Remove The Suckers

Remove The Suckers
Right here right now I am reminded of God and His teaching. I read a devotional this morning and the writer was sharing a day she had where she blew up. Blew up because of life and the challenges that came with it.

Do I blow it? Yes. I blow it with my thoughts, my words, and actions that are not Christ like. I'm reminded of my daily walk, my internal and external fight to be more Christ like. Do I win eve. That's why we need God and His scriptures along with positive people to invest in our lives the way God intended. Two are better than one. Or where two or more are gathered, I am there also. Negative, angry and never happy people can not pour positive fruit (life) into you Money or material things can not pour positive fruit (life) into you. People who have hidden agendas, who are sneaky and inconsiderate can not be good fruit in your life. Though we go through many challenges, we must be mindful not only of others but of ourselves. We must as Gods children look back to Jesus. He came, He walked and He taught. He died and He rose for our sins so that we would not have too, on day 3, Can any human you know do that? Can any human you know heal the sick and raise the dead? Can any human you know feed thousands from 5 fish and a loaf of bread? No. We must not only remember the fruits of the spirits, we must act out those same fruits everyday and all day. We may have to say them to ourselves reminding ourselves and also asking ourselves, am I in the fruit? Galatians 5

You will not always win but if you set your mind to the goal of peace in your life, everyday you can remind yourself and speak life into yourself. You can choose to participate in areas that devalue you and produce no fruit or you can choose to stand on the toiled ground knowing that God is standing with you, hand in hand. Walk and stand in value of who you are and Who's you are. God's word does say, He will never leave your nor forsake you. Do you believe that? Do you trust Him to do what He says He will do. Give you life and not death? Then shake off the suckers, the parasites that drain you. Remove the suckers that you know mean you harm and not good. Remove anything and everything and in most cases anyone and everyone that does not produce fruit. That which is sucking the life right out of you. If you had a vineyard and for years you have been tending, pruning and preparing, putting your blood sweet and some tears in, but nothing is growing and the few grapes you do see are withered and worthless? You would chop it down. Chop it down and start over. That's our life. Its a vineyard and if nothing is growing start over. Remove the suckers from your soil and watch your vineyard grow. Stop, don't go booza, keep reading. This is what I learned about suckers. The suckers I am speaking of are parasites that latch on and attack the roots of vines and suck the nutrients from those roots preventing the grapes from growing resulting in, no fruit. Now that is a sucker for ya, take the life right out ya.

John 15:1-8 NLV reads like this –  I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me an my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. 

Did you have alight bulb moment? I hope it was more like a flood light moment. My encouragement for you today is this.  Examine yourselves. Psalms 39 Make sure all that you do do you do it unto the Lord. Be diligent and determined knowing that you will be rewarded in Heaven. Know that you are a gift from God and your steps are ordered. Know that each trial you face you are being pruned. With each blow up or blow out if you will, you are making way for growth but remember, be angry but sin not.  When you exhale and empty out all the muck you have internalized, you are growing.

I am in INTJ personality to the tenth power. I internalize and analyze almost everything. My thoughts have thoughts so I know what it is like to be fruit-less. The conversations that  I have with myself could result in me being captured and placed in one of the nice designer jackets with the buckles I can not reach. Thank you Lord.

Prune your vineyard which is your life.  Wash the leaves of your soul and give nutrition to the soil by removing that which is not producing good fruit.  Clean up your mind by renewing your mind with God's word. Eat the food that gives abundant life.

Heavenly Father, thank You for your patience towards me when I blow it. Your grace and kindness make me want to show that to others. Help me remember that I represent You in all I do and say. In Jesus Name, Amen.