Abide by Jessie Holmes

“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. 
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.” 
– John 15:4-5

What does/should my relationship with Jesus look like? Jesus is not some far off distant being sitting on a throne looking at us. Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died on the cross, who rose again from the dead, and the vine with which we must be connected. We need Him. We can’t do anything without Him. We are empty, lost, confused, and useless without Jesus. Therefore, our relationship with Him should be defined by one word: Abide.

Do you get what Jesus is saying? Jesus is proclaiming that He desires an intimate and personal relationship with us. He wants us to abide in Him! This is more than a quick quiet time or prayer every once and a while. Jesus is describing a relationship where we are dwelling in Him. Why? Because we need Him. We can’t do anything without Him. He is our all in all and in Him we live.

This type of relationship is what we should not only desire, but grow towards. It’s a process. Our time with Jesus should be a time we long for. We are called to abide IN Him. So, dwell in Him. This may look different for you than it does for me, but the results will be the same. Let your personal relationship with the Father always be on the forefront of your mind. Let His word and love be the things that strengthen, motivate, and rule your heart. When we are truly abiding in Christ, the results of that relationship will be knowledge of the Truth, fruit, love, freedom from sin, and conformity to His image.

Matthew 13:1-23 by Seth Dunn

Matthew 13:1-23

I was very blessed today to witness six baptisms.  Five of the people getting baptized were adults.  If you are familiar with salvation statistics, you know how rare it is for a person to come to faith in Christ after age 17.  So seeing God work in the hearts of older people was an extra special blessing.  

The baptisms were done in river at the Lake Alatoona day use area here in Cartersville.  As the final baptism was performed, an alarm sounded.  The dam up river was opening to let more water pass through.  The pace of the current was quickening and the water was level was rising.  The erstwhile catechumen and the pastor hurried out of the river away from danger.

What a picture of what may come in this life.  As Jesus illustrates in the Parable of the Sower, persecution and worry don’t necessarily end when we finally grasp the gospel, thereby subverting the devious machinations of Satan.  I pray that these new Christians will abide firmly within the Father’s hand, bearing fruit one hundred fold. 

Let’s all take time to consider that the great commission doesn't end with baptism but includes discipleship and accountability within Christian community. Praise Jesus for the increase to his kingdom today.

1 John 5:10-13 by Brandi Peters

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life." -1 John 5:10-13 ESV

There are a lot of speculations and opinions circulating in the world today regarding who is going to heaven. Many people are prone to question the salvation of others or even themselves. I know self-proclaimed Christians who, when asked about whether they're going to heaven, will say "I hope so." I know pastors who make a habit of preaching from Matthew 7 to spark fear about making sure you're in the kingdom.

There are many reasons to question salvation, some legitimate, but general fear and anxiety are not amongst them. Romans 10:9-10 tell us, "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." This truth does not leave a lot of room for doubt.

As a believer, your faith should be as sure as the hands you've placed it in. It's not yours to doubt because you did nothing to earn it. It is your responsibility to believe and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. It is God's promise to grant eternal life. If you have believed and confessed, the rest is up to Him.

Yes, there are works involved. Yes, there is change to be expected in your life. These aspects are not to be ignored. They are however a byproduct of your salvation, not a way to achieve it.

Keep in mind, if you have true and lingering doubts about whether or not you are saved, consult a leader to ensure you have a full understanding of the gospel. This should not be a continual concern in the life of a Christian. If however, the enemy attempts on occasion to throw you off your confidence or keep you in a false place of humility where you can't speak what the Lord has done in your life, take heart. You can be sure!

Lord, thank You that my hope and my future are in You. I never have to question Your ability to bring all you've promised to fruition. Comfort and assure Your children in our struggles, in our human tendency to doubt. The depths of our heart trust You supremely. Thank You for that privilege. Amen.

Mark 4:35-41 by Seth Dunn

On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.”Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” 

Mark 4:35 - 41

In the month of February 2013, tornadoes devastated Adairsville, GA, just north of my home in Cartersville.  Unfortunately, this is not all unusual in the part of the country in which I live.  Later that same month, a tornado destroyed significant parts of Hattiesburg, MS.  A friend of mine captured that foreboding storm on video and it was broadcast nationally on the Weather Channel.  In both locations, people watched helplessly as the forces of nature destroyed life and property.  After the storms had passed, the best people could do was to gather together to clean-up and rebuild.  This pattern has repeated itself down through the centuries.  Despite mankind’s great technical and societal progress, there is little it can do to stand against the powerful forms of nature.  Storms, earthquakes, tidal waves, hurricanes, and tornadoes continue to wreak havoc upon mankind.  Sometimes these events bring out the best in human nature; sometimes they bring out the worst.

The gospels recount a story of bad weather bringing out the worst in Jesus’ disciples, exposing their crippling lack of faith.  Even in the presence of God incarnate, they still feared the weather.  Jesus, the divine ruler of the universe, calmed the weather simply by telling the wind and Sea, “Hush, be still.”  After doing so he reprimanded his disciples saying, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

This led the disciples to ask one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”  This question is still pertinent today.  As we are tossed about by the storms of life, both tangible and metaphorical, we must consider Jesus.  Who is Jesus that even the wind and sea obey Him?  He is the Lord of the universe, so much greater than we.

When the storms of life are raging
Stand by me
When the storms of life are raging
Stand by me
When the world is tossing me
Like a ship out on the sea
Thou who rulest wind and water
Stand by me

Matthew 6:24 by Jessie Holmes

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

-Matthew 6:24

Who is your master? Everyone is serving a master. Jesus in this verse mentions two of them: God and money (possessions). Servant and master are in no way the same as an employer and employee.  A slave or a servant was the property of only one Master. This slave or servant was in total submission to that master and committed their life to servitude under his authority. The servant who makes money and possessions their master is committing to a life of greed, discontentment, emptiness, and selfishness. We can look at the world and see how fleeting money and possessions can be. The things of the world are not constant, reliable, or provide joy. This master runs his servant until the only thing left is brokenness. This is the master that we see so many serving.

There is however another Master who is worthy of the title. He created the heavens and the earth. He sustains all things and controls all things. He is just, righteous, and faithful. A life committed to Him may not be easy, but that servant will find joy, purpose, fulfillment, and hope. God is the master I am describing and He selfishly wants the whole heart. He will not share. In reality it is impossible to seek the things of God and the things of the world. Both are going in two opposite directions. Much like Highlander, there can only be one.

So here’s the punch line: Our lives reflect whom we are serving. People around us will see, because both masters produce fruit in our lives. The question is, which master is worthy of our time, attention, devotion, and commitment. Take some time today and look at your week. Look at how you have spent each of your days and ask yourself this question: Who am I serving?