Recently, my wife asked me if I would trim our rose bushes.
I found the clippers in the garage. She stacked those cuttings in two neat piles in our backyard, and yes, it was a hot day.
We went back into the house to cool off, and in about an hour or so, I went back outside. Those very once alive green branches were now old dried-up looking things. In just a short time!
Those branches remind me of something in the Bible.
The New Testament mentions that Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches - and apart from Him we can do nothing.
John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
If we have never confessed our sins to God and asked Him to forgive us and called upon Jesus Christ to be our personal Lord and Savior, we are separated, cut off from God.
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ...
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In one place, the Bible says we are even enemies of God.
Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Philippians 3:18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Proverbs 8:36 ...but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.
John 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
The Bible tries to warn us or encourage us to accept and stay yielded to Jesus Christ. Many just want barely enough of God to make it to Heaven. A very dangerous position!
God loves us and wants us to be fully yielded to Him, to walk with Him daily, continually doing His will for us.
Luke 9:23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.). When we do that, we can bear much fruit, (see also John 15:1-11).
See you in Church next Sunday.