FRUIT CULTURE
Matthew 25:14-30
The vine doesn’t try to bear grapes: it can’t help it. It drinks in dew and rain and air, eats up soil food, basks in sunlight, yields without a flinch to pruning knife, and to restraining cord, and to the acid spraying of the gardener. Then the grapes come; they must; they can’t help coming. If we’ll be as natural as the vine, and as sensible, we’ll bear grapes too. And the whole process is in that word “abide.”
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?
THE ETERNAL QUALITY OF LIFE
John 4:4-15
Are you a “weir” Christian, or a “spring” Christian? The woman said “this well” She was thinking of a hole and a bucket and a lot of work to get the water up. Jesus really said “spring,” that is, a living, bubbling fountain that couldn’t be held down or back. It’s better to be a “well” Christian than none at all. It’s best to let Jesus be the living spring within, ever bubbling up with the eternal quality of life.
A STRAIGHT ROAD
Philippians 2:5-16
When the Jesus spirit is allowed to control us, then the mind or disposition that was in him will be found in us. We are told what he was like. We are asked to be like him. There is just the one way to do it—yielding thoughtfully, intelligently, strongly, to the Spirit’s gracious control. Then the daily quiet corner with the Book, the inner ear trained to hear, the outer life held true—these lead to Christlikeness.
Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?
A PROGRAM-PRAYER
Nehemiah 1:1-11
Nehemiah’s great heart bled for his people. Above everything else he wanted them to turn to God. His prayer gives a good program. He realizes sorely the result of disobedience to God; and his heart mourns over it. Then he realizes gratefully the gracious promise of God to those returning to the pathway of obedience. Then he pleads God’s resistless power, as he presses on with the plan that has been shaping itself in his heart.
THE TOUCHSTONE OF POWER
Acts 16:6-15
There are calls for help on every hand. But as we keep quiet, with our heart absolutely willing to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, we shall know with certainty which “Come over and help” is the Master’s call, to be followed. He knows the needs. There is a “Lord of the harvest.” Except we fit into his plan, we really tangle and hinder, instead of helping. Not service but obedience is the touchstone of power.
