BRANCH OUT

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

BRANCH OUT

(Zech 6:12)…“Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD.

Well, here we are on top of a new year and it’s time to branch out! For many the past year held a lot of difficulty and disappointments. We tried to branch out but we kept getting trimmed! It wasn’t a time for growth but a season of pruning. We had to persevere and be patient and just keep yielding to the process. It was a time for trust. God had His ways. We couldn’t figure it out but we kept telling ourselves God loves us and all things will work together for the good! We would grow back and eventually bear fruit again. (John 15:2)…every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Now it’s time to branch out!

The term branch is messianic in nature. It says in (Isa 11:2)…There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. This is a prophecy concerning Christ. Jesus came from the stump of Jesse, King David’s father. The kingly line of David had lain dormant for 600 years until Jesus came as King and Messiah. You could say it was like a new green Branch coming from a seemingly dead stump.

Then in Zechariah 6 we see another prophecy about the Branch. This time it is foretold that the Branch will branch out and build the future millennial temple of (Eze 40-48). He will bear the glory of God (John 1:14) and sit and rule on His throne as priest and king. That’s just like our Lord, always branching out and doing new things and bringing wonderful fruit into our lives so we can worship Him!

You might find it unbelievable that soon you will branch out after all the whittling you’ve experienced in the past. But I have to defer to brother Job on this matter. You see, he was whacked down to nothing but then God restored his loses and he received double from what he had before! (Job 42) Listen to him talk about a tree that went from trimming to brimming: (Job 14:7‑9) "For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender shoots will not cease. {8} Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, {9} yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant. So just because you’ve been pruned doesn’t mean you are doomed. The Lord loves you and you’re going to grow and branch out again.

The Lord wants us to branch out into new areas. He wants to reach the world through us by the fruit we bear for Him (Gal 5:22-23; Phil 1:11). People are weary from the heat of the day and need a place to rest under the shade (Psa 121:5; Mk 4:32). Will you believe God for a year of growth and expansion? After all you’ve been through will you anticipate that this year will be one of increase and advancement? Then tell the Lord you are ready to branch out!

Louie