Engrafted

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

The state where I live is known for producing citrus fruit. There are thousands upon thousands of acres of all kinds and varieties. While there’s incredible crop diversity, most have one thing in common: they grow on sour lemon stock.

The best way to produce good quality fruit is to grow seedlings from sour lemon stock and then attach, by budding or grafting, material from trees that are known to be good producers.

While sour lemon stock may produce hearty trees, the fruit it produces is not edible. But when a graft or bud from sweet fruit is grafted just above the surface, sweet fruit begins to blossom. The old is gone and the new has come.

In the same way, Jesus does this when we accept Him. We become a new creation. Life takes on new meaning and we begin to blossom into the people God created us to be. The more we engraft God’s Word into our hearts, the more we grow in Christ.

Have you experienced the futility of trying to produce spiritual fruit by your own efforts? If you redirect your energies to “engraft” Scripture into your life and meditate on it day and night, God’s Word will successfully bear good fruit in your life.

Lord, I am not what I used to be, but I’m still not what You created me to be. Help me to be engrafted to You through Your Holy Spirit so I may be more like You. Amen.

Take Action

Take a look at how you’ve been growing spiritually. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the ways in which you can engraft God’s Word into your heart today.

 

Godly Servanthood

John 13:13-16

When you hear the word servant, does anybody immediately spring to your mind? Perhaps you recall an extraordinarily helpful salesman or that wonderful woman at church who always takes care of every detail.

Godly servants are all around us, but sadly, we often take them for granted. This is a tragedy that we need to correct—not only for their sakes, but for our own as well. You see, I firmly believe that the faithful service of righteous men and women will bring untold blessings to those whom they serve.

For instance, Joseph’s story reveals a consistent thread: Wherever he was, the people he served prospered. Potiphar was certainly not a God-fearing man, yet even he recognized that prosperity came to him because of his slave (Gen. 39:2-6). A second Old Testament illustration is Daniel, whose service to Babylonian kings included interpreting visions. (See Dan. 2, Dan. 4, Dan. 5.)

In both examples, powerful leaders were blessed by the actions of their servants; and more than that, they came away with an awareness of the living God. They also participated in the young men’s success by offering them increased responsibilities and greater opportunities to serve (Gen. 39:1-6; Dan. 2:46-48; Dan. 5:29).

Find the people in your life who have the gift of godly service. Spend time with them, serving and working together for God’s glory. If you turn your nose up at someone doing “servant’s work,” you’ll cut yourself off from a relationship that could change your life. Instead, run toward these people, stand beside them, and ask, “How can I participate in serving with you?”

Satan Hinders Us

Satan hindered us.

1 Thessalonians 2:18

Since the first hour in which goodness came into conflict with evil, it has never ceased to be true in spiritual experience that Satan hinders us. From all points of the compass, all along the line of battle, in the advance party or in the rear, at the dawn of day and in the midnight hour, Satan hinders us. If we work in the field, he seeks to break our implements; if we build a wall, he tries to cast down the stones; if we are serving God in suffering or in conflict—everywhere Satan hinders us. He hinders us when we are first coming to Jesus Christ. We had fierce conflicts with Satan when we first looked to the cross and lived. Now that we are saved, he tries to prevent our growth in Christian character. You may be congratulating yourself: “So far I have walked consistently; no one can challenge my integrity.”

Beware of boasting, for your virtue will soon be tested; Satan will direct his energies against the very virtue for which you are most famous. If you have to this point been a firm believer, your faith will soon be attacked; if you have been meek like Moses, expect to be tempted to speak unadvisedly with your lips. The birds will peck at your ripest fruit, and the wild boar will dash his tusks at your choicest vines.

Satan is sure to hinder us when we are faithful in prayer. He hinders our persistence and weakens our faith in order that, if possible, we may miss the blessing. Satan is equally vigilant in obstructing Christian effort. There was never a revival of religion without a revival of his opposition. As soon as Ezra and Nehemiah began to work, Sanballat and Tobiah were stirred up to hinder them. What then? We are not alarmed because Satan hinders us, for it is a proof that we are on the Lord’s side and are doing the Lord’s work, and in His strength we will win the victory and triumph over our adversary.

Family Bible reading plan

• Jeremiah 35
• Psalms 7 , 8