True Vine Talk

The Merging Of Hope and Truth Found In Jesus Christ

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  • A Sign of Remembrance

    3/14/2022

    This a hand-painted sign we have hanging on the gate to our garden.  It comes from a verse in Psalm 96 expressing that all of nature will sing to the Lord praises when He comes to judge the world in righteousness and the people in faithfulness.   

      “Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.”  (Psalm 96:12)

    Over the years I have replaced it due to weathering and fading. The sign continues as a personal reminder that if nature is called to such worship of our Lord, how much more should the Redeemed in Christ worship Him for what awaits us in the future.  

    The Lord has prepared in love an incredible future and inheritance for those who trust His salvation which we cannot fathom to know while in this skin. But the Scriptures gives us a glimpse of the depth of His love for the Redeemed. For He has loved us with an everlasting love so much so that He calls us each by name and as such knows each of us by name.

     “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.” (Isaiah 43:1).

    The Lord declares “You are Mine” and nothing can snatch us from His amazing love!

    For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:38-39)

    How can the Redeemed in Christ not do anything but worship the One who cherishes us, redeems us and make us His own?  Let us post a “sign of remembrance” in our heart to the One who is worthy while we wait for His appearing.

    “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:12 & 13b)

    How To Know Jesus Christ

  • Today This is Fulfilled

    3/13/2022

    Sometimes we can live in a fog that keeps us from clearly seeing what is true both about ourselves and the world we live in. Then there are moments, though brief, when the fog lifts and we can perfectly see the truth about our situation. Those are usually defining moments when we see our true need and the reality of our lives.  And those can be moments when change begins.

    Jesus was never afraid to speak truth and open up that window in peoples lives. He still does that today for those who seek Him. Those moments can be startling, even shocking. In these verses from Luke chapter 4, Jesus opens a window that changes the paradigm of life for His hearers because the bottom-line message is that He is the Messiah, the way of hope, freedom and redemption.  

    “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me
    To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
    To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind,
    To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord    “. Then He closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.     And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  Luke 4:18-21 (NKJV)

    Today Jesus’ message still holds true. He says to all who will hear:

    Are you poor in spirit? I have good news for you, and it is found in Me.

    Are you brokenhearted? I will heal you!

    Has something in life taken you captive? There is liberty in Me.

    Are you blind to your circumstances? Let Me open your eyes.  

    Has oppression overwhelmed you? I will set you free.

    Today this can be fulfilled in your life.  Call upon Him, Jesus Christ, who can radically set you free!

    How To Know Jesus Christ

  • Two Words That Will Change Your Life

    3/9/2022

    As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. Matthew 9:9 (NIV)

    Two simple words spoken by Jesus to Matthew, the tax collector, changed his life because Matthew said yes.  The words “Follow Me” although simple have profound implications. The decision to follow Christ goes far beyond “just getting to Heaven”. The result is a dynamic internal change of heart which Scripture refers to as a “new man”.  Jesus’ heart is that all people answer His call with “yes” to that simple invitation.  Today is the day of salvation – you too are invited to follow Him!

    I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV)

        

             

    How To Know Jesus Christ

  • The Whole Earth Groans

    3/8/2022

    We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.  Romans 8:22-25

    My mother used to tell me to stop groaning when I was a kid usually when I didn’t get what I wanted. We all have done it at one time or another.  I know I am still guilty of it a bit even now.

    Groaning can be an expression either verbally or inwardly of weariness, frustration, stress, or even pain. In these verses groaning has a positive connotation because it is anticipating something exciting and thrilling yet to come even though there is pain associated with the expectancy. All of creation has been groaning since sin entered the world and it waits to be restored.

    As the followers of Christ, we know through the Spirit something better is just at the doorstep. We can sense it and even relish in the anticipation. We may groan while we wait but when Christ appears, we shall be like Him and see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). 

    This is the patient hope we have in the anticipation. Some say anticipation is better than realization.  In this case, I think not, I know not!  As the birth pangs grow closer together each day, be encouraged and full of hope for our redemption draws near.  

    How To Know Jesus Christ