Month: November 2022

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. John 15:1

In the Old Testament Israel is referred to as the vine taken by God and planted in a place of hope, The Promised Land.

In this poignant passage, Jesus is addressing only His disciples. Dinner is done, Judas has left to follow his evil heart and it is just hours before the world’s most shameful miscarriage of justice. The Gospel will be carried to the ends of the earth by these eleven men hearing this story. They must understand so they will not give up.

Basic vineyard maintenance was common knowledge and the above connection was not lost on the disciples. There is a Gardener, there is a vine, there is a branch, so there should be fruit. Jesus chose this analogy to illustrate our connection to Him, His connection to God and our universal connection to God’s plan. While being the Son of God, He is still the mortal Son of Man. He has free will, but He gives that will in love, back to His Father, and rests in His plan. He remains in His Father so that we have the hope of remaining in Him.

God is the source of everything. He is good and trust worthy. Everything He does is for our benefit, to draw us to His throne. Jesus’ greatest act of trust was submitting to God’s will. When we do as Jesus did, we will get the exact same results. Perfect everything.

Love,

Gretchen

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all you might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom Ecclesiastes 9:10

We live in a society obsessed with personal quality of life. We live in the moment, for the moment! Me first! Outside of scripture, everything we see and hear teaches and encourages this: Take care of yourself so you can take care of others. I see the logic of this but I also recognize how outrageous it becomes in the hands of the theologically negligent.

It is our legacy that matters, now and later. Someone is watching, someone is following, someone is emulating you. You are leaving a mark. What does it look and sound like? Is it integrity and a work ethic that is honorable and will bring great rewards in due time? Is it a life’s pattern of putting God first beginning with time allocated for explicit worship?

Make your life count for something beside yourself because death is inevitable no matter who you are. And when you’re gone you can’t change what’s done.

Have a great Weekend Eve,

Gretchen

But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” 2 Samuel 24:24

David took a census of all the able bodied men, prospective soldiers, in Judah and Israel. This act was in disobedience to God. God doesn’t rely on earthly might and His people don’t need to either. David got his numbers and in return experienced great regret, God’s anger and a consequence that affected the well-being of his people. David acknowledged his sin and confessed. God, through the prophet Gad, demanded a sacrifice. David was obedient, followed God’s instructions precisely and went to carry out his expensive penance. However, a man named Araunah respectfully offered his king, David, a threshing floor and animals needed for sacrifice. David had no desire to short cut through God’s command. He was honorable and obedient and God’s favor returned. The place of this altar became the location of Jerusalem’s temple.

Just as David was prone to do, we often demand our own way. In doing so we replace God’s all-knowing, all loving control of our lives, including outcomes, with our ill informed, powerless efforts. We mess things up in a hurry. The good news is, God is there. He can fix anything we’ve done wrong and unlike David, our sacrifice has already been paid by Jesus.

Let God be God.

Love,

Gretchen

But Very truly I tell you it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. John 16:7

These are words spoken by Jesus. Verse 1 says, “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.”

Jesus is mere hours from His earthly destiny, the cross. He knows in full what will transpire and He knows full well that His beloved disciples, His friends and fellow servants have no idea. They have no point of reference for a Lamb that will die so that all may live. They are devout Jewish men, taught to look for a conquering Lion that will rule the earth alongside God’s chosen people. Jesus did not want them to give up when He was gone. We know the rest of the story, they did not.

It is so hard to turn loose of tangible things that comfort us. The disciples not only failed to understand why Jesus had to leave, they weren’t especially enthusiastic about trying. I don’t blame them. Nevertheless, Jesus did not grow angry or impatient with their questions, concerns and doubts. He spoke over and over of God’s plan for them, and for you.

During His ministry Jesus never quit teaching that God’s way, while not our way, is perfect……. perfect timing, perfect love, perfect wisdom, perfect victory, and the all powerful Advocate would continue the work done by the Lamb of God.

Love,
Gretchen

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7

This statement is the conclusion to the account of a dispute over disbursement of resources by the early church to widows and orphans. The Christian community was growing but that didn’t mean the Gospel was progressing. Conflict has snuffed out many good intentions. But the prayer and preaching of the disciples had an effect on the way Christian people acted toward each other and those in need. There grew a movement in the early church, a common spirit of love, encouragement and putting other’s needs first.

How did the word of God spread? Through love in action! Church didn’t end when the preaching quieted. Church began when God’s people were moved to improve the world they could touch, smell, hear and see with manpower rather than lip service.

Happy Tuesday!

Gretchen

‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4

Oh! There is so much hope in these few words!!! God Himself will wipe a life time of tears from your eyes. Did you hear me? God’s hand will gently touch your face and all the sorrow you’ve ever known will be gone forever! Of course there will be no more mourning, crying or pain because death, the thing that hurts the most, is no longer relevant!

It’s so hard to imagine an existence totally lacking in emotional warfare, constant action and reaction, tipping the balance and righting it again. It’s no wonder we are all mentally drained, but God will put away the old order of a sin torn  and confused world. His new order will be an existence of peace, order and love. Satan and his minions won’t be allowed there.

This promise of hope eternal is indeed beautiful and heart stirring, but how do you get through today? This promise of hope does not have to wait for Jesus’ second coming or your earthly death, it can begin this moment. Give whatever is robbing you of tranquility to God. You have absolutely no control over anything but yourself and that control is extremely limited. The struggle is in vain, so turn it loose and let God take care of it.

Have a Wonderful Monday!

Gretchen

That which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life. 1 John 1:1

Please finish the rest of this beautiful passage of scripture through verse 4.

An apostle (he knew Jesus personally) John was one of the first twelve disciples. He lived and served closely beside Jesus throughout His ministry.

John was probably the last living apostle. Near the end of his life he began to see the Christian church pressured to accept other philosophies and ideas conflicting with the pure Gospel of Christ. He passionately writes what he knows to be divine truth, what he witnessed in the flesh and lived his life to proclaim.

Jesus is both a person and a message. He is the Son of God and the Word of God. He came in human form to bring God’s voice to a world grown deaf while modeling the life of absolute servanthood and love. Jesus left the glory of Heaven to suffer the pain, both physical and emotional, of humanity just so you could have victory over sin and death! In Christ alone you find life.

Love,

Gretchen

He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. I Peter 1:20

Peter was one of the twelve disciples that walked and talked with Jesus during His three years of ministry. He knew Jesus as intimately as any friend could, hearing the Gospel first hand, as Jesus spoke it.

Jesus was, is and always will be. He does not exist in linear time as we know it. We think of eternity as only the future, but it is the past as well. Before the world was created, before mankind came to be, God had a plan of redemption, salvation and restoration for each of us. Humanity has never been left destitute.

Have a great day,

Gretchen

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. I Timothy 1:5

Love, a pure heart, good conscience, sincere faith. These are the things that bring personal Holiness; a complete lack of personal agenda and total submission to God’s will.

Love what God loves, seek the goodness of His Kingdom, sleep well in the peace of doing good and know that God has your life in His Hands.

Timothy has been sent to teach the Truth in the face of false teaching. Their message was tainted with hidden agenda, but the world cannot argue with God’s perfect, selfless love.

When in doubt, and there will be times you will be, just love. Let God carry the burden of theology……who’s right, who’s wrong….. you just love. It will reveal who’s side you are on while cultivating a faith of perfect peace.

Happy Thursday,

Gretchen

You have searched me LORD, and you know me. Psalm 139:1

Here is a list of the top 10 things you will never hear God say:

1.) “Wow, I didn’t see that coming!”
2.) “Oh goodness! What are we going to do now?”
3.) “That’s a first!”
4.) “Oops!”
5.) “Wait, let me start all over.”
6.) “If only I’d listened to you.”
7.) “I give up satan, you can have this one.”
8.) “You can take if from here.”
9.) “You again?!”
10.) “Figure it out yourself.”

The greatest assurance to be found is knowing there isn’t any part of you that God, your Creator, doesn’t know. He knows your secret anxieties and insecurities. He knows your hopes and aspirations. God knows you like no other, and He has found you worthy of redemption at a very great price.

Because God already knows what holds you together, what gets you up in the morning, trust Him and allow Him to perfect your will, your heart, into the most wonderful version of ‘You’ that can ever possibly be.

Love,

Gretchen