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Today is Thursday, September 16, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Daniel, chapters 4-6. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this link onto your browser: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-september-16

Today's Message: Pruning Away Undesirables
When a tree or plant does not produce enough fruit or flowers it is often pruned or purged. To prune means to cut off or remove anything considered superfluous or undesirable on the plant. The word superfluous means something unnecessary or needless. In other words, pruning is removing anything that is undesirable or unnecessary if we want to see something good come out of it. Have you ever seen a bush or tree that was pruned? Sometimes all that is left is branches, it looks dead and lifeless, but come spring you will start to see budding and life to it once again. As Christians, it is necessary for God to do some pruning in our lives. If we truly want to serve God and allow Him to do a great work in us we must allow Him to prune away what is superfluous or undesirable in our lives. The Bible says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” - Hebrews 9:14. Works by man made religions to not purge or prune away all the impure, immoral, or corruptible from our lives, the blood of Christ does. It is only by the blood of Christ that we can purge the superfluous or undesirable things from our lives and begin serving the living God, not some false, man made god made to sound like the one and only living God.

Nebuchadnezzar knew of God, but he failed to acknowledge Him as the one and only living God and remove the false gods from the nation. Through a dream God revealed to Nebuchadnezzar what would happen if he continued ignoring the warnings. “I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me...This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies....This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.” - Daniel 4:2,18,19,24-26. Nebuchadnezzar was warned that if he did not stop worshiping these false gods that he would be forced to live like an animal. Let me tell you that if God has to He will do some serious pruning to get us to remove the undesirables from our lives and prove that He is the one in control, especially if we fail to listen to the warnings.

Nebuchadnezzar failed to heed the warning and withing the hour he was literally transformed into a type of animal and forced to live in the fields as one. “The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.” - Daniel 4:33-37. It took seven years for Nebuchadnezzar to look up to God and just pray to him, he knew that it was his pride that kept him from saying that God is in control, but once he humbled himself before God he returned back to normal.

When a sinner comes to himself, he will promote the welfare of others by making known the wondrous mercy of God in his life. When we realize the greatness of God and compare it to the failures of our lives, we will find it easier to turn loose of our prideful attitudes and just accept that God is always in control. The kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever, are the Lord's, but many are employed in making known His wonderful works to others, who themselves remain strangers to His saving grace. After being thrown into a lions den for praying, Daniel was thought to be dead for his faithfulness to God, however, his faithfulness in God proved to all that God is with all who put Him first. Even the king acknowledged God as the one and only living God. “Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” -Daniel 6:25-27. We can expect to be pruned from time to time, but as long as we fear (respect) of God and walk according to that rule, peace, protection, and God's blessings will always be upon us. “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:” - Hebrews 12:28. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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