Harvest

Labor Day is gone and so is summer. Air conditioners have been turned off as windows are opened to let in the crisp, fresh autumn air. In North America the fall season officially begins. Boxes of holiday decorations will be brought down from storage in anticipation of the festivities that are right around the corner. Thoughts of pumpkin pie, rhubarb tarts and young children trick or treating are beginning to materialize in our minds as school buses once again begin hauling our kids back to school. Hard working mothers rejoice, thanking God for answered prayers of peace and quiet as a long deserved vacation begins.

Fall happens to be my favorite season of the year. I love to sit in my front yard at twilight when cool evening breezes begin to make their appearance. These old friends gently blow my hair back, bring fallen leaves back to life, while pushing them across the canvass that is stretched out directly in front of my swinging lounge chair.  I’m always thrilled to watch as orange light begins to dance upon the rock faces of the mountains. Soon, even the clouds join in the choreography as their soft textures are illuminated in hues of orange, pink, red finally settling down into shades of purple. A myriad of song birds begin to praise the Creator as the star of the show, our sun, disappears behind the night’s curtain unwilling to return for a final encore.

It’s important to take the time to relax and just sit and soak it all in. Our lives can be so busy, full of many trips up and down the hill that many times we arrive back at home dragging ourselves through the door, spent like a worn out shoe. If we are not careful to enjoy every minute connected to God, family and friends, we will suddenly find life has become only a meaningless schedule full of unimportant events. Then one day we wake up and realize we are ten years older, weak and exhausted. As the dust settles and another sunset disappears we discover our lives evaporating like a vapor. Abiding in Jesus Christ, staying connected to God and remaining as a supple branch connected to the vine is the only way to draw up all the spiritual nutrients we need to flourish and produce lasting fruit in our lives and the life of others.

Take a moment to sit down, unwind, grab a warm cup of coffee or tea and listen to Jesus tell a story about staying connected to the “True Vine”.

 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:1-8.

While many use this text to engage in endless, useless debates about the issue of eternal security, I prefer to just simply stay connected to the vine abiding in Christ. If we willingly choose to yield our lives to the Vinedresser, then He is more than able and willing to prune the dead wood off of our branches. As we surrender to the leadership of God’s Spirit, then He is able to guide us into all righteousness. God is the source of all life. Jesus Christ is the True Vine and source of all the spiritual fruit that we bear for the Kingdom of God.

   

There is a great battle that rages inside every person who is a believer in Jesus Christ. We must recognize the works of the flesh; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and allow God to remove them from our lives. Taking every thought captive we allow God to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.