Be Fruitful by Ann Elaine Broughton

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NIV).

    Jesus liked to use common day examples to teach others about faith. This whole chapter revolves around how Jesus is the vine and God the gardener. He uses this picture of God as a gardener so that we can see what God does in our own lives. Sometimes there are bad habits in our lives that God wants to prune away, so that we can be more fruitful. The bad part of a vine must be pruned back so it will bear good fruit.

     I have a brown thumb, so when I want anything pruned I go to the expert, a friend of mine who works in a flower shop. I know that if I start cutting a rose bush, it will never bloom again. But if the expert cuts just at the right spot, a new branch will come out and bear beautiful roses. I count on this friend to know where to prune because he knows how to do it right.

    God is our pruner. “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that bears fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:2 NIV). He is the one who created us and knows our inner most thoughts and desires. He knows where we need to be pruned and what bad weakness needs to be dealt with. It is up to us to surrender that to Him so that we can be fruitful workers for His kingdom.

    Something wonderful happens for those who remain in Christ (the vine). “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you” (John 15: 7 NIV). God answers prayers of those who remain in Him and bear fruit.  Also joy will fill your soul. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11 NIV).

    As Christians it is so important to be attached to the vine (Jesus). If you are not, then you risk having a withered spiritual life. Then your fruit will not be noticed by God or anybody else. Stay attached to the vine through prayer and reading God’s word.

Dear Lord,

We know that we must be attached to you in order to bear fruit. Please prune out of our lives anything that hinders our walk with you. Help us to remain in you so that others will see the joy in us that only you can give.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

It Is Time For Your Spiritual Check Up by Ann Elaine Broughton

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22 NIV).

    Does your spiritual life need a fine tuning? I believe it is easy to get so busy with life that praying and reading the Bible gets lost in the shuffle of work and household duties. Don’t let it because you will find yourself getting farther and farther away from true source of peace. After awhile you will find yourself having less patience, being angry at little things, and just feel like something is wrong in your life.

    It is kind of like what happens if you don’t get your car checked up on schedule. You will notice lights flashing on your dashboard. There might be a funny sound when you push on the brakes. Your steering wheel might start jiggling in your hands. These are all serious signs that you need to get your car in for a check up. If you don’t get your car checked up by an expert, it could end up stalled by the road with serious damage.

    There will be signs in your life that will warn you that you need to go to God for a spiritual check up. God has a way of getting your attention. There are times I wish He could flash some lights and say “Warning, Warning you are in dangerous waters.” If this happened it would be a lot easier to get back on course. But instead we must realize that we are adults and must do what the Bible says because it is our manual for how to live the Christian life. It is so very important for us to read it every day. When you stop praying and reading the Bible it makes you very vulnerable to the world’s influence. Praying keeps us in connection with our Father who loves us and wants us to try to do our best to live a life that pleases Him. So I would urge you this week to pray and read your Bible every day and heed especially what Jesus said in the Gospels. His instructions will change your life, but only if you do what He said to do. Don’t let your spiritual life get stalled by life’s busy schedules. Read the manual God gave you. Go to Jesus for a check up today.

Dear Lord,

It is so easy to get so caught up with busy schedules that we forget to spend time with you in prayer and Bible study. Help us to take time every day to pray, listen, and read your word.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself by Ann Elaine Broughton

“And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10: 27 NIV).

    Jesus told a lawyer this when he asked Jesus how he could inherit eternal life. I believe out of all of the above loving your neighbor as yourself is the most difficult. Let’s face it. Our neighbors aren’t always polite, kind, and loving. So how do your respond to your neighbors who are not so friendly? Do you love those who treat you badly? Jesus was pretty adamant about the fact that we are to love our enemies and to bless those who curse us. (Luke 6:27-29) Kind of hard isn’t it? Jesus' answer is pretty cut and dry and should be followed. You are to love your neighbor as yourself no matter what. But you see if you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength and mind then you will want to please Him by showing others His love.

    After Jesus tells the lawyer to love his neighbor, he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus proceeded to tell the man about the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan was the only man to show mercy to a man who was beaten and robbed. Jesus told the lawyer to go and do likewise. Mercy is exactly what Jesus does for us when He forgives us of our sins. Just as He forgives us we are ordered by Him to forgive others and show mercy. It is all about the fact that Jesus died for your neighbor just as He did for you. So it is so very important for you to love everyone just as Jesus said, even those who aren’t easy to love.

They need to know that Jesus is all about mercy and love and the only way they can see it is through your acts of kindnesses. I know that this is very difficult, especially when your neighbor is nasty and cruel, but this is an order from the Lord and something that can not be dismissed by ignoring the situation. Pray and ask God for wisdom and strength to show love to those who do you wrong. You will be blessed by it.

Dear Lord,

We know that you want us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Sometimes that is difficult, but we know that through your strength we can accomplish anything. Help us to show mercy and love to those who are blind to your love.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

He Is Risen, Just As He Said by Ann Elaine Broughton

“The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” (Matthew 28:5 NIV).

    Every year Easter is celebrated by Christians because it commemorates the day Jesus rose from the grave. For Christians, this event means that there is life after death. Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1-2 NIV).

    Jesus appeared to Mary near the tomb after he was risen. Then He appeared to the apostles, and to more than five hundred people. (1 Corinthians 15:5) The officials wanted everyone to believe that someone stole the body and spread that rumor. (Matthew 28:13 NIV)

Now consider the fact that Jesus appeared to five hundred people. Do you think all those people could make up such a thing? I do not.

    Also, consider the fact that all of the apostles were martyred. Would someone honestly die for a lie? I don’t think so. They knew what they saw was real. They knew that Jesus had risen from the dead. They touched his hands where the nails had pierced and his side. They were willing to die for the cause of Christ because they were eyewitnesses.

    Afterward when the apostles received the Holy Spirit and performed miracles, there was further proof of something extraordinary that had happened. Jesus promised the disciples that a counselor would be given to them. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17 NIV). This is the hope we have from the risen Lord; eternal life and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

    If you are a Christian, you are a disciple of Christ. You have a responsibility to tell others about Jesus’ death for their sins and about His resurrection so that they will have eternal life. You are to be His voice and caring hands. So I would urge you to do just that.

Dear Lord,

Help us not to be afraid to tell others about your redeeming love, and how you died so that their sins could be forgiven. Let us share the good news that they can have eternal life also.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

Jesus Will Comfort You by Ann Elaine Broughton

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27: 45 NIV).

    Have you ever felt forsaken? On the night Jesus died he was forsaken by everyone. Even his Father in Heaven had to turn away from him because he had taken onto himself all of our sins. God cannot abide sin. Jesus was all alone at that point.

    Before this event of him dying on the cross, all of his disciples totally abandoned him. They ran away and He was left all by himself. Can you imagine how He felt? These were the men who had told Him that they would never leave Him. Then when the mob came to arrest Him, they all fled. He was definitely forsaken by everybody. Think about it.

Just the week before, he had ridden into Jerusalem with everyone yelling, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9 NIV). Then the next week those same people were yelling, “Crucify Him!” Talk about feeling forsaken and rejected.

    So have you ever felt forsaken and rejected? It is not a pleasant feeling and can send you into a deep depression if you don’t have faith in God. You see people are imperfect and can do things to you that make you feel rejected. Also, loved ones die and that can make you feel abandoned. But there is one who knows and understands what you are going through and will help you. That person is Jesus.

    It is so important to pray to Him when you have feelings of rejection and abandonment. He knows what it feels like, and He alone will never forsake you or abandon you. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NIV). He will bring you peace. I have cried out to him in very deep grief and have felt that peace that passes understanding fill my soul. It is available to you too. He is only a prayer away.

Dear Lord,

I know that you understand totally when I am feeling rejected and alone. Please fill me with your peace and help me know that you will always be there for me. Then help me to tell others about the love and peace only you can give.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen