The Lone Apple

I don't know about where you live, but we had a warm spell in January or February with temperatures in the 50's for about a week. Trees started to bud actually. Then it froze, hard. As a result, we lost one tree in our front yard and our apple tree in the back yard is on its last legs.

Still, despite all the dropping leaves (it's still summer) our apple tree has managed to produce one single apple. Normally, we get at least a dozen or so. My wife likes to make apple crisp and applesauce with the fruit. Not with just one lone apple.😭

Think about that kittle apple for a moment though. One lone apple from a dying tree. This is an example for all of us.

When we reach the end of our lives, will we still be producing fruit? Or will we simply dry up and die? Hard to say at this point. But consider what cost these trees their very lives.

They were just going along, living life, just like they always have done. Until they were tempted into "waking up" by a premature spring. The buds, their "new life," were vulnerable and tender. When faced with a trial, the colder temperatures, they began to fade.

Are you going through a tough time right now? Don't let the change in your emotional seasons effect your faith in God. He's the only thing that can truly save you.

Our one tree has given up and has died. But our little apple tree is still producing fruit, even though it has struggled to do so. It will be interesting to see how many apples God blesses it with at this time next year.

To finish up, my wife brought this 'lone apple' into our house last week. Soon it will be joined by other apples from a different orchard and it's joy with be complete.

What fruit will you bear today?

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." - Matthew 7 - 16-20

The Duration

Here's something they don't tell you when you volunteer to be a youth leader at church. It's for life. At least it's turned out that way for me.

For example: I walked into Subway the other day and there was a youth group "kid" I knew behind the counter - from 10 years ago, when the kid was in youth group! Our smiles were immediate.

Another kid from youth group gives me tomatoes when we talk. Another one sends me songs to listen to. "Youth Leader" IS a lifetime job!

Of course, one could ignore all of their Facebook posts and messages and simply unfriend them all, but that's not what God wants us to do.

Once you read the Bible, God's plan, and His will for our lives, is to love one another. It's really that simple.

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God." - 1 John 4:7 

"And He (Jesus) said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22:37-39

We get the picture. The question then really becomes this: Is love a finite thing? Can we love someone, and then just STOP loving them at some point? No! And, should we actually ever stop loving someone, was our "love" really even love in the first place?

Love is eternal. At least it should be.

My point is this: This world is run by Satan, not God. God is still all-powerful and intervenes whenever He so chooses. But "God is love" as it says in 1st John, and we are "children of God." We are commanded to love! You read the verses. We should be exuding love wherever we go!

When we sign up to be a youth leader it should be because of our love for kids, especially for the lost. That love should never die. It might fade for a bit or become stagnant but it should always there.

That's when we must fan the glowing embers of love into flames of love for God's glory. Quite honestly, to do anything less is a sin.

Who will we exhibit unconditional agape love for today?

The Parable of The Fruit Tree

There is an old saying in the church that "80% of the work is done my 20% of the people." Is that true in YOUR church?

I have found that saying to be true in most of the churches I have ever been a part of - except for my current church. There, 80% of the work is done by 80% of the people.

Our pastor joked recently about having a Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. He said that if we did that we'd need to take out a loan for all of the food we'd need to buy.

Back in the Book of Acts we find our model for what the church should be. They had a 100% -100% church. All of the work was done by all of the people.

"Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need." - Acts 4:32-35

The first sentence holds the key, I believe, to a healthy church. "Those who believed were of one heart and soul."

We cannot see inside a person's heart or soul but we CAN see the fruit that people bear. Jesus spoke of this to His disciples.

"Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit." - Matthew 7:17

Churches of today are made up of all kinds of people, fruit trees, often with differing beliefs and depths of commitment. Far from the 100% church we read about in Acts.

Question: If your church is a 20%-80% church, and if you don't mind my asking, what are you still doing there?

A church should be like a family . . . because it is! All it's members should be children of God, right? And if all are children, then all are brothers and sisters. Those who are not family are like the kid next door, who came for a visit and a snack, before returning home where they have no food.

If God has blessed you with a wonderful church family, rejoice! If not, begin searching for the bountiful fruit trees around you and get grafted in today!

That Guy's Dead

In one of the most misused passages of scripture, ever, Jesus told His disciples how to judge someone (inside the church), "You will know them by their fruit." - Matthew 7:16

The picture featured here is from the movie It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. In this scene the man lying down dies and literally kicks a bucket down the hill (That's what everyone is looking at).

When the bucket finally comes to rest, Jonathan Winters (the guy at the upper left) utters these more than obvious words.

"That guy's dead."

Let's get back to Jesus now, and about our judging others. The Apostle Paul tells us we are NOT to judge those outside of the church. They're dead. Spiritually speaking. 

"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?" - 1 Corinthians 5:12

But we ARE to judge those INSIDE the church.

If we see someone in the church who is not bearing the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) we have no course but to question their actions.

Jesus tells us in back in Matthew 7 the means by which we are to confront that person. Paul then tells us in 1 Corinthians 5 that if they refuse to repent of their actions that person is to be kicked out of the church. Their own actions have condemned them.

As Jonathan Winters said, "That guy's dead."

But Jesus also reminds us that BEFORE we judge someone like that, we are to examine ourselves and make sure that WE are not just as guilty.

Professing faith is good, so long as it accompanied by deeds (by fruit). Remember, it is not good deeds that saves us, it is by God's grace that we are saved.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9

Should we not act like we have been saved, if indeed we have been? As Christians we are literally followers of Christ. Shouldn't we act like Him then?

Jesus confronted sinners, in love. At the same time Jesus was also quite harsh in His judgement of the religious leaders of His day. They professed a belief in God, but they were actually dead inside.

It's one thing to condemn others saying, "That guy's dead." But it is another thing entirely to come alongside that person and guide them back onto the path that they have strayed from.

"Love one another, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU." - John 13:34

Figgy Pudding?

Here's a Christmas question for you. Just what is figgy pudding and why on earth would we all want to eat some this Christmas? It sounds disgusting!

Apparently this is a picture of figgy pudding. I have no idea what it should look like or what it even tastes like. I just remember Peter, Paul and Mary singing about it and that they all wanted some.

Apparently Jesus wants some too. That was my take-away from the sermon I heard at church on Sunday. Our pastor was talking about being a watchman and how we will see signs of Jesus return for His church. He mentioned Jesus cursing the fig tree because it wasn't producing any fruit.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near." - Mark 13:28

Jesus was talking with His disciples about the end of the age and what the signs of His coming would be. There is nothing we Christians want more than His coming return to earth. That is why we wait so impatiently, longing for a sign of that coming.

In the song We Wish You A Merry Christmas there is a line in one of the verses that is very prophetic. If we are to be looking for signs prior to Jesus' return, "We won't go until we get some" suddenly has incredible Biblical meaning, and it's totally true!

There is another parable of Jesus cursing the fig tree. Whether the fig tree represents Israel, God's people, or us Christians, either way I think God wants us to bear fruit.

"Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered." - Mathew 21:18-22

The moral of the story? Bear fruit! I think what that means is we should do more than just go to church on Sunday. We should always be bearing the fruit of our faith. We never know when Jesus might be coming by, and it simply is not a good thing to be cursed by God, wither, then die.

Be fruitful this Christmas! And always be fruitful!! He is drawing near!

We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Peter, Paul and Mary
Why Did Jesus Curse The Fig Tree?

The Parable of The Master Gardener

I wasn't sure what I was going to write about this morning until I watched my wife transplant a bush in our yard last night. It was quite a chore for her but she was determined to move it. There were lots of roots to be cut and lots of dirt to be dug. But by moving that plant my wife also provided a deeper, more meaningful lesson to be learned about life.

The bush wasn't really producing where is was so my wife bought a new plant for that location and moved the original plant to a new spot in our yard. Painful for the plant being moved I'm sure but my wife moved it to a location where she hoped it would thrive.

God provides so many lessons to be learned in our lives. Many of them can be learned simple by observing nature or the relationships we have.

Have you ever heard the phrase "Bloom where you're planted"? It means to "take advantage of the opportunities we have in life and be grateful in our present situation."

The bush in our yard simply did not bloom where is was planted so it was replaced and moved to a different location where it was given another opportunity to bloom. I am convinced that God does the same thing for you and me.

^"20 Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. ²¹ Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you - although if you can gain your freedom, do so. ²² For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. ²³ You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. ²⁴ Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them." - 1 Corinthians 7:20-24

When I reflect on where God has planted me in my life "when I was called" it is easy to see the Master Gardener's overarching plan in my life.

There have been several times in my life at work when relationships have bloomed because of God's foreknowledge and plan. God planted me at work and He gave me two gifts to help others grow - fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). They are compassion (mercy) and encouragement (exhortation).

This past week I used those gifts and prayed with and comforted a friend at work who was suffering trough the loss of a close friend. The month before I prayed with a life-long friend and co-worker who was undergoing some life-altering surgery. I have prayed with another who was going through a messy divorce and another who struggled with the death of a mentor.

I tell you these things not to brag  but to show you how good God is when He can use even a wimpy, spindly plant like me for His ultimate glory. And God, in the amazing way He does things, has turned each of those "acquaintances" in to dear, precious friends.

Where has God "planted" you? Is there a situation at work or in your life where you could use the gifts God has given you? I encourage you to keep your eyes open. God provides opportunities nearly every day for us to honor Him by our showing His love to the people in our lives.

I have a friend who is a master gardener. She likes to take strolls through her garden and take pictures of her plants for all to see. I that any different from what God does with us?

God is the Master Gardener. We are His plants. The way we bloom is a reflection of The Gardener's skills. May we bloom brightly and beautifully where we have been planted. And may God, the great Master Gardener, continue to water us and nurture us to produce a bountiful crop of fruit in this amazing garden He has made.

I had all
But given up
Desperate for
A sign from love
Something good
Something kind
Bringing peace to every corner of my mind

Then I saw the garden
Hope had come to me
To sweep away the ashes
And wake me from my sleep

The Garden - Kari Jobe

The Passion Within

I get to work pretty early in the morning - usually arriving two hours before I have to begin my work day. Why? So I can write these stories and do others things so I can spend my evenings with my wife.

There are a handful of other people already in the office when I get there at 6:00 AM. They are already at work, many of them putting in 10-hour days, 50-, even 60-hour work weeks. Why do they do that? Some work so much because the have to. But others work at their jobs because the love what they do. They have a passion!

Are you passionate about the work you do? Are you passionate about the job you have? If you are, congratulations!! You are one of the few who actually enjoy what they do to earn a living. The vast majority of us people however, are not thrilled with what we are doing in the workplace. We don't necessarily like the work, we HAVE to work, and quite honestly, most of us would rather be doing something else.

What do you enjoy doing? What is your passion? Do you have a passion? A gift from God? God promised that everyone who believes in Him will receive one!

"4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills." - 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Not all of these are given today. The working of miracles for example. Only God does that these days. But we can gain wisdom and knowledge. Even our faith in Christ comes from God's Holy Spirit.

"44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." - John 6:44

And how do we KNOW that we have received the Holy Spirit? We will be changed! And you should find yourself fitting the description God gave us.

"19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." - Galatians 5:19-26

Do you exhibit these nine examples of God's Holy Spirit in you? If you are a believer in Christ, you should. Or at least God should be refining you towards these characteristics. God takes our God-given gifts and talents and enhances them with the Holy Spirit.

What is YOUR passion? What are YOUR gifts? They were given to you by God . . . for a purpose.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 5:13-16

Let YOUR light shine in this dark world. The contrast will be most evident, for all to see. Attribute ALL these things to God. That is where they came from. Use your gifts for God's glory. Anything else is a waste. Use you passion for God, not for yourself. It is a gift from God to be shared with the whole world! :)

So today, examine yourself. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? How can you combine your passion and your talent to glorify God. That's why you were given His gifts and His Spirit - to glorify God. :)

Fruit Of The Spirit - Go Fish

A Deeper Love

Because I have lived for six decades on this planet (and then some) I feel somewhat qualified to speak to others about the subject of love. Well, at least I thought I was.

I have been married for 37 years and my wife and I have two kids. We love them. We now also have a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law and we love them too. We have a grandson! You KNOW we love HIM! I have parents, in-laws and all kinds of extended family and friends. I have come to know ALL there is about love and its various twists and turns, ups and downs, and in's and out's. At least I thought I had . . . and I have. But the purpose of this story today is to tell you that there is a DEEPER love awaiting us all. And I am going to tell you how to find it.

First, to understand the kind of love I am talking about, we must KNOW a few things about God. We can't know these things by simply reading about them or THINK we understand them or become aware of them, we must KNOW these things and embrace them. We must live them.

First, God's love is deeper than any measurable depth. We can find this truth in Romans 8.

"38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

The second thing that we must understand are the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You see, when we come to place our faith in Jesus He sends His Holy Spirit into our lives and hearts. When we receive the Holy Spirit we are given a gift. Read this from 1 Corinthians 12:

"7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines." - 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

Additional gifts can be found in the Book of Romans:

"6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." - Romans 12:6-8

These gifts are given at the discretion of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:11). We cannot chose them for ourselves. These gifts enhance some of the basic tendencies given to us by God. When we come to believe in God we receive His Holy Spirit and enhanced gifts of the Spirit.

I believe when we place our faith in Christ we tend to show more compassion than we normally would, we tend to become wiser that we were previously, and I also believe we love more deeply than we EVER did before we believed. There is a deeper love awaiting all who place their faith and hope in Jesus. Have you done that yet? Would you like to experience deeper love in YOUR life? Seek Jesus. He has promised to answer if you will only knock on His door.

O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus - Selah

Pop Quiz!

Didn't you just love those surprise tests your teachers gave you in school? To see how much you really knew without studying? Yeah, me neither. I always hated those things. As soon as I heard the teacher say, "Today, I have a little surprise for you," I knew my GPA was going to drop significantly before the bell rang.

And how do you answer the questions you don't know the answer to. Do you guess? Or just leave them blank? Do you answer all unanswerable true/false question as "true" figuring you'll as least get half of them right? Maybe. On multiple choice do you always answer "c"? Or all of the above, and then try to figure out a way to justify your answer. Yeah.

The whole problem with pop quizzes is that they were only a problem for those of us who didn't  studied. That was me. I look at my life now and my walk with Jesus. I haven't changed much.

Each day we are faced with opportunities to shine, situations set in place and arranged for by God, to test us, examine us. So often we just fly right by those "pop quizzes. We don't recognize them for what they are. Opportunities to serve, opportunities to witness to others about our faith. The problem comes when we are simply too busy with our lives, our friends and our phones to notices them when they occur. And they DO occur. For example . . .

When I was at church today the pastor was speaking from the Book of Hebrews. Instead of telling us to open our Bibles to chapter 6:9-12 he misspoke and gave us the verses right before it to read instead.

"7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned." - Hebrews 6:7-8

This was the second time these verses have spoken to me in the past week - my friend and I having discussed them just last week. "Coincidence," you might say. Friends, I have been a Christian for nine years now and have seen enough "coincidences" in that time to KNOW they are more than that. They are God-incidences. This week God was testing me and . . . IT WAS AN OPEN BOOK TEST!!!

You see, my family is involved in a minor land dispute with our farm in Michigan. Our neighbor built a driveway on our land. My sister, her husband and I ran through all sorts of scenarios about what to do. That was the test.

Of course I wrote in the wrong answer at first. Grateful I was using a No. 2 Ticonderoga with a fresh eraser on its head! I wrote down a few answers initially. None of them seemed right after they sat there for a while. Then I read that verse again in church today and God's Holy Spirit showed me something I was missing in my answers.

I have been chosen by God. "No one comes to the Father unless the Father draws Him" (John 14:6). I have answered that call and become His slave, seeking to do His bidding. As a result, I am expected to bear fruit (Matthew 17:7). If I bear from the truth of God is in me. John 15 is amazing in this area. The words of Jesus, our Lord.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." - John 15:1-8

Ouch! God pruned me a bit this weekend. Made me bow my head and humbly seek His forgiveness for not passing this test with my FIRST answer. But God was good to me and forgiving, desiring that I pass the test. I hope He is pleased with my final answer.

We all face tests every day - pop quizzes with eternal consequences. God does not grade on a curve. Instead He offers a simple pass / fail exam. Trust me. You do NOT want to fail His exams. Did you miss a pop quiz today? That's okay. There will be a make up exam tomorrow. You will be given the same test over and over again until you pass. That can become very depressing unless we live, and learn from our teacher. Study, learn and live God's teachings. Embrace the tests. Pray . . . teach me, O Lord.

Teach Me, O Lord - Trinity Chamber Singers

Send Me

"8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” 9 And he said, “Go, . . ." - Isaiah 6:8-9

I love being a follower of Jesus Christ. There is nothing like seeing God in action as He calls my fellow brothers and sisters into service, and they respond selflessly. They are just like Isaiah when he answered The Lord's call when He was looking for "a volunteer." I have seen numerous people stepping up this week and shouting, "Send me!"

This past Friday I received a text from a young female friend of mine who was in need of some help and a place to stay for the night. I shot off a few texts and made a few phone calls to four amazing ladies, all children of the One True God. I explained the situation and asked if they could take an unknown young lady into their homes that night. Each one of those ladies answered God's call.

Think about that for a moment. How would you respond to a call for assistance at eight o'clock at night, asking you to open up your home to a total stranger? I would maybe do that for someone I knew . . . maybe. But these ladies said yes. Granted, these ladies knew me and perhaps trusted me, but still, they definitely stepped up.

Having compassion for others is a spiritual gift, given by God through His Holy Spirit. How God must enjoy seeing His children using the gifts He gave them to bring Him glory! What spiritual gift or gifts do YOU have? How will you be using them today to bring glory to God? Perhaps God will send someone your way this week so that you might "become Jesus" to someone in need.

There really is nothing like the feeling of being used by God to pour His love into the life of someone who needs it. I encourage you this week, and every week, to keep your eyes open to serve . . . to say "Send me!" You WILL have opportunities. Don't let those opportunities pass you by. The rewards of acting when we see a need is "heavenly" . . . literally "out of this world." Reach into someone's life today and make a difference.

The following video was presented in church this past Sunday. It shows the benefits reaped from someone selflessly serving God and others using the gifts God has given him.

Officer Deon using his gifts to serve God

Confirmation?

Have you ever gone to one of those big car wash places? You know the kind. Where you just get out of your car and walk inside and the attendants take care of the rest. They vacuum out the trunk and the inside of the car. They wash the windshield, inside and out and you can watch the entire process. It's fascinating. You can see your car getting washed by oscillating jets of water. You can watch as a protective layer of wax is applied. You can even watch half a dozen high school kids swarming all over it, wiping it clean. When your car finally comes out of the car wash it's all clean and shiny. It's almost like it's a brand new car! Cool!!

I've got a question for you. Would you be upset if, when your car emerged from the car wash, it was still dirty? I sure would be. After all, I brought my car there specifically for the purpose of it becoming clean. If it basically looked the same way coming out as it did going in I'd demand my money back!

There are quite a few similarities between the ineffective car wash I just described and our youth groups of today. Too many similarities to be discussed here I'm afraid. So today, let's just talk about one of them . . . confirmation.

What exactly is confirmation? And what exactly is it that's being confirmed? How come some churches have confirmation and others don't? Is it important? Is it required? Is it useless? This is from Wikipedia:

"Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, and many Anglicans view Confirmation as a sacrament. In the East it is conferred immediately after baptism. In the West, this practice is followed when adults are baptized, but in the case of infants not in danger of death it is administered, ordinarily by a bishop, only when the child reaches the age of reason or early adolescence. Among those Catholics who practice teen-aged confirmation, the practice may be perceived, secondarily, as a "coming of age" rite."

In Protestant churches, the rite tends to be seen rather as a mature statement of faith by an already baptized person. It is also required by most Protestant denominations for membership in the respective church, in particular for traditional Protestant churches. In traditional Protestant churches (Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran etc.) it is recognized by a coming of age ceremony. Confirmation is not practiced in Baptist, Anabaptist and other groups that teach believer's baptism.

When I was a confirmation teacher in a Lutheran church confirmation was a fairly big deal. It was the culmination of a child's "training." Kind of a Sunday School graduation ceremony. People dressed up really nice, there were gifts and cards and parties to attend. It was important. But why? What IS confirmation anyway?

Confirmation is supposed to be the "confirmation" of one's faith in God. The "affirmation of baptism" as the Lutheran church wants to call it. That's all well and good, but I know several people who went through confirmation simply to appease their parents. They are now practicing agnostics or atheists. So if they did not really "confirm" their faith during confirmation why were they allowed to "graduate"? The only conclusion I can come up with is . . . somebody lied!

I do know of some kids who were NOT allowed to be confirmed. They didn't finish enough assignments or take enough sermon notes. My question is, what are we humans doing trying to determine whether a person actually believes or not? That's impossible. That's God's job. So why do some churches place such emphasis on being confirmed? How do we actually know that our son or daughter is really confirming their beliefs? Because they've taken a class?

Do you think I am being to critical? Read this opinion by one Martin Luther and see what he thought about confirmation.

"I do not say this because I condemn the seven sacraments, but because I deny that they can be proved from the Scriptures. Would to God we had in the Church such a laying on of hands as there was in apostolic times, whether we called it confirmation or healing! But there is nothing left of it now but what we ourselves have invented to adorn the office of the bishops, that they may have at least something to do in the Church. For after they relinquished to their inferiors those arduous sacraments together with the Word, as being too common for themselves, -- since, forsooth, whatever the divine Majesty has instituted has to be despised of men -- it was no more than right that we should discover something easy and not too burdensome for such delicate and great heroes to do, and should by no means entrust it to the lower clergy as something common -- for whatever human wisdom has decreed has to be held in honor among men! Therefore, as are the priests, so let their ministry and duty be. For a bishop who does not preach the Gospel or care for souls, what is he but an idol in the world, having but the name and appearance of a bishop? (1 Corinthians 8:4) But we seek, instead of this, sacraments that have been divinely instituted, among which we see no reason for numbering confirmation. For, in order that there be a sacrament, there is required above all things a word of divine promise, whereby faith, may be trained. But we read nowhere that Christ ever gave a promise concerning confirmation, although He laid hands on many and included the laying on of hands among the signs in Mark 16:18 "They shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Yet no one referred this to a sacrament, nor can this be done." - Martin Luther, 1520 treatise, The Babylonian Captivity of the Church

All of the denominations we have in the world today offer us differing opinions on what they feel is right and true. Confirmation is required in some churches and not required in others. So, what is right? What is the truth? Let's go to the Bible to find out.

"14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit." - Acts 8:14-17

These days confirmation is nothing more than a graduation ceremony of sorts. It represents the culmination, in the church's opinion, of a students training. Whereas "confirmation" in the days of Jesus meant the receiving of the Holy Spirit, that is not the case today. The danger comes when parents THINK their children have received the Holy Spirit when in actuality they haven't. Their children are in danger. Eternal danger.

Parents are responsible for the training of their children, not the youth pastors. Pastors teach, parents train.

"6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6

It is SO important for parents to take the lead in the training of their children. It is literally a life and death situation.

So, how can parents tell if their children have been "confirmed" in the Biblical sense of the word? How can parents be sure that their children have received the Holy Spirit? Examine their "tree" for fruit. Parents should look for spiritual fruit in the lives of their children. We need to become fruit inspectors!

"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." - Galatians 5:22-23

Has your child suddenly become more patient? More kind? Do they exhibit self-control after submitting their lives to Christ? If they have become changed in such a way it's a pretty good indicator that God's Holy Spirit has been confirmed in them. Evidence of that fruit is truly a cause for celebration and praise. Evidence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is all the confirmation anyone really needs.

Here's another scripture reference for you fruit inspectors out there:

Saved? - Bob's Lifesongs

Prunes

Do you like to eat prunes? I'm not sure I've ever just sat down and eaten a prune but they're supposed to be good for you. I know my wife likes to sneak "healthy things" into her baking now and again so I can't really say for sure if I've ever eaten them or not. Actually, you know, now that I think about it, I think my wife DID slip some prunes into some chocolate cake once. I remember the cake TASTING okay but shortly there after . . . well. Let me just say that prunes can have a "purging" effect on one's body. MAYBE the prunes were healthy but the after effects were "uncomfortable."

Speaking of "purging," have you ever gotten in one of those moods when you just want to get rid of all the clutter in your house? I get that way every now and then. I'll ask myself things like "When was the last time I used this?" Pitch! Or "What am I saving THIS for?" Toss. It can be very good to purge outselves of all the junk in our lives.

Have you ever had someone purge your stuff for you? I have. I used to have a pair of cut-off jeans. After I blew holes in both knees of my favorite pair of jeans I cut off the legs at the knee and made shorts out of them. I thought I was being thrifty - getting the most "mileage" out of my jeans. Made perfect sense to ME.

However, my wife didn't like them very much. One could say she hated them. It wasn't long before they simply disappeared. I put them in the laundry basket one day and they never returned. Now that they're gone I don't really miss them. I probably look more "normal" walking around in the front yard. But I KNOW my wife feels better about things.

Have you ever been pruned? Do you NEED pruning? Has God ever pruned something from your little portion of His vine? Do we even notice it? Is there some bad habit we need to get rid of? Smoking? Drinking too much? Eating too much? God has a way of pruning us in ways that are not always comfortable for us. Lung cancer, being arrested for drunk driving, heart attacks. These things can get our attention and force us to look at ourselves.

As I look at MY life I can see a few areas where I could use a little trim. The first one that pops into my head is television. I try to not watch any shows that are not honoring to God in some way. That's most shows I think. But even the ones I consider "safe" contain commercials that are not. They just pop up without any prior notification as to their content. Do I need to prune this particular branch from my life?

Facebook is another. I probably spend too much time scrolling down through all of the posts I see every day. And although it's true I search mainly for opportunities to witness to people or to come to the aid of a friend, the time spent scrolling could be spent reading or studying His Word.

If we look at our lives I'm sure we ALL could find a few things to trim here or there. Scripture says we are to examine ourselves, test ourselves (2 Corinthians 15:3). If we don't "self-trim" the vinedresser will do it for us, and that could hurt a wee bit.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 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. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." - John 15:1:11

New Year's Day is coming up in a few weeks. A time we traditionally make those to-often-temporary, self-help resolutions. I challenge you, and myself, to make a self-pruning resolution this coming January. And make it stick. We have the power to handle any pruning that might come our way . . . through Christ. It is in Him and through Him that we find hope. He is the only way we can stay out of the fire!

The following is a video of a present day vine dresser. He knows exactly what he must do to get the most fruit. He removes the non productive portions of the vine. And so it is with God.

How and Why to Strip Leaves from Grape Vines