Christian Family Church of Santa Maria

                               JESUS IS THE VINE AND WE ARE THE BRANCHES

     In every vineyard, a very important aspect of growth is the pruning that takes place in the late fall, each year.  In much the same way, Jesus is the True Vine, and refers to believers as the 'branches'.  We are the branches and as such, we are subject to the 'pruning of the Lord'.

     Jesus said, "I am the True Vine; My Father is the Vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."                             (John 15:1-2)

     Jesus further stated, "Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine; neither can you, unless you abide in Me."                                                                                                       (John 15:4)

     "Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect.  Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live.  For they indeed for a few days corrected us as seemed best to them, but God does it for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness."
                                                                                                         (Hebrews 12:9-10)

    As believers in Christ, are we willing to allow the spiritual pruning in our lives in order to bring forth more fruit for God's glory and His purposes?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                                       AM I READY TO BE A GOOD STEWARD?
     
         A 'Biblical Steward' is someone who is left in charge of something which belongs to God,and is responsible for taking good care of it until Jesus returns.

     "Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."                                                                            (1st Corinthians 4:1-2)

                  QUESTIONS THAT DESERVE AND HONEST ANSWER:

              *   How do I measure up to God's standard of stewardship?

               *  How am I spending my time, talent, and treasure?

     "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in his body, according to that which he has done, whether it be good or bad."                                           (2nd Corinthians 5:10)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      It is my sincere desire that the Lord gives each of us wisdom and the ability to faithfully follow Christ as we consider these important questions!

God bless you and keep you in His loving care,

Pastor Greg