Scripture Treasures

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 ~ John 15:4 Jesus spoke in words to reach into the very understanding of those gathered in listening. Who can better understand what He was saying about cultivating than those who were familiar with it in their daily life? So, He talks about being connected. Here, it is a vine connected to its source of life, the branch. The vine, rooted in the ground, receives nourishment and life giving waters, then passes this on to the branch. The branch in return brings forth budding, and flowers, and ultimately, sweet fruit. If we are not rooted in studying God’s Word, in prayer, in Bible reading on a daily basis, there is great difficulty in staying connected to the branch, namely, Jesus Christ. Life is too powerful a tool! It grabs our attention, our sustenance, and our worries. Being disciplined in spiritual matters takes energy! And

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal ~ 1 Corinthians 13:1 Paul had been speaking to the Corinthian church about spiritual gifts, and how they were to use their gifts to bring unity and edification to the larger body. You are all a part of one body, says Paul. Unfortunately, the Corinthians had begun to quarrel about whom had the greater gift – was it prophecy, or shepherding, or was it speaking in tongues? Paul began a lengthy written argument which, in the end stated he would show them the best gift to ask for and to receive – love was his answer. We can be highly gifted people, have all the prophetic knowledge in the world, we can be great teachers and leaders with wise strategic plans, but if we use these gifts to “lord it over” others, when they come to us for a glass of water and we refuse, our gifts are worthless. Love is the only way forward. Love is the only way to use what God has given us

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven ~ Matthew 5:14-16 Remember that children’s song? This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. (The kids hold up their index finger and move it in a circular motion.) Won't let Satan blow it out. I'm gonna let it shine. Won't let Satan blow it out. I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. (When the kids sing "Won't let Satan blow it out....they blow on their finger.) Let it shine til Jesus comes. I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine til Jesus comes. I'm gonna let i

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling ~ Philippians 2:12 Paul commends the church for following the principles taught through him which stem from the teachings of Christ. In following Paul’s teachings, they are obedient to God. Not only did they follow when Paul was with them, but even more remarkable is they have continued strong in the teachings during his absence. They have not fallen by the wayside, or brought in other teachings of heresy which would make Paul ashamed of them. There is no reprimand here for this church, such as what Paul has had to do with others he had planted. They are not told to begin to work out their salvation, but to continue in it, which is Paul’s second commendation. They are striving forward in becoming more like Christ. What this means for us is not to work for our salvation, that can never be accomplished. We a

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude from your hearts ~ Colossians 3:16 What joy it is to wake up and know we belong to the Lord! What special wonder it is to know that we will join together in community to sing praises to our Lord and God, to read His Word together, to sing from our spirits of rejoicing! Do you feel that way? Do yo u wake up in the wonderful knowledge that the message of Christ is Good News for the world? That the air you breathe in today is a gift from God, that the life you live is remarkable process of moving closer to Him? Oh friends, too often, and I speak to myself here, the day moves on just like yesterday and I forget the amazing gift I have through the Spirit to live like Christ. I have the gift of being His hands and His feet, I have the gift of receiving His wisdom and discernment, and I have the gift of speaki

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them ~ Matthew 18:20 This is our promise from the Lord, for when we gather "in HIS name", He is there and present. Our worship time is filled with His presence. Our prayer time, our conversation, our very interaction when it welcomes into its midst is blessed with the presence of Another. But, I do not believe Jesus meant this to say that only when two or three are gathered together is His presence there, but if we are alone and welcome Him, He is there within us too! I heard a story a long time ago about a single person who when sitting to eat would set two place settings; one for Jesus and one for them. The omnipresence of Jesus is with us always as believers, as persons who have given our heart to Him. For we are filled with His Holy Spirit! Invited Him in! Invite Him to your table! Your heart will be warmed by His presence and love. Devotion by Pastor Julia

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way will fulfill the law of Christ ~ Galatians 6:2 Jesus taught that He was the vine and we are the branches. It is a beautiful image of how the brining of two make strength in one. When we carry each other's burden, we act in the stead of Christ, to help and not hinder another's journey in this life. Too often we ask, "How are you?" but do not really expect a long, informative answer. The responder has become accustomed to saying, "I'm fine," or "It's too long a story to tell," and they both part ways. We need to start asking the question expecting and waiting for an answer, and not leaving until we get it. Empathy is needed, it is necessary, if we are to carry each other's burdens. The other's sorrow and joy must become our sorrow and joy, not that we fall into the pit with them if it is sorrow, but so that we can hear them, understand them, listen to them. And if it is joy, th

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbour as yourself" ~ Galatians 5:14 If I truly love myself, I will respect me, I will trust in me, I will believe in me. If I truly love myself, I will hold on to my integrity, my wholeness, and my health. If I truly love myself, when I fall down or miss the mark, I will gather all I can muster to pick myself up again and carry on. I will not condemn myself, or put myself down, or put myself above others. If I truly love myself... If I do not truly love me, I will be condemning, untrustworthy, prideful, abusive, I will sell myself short emotionally, physically and sexually. And then, I will do all this to you. Jesus is the healer of our self image. He will heal us from our past: from the words spoken to us and over us, from the mistakes and choices we have made, from the family sins which we carry on into the future and He will break them forever. Only by knowing the true and wonderful love Jesus

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up ~ Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 Ecclesiastes is said to be written by King Solomon in his old age. Solomon is also attributed to writing most of the Proverbs and some Psalms. When I read these words of scripture, they sound fatalistic. Pity the one who has no one to help them up. And I do agree, if that one is indeed alone. One with no support system either in family or friend, is indeed alone and isolated. It is not a happy place to live. Everyone needs someone at some time. The difference comes for those who have Christ in their heart, for with Him there, we are never alone. We are surrounded in fact, by a great host of witnesses, and by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, He indwells within you by His Spirit, and when you may fall, He is ever ready to pick yo

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds ~ Hebrews 10:24 Sometimes, what we do for each other in the body just happens, and our actions are an encouragement in another's life. They are blessed, strengthened, uplifted in our little action. We didn't have to really consider anything, as it came naturally for us to do for them. I would say more often than not, we carry on in our own world and do not think about considering how we can spur one another on. We become wrapped up in our own doings, our own coming and going, and we think only of our issues. We are not then considering the other. Considering how to spur another on takes thought: thought for that person, and thought about how to spur them on. It is a determination which I speak to myself about what I can and will do for you. A pastor needs that encouragement just as much as a lay person, or a child, for that matter. The spiritual battle rages about us every day. We can all gr

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 ~ John 15:2 Ouch! It hurts to be pruned! Every branch, or, every person, who does not belong to Jesus with the fullness of their heart will be cut away from Him. If they cannot bring about a living unity with His Spirit, they do not belong on the vine taking nourishment but eventually leaving only a tangled mess of dead wood. Their lot is to be burned. But the branches which do bear fruit, they have a different ending. The Spirit of God will tend to them in a beneficial way, not cutting off what is green and good, but cutting away that which prevents an even greater bounty of fruit. You see, sometimes our vices get ahold of us, though we do not desire so. Vanity, and the god of self-righteousness, pride and envy too, may take a hold on our spirit and set us up against one another. At other times it is our disobedience which causes us to be out of

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them ~ Genesis 1:27 We were created as perfect beings, filled with health, love, goodness, and in God's image in every way, spiritually. If we could go back and have a talk with Adam and Eve, what would we say? "You have everything you will ever need, right now, right here!" Or, "Don't go near that snake of a Satan, he is bad news! Period!" Or, "If you take a bite of that apple! I'm telling you, it will change everything, and not for the better!" If we could go back, would they listen? But we live for a new day, and a new earth, and a new relationship with our God, one where He will walk the streets with us and be our forever light. We long for the day when all that fell on that day so long ago will be repaired and resurrected into the glory it was meant to be. It may be beyond us now, but there is one aspect we can have, right now, in the

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires ~ Galatians 5:24 There is a prerequisite for putting our passions and lusts to the grave. We must, we absolutely have to, belong to Christ Jesus. We cannot be a person who says, "Ya, sure, I believe in God," but then walk away from His commandments, His teachings, His love. I am talking about those who may come to church on Sunday, if they even do that, but then Monday to Saturday their footprints leave imprints in the sand of the world. A true follower of Jesus Christ, a true belonger (I know, but it is a real word) of Christ is filled with His Spirit and walks by His Spirit. They love, have joy, are patient, they are all the characteristics we see in Jesus as we read them in and through the scriptures. Galatians 5: 22, 23 spells these out clearly for those of us who cannot actually "pick" them out throughout the New Testament Gospels. This is the prerequisite then. We

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock ~ Matthew 7:24 As Christians, we need more than ever to heed these words. The world's "rock", always in misstep, has become ever more so, and if we turn to look to the world for truth, we are sure to be sorely misled. The words of Jesus have changed the world, though the world does not recognize this. Laws are in place, restitution works, communities are built by the teachings of Jesus Christ. A person's character is formed by the teachings of Jesus, and this character is one of integrity. Our world does not accept this though. If we are to live in a solid house, it must be built to withstand the onslaught of the world around us. This is becoming more of a reality in today's world. We can have our belief, but we cannot live our belief, for if we do we are labelled as intolerable, or phobic. If we profess to cling to biblical tea

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning ~ James 1:17 I like how James compares good to perfect. We give good gifts to our children, our friends, our loved ones. Perfect gifts on the other hand, only can come from God. We may say, "Oh, that is perfect!" because it suits us to a T. But it is still based on that persons perception. What is written here is the difference between a benevolent gift, one that brings joy, and a perfect gift, which is timeless and remains perfect in its wholeness. Both of these God gives to us, as all goodness comes from God. We will always hear God blamed for the darkness which invades our world through tragedy. "Why didn't God stop it?" we cry. How soon we forget the world God did create! It was perfect and worked in unison with mankind and the animal kingdom. There was no shame, no crime, no pain, but we

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me ~ Matthew 16:24 I have heard it said that a Christian is one whom has picked up a crutch. In other words, the person believed that a Christian could not walk on their own, they needed help. This "help" was a negative, as the Christian's personal self-reliance was no longer valued and used, it had been taken away by the faith. The faith of Christianity was an excuse, in other words. How wrong they were! It takes strength to be a follower of Jesus and to carry our cross behind Him. Turning our life over to the Lord is the hardest thing we can ever do, but, wow, it is also the best thing we ever do! It is natural and easy to follow our own whims and go where we please. Following Christ can take us into some lonely and difficult places, He will lead us out of status quo into the reality of living fully. We will embark on journeys we never ex

He that has ears to hear, let him hear ~ Matthew 11:15 Jesus said these words more than once, yet, still He had people walk away from Him. The message was clear then, as the One who spoke it was the message! Yet, as I say, people then had hard hearts and did not clearly hear the Good News of the Kingdom Jesus was telling them. Neither the Jews of Christ's time, nor the people of this time hear clearly to understand the message. Many think that accepting Christ into their heart is to give up their plans and life. But the truth is, the plans and life we have after accepting Jesus is more fruitful than the life lived without Him. Jesus called people to Himself for themselves. If we are willing to hear His message, it means that exactly - a willingness to hear. A curiosity, a yearning to learn and to know more. It means that all prejudice is removed from what one thinks the message is about, to fully hearing what the message is: love, new life, fullness and satisfaction, it i

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness ~ Lamentations 3:22, 23 What a blessing we have that every day is a new day in the Lord! If, when we are ready to close our eyes the night before, we come to Him and ask forgiveness for our sins of the day, the next day is brand new and all is forgiven and forgotten. This verse is a testimony of God's great love and faithfulness to His people. Most certainly here, the prophet who wrote these words was in a time of great misery. He had written on many hardships encountered - broken bones, dry skin, flour that had hard bits and made it hard to chew. But no matter his hardship, he found every day the newness of God's love for him. We may not encounter the disasters this prophet dealt with, but ours may be a burden none the less in our spirit and heart. Sometimes it is hard to look up. We have more of a tendency to look around at

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ ~ Romans 10:17 Faith comes through hearing, the Apostle Paul says. Hearing comes in two forms: first there is the hearing one which is searching for answers. This one is thirsty and needing that refreshment of the soul which says, "I need an answer." As Christ is preached to them, their heart is opened, their eyes see clearly, and their mind is illuminated. The message of Christ enters in and transformation takes place. Then, a wonderful new thing begins, and they begin to grow and stretch in the new faith they have received from Christ. These are the people we rejoice with, for they have found what we know to be true - that only Life in its fullest is lived in Christ, that which the soul was thirsty for has quenched its dryness. Then, we have the second listener. They do not come recognizing their thirst, but come to defend it. They search for answers in a wor

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope ~ Psalm 130:5 Waiting on the Lord can be one our most challenging position to take, but it is always the most rewarding! It is said to be the perfect position for a Christian, as it is the position of faith. It is also a position which is against everything that is in our nature, which is what makes it so challenging! We want answers, now! We want resolutions, now! We want to know God is here, in this moment to resolve what our problem is. God, though, is not a puppet at our command, and very often what we have to do is to wait for the answers, or His will, to be made known to us, in His time. And so, we wait for the Lord. We wait in prayer and we bring our petitions to Him on a daily basis. He knows our hearts, and He knows our desires, and in His good time, when it is the perfect time, He will bring about what He has planned for us through our prayer. We patiently search His word, and we wait for Him

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord whose confidence is in him ~ Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the one who trusts God in all circumstances of life, for they know that the objects of life around them are fleeting, but God is the God of forever. We so easily put our faith in objects of the world. We begin first thing upon the opening of our eyes. Today I will do this, and what I do will go according to my schedule. This is my plan, and I have it under control. But, we have no idea really what a day will bring. It could bring sickness, poverty, death. Some of us place our trust in the logic of numbers, or in our job, and then when the numbers don't add up or our job is lost, we lose hope. Others may trust there really is no God, and that the life they have lived without Him was a "good life" and the reward will still be theirs. But Jesus had other words about this subject. He said, "I am the resurrection and the Life. The one who believes in me will liv

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you ~ James 1:5 We all undergo trials. Some are more stressful, and others are less so, but the truth is that we are all susceptible. How we make our way through the trial will depend on the determination of our self-reliance, or we can ask of God who will grant us His wisdom. Few of us really have the answers to our situations. Real knowledge and wisdom comes from God, and He will see us through. If we ask for God's service He will grant it to us. James says God will not only see us through, but He will do so generously. I may ask for a little, but He will give me plenty. Whether we are a leader in our home, our church, our place of employment, we all need the wisdom which comes from God alone. To be to others in character, in morality, in spirituality I need the wisdom of God. For others to be that for me, I need them to be wise as well. Knowledge m

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us ~ 1 John 5:14 The confidence we have in approaching God - what a beautiful statement! His Throne Room is open, there are no closed doors to coming before the Lord with our requests, or being in His presence. Though we do not "see" God visually, we know that when we pray we are immediately with Him, and we know that He sees and hears us. And He desires to answer us, as long as what we ask is according to His will. In other words, I am not sure that if I ask Him to help me will a lottery, He will grant it. Or if I ask Him to show me how to rob a bank He will give me the tools, the know-how, the accomplices to do that either! God's will is always shown clearly in His Word. God's will is also bigger than me, and it must include that which will bring glory to God, not to me. Winning a lottery or robbing a bank brings notice to me, not to Him. But if I ask

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon ~ Isaiah 55:6, 7 There is a chasm between us and God when sin is in our life. Any separation from God is caused by sin, whether it be big or small. It is a state which brings dismay and disharmony between us and God. The prophet here is calling us to labour to find the Lord's will for us, to come close to Him. The grace of God is within grasp, but we must come with repentance and turn our thoughts and our hearts toward the Lord. The prophet reminds us that if we turn to God He will have mercy upon us and He will pardon all our offences. But it takes a conscious movement on our part. Jesus Christ died for this reason, so that there would be no barrier or rift between us and God. He is our resurrected Saviour which now stands at the right h

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled ~ Matthew 5:6 As a human being, I have many appetites that drive my urges to eat and drink. My body needs food and water to survive, but too often what I ingest is unhealthy for me. Yet I crave it and consume it anyway. When I do this consistently, over time my body reacts as it becomes more unhealthy. I have to be conscious of what I am taking into my body and aware of what is healthy. I rely on the earth to give me what I need to do that, just as my soul relies upon righteousness and holiness from God through the Holy Spirit to find its nourishment. As we depend upon the earth for our bread and water, so we rely upon God for the Bread of Life found in following Him. The inner longing must be met, and the only way is by coming to the Lord. Our spirit will be unhealthy if we do not feed it the right way. If we look at the world and all the "junk food" in sexuality, sociology, morally

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path ~ Psalm 119:105 Having lived in Nova Scotia for many years, I think of those lighthouses which stand on many shores, warning ships and small boats of the dangers of the rocky shores. Without those lighthouses, many a ship would meet its end in the crags and rocky places. But for the light, they are saved. God's Word, the Bible, is that for us. We may go out into a dark world, but the guidance we receive from the Lord through His Word keeps us safe from the rocks which may trip us, or the ditches that we may fall in. The places of peril will rise up to meet us if we are not prepared and if we are not protected. God's Word is our protection as it leads us in how to treat our neighbour, and at times too, our enemy. God's Word warns us about placing other gods as our idol, instead of worshiping Him above all others. When we want to know the right way, the right path to choose, the Word of God will lead us in that dir

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded ~ James 4:8 Know that God is approachable! When we come near to Him in prayer, in supplication, He will meet you right where you are. While we are drawing near to Him, He is drawing near to us. James inserts a cleansing motion here, to wash the hands. It refers to our conduct, and is essentially saying it must be changed. The washing of hands was a way of showing purification and innocence, and so as we come before God, this must be our attitude. Jesus said once to the Pharisees and Scribes that they washed the outside of a cup and dish, but inside they were full of greed and self-indulgence (Matt.23:25). James is renewing this word in saying, "wash your hands, purify your hearts." Do not be double-minded, or "fence-sitters" when you come before the Lord God and seek him. We do not have to be perfect when we come to God, He takes us as we are, but

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart ~ Jeremiah 29:13 This of course, was spoken to a people who were captives of Babylon, and it was a promise that if the people would seek God with their heart, He would be found. I suppose the question for us today is, what is oppressing us and leading us away from truly seeking God with our whole heart? There are many distractions around us today which keep us from searching for God. We live in a busy and fast paced world, a very secular world, which calls us to keep busy in its activities. There are many today who seek after spirituality, but that spirituality is not based on the theology of a Creator God, but upon the inner "god" of each. There are many today who seek after truth, but again, that truth is based on what is right for that individual, and I find truth in today's world is distorted and misinformed, led away from God's ultimate truth. Yet, this world and people say that what they