Vine and Branches 8-24-05

Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are welcome to abide in me; help me to abide in You. You are my vine; let me be one of Your branches. Let my life and this day bear fruit that pleases You. ... I believe I hear You say to us, "I am the vine. You are My branches. I extend My heart through you, My word through you, My will through you. Live and move and have your being in Me so that I may live and move and have My being through you. I fill you, as you are emptied of yourselves. I increase as you allow My will and My desires to become yours, and you decrease as you entrust your mind and heart to Me. This is how you are transformed by the renewing of your mind. This is how your mind becomes like the mind of Christ. This is how I remove your heart of stone and give you My heart of flesh -- a heart that is tender to My will and filled with My love." Yes, Lord. Let us be Your branches that bear Your fruit (John 15.1-11). Let our minds by renewed to think more like You think, so that we may love more like You love (Romans 12.1-2). Remove our hearts of stone and give us Your heart of flesh. As You said to Israel long ago, and as You continue to speak to Your people from every tribe and tongue and nation who are called by Your name, "A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you, and make you follow My statutes and be careful to observe My ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be My people and I shall be your God" (Ezekiel 36.26-28). In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Be encouraged this day! In the love of Jesus, Tommy Hays