S.
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 it will be even more fruitful. John 15:1,2
O.
John is describing Jesus teaching his disciples in the upper room just before the Passover Feast. This was likely a very private scene, warning them of what was to come, preparing them to move into the world as leaders/servants of God. Jesus is describing the work of his Father within them, touching on the purpose of the suffering ahead of them.
A. (Personal)
It is January in Oregon. Time to prune our dormant fruit trees. The Ohio State University Extension website notes, “A neglected but otherwise healthy fruit tree will usually show a marked improvement in fruit quality as a result of pruning…. the primary purpose of pruning is to increase sunlight penetration, remove less productive wood, and shape the crown into an efficient, stable form….. pruning increases fruit size, promotes uniform ripening, increases sugar content, and decreases disease and insect problems…..”. A well pruned plant is a thing of beauty, yielding fruit or blossom and health not otherwise gained. There may not be as important a horticultural imperative to the health, productivity, and purpose of the plant as efficient pruning.
A. (Psychological)
Suffering. The unceasing challenge of the human experience.
Meaning. The deepest experience of humanness.
Love. The highest goal to which humans can aspire. (Man’s search for meaning, 1963, p.59).
….Existential concepts which struggle to make sense of the psychological fiber of life… suffering, meaning, love. The therapist’s relationship with the client in this setting is critically important. The authentic therapeutic encounter allows the client to discover their own uniqueness in the here and now. It is existential “joining”. At this point, the therapist incorporates a personalized flow of techniques from more concrete approaches to challenge clients to recognize their responsibility in events occurring in their lives, and to help them identify factors that block freedom (Corey, 1996), health and progress.
P.
Lord, life is sometimes hard. Help us to be aware of your life that is flowing within us; that we are branches. Work in us faith to know that the meaning of our suffering is your purpose. Your glory. You are the Master Gardener, the Great Designer.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit…fruit that will last. ….This is my command: Love each other. John 15:16,17
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
This blog is for Christ-servants who are careful to practice sound psychological methods in a biblically responsible way. The word psychology is derived from psuche, the Greek word for soul or life. Paul used that word (Ephesians 6:6) when he encouraged servants of Christ to do God’s will from their hearts (psuche). God, after all, created us as psychological beings. We welcome your comments and feedback!
Article Format
For convenience, let's use the SOAP format for article submissions.
This is a way to interact with specific Bible passages in a way that has liveable, relational integrity. You observe what's happening in it, reflect on how it applies to your life as well as in clinical applications, and then pray about how you might respond to it as a humble servant of Jesus Christ.
It's actually pretty easy. Just remember the acronym SOAP. You pick a passage, that's the "S" for Scripture. You read it, and make a few notes about what it says. That's the "O" for observation. Then you think about what you've read and how it might impact your life. That's the "A" for application. Finally, you record a prayer, the "P". There you have it SOAP. Now, as Steve Mitchell describes it, get to lathering.
Regarding doctrine, what we believe to be true about God and Scriptures, this doctrinal statement seems to correspond best with the beliefs of Steve Stewart, the creator of this blogspot: http://www.foursquare.org/landing_pages/4,3.html. The
This is a way to interact with specific Bible passages in a way that has liveable, relational integrity. You observe what's happening in it, reflect on how it applies to your life as well as in clinical applications, and then pray about how you might respond to it as a humble servant of Jesus Christ.
It's actually pretty easy. Just remember the acronym SOAP. You pick a passage, that's the "S" for Scripture. You read it, and make a few notes about what it says. That's the "O" for observation. Then you think about what you've read and how it might impact your life. That's the "A" for application. Finally, you record a prayer, the "P". There you have it SOAP. Now, as Steve Mitchell describes it, get to lathering.
Regarding doctrine, what we believe to be true about God and Scriptures, this doctrinal statement seems to correspond best with the beliefs of Steve Stewart, the creator of this blogspot: http://www.foursquare.org/landing_pages/4,3.html. The
No comments:
Post a Comment