Blog
Advent–God abiding with us
by Sarah Bentley “And they will name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23, NET) Christmas was long-anticipated this year. People started talking about it in October. And as someone who routinely puts up her tree on the first of November, even that was a little early for me. But I get it.…
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Well Pleased in Pruning, Pleading, and Abiding
by Leslie Hall I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in…
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Pruning in Love’s Context
by Doug Mitts As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. (1…
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Too Many Buds?
by Gabe Bernal 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. (John 15:2, ESV) When lockdown in England began, we were allowed some time to exercise each day. I, like many others, took this opportunity to…
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Abiding in Pain
by Lena Larson “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 does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:1-2,ESV) Pruning. In my head it makes sense. Fruit trees are pruned to…
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Our God is Pruning On
by Fred Swartz “And in that day, declares the Lord, I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots; and I will cut off the cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds.” (Micah 5:10-11, ESV) God has a strange idea of what victory looks like. In the…
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Just Look at Jesus
by Sarah Bentley Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. (John 15:4, TLV) I was overwhelmed. I hadn’t had quiet time in months. With a 1.5 and a 2.5 year old, my daily time with God had dwindled to Please be here today in the mornings, and I missed you today at night.…
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Fruit Happens
by Doug Mitts And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. (Matthew 13:23, NAS95) I love the metaphors of Scripture. They possess a simplicity that…
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On the Rocks
by Karen Huber I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well.…
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Which Fruit?
by Fred Swartz “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8, ESV) I keep coming back to this scripture now that I’ve been in full-time ministry for a few years. What kind of fruit in my life glorifies the Father? I suppose there…
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