Jeremiah 5:10 (ESV) “Go up through her vine rows and destroy but make not a full end; strip away her branches, for they are not the Lord's.” Precious jewels are mined among worthless surrounding rock, and this passage is a diamond easily missed. Buried in a long list of judgements against the people of God a powerful spiritual principle is revealed: “strip away her branches, for they are not the Lord's”. In other words, some things attached to my life are not from God; “branches” get added along the way that actually ruin what IS from God. My spiritual father Costa Deir called this “mixture”; non-biblical ideas, philosophies or actions in a believer’s life that sound reasonable and are commonly seen in others but are not from God. These wild “branches” must be cut out from our lives. Dearest LORD, Vineyard-Keeper of My Soul, cut away worthless attachments from my life. Remove whatever is in the way that is not of Your making.
A serious pursuit of godliness requires an equally serious renunciation of worldliness. Too often, we measure spirituality with false scales. While being wisely selective with our public vices we are less so with our private attitudes and perspectives. In reality, it is the thoughts and intents of the heart where the greatest battles must be waged; our actions will ultimately align with the condition of our hearts. Lord God, You know me inside out, You are not fooled by human facades. Plow my heart with Your Word and Spirit and leave nothing unturned. Refresh my inward man that I may outwardly glorify You in all places at all times.
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