Comfortable in the middle

This is the final post in the Participating in the Tree of Life Series.  Here is a link to the most recent post:  Resurrection and Roots . Every time I consider that the Tree of Life is introduced in the Genesis creation story (Genesis 2:9), and then is referenced at the end of the Book of Revelation (Revelation 22:1-3), I’m compelled to believe it is intended to communicate a critical spiritual truth. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations As I’ve detailed in previous posts, I’m convinced that God’s intent for the Tree of Life imagery is to communicate that believers are to be part of this symbolic tree.   We have a role in the Tree of Life, as a conduit for the flow of the Holy Spirit into the world around us, both in the spiritual fruit we bear, as a consequence of being filled with living water (Holy Spirit), and in the active and continual presence of the Holy Spirit around us, as it pours out of us, ministering as God intended, to the world...

This is the 14th post in the Participating in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and most recent posts. In the midst of the Easter holiday, it’s a good time to reflect on what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection.   As He explained to His disciples prior to His arrest (Gospel of  John, chapter 16) Jesus would send the Holy Spirit after He was resurrected. 5 “but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” Jesus’ resurrection resulted in the impartation to, and flow of the Holy Spirit through those who believe in Him.   This blog series has detailed the flow of the Holy Spirit through those who believe, using the visual imagery of plants and the Tree of Life, as...

This is the 13th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and most recent posts. This post continues to explore aspects of the Holy Spirit, the water of life, which continuously flows through those who are connected to Jesus through belief in Him.  It is critical to the Christian believer to know and understand what God has made available through the Holy Spirit. This post reminds believers about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The key Bible passage addressing the gifts of the Holy Spirit is in 1st Corinthians chapter 12, and describes different gifts which are given to believers. 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom...

 This is the 12th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and most recent posts. This post continues to explore aspects of the Holy Spirit, the water of life, which continuously flows through those who are connected to Jesus through belief in Him.  It is critical to the Christian believer to know and understand what God has made available through the Holy Spirit.  The last two posts shared how the Holy Spirit is our source of truth and understanding.  As a final reflection on the Holy Spirit as the source of truth and understanding, consider this passage Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 2: 12-14: 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept...

This is the 11th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and most recent posts. This post continues to explore aspects of the Holy Spirit, and what Revelation 22:1 refers to as the river of the water of life.  The last post shared how the Holy Spirit is our source of truth.  This post is related, as it demonstrates the role of the Holy Spirit in helping us understand. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR SOURCE OF UNDERSTANDING Just because a person sees something, hears something, or reads something, does not mean that the person understands what has been seen, heard, or read.   There’s a lot of misunderstanding out there about all sorts of things.   There’s many things we don’t fully understand (probably most things).   Believing in Jesus doesn’t mean you’ll instantly understand everything, but you will have access to the Holy Spirit so that you can begin to understand what is ultimately important (concerning your purpose and relationship w...

This is the 10th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and most recent posts.  This blog series has been anchored in Revelation 22, verses 1-3: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.   No longer will there be any curse. This post further explores what is described here as the river of the water of life, elsewhere referred to as streams of living water.   Two previous posts in this series addressed water in the context of the tree of life:   Post #3 ( water and light ) addressed aspects of plant biology and water, and post #8 ( Abundant, continuous water ) addressing the never-ending supply of water (Holy Spirit) to the believ...

This is the 9th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and most recent posts. The story of the Tree of Life begins in Genesis Until now, the focus of this series of posts has been an explanation of the tree of life, primarily using Revelation 22, verses 1-3.  This post addresses the tree of life as described in the creation stories in the Book of Genesis, chapters 2 and 3.  The first mention of the tree of life is in Genesis 2, verse 9.  Here is Genesis 2, verses 8 and 9: Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. These two trees are specifically mentioned by name.  God gives specific instruction concerning humankind’s interaction with the trees in the garden....

This is the 8th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and most recent posts. This Tree of Life series has been anchored in Revelation 22, verses 1-3: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.   No longer will there be any curse. The last post discussed how the Tree of Life is perpetually in the light of God, meaning that water is able to continuously flow through and out of it.   For this to happen, there needs to be a reliable water source.   Plants in dry soil, when exposed to light, will wilt, due to lack of water.   The Tree of Life does not wilt, because there is always water. The Tree of Life has an abundant, continuous ...

This is the 7th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first and sixth posts. This Tree of Life series has been anchored in Revelation 22, verses 1-3: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be any curse. What has been established is the nature of our relationship to God and Jesus, and the role we’ve been designed for, in God’s effort to draw all people to Himself.  Our purpose is fulfilled in the flow of the Holy Spirit through us, displayed in us, and emanating from us, just as a fruit tree produces fruit that is good to eat, and transpires water vapor into the environment all around it.  We are branches in the Tre...

 This is the 5th post in the Tree of Life series.  Here are links to the first , second , third , and fourth posts. The last post established our identity and position relative to Jesus, utilizing the Vine and Branches imagery Jesus communicated in the Gospel of John, chapter 15 (verses 1-8). “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If y...