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Hear this devotional read here: https://bit.ly/2Lls1A0
1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. 10 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. 11These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:1-15 RSV)
A blessed and joyous Monday for you, dear Friend! I pray all of the mothers from our group had a joyous Mother's Day! A belated Happy Monday's Day to you dear sisters! Your impact is beyond what can be measured on earth, so please continue to do what you do, in the loving and caring ways that you do that. We had a wonderful day with Nellie getting calls and/or drive-by visits from our girls, boys, and babies! We were a bit sad that our grandson, Liam, returned home to Houston yesterday and left us with a huge hole in our space! Even this evening (I'm writing this on Sunday night) Nellie said, "Right now our boy would be asking, 'Grandma, what are you making for supper?'" Overall, we are thankful he is with his Mom and with Jesse and with his dog, Charlie, who was very happy to have Liam home.
Do you make friends easily? Or, is it a bit of a challenge? My first friend was a boy close to my age that lived a couple of houses down from me in Kingsville. We migrated towards each other and became great friends for the time we lived in Kingsville. My moving away at 13 separated us and we lost touch with each other. What blessed my life was my going away for college. To be dropped off on a campus with total strangers made it easy to make friends. We identified with the purpose of our being on campus, and that united us as well. And being in deep East Texas, well, there were a handful of those who disliked me and others like me, just because; but we're talking about friends. I met on that campus as well as all the other campuses that I attended, some of God's finest people; people taught to love and accept, to work cooperatively, and to seek the good for all concerned. I could tell that of those who fit that description that they had traveled through the vineyard Jesus described in this passage. It's a journey that others will notice in us. Number one, we who are in Jesus, are in the "true vine." And the "vinedresser is God the Father." Those who journey abiding in Jesus bear fruit; that is to say, show that love is in their hearts and that they fit the description from above of love and acceptance, working for the common good, showing compassion and understanding for others. Jesus says we who fit that description are "clean by the word which (Jesus) has spoken to (us). We are invited to "abide", to fully live and breathe just like Jesus; for in Jesus we bear more fruit. And this is what glorifies God, our bearing fruit, much fruit, to grow the Kingdom of God. And this should bring us much joy. Jesus desires us to have "full joy" in Him. And the greatest joy comes in our loving one another, in the same way Jesus loves us. And if we do love Jesus and do what Jesus asks of us, we can bear the label of being friends with Jesus. And I can think of no better label I'd want to wear than be a friend of the Lord's.
The ancients said, "Tell me who your friends are, and I'll tell you who you are." It was in Antioch, the ancient city, where residents there realized that those who professed faith in Christ Jesus were in fact, little Christ's thus the name, Christians. That fueled that city's desire to be the capital in Christianity, even challenging Rome for that honor. It went on to become the first of the Greek Orthodox centers of the faith in the East. Rome became the Western center. But, to live as a little Christ says a lot about who we are, or at least attempt to be. As friends of Jesus now, we know what Jesus has taught us (and there's more to learn), and for us to be friends with the world is to help them know Who and what we know.
Please never let it be said of us that we are friends of the enemy, but rather co-workers of Jesus, seeking to let the whole world know about His love and purpose.
PRAYER: Loving Father, we seek to be truly dressed by You as the vine we seek to be, in Jesus; guide us and grow us into faithfulness and fruitfulness. May the friendship we enjoy with Jesus attract us to others. This we pray in His precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a friend of Jesus and those who are not yet His.
Receive my blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
