minister5writes

I began tidying up the garden yesterday, I found myself picking up any dead leaves accumulated by our solid little tree. This reminded me of the ‘dead leaves’ we often have in our lives.

Similarly, like a tree when we grow in grace dead leaves are left behind by our past or experiences. We must pick out these leaves to not only remove baggage but to ensure we are truly set free.

The Bible says we are ‘trees of righteousness’ (Isaiah 61:3). Carrying any ‘dead weight’ in our lives will inhibit us to flourish and thrive.

Revelation 22:2 tell us ‘the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations’ if we continue to hold onto ‘the dead’ this will block us from receiving what the Father has in store for us.

Let us pick out aspects in our lives that are lifeless to bring forth new fruit in this new season.

As we are well into the new year of 2023, people often share New Year’s resolutions and decide what they want to leave behind from the previous year.

Often we look longingly back at the past but like Lot’s wife we shouldn’t (Genesis 19:26). God’s desire is for us to move forward.

When God provides a new path, there are times we are faced with trials and tested. Similarly to the Israelites, we need to trust in God who has brought us out of Egypt. To remove ourselves from the former things and believe that God is doing something new (Isaiah 43:19) in our lives.

As a Christian in today’s society it is easy to contaminate yourself with the world to try and fit in. To put on the ‘old man’ instead of the new. However, we must remember we are not called to fit in but be different.

We need to abide with our Father in Heaven.

We are told in John 15:6 if we do not abide, are branches will wither. If we truly abide with Him, by feeding our spirit rather than the flesh.

We shall not die but behold the tree of life.

PRAYER

Father in the Name of Jesus

Thank you that through you, we can behold eternal life,

Thank you Lord, for saving our souls

Forgive us again Lord, today of our faults of any sin

Help us Lord to die to self and die to our flesh,

Let us live for you and follow you Jesus

I pray that you will remove any baggage from our lives,

Remove any regrets from our past, let us not look back

Thank you Lord that you paid it all for us and nailed all our shame and sin on the cross,

Help us to trust that you are God and are doing a new thing

Let us be a new creation and choose to be different to the world,

Help us to choose the tree of life and cast off the ‘old man’

Let us commune and abide with you daily,

May our spirit flourish and any decay in our lives be removed

I declare our branches shall not wither and we will bear fruit in this season,

I declare that we will continue to trust in you.

Thank you Lord for your mercy and protection

Thank you Lord that you first loved us and only in you we can truly be forgiven,

Thank you that we may behold this new year and learn from all we have been through.

In your precious Holy Name

Amen

Jaeger. V

01.02.2023