is gracious and compassionate. Being gracious and compassionate is a whole lot better than being fair. If God were fair, He would give us what we deserve and none of us would really like that. However, take a look at what He is really like. Psalm 103:8 says: “the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love”. Verse 10 states: “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities”. Lastly, verse 13 says: “As a fa...