Lesson # 1

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BIBLE STUDY LESSON # 1:


Well, here goes. My very first BLOG BIBLE STUDY. Un-named as of this point! As I mentioned earlier, I am going to use  SECRETS OF THE VINE as my first study lesson. I love  this little book and I will not be reading ahead, but will be pulling out things from it and commenting and hoping you will comment as well. (remember my email address!).....HERE GOES (please take notes so that you can respond/comment/add or take away!)!


Secret of the Vine by Bruce Wilkinson is my book of choice this time. WHY? Only God knows. It's really a small book filled with great and wonderful insights.I will be quoting from the book some and paraphrasing about other parts. It's a book about  ABUNDANCE and how to get that abundance from God that He wants us all to have. "the beautiful overflow of true worth in a person's life". Now, let me say, I WOULD LOVE SOME ABUNDANCE!!!!! Yes, I have plenty of "stuff". Physical stuff. Clothes/make up (well, I could use a bit more of THAT probably!)/friends/family. But I could use some abundance from GOD. His abundance probably isn't what you think it is. At least that's the way I see it. First of all, you probably need to go and get your Bible. I'll wait for you! HAHAHAHA! Ok, that was QUICK! Now go read John 15.  These verses were some of Jesus' last words while with his disciples before the Upper Room scenario.  It's the "I AM THE VINE" verses. Since I like WINE (haha) I love the whole wine growing reference.  It's a cool chapter. Really  alot of stuff in it. Bruce , (we're on a first name basis now, haha, joke!),  explains about how a vineyard looks and how the vine grows, etc. Unless you are from Northern California, you probably don't get the idea all that perfectly in your head. So, I am going to say, especially since I live in Alabama and GROW TOMATOES to just think about a TOMATO VINE for a minute instead. BRUCE says to feel the curl of the tendril and fuzzy leaves and smell the spicy sweetness of the grapes. I say, do the same regarding tomatoes. Funny, isn't it, how you can SMELL a tomato before it forms? On the vine? I guess the same is true for grapes! Here is now from the book, cause I don't want to mess up what he's saying. *BTW, When I quote from Bruce I will write in purple so you will know that is the author's words!...(From the book, chapter 2) 
"An Old Vinyeard, a new perspective"
1. Jesus is the vine. If you didn't grow up in wine country, you might think that the vine is a long, trailing limb that sprawls along the trellis. Actually, it's the TRUNK of the plant that grows out of the ground. Vineyard keepers traditionally keep the vine at waist height---36 to 42 inches. The vine ends in a large gnarl from which branches grow in either direction along the trellis.
2. The Father is the vinedresser. The vinedresser is the keeper of the vineyard--either the owner or the person hired to tend it. the vinedresser's task is simple--to coax from his plants the most pounds of grapes possible. A healthy and properly tended vineyard means a higher yield.
3. You and I are branches. In the vineyard, the branches are the focus of the vinedresser's efforts because they produce the fruit. Branches are tied to a trellis or propped up with sticks to let air circulate, to provide the maximum amount of sunshine, and to allow full access for tending. The vinedresser lovingly cultivates each branch so that it will bear as much fruit as possible.


OK, me again. thinking about my tomatoes I think about last year. Last year's crop was, flat out, horrible and disastrous. Small tomatoes, just not a good crop. Probably b/c I added lots of other veggies to our small plot and it smothered them, but also I just got tired of tying the darn stems up. I was lazy and halfway tied them up so that bunches ended up on the ground and were small, insect eaten and bitter. Hmmmm, I think ole Bruce has something  there about tending the 'maters. Or grapevines. I didn't prop mine up properly this year (well, a few of them) but the ones I didn't, sure enough, terrible tomatoes as a result.  Now read further what Bruce says....


"Why would Jesus talk in such detail about growing grapes when He was only hours from death and His best friends' hopes had just been crushed??? Clearly Jesus knew that the time and place were right to show the disciples a new way of looking at things. Jesus wanted them to see their future from the perspective of heaven.He didn't want to leave them on earth wondering, what is God up to in my life? And why isn't it turning out the way I expected? "?


So, what's with the fruit thing, you ask? You may know or you may not. I was taught, (And this coming, remember from my intro blog, from the last 20 years because before that I was acting a fool in Sunday School and didn't LISTEN!), that fruits represent your good works. I've heard it said from people, "if you want know if they're Christian, check their fruits". Hmmm, I say, HOOOOOOLD ON A MINUTE. Maybe that Christian is just not quite up to snuff on things, like I was. Maybe they ARE a Christian and just haven't gotten the puzzle pieces put together yet. Give 'em a break, folks, their fruits might be there but just not ready for harvest. If God gives us chances, we should give others chances too!  And I  would remind those folks that Jesus doesn't like those to JUDGE too much. Right??? (whew, thank goodness). I know you've read from Galatians 5:22 the fruits of the Spirit? If not, go read them. OH , OK,  I know you're not looking them up so I'll tell ya. "love/joy/peace/lonsuffering/kindness/goodness/faithfulness/gentleness/self control". How bout that? That's called the inner fruits. To PRODUCE some you gotta allow God to work in you. and to bring HIM glory which is what we strive for. It surely ain't for ourselves (forgive my grammar). Although, I do like me some pats on the back every now and then, I'm human.  SO, what does that mean or how do you do it? EXAMPLE from J.F. (me): terry going to Jamaica every couple of months. He goes , not for himself (altho the man does love to get hot sauce every trip!), he goes to help those peeps there.  Terry has decided that to help those people is part of God's plan for his life.  He doesn't brag about it or tell people. He just goes and does his work there.Some trips he feels like nothing happened that profound, but I bet in God's eyes it does! Doesn't matter to him about numbers. Which brings to mind about the "starfish story".  I just bet you have  heard the story of the person who was shocked one day to be on the beach and see hundreds of starfish dying in the sun. He was horrified and began throwing the starfish in the ocean. Someone comes up and harshly laughs and says, "Dude! No way you're going to save all those starfish! So, what's the point?" And the man says, "it matters to  THIS one". WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Profound. Yep. THAT is producing a fruit. Helping when it might seem desperate to YOU but not to Him. Just like the Bible Study I flubbed the dub on????? That I went home and CRIED OVER because I felt so frustrated over leading? And 20 years later, 3 people tell me it made a DIFFERENCE in their life???? NOT ME made a difference, but the STUDY inspired and breathed into by God. I was sooooooo inept and tongue tied and unable to hardly pray out loud at that time. And GOD BLESSED IT. Because He wanted it to happen. He needs us to help others. And by doing so,we began to produce fruits. SOOOOOOOOO, what about this fruit thing?This ABUNDANCE thing?  I know! I want to know, too!!!!!


Here is a paraphrase of a story from the book. The author , BRUCE, said he was at a retreat and was talking one night when  a lady approached him after his talk and told him that she felt that God was unhappy with her and that she didn't make a difference for Him in the world.  He responded by saying he thought she was "spiritually stuck". After ruling out things one by one that might be causing her distress he asked her about any unforgiveness she might be struggling with. The next day the woman met him and said she couldn't sleep  the whole night prior but that she didn't realize she had so much anger directed at her mother and she had filled 5 sheets of paper of bitter indictments against her mother that night. She wept and cried.  Healing began there but it was six months later that she called Bruce again and she said that she had reconciled with her mother and "was back on speaking terms with God".


That is but one instance that can be a stumbling block for someone. How about these. Any of these sound familiar to you? :
 Unforgiveness.  Envy. Gluttony. Pride.Arrogance. Stubborn to the core. Selfishness. Jealousy. You name it, us humans can hold on to and make any of those, and others, rule our hearts to the point where even if God wanted to, He couldn't get in. Why oh why, do we let those things rule us and keep us from what God wants for us? And yet, the devil continues to throw those things our way and makes them look good. Delicious. Desirable. Pleasurable.  Gotta have it or gotta do it. For me, it's like the old ad for potato chips: "BET YOU CAN"T EAT JUST ONE". Of course I can't! that darn quip makes me eat more! HAHA! And how about THIS quip , those who are my age will know this one: "GRAB ALL THE GUSTO YOU CAN GET" (beer commercial from '70's!). ? Grab all the gusto at the expense of everyone else? Put yourself numbero uno?? Don't think so!  And if we do put ourselves on the top of the heap then gradually, without even realizing it, we can find ourselves controlled by one who twists truths into lies and makes what once was pure and sweet, dirty and sullied. I know, I've been there! I  have always  told my kids, "if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.  Don't fall for the slick talker. Don't think you can get something for nothing. The devil LOVES to make things look good. He doesn't come with horns! he comes looking like a million bucks!"  I tell ya, I've had my turn wrestling with the ole devil! But, I'm not letting him win! (not today!) but, let me tell you, for whatever reason, that devil loves to taunt me! usually over something I get myself worked up over that doesn't mean a hill of beans to anybody else. That's what the devil is so twisted that he can use people or things that seem innocent on the outside but are rotten on the inside. A casual remark that hurts someone. A repeated story that isn't all true. You know! It's happened to you,t oo! Something someone said or did that they probably don't even remember saying or doing! So my advice (and this is to myself , too!) is  don't get caught spinning in the mud in frustration over someone that probably doesn't even know you have a problem with them! It's their problem! let it go! As a wise friend told me many times, (you know who you are if you are reading this!), "let them off  your hook. They're still on GOD'S hook". In other words, quit stressing about what this or that person does/did to you. It's a lot easier to just pray for them and turn that anger into prayer for that person. HARD sometimes, YES! But, once done, a burden quickly  flies off the ole shoulders!  Another big thing this day and time is wanting to HAVE IT ALL. How crazy is that? Have all of what? The best body? Face? car? House? Dog? (sorry, I do haha)  Vacation? why must everyone try to TOP everyone?! Some people even have to have the best darn STORY!!! You tell a funny story and someone says, "OH! I have a better one that than!" HAHA!!!  I'm not talking monetary stuff here---I'm talking about trying to satisfy oneself with things or food or vacations or friends or whatever it is that we try to fill that EMPTY  place that only God can fill! We've all been there. Right? We've all had those times where we go shopping only to come home with things but still not happy. Or the vacation that was wonderful but then back to the mundane. Or the new baby and reality of the responsibilty that comes with that child. Or the new house with the realization that it is expensive. And the list goes on. The GOOD NEWS is that GOD can remove those anxieties those things bring. He wants us to have abundant living , of that I am sure! HIS abundant living. Which might not be what our idea of abundant means. But, I can promise you this, HIS will be better than any life we could make! His plan is better than any other! And I hope, during this study, that every single person reading or participating will find GOD speaking to their situation/their questions and their searchings.
Which brings me to my SERMON quote of the night: ONLY GOD CAN SATISFY YOUR HEART!!!!  NOTHING can fill your heart like Jesus. (yep, some of you are singing that song now in your head....!)


More from Bruce...
"A sun browned man came up to me and asked, 'Do you understand John 15?'"  'Not completely', I answered. 'Why?'"
The man responded he owned a large vineyard in Northern California and said, 'I think I have it figured out.'
 I offered to buy him coffee on the spot".


"as we sat across the restaurant table from each other, he began to talk about the life of a grower--the long hours spent walking the vineyards, tending the grapes, watching the fruit develop, waiting for the perfect day to begin harvest." and the man continued "new branches have a natural tendency to trail down and grow along the ground, but they don't bear fruit down there. when branches grow along the ground, the leaves get coated in dust. when it rains, they get muddy and mildewed. The branch becomes sick and useless".
Bruce then asked, 'what do you do? Cut it off and throw it away?"
And the man replied, "oh no! The branch is much too valuable for that. we go tho the vineyard with a bucket of water looking for those branches. We lift them up and wash them up. Then we wrap them around the trellis or tie them up. Pretty soon they're thriving". 


Bruce said he could picture Jesus' own hand motions when He taught in the vineyard that night. he was showing how the Father makes sure His crop comes in full and sweet. And when the branches fall into the dirt, God doesn't throw them away or abandon them. He LIFTS THEM UP, CLEANS THEM OFF and HELPS THEM FLOURISH again".


wow. So I see as myself-- just like my own tomatoes that failed last year what went wrong. They fell into the dirt and I just left them. To fend for themselves!!! Poor things, they needed a TOMATO DRESSER (me)  to clean them up. Tie them up. and let them flourish again. The dirt (or my sin if I use  Jesus' story) weighed the poor things down.  God is like that for us! He picks  us up, dirty as we are  and cleans us and ties us up on the trellis. Where we can breathe/feel the sunshine (SONshine) and thrive as He wants us to.
Bruce says the first "secret" of the vine is:
"IF YOUR LIFE CONSISTENTLY BEARS NO FRUIT, GOD WILL INTERVENE TO DISCIPLINE YOU".


Well now, that is kind of scary to me! GEEZ!!!! Discipline is one word that causes me to cringe. DISCIPLINE. For myself. And even when I had to discipline my own  kids! And now grandkids. I just don't even like the way that word SOUNDS. UGH. But isn't that what we do for our kids so they won't get hurt? Just a couple of days ago, Natalie  told me that Kemp was "grounded". "WHY?" I asked b/c Kemp is so good and hardly ever has to be disciplined. At 7, he's such a great kid. But, he did something that caused his mother and daddy to have a near panic attack a couple of day ago. He rode his bike off the street into another neighborhood and they couldn't find him for about an hour (I'm sure the longest hour of their life). They COULD have said, "oh that's ok, Kemp, don't do it again, (even though they nearly called the police and they nearly had heart attacks)." but, they were upset and had to let Kemp know how upset they were so they were very stern with him and he was grounded. I think it broke Natalie's heart that Kemp sobbed and sobbed and apologized profusely.  How many times have I had to apologize, on my knees to God for doing something that  caused hurt to others because of something I have done or said??? It hurts to admit , even to God, who already knows what we've done, to tell Him. I hate when I have to do that. And, just like when I was a kid, I sob every time. I'm surprised I haven't made the tub overflow adding my tears to my bath while sobbing out to God for things I've said or done that have hurt others! And, I know I will be disciplined for it! How? Maybe I hurt someone so badly that they  didn't talk to me for awhile or maybe I hurt someone's feelings INTENTIONALLY. Wow, that's the worst. God makes me suffer the consquences and sometimes it sucks! Even things I did in the past, I know I have been disciplined for. It's not fun! But, the sense of relief, just like when I was a kid and had to tell the truth to my parents, well, it's a relief to just tell God. He knows it already, but He wants me to just LAY IT OUT THERE. And the relief and JOY that comes afterwards far surpasses the tears.
 I honestly don't think God ZAPS us with hurts/pains, but he ALLOWS things to happen and sometimes, well, we reap what we sow. RIGHT?.  Deuteronomy 8:5 says, "As a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you". Was Kemp happy he got disciplined? NO! was Natalie AND BRAD glad they had to discipline Kemp? NO! Was it done in LOVE? YES!!!!!!!!!! 


 from Bruce again,
"Our Father God will never discipline you out of rage or selfish desire. He will never lose control. God's actions are all intended to nudge you---lovingly, wisely, persistently, toward the life and character you desire but can't reach without help.  God always disciplines those who bear no fruit. But understanding how He goes about this---and how to respond to Him so that His correction can end--is part of the secret that can take you to the next level of fruitfulness. That's where you get to trade in your empty basket for clusters of luscious grapes."


 Or TOMATOES! 




what do I want you to do until next week?? How 'bout this. Why don't you get some paper and write down your thoughts. Is there anything you feel in your life that is keeping you from bearing more fruit?? If so, write it out. Pray about it. Ask God to help you.TA DA! I have just lowered the BOOM on you. JOURNAL!!!!!!!!!! If not journal, write on the back of your grocery list, for goodness sakes. But WRITE DOWN your thoughts. First , write down if you think you have any fruits showing. If you do, HOORAY!  YOU DON"T HAVE TO SHARE! (except to your own self).  But, I would LOVE it if you  would like to!!!! I REALLY want to hear from you! (email: Imamethodist@aol.com) or leave a message here. If you don't care if I publish what you write, I will and only add a first name. If you'd rather keep yourself anonymous, that's fine too. Just remember, by sharing you are helping others!


If you are showing fruits,You're doing great, keep on keeping on. If you are worried about if you have fruits, do a FRUIT CHECK.  Are you doing things without wanting reward? Are you tending your tomatoes? Are you in need of some cleaning off?  Are you in need of some GOD DISCIPLINE?  (eeks! get ready to cry in your bathtub! Join the Bathtub Crybabies!).If you feel your vineyard (or in my case "'tater patch" )isn't producing enough fruit, then come back next week for some more helpful hints from SECRETS OF THE VINE on what may be keeping you (and me) from producing a bumper crop and how to have baskets full of grapes (or 'maters!).
 Love u all! <><
Jan aka GranJan  xxxooo