Before you prune your plants, you should learn when the best time to prune each particular one is, and what the best method is for each. What makes one beautiful and abundantly fruitful might kill another one. Improper pruning can open a plant up to disease or insect attack, so you want to learn a little before you do it, especially if you are hoping for a harvest to sell!
In John 15:1-8, Jesus tells us that He is the true vine and His Father is the Farmer. We are the branches. Let’s read it from the Message Bible.

“I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.”

We must abide in Him, just as a branch must remain connected to the root of a plant, to survive and be productive. Father is the Master Vinedresser. He knows and cares for each of His precious plants intimately. He knows the best time to prune and the best way to prune so that you and I will grow to be healthy, strong, beautiful, and fruitful. He desires that we produce much fruit. And what is that fruit? Well, let’s look at the next few verses:

“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love. I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father. You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you. But remember the root command: Love one another.”

The fruit He’s looking for is love. Galatians 5:22 lists the fruit of the Spirit and the first one is love. Love is the foundation. Love is the currency of the Kingdom. God is love. We love because He first loved us. And as we grow our love should also grow. It should become deeper and stronger, so that it becomes who we are and we show the world His love in our words, actions, and responses.

So what does He want to prune out of me? Maybe some dead tradition that makes His Word void in my life? Maybe some insecurity that warps and twists how I interact with others and how they see me? What about some idol that is taking up time and money and destroying my health, family, etc.? Is it an addiction, an attitude, an offense that you won’t let go? The list could go on.

Father loves me so much, He’s pruned me before. I’m sure it won’t be the last time! Sometimes, it’s such a small thing that I barely notice it. Sometimes it’s large, and it’s painful for a time. But He IS the Master Vinedresser, and He does know what I need. He is always faithful in pruning me just right to bear fruit, even though I don’t see how it will work!

Maybe your life is like my yard right now – a tangled mess that needs a loving hand. I’d be honored if you’d pray with me…

Father, here I am. You see things that I don’t see. Please trim and prune anything in my life that is out of order. Remove anything in me that’s dead so that I can grow and bloom like You intend me to. Cause me to bear good fruit for Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

If you don’t know Jesus in a personal way, we can fix that right now, too. You see, we ALL have sinned and, because God is holy and just, sin must be punished. Sin also severed man’s relationship with God. But God loves us so much that He made the way for us to have relationship with Him. Jesus came as the sinless Son of God. He bore our sins on the cross of Calvary. He took our punishment, yours and mine, so we don’t have to. He was betrayed, beaten, died, and was buried. After three days, He rose again from the dead. He is now alive and well in Heaven, and longing to have relationship with you. If you’d like to know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, pray this simple prayer with me….

Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Make Yourself real to me. Please forgive me of my sins. Thank You that You took all my sins on the cross. Wash me clean with Your blood and set me free from everything that is not of You. Thank You that You died for me. I believe that You are risen from the dead and You are coming back again. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and show me how to fulfill Your good plan for my life. Thank You, Lord, I’m saved; I’m born again; and I’m going to Heaven! In Jesus’ Name! Amen!

Long before we were ever thought of God the Father knew that our lives would be empty, hollow, without substance and miserable. So He devised a plan that would take core of all our misery, emptiness, hollowness, unforgiveness, evil thinking or anything else that goes on in this world today.

That plan was for the birth of a baby that no man could take credit for the virgin birth of Jesus Christ our savior.

The True Meaning of Christmas

The historic record of the birth of Christ can be found in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20.
Unlike any other baby, the one born that night in Bethlehem was unique in all of history. He was not created by a human father and mother. He had a heavenly pre-existence (John 1:1-3, 14). He is God, the Son—Creator of the universe (Philippians 2:5-11). This is why Christmas is called the incarnation, a word which means “in the flesh.” In the birth of Jesus, the eternal, all-powerful and all-knowing Creator came to earth in the flesh.

Why would God do such a thing? Why would he come as a baby, instead of appearing in power and majesty? Why make himself a true man and live among us, when he knew full well how terribly he would be treated?

It was LOVE! It was necessary, if you are to be saved!

Luke 1:26-38
“26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!’ 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 ‘Don’t be frightened, Mary,’ the angel told her, “for God has decided to bless you! 31 You will become pregnant and have a son, and you are to name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!’ 34 Mary asked the angel, ‘But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.’ 35 The angel replied, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby born to you will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she’s already in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.’ 38 Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants. May everything you have said come true.’ And then the angel left.”

Luke 2:8-20
“8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!’ 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others — the armies of heaven — praising God: 14 ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.’ 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.”

Matt 2:7-12
“7 Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star. 8 Then he told them, ‘Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!’ 9 After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. “

Scripture is the only way I can tell you the true meaning of Christmas. I pray you all are Blessed above everything you have ever thought of.

WHO GOD IS! This is a good way to learn Who God Is, read and listen.

Slowly begin reading the pairs of Who God is and Who I Am. This is very different from speed reading. It is not scanning the headlines of publications destined for the recycle bin in less than 24 hours. Unfortunately, we are well-schooled in disposable reading. Let your full attention rest on each word, but don’t settle for words. This is reverential reading and listening for God to speak. Be aware of any particular words or phrase that grabs your attention in a special way. This is the name, word, or phrase that jumps off the page and grabs you, saying “This is for you today.” Open your favorite Bible and read the entire Scripture that contains the word or phrase that stood out to you. This helps you underscore that it is a message from God’s unfailing Word that does not return to him void.

Write the verse or passage in full from your favorite translation. There is power in taking the time to write it personally in your own handwriting. Cutting and pasting form your favorite Bible program is too impersonal. The verse or verses may visually evoke and idea or an image. It may connect with a sound or phrase, particularly a musical sound, or a smell, or a touch. Repeat the word or phrase, savoring it. Allow it to penetrate your inner world. So here goes.
He is above all.
Psalm 135:5, The lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods.
John 3:31, The one who comes from above is above all.

I am a citizen of heaven.
Philippians 3:20,  Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there….

Jesus is abundant life.
John 10:10, I have come that they have life, and …more abundantly.

I have abundant life,
John 10:10, I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Jesus is all and in all.
Colossians 3:11 Christ is all, and is in all.

I share in the divine nature of Jesus.
2 Peter 1:4 By that same mighty power, he has given us all of his rich and wonderful promises.

He has promised that you will…share in his divine nature.

He is Ancient of Days.
Daniel 7:9 Thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

I am not my own.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. You are your own….
Jeremiah 10:23 A man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.

He is the balm of Gilead
Jeremiah 8:22 is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?

Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?

I am strengthened with power in my inner being.
Ephesians 3:16…out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being…

He is the bright morning star.
Revelation 22:16 I am…the bright Morning Star,

I am rescued from the dominion of darkness.
Colossians 1:13 He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…

Try this out and see what happens to you Spirit man.
Blessings, Pastor Sonny

As we all know the season for education is upon us. Education is the second most important part of our life. The first of course is excepting Jesus into our hearts and making Him our Most High Teacher.

My daughter-in-law is a Jr. High teacher and she says that in order to be effective in the classroom the students have to have discipline. Discipline is a process that is taught starting at a very young age and goes on through our life.

Merriam/Webster dictionary says; Discipline is 1-Punishment, 2-a field of study, and 3- training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character.

Discipline is hard, work. I have been told you have to do something for 21 days before it takes hold in your mind.  My grade-school teacher told us to write out our spelling list ten times over. That wasn’t cruel; she knew that combining different approaches to sensory input would imprint the words in our brains.

People learn in different ways. I have known some people to learn from rapping, not like some of the music people do, but from reading  Bible verses aloud two or three times, then trying to recite it without looking at the page.

Listening to audio tapes is a good way to learn. Today with books on tape and tape of the Bible you can have information going into the mind 24/7 if needed.

A few years ago when I was going through some difficult times, I write a scripture verse on a sticky note and tape it to my bathroom mirror, the refrigerator, the rear view mirror in my truck, or wherever I would be for most of the day. You can also get the verse cards from the Christian bookstore.

A person needs to set goals for learning what they need in their lives, whether it is school lessons or the Bible. Getting with family, friends or a study group and talk it over often leads to discussion and practical applications. Accountability can be fun!

Regardless of which method-or combination of methods-works for you, persevere. Periodically review what you have studied to keep things fresh in your mind.

Remember we’re not memorizing Scripture to look smart. God’s Word should affect our lives every day. As Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed” (John 8:31)

As I look around, I see that we have so many great dads in our church! Dads who are faithful to their families. Dads who work hard to provide for their families. Dads who stand in the gap for their families, their church, and their friends. Dads who help each other grow stronger in the Lord.  And I wondered why? Why are we so blessed? It’s because our dads seek the Lord and hear His voice.

As a man grows in his relationship with the Lord, he is gradually molded more and more into the image of Christ, who is the image of the Father. Joseph, the dad to Jesus, must have been an awesome man of God. Father God entrusted His only begotten son into Joseph’s care. Was it because Joseph was exceedingly wealthy in money? Probably not. Did he never lose his temper? Was he never impatient or frustrated? Probably not. He was, however, a man who honored God in all he did. Can you imagine being in his position? Your fiancé is with child, but you KNOW it isn’t yours? Surely he felt anger and betrayal. Surely he felt the desire for revenge. Yet, he chose to deal with mercy towards Mary, even though he had the legal right to have her put to death. He prayed for direction and when he heard from the Lord, he was obedient, and still married her. Can you imagine what his family and friends were telling him? Surely they didn’t want him to be merciful. Certainly they were offended and outraged when he went on and married her. And aren’t we glad he did!?!

So dads, I encourage you today. You have something precious and of great treasure to give to the next generation. They are so hungry for what you have. Affirm them. Lead them by your example. Jesus had a great example of listening for God’s voice.  Show them that men seek the Lord, and find Him, and hear Him.

I’ll begin with Eve, the very first woman, the mother of the world. We know Adam was given supervision over the creation, but God declared that for him to live his life alone was not good. From the man’s rib God created a woman and presented her as a wife to Adam, climaxing His creative work. Eve was not an afterthought or happenstance but an indispensable part of God’s plan. Both Adam and Eve were made “in the image of God.” They stood as His representatives in the world to care for all He put under their dominion.

Purity and innocence were shattered, however, when the serpent entered the scene. Eve chose to believe Satan’s lie. She was free to put her will above God’s will, and she did. When she offered the fruit to her husband, he, too, disobeyed. In the New Testament, Paul clarified their actions, saying that Eve was deceived, whereas,  Adam ate with full knowledge of wrongdoing. (2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14).  Not only had they broken their relationship with God, but they also had broken their relationship with one another and with all the generations to come.

Eve stands as an archetype of womanhood. Although created in God’s image, she exercised her will to disobey the Creator, daring to challenge His authority. Disobedience was not in itself a motive but presupposed the motive. Her temptation was not merely to disobey but ultimately to have her own way or to get possession of what she wanted. As her daughter, every woman bears her likeness. Eve voices an early warning to every woman to follow the path of obedience and a resounding note of hope for women when they fail; she encountered God’s justice, but she also experienced His grace.
Mary, on the other hand, being the mother of Jesus Christ, knew the awesome concept of being obedient. Mary’s spirit of total trust earned God’s pleasure.

Intertwined with spiritual insight, Mary had anxieties. At the age of twelve Jesus failed to join the family as they returned from Jerusalem. She was concerned for him during His ministry and horrified at His Crucifixion.

Mary and Joseph were also the parents of other children. Mary probably experienced early widowhood. When Mary appeared in public, standing at the Cross and praying after the Lord’s ascension, she demonstrated her courage to the world. She was marked as “one of His,” liable for persecution along with the disciples.
The unknown maiden from the despised Galilean town of Nazareth illuminates for all time the basic nature of womanhood, entrusting to the next generation the message of God’s faithfulness, whether through the rearing of one’s own child or through the task of spiritual nurturing that might extend beyond the family circle. Not only was Mary God’s sovereign choice to bear the Christ Child, but she was also a devoted and humble follower of her Messiah.

So all you Mothers that read this we say “Happy Mother’s Day”.