The dead stick harshly given to the novice nun to water, is today St. Rita's 600 year old grapes covering the nunnery and sending wine to the Vatican for 500 + years. A miracle of Jesus and His Abba. This is really quite rare.
John 15:5-17
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. 6If 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.
12“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants,a for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
John 9 The man born blind healed by Jesus with saliva and mud, sent to the Pool Siloam/Sent
30 The man answered, “This is a very strange thing. You don’t know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We all know that God does not listen to sinners, but he listens to anyone who worships and obeys him. 32 Nobody has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
St. Rita had some unusual stories, for instance how did a widowed Rita get into the locked Church to apply for the nunnery? St. Rita said she had help from Heaven. Did Rita ever have trouble being considered part of the branches? Yes, for years she got along barely, barely with her violent husband. Her sons did not appreciate her ways. She made peace with them all.
The first few years in her desired career path, nun, had rather a harsh tendency for being heckled.
Who else felt this way about the mystery of Godliness?
Jeremiah.
Peter.
Jonah.
Zechariah. They didn't want the job - too many difficulties.
When Father God says we are part of His Vine - He truly means His path. His Plan. His Way, His Truth, His Life.
Recently, this tied in for me reading Isaiah 51
51 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
you who seek the Lord:
look to the rock from which you were hewn,
and to the quarry from which you were dug.
7 “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my law;
fear not the reproach of man,
nor be dismayed at their revilings
The daily deep and abiding Scriptures of Facebook - actually are that. A Word from God - Today.
Someone recently said that one million people might say, "No." And all we need is one "YES" from the Lord and His Will and Word will prevail.
Don't we all think abiding in the Vine of the Lord is a bunch of happy grapes???
Jesus Himself prayed to Abba and said lead us out of Temptation. To not act like the herd, to do merely what society says is ok. To take the road less traveled. To be pleasing to the Lord God. To not put ourselves in life first. To avoid hurting others. To keep giving. To keep saying Yes. To believe. To trust. To endure. To hope. To love.
To be salt. To find reserves in ourselves that we are filled with Jesus and are the flour Elijah blessed by God and did not run out on the Widow of Zarephath. The Joy of the Lord is our strength.
Doesn't God approve of a quiet life and say that the joy of the world is not the plan?
Yes this is the message of the stoic. The steadfast, the enduring. And all Biblical people see seasons. We don't have to hope for all lean years. We can Hope in the Lord to provide. We can lift ourselves as the mercies of each new day and remember the Joy Jeremiah had when the war was over.
We can remember the Brothers of Jesus traveled with their wives. We can think upon John in his beautiful cave overlooking the bay on Patmos. We can think of the French cliffs of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. The Tomb of Lazarus that says "Friend of Jesus."
Psalm 102:18
Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:
Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.
Hebrews 12:27
The words, "Once more," signify the removal of what can be shaken--that is, created things--so that the unshakable may remain.
Father God,
When Jesus made disciples, He immediately sent them out away from His fellowship. He expected them to tangle with things like illness, demons, and to produce results. He was interested in not their clothing, nor their plans, but His plans. He planned for rejection. And a plan of recovery to try again.
The Disciples returning from His work asked Him to send the crowd away. Jesus told them to feed the multitudes. And Jesus created the first small groups of 50. They ate meals together. Discussing Christ. Jesus spoke of the harshness of the Plan and His Glory. Jesus tells us to Listen to Jesus. He wants us all to be astonished at the majesty of God.
Jesus said in groups, the least is the greatest. And remember, we receive Jesus. Jesus said to include all who want Jesus, with fewer judgments. Jesus taught His Disciples to be merciful to rejection and try at the next opportunity. Jesus said choose Life over Death. Even when this means picking Jesus over family. Jesus said keep on with the Journey. (Even in the middle of dying family).
Father God, we don't just pray the Psalms, we can pray Luke 9.
1 Timothy 3:10 says life will test our strength of faith in Jesus. Let us be firm and stand for the Love and the Mercy and the Diligent Steadfastness of God. Who in His Vast Attributes tells us to search for Wisdom. Making the most of each day - creating the seasons.
Father God, give us joy in this journey. The ability to find the goodness of You interweaving in all things. In Your Plan, let us find gratitude. In your path, keep us nourished, on the path, with Your comfort and Your Love with Your Protection. Help us to see the gifts and build today as well as possible to please You in the Days ahead. In times of trial, be our Encouragement. In all days, let us invite others to share Your goodness. And lean upon You to make the Path.
For our concerns, like health and hearing and placement of parents, all lifted to You. For the Loved ones. For those of today and tomorrow. For our communities. For our Churches to be nourishing us in the Word of God. For our Nation, for His help and protection and blessing. For all who call on the name of Jesus today, we will expect others to join us tomorrow as the Journey continues.
In Jesus Christ, Our Lord God, always the Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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