April 15: Don't Let Go!!

Luke 13:1-22

Amplified Bible (AMP)

13 Just at that time there [arrived] some people who informed Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

2 And He replied by saying to them, Do you think that these Galileans were greater sinners than all the other Galileans because they have suffered in this way?

3 I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally.

4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them—do you think that they were more guilty offenders (debtors) than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally.

6 And He told them this parable: A certain man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find [any].

7 So he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]?

8 But he replied to him, Leave it alone, sir, [just] this one more year, till I dig around it and put manure [on the soil].

9 Then perhaps it will bear fruit after this; but if not, you can cut it down and out.

10 Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.

11 And there was a woman there who for eighteen years had had an infirmity caused by a spirit (a demon of sickness). She was bent completely forward and utterly unable to straighten herself up or to look upward.

12 And when Jesus saw her, He called [her to Him] and said to her, Woman, you are released from your infirmity!

13 Then He laid [His] hands on her, and instantly she was made straight, and she recognized and thanked and praised God.

14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, There are six days on which work ought to be done; so come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath day.

15 But the Lord replied to him, saying, You playactors (hypocrites)! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead it out to water it?

16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?

17 Even as He said this, all His opponents were put to shame, and all the people were rejoicing over all the glorious things that were being done by Him.

18 This led Him to say, What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?

19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the wild birds found shelter and roosted and nested in its branches.

20 And again He said, To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?

21 It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of wheat flour or meal until it was all leavened (fermented).

22 [Jesus] journeyed on through towns and villages, teaching, and making His way toward Jerusalem.

Let's look at verse 19 in the King James version. 

19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.

The mustard seed was not planted as most Bible translations suggest. It was carelessly cast. Why would a farmer, on purpose, plant a tree in the middle of his garden? The tree would attract birds which would steal the fruits of his labors.
The mustard tree represented the kingdom of God (largely Gentile) which was cast aside thoughtlessly by Israel. 
Do you feel that you have been thoughtlessly cast aside? No worries. You are a part of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ! You are going to grow strong in His kingdom! All you have to do is grow in Christ! How do you do that? By clinging to Him!

Deuteronomy 10:20

Amplified Bible (AMP)

20 You shall [reverently] fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and by His name and presence you shall swear.

Deuteronomy 13:4

Amplified Bible (AMP)

4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and [reverently] fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and cling to Him.

Deuteronomy 11:22

Amplified Bible (AMP)

22 For if you diligently keep all this commandment which I command you to do, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him—

Joshua 23:8

Amplified Bible (AMP)

8 But cling to the Lord your God as you have done to this day.

2 Kings 18:6

Amplified Bible (AMP)

6 For he clung and held fast to the Lord and ceased not to follow Him, but kept His commandments, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Psalm 63:8

Amplified Bible (AMP)

8 My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me.

Jeremiah 13:11

Amplified Bible (AMP)

11 For as the girdle clings to the loins of a man, so I caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me, says the Lord, that they might be for Me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory; but they would not listen or obey.

"Dear Jesus, I may not be Your first choice. But Your first choice turned their backs on You! They spurned Your love time and time and time again! I choose to cling to You. Thanks for accepting my love. Thanks for loving me! Thanks for not spurning my love! Thanks for allowing me to be a part of Your peole! Your name! Your praise! Your Glory! I choose to listen to Your voice! I choose to obey! I choose to cleave to You! How I love and adore You, Jesus."

John 15:1-8

Amplified Bible (AMP)

15 I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.

2 Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.

3 You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].

4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.

5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you showand prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.