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You did not choose Me

but I chose you,

and appointed you

that you would go and bear fruit,

and that your fruit would remain,

so that whatever you ask of the Father

in My name He may give it to you.

~ John 15:16



Happy New Year beautiful sister!

This is the day that the Lord has made, rejoice! 

I used to hate New Year’s Day! How many of us have memories of family members who were sick and grumpy in the morning for some reason? Then, as we became of age, we experienced that same bad start to the New Year? Rotten deeds bear rotten fruit. 

Thank God that we get a new start when we are born again of God’s Spirit! We need to be born anew with a Spirit that is stronger than our flesh. (or flesh and blood) But isn’t Jesus’ perspective here interesting? He chose you, not the other way around!

When relating the testimony of our salvation we usually say, “when I accepted Jesus”, or “when I asked Jesus into my heart”, but here, Jesus is saying that He did the choosing! Sometimes I’ve heard people say, “when Jesus found me…” or “When Jesus rescued me…”. Again, Jesus did the choosing!

Just dwelling on the idea that Jesus chose me, not me choosing Him gives me goosebumps! It’s humbling. It means we’re not as much in control as we think. It means we’re dependent on His strength, His grace, His mercy. It means He loves us, not for what we can offer, but for what we can grow into, more and more into the image of His Father. Our Father. 

He chooses us because He has a specific purpose in mind for each of us! When Jesus walked the earth, His ministry first began by choosing His disciples. He invited them, and they accepted that invitation. He trained them for the ministry He had in mind for them. He still invites all of humankind, but not all pay attention or not all have heard. 

This is part of our work that He chooses us to do, the fruit that remains; spreading the good news that all can be free from the tyranny of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ! He has chosen them too! 

Fruit born of God is eternal! Think of the effect that has on our prayers! So often I wonder if my prayers are sufficient, especially when I’ve been praying for people for a long time. But here Jesus says that we will bear fruit and that fruit will remain! Jesus makes it all possible!

As if that is not enough, He promises that whatever we ask of the Father, in His name, He will give it to us! Not because we deserve it, or sweat and cried over it, or begged and pleaded, but simply because He chose us and appointed us to bear fruit in His name. God will always honor prayers that are according to His will!

Because He chose us, He chooses to be with us! He is with us every moment of every day. Because He is with us wherever we go, we can bring forth fruit that will point others to Him, the ones He’s chosen for us to minister to!

What an awesome God we serve! He chooses us! He equips us! He sends us! We bear good fruit and are edified! Our fruit remains and is multiplied! Every day is a new day! And in our appointments we grow from glory to glory, faith to faith, closer to Him!

God has only good things for His children, no hangovers, no headaches, no regrets.

Think about going forth and bearing fruit; how many different people do we encounter each day? What if each one of us planted a little seed of kindness or love, offered a little sacrificial act, took a few minutes out of our day, every day, for the glory of God?

So, look forward in this new year, dear sister, to see what God has chosen for you! He knows you better than you know yourself! Pay attention to those nudges you feel, take the time and the opportunities placed before you to bear good fruit in Jesus’ name!

He has formed you for His special purpose, one that will ultimately bring you great joy and thanksgiving as you see the fruit of your obedience flourishing and multiplying, to God’s glory!

Hallelujah! Keep loving Jesus and moving forward!

With love, your sister, Celeste