ABIDING IN HIS LOVE – Filled with His Spirit

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 

John 15:9

Before you can abide fully in the love of Jesus Christ you first have to understand

1. how the Father loves Jesus and 
2. how Jesus, in like manner, loves you.

THE FATHER LOVES THE SON

     Immediately after Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, the Father began to demonstrate openly His love for His Son. Before His voice thundered from heaven that Jesus was His beloved Son in whom He was well pleased, the Father sent the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove to rest upon and fill Jesus. In His great love for His Son the Father knew that Jesus, who was fully human, could not fulfill His mission on earth without the Holy Spirit. So Jesus came up out of the Jordan empowered to handle anything and everything because the Holy Spirit was with Him and in Him. 

• Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. Luke 4:1
• Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. Luke 4: 14, 15

The Holy Spirit never left Jesus during His time here on earth.

• …God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38   

After Jesus’ mission was complete, and His lifeless body lay in the tomb the Father, in His love, sent His Holy Spirit to raise His Son from the dead.

• But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you Romans 8:11

THE SON’S LOVE FOR YOU

1. Before He sends you out to fulfill your unique mission here on earth Jesus, like the Father, does not send you alone. He makes sure that His Holy Spirit is with you and in you.

• But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8

• In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise… Ephesians 1:13

2. Just as the Father showed Jesus all things, Jesus in another demonstration of His love, sent the Holy Spirit to teach you everything you need to know.

• But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. John 14:26
• …when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13

3. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit will not leave you. He is with you always.

• If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper that He may abide with you forever… John 14:15, 16

4. Wherever the Holy Spirit is, Jesus and the Father are there also. They are One in you.

• I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18
• If anyone loves Me he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our home with him. John 14: 23

5. It is the Holy Spirit who transforms your thoughts so that your words and actions reflect the character of Jesus the Christ.

• But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5: 22, 23

6. When you are tempted to worry Jesus assures you of His love by saying…

• God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

7. Jesus knows the limitations of our human language so the Holy Spirit is there when you don’t know what to say.

• Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26

8. The Holy Spirit empowers you to do what is beyond your natural ability

• But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

9. Jesus, in His love, gives you life by His Holy Spirit.

• But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11

What love Jesus shows you and me in imparting His Holy Spirit!!

ABIDING IN HIS LOVE – Predestined for Love

 

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 

John 15:9

Before you can abide fully in the love of Jesus Christ you first have to understand

1. how the Father loves Jesus and
2. how Jesus, in like manner, loves you.

THE FATHER LOVES THE SON

     The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are inseparable. They are One. The Father is a God of love. Everything that He is, the Son and the Holy Spirit are also. What a perfect picture of love flowing freely from the Father to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; from the Son to the Father and to the Holy Spirit and from the Holy Spirit to the Father and to the Son! It is a flawless, complete love that never wanes in its intensity – a love that existed before time began and will continue for all eternity!

• Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24

Like Father, like Son…

THE SON LOVES YOU

     Jesus loved you before the foundation of the world! Imagine that! Before anything existed – the trees, the animals, the stars and all of the rest of creation – Jesus knew you intimately and chose to love you with the same perfect love that the Father has for Him.

• Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. Psalm 139:16

• Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, Ephesians 1:3-5

• For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29

• Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35, 38, 39

Rejoice in the fact that Jesus has been loving you since before the world came into being….and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it! You were predestined to be loved by Him!

Abide in His love!

ABIDING IN HIS LOVE – Love on Display

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 

John 15:9

Before you can abide fully in the love of Jesus Christ you first have to understand

1. how the Father loves Jesus, and 
2. how Jesus, in like manner, loves you.

THE FATHER LOVES THE SON

One way that the Father showed His love for Jesus was by publicly affirming Him…

Crowds of people had come from Jerusalem, Judea and surrounding areas, and were being baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Pharisees and Sadducees were there at the riverside also. Here comes Jesus, and John baptizes Him in the presence of all those witnesses. Suddenly the Holy Spirit descends on Him bodily like a dove, and they all hear the Father’s voice declare, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17

On another occasion when Jesus was with Peter, James and John and was transfigured on the mountain, the Father affirmed His Son, saying to the disciples, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Luke 9:35

No one who heard these awesome words coming from on high could possibly deny the love that the Father had for His Son! Like Father, Like Son…

THE SON’S LOVE FOR YOU

In the same manner, Jesus shows His love for you openly and publicly. He doesn’t keep it a secret.

• He took the blame for every single thing you have ever done, are doing or will ever do, just so that you could experience the intimate relationship with the Father that He enjoys.  Jesus’ love superceded His own human desires, and His public crucifixion was the ultimate demonstration of His unreserved love for you.    
• “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
• “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Luke 22:42

• Jesus also causes people to witness the blessings He bestows on you. Scripture proves this.  
• ‘But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says:  “ When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”’ Ephesians 4:7,8
• “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” Matthew 6:3,4
• “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:6
• “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:17,18
• “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-13
• “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.” Luke 6:35
• ‘And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.’ Colossians 3: 23,24

What an awesome, conspicuous,  public love Jesus Christ has for you!! 

Abide in His love!

INTIMACY WITH GOD – PART 8 – You in Him; He in You

“If you abide in Me, 

and My words abide in you, 

you will ask what you desire, 

and it shall be done for you.” 

John 15:7

This verse conveys the intensity of Jesus’ love for you when you engage in intimate union with Him.

IF YOU ABIDE IN ME…

As we discussed previously, abiding in Christ involves total surrender of your flesh and of your self-life. It is becoming completely immersed in everything that is of God. There is no putting on the Christian faith one day and then taking it off and living like a heathen on other days. There is no putting on a show in public while privately living a life that is different from what you profess. It is complete joyful abandonment to all that He is.

…AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU…

Jesus’ words are His commands, not His suggestions. His words are also His promises. When the Word of God lives in you it takes up residence in every area of your life. In other words, the Word is not a guest or a mere visitor to be used or entertained on occasion, at your convenience. Rather, the Word is the owner of your life, and you live by what the Word says.

YOU WILL ASK WHAT YOU DESIRE AND IT WILL BE DONE FOR YOU.

When you abide in Christ and He abides in you, you relinquish your thoughts, your ways, your attitudes and your desires for higher ones – His. Understandably then, when you ask what you desire, you will be asking according to His will and not your own.

I cannot help but think of two lovers when I read this verse. Christ is the most passionate lover in the entire universe! After all, He is the Creator of true pure love!

Two people who are passionately in love live only to please the other! They cook each other’s favorite meals, buy their favorite fragrance, even sacrifice their own needs in deference to the other – all to keep the relationship fresh and vibrant by giving the other the desire of his/her heart.

Christ longs for intense intimate union with you. Do you crave the same with Him?

Picture Him – the One who is everything and owns everything – entering your house (your life). He is no guest here, so there’s no need to hide the ‘dirty laundry’ of your failures, or to sweep the ‘dust’ of your sin under the rug. Not at all! In fact He helps you to clean house and then keep it clean! What a lover!

See Him take off His outer garment and His shoes as He enters the ‘living room’ of your daily routines. Take a deep breath, knowing that the Master – Your Husband –  is at home and all is well. See Him freely roaming through the ‘bedroom’ of your heart where your innermost thoughts lie. He climbs into the ‘attic’ of your mind where forgotten memories, both good and bad, are tucked away. He enters the ‘basement’ where your unspoken desires are. In each room He speaks just the right word of instruction, correction or comfort – always with pure unconditional love. This is The Word abiding in you.

Hear Him finishing your sentences as only One who knows His lover intimately could! Before you call He will answer (Isaiah 65:24). Watch Him laugh when you laugh. It’s really His joy that you feel, and it gives you strength you didn’t know you had (Nehemiah 8:10)! See the tears in His eyes when you hurt, for truly He is touched by the feelings of your infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). Now sink into His arms, lay your head on His breast and listen to His heart until yours beats in cadence with His.

This is the way life could be if you abide in the Lord and His words abide in you. You live to please Him, and He lives to please you! You in Him, and He in You!

INTIMACY WITH GOD – PART 6 – Bearing Fruit

Jesus made a distinction about the fruit that you bear when you are in Him. Let’s take a look at what He says. First…

“…every branch that bears fruit He prunes…” – John 15: 2b

When you are in Him you will produce some fruit. This qualifies you to be pruned – to have everything and anything taken away that distracts you from focusing on the Lord.

Next…

“…every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” – John 15: 2b, c

Pruning makes you produce more fruit. And finally…

“He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” – John 15: 5b

It is only when you are abiding in Jesus, embedded in Him and being constantly impregnated with the sap of His Word, that you can bear His fruit in the highest quantity and quality.

What fruit is Jesus talking about? They are all attributes of God shown through your attitudes and actions. Remember that they are the fruit of the Vine, not the fruit of the branches! You, the branch, are the conduit through which the fruit is revealed.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” – Galatians 5: 22, 23

 

LOVE

This is the kind of love that Jesus expresses to you and me. It is neither casual, sensual nor conditional, but is shown regardless of the response or lack thereof.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

JOY

True joy lies in contentment with whatever state you are in. It is the ability to rejoice in all situations.

“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

PEACE

Your peace is revealed through the tranquil state of your soul. It is a condition of security in Christ, safety and harmony.

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you…” – John 14:27

LONGSUFFERING

When you exhibit patience, endurance, steadfastness, the ability to go the extra mile all while remaining constant you are revealing this attribute.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9

GENTLENESS

Your gentleness is shown through your integrity (soundness of character and honesty) and your kindness

“Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ…” – 2 Corinthians 10:1

GOODNESS

This is being good-natured; pleasant

“Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” – Romans 2:4

FAITH

Faith is trust in God. It is the unwavering confidence of knowing that He Himself is faithful.

“Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back (from living by faith!), My soul has no pleasure in him.” – Hebrews 10:38

MEEKNESS

Meekness is mildness; humility. It is not weakness, but rather it is power under restraint.

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth…” – Isaiah 53:7

TEMPERANCE

This is the attribute of self-control; the ability to master the desires of your senses.

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” – 2 Peter 1: 5-7

Just as the fruit of any tree identify what type of tree it is, the fruit that you express through your attitudes and actions reveal the level of your intimate union with Jesus Christ. It is possible to express a few of the fruit in a substantial measure while not expressing much of the others. For example, you may be one in whom men can see longsuffering (patience) and great self-control, but love, joy and peace may be sadly lacking. Or you can express each of the nine attributes, but only to a small degree.

Little intimacy = little fruit; 

more intimacy = more fruit; 

much intimacy = much fruit!

The fruit of your union with Jesus Christ 

will ultimately allow people to 

taste and see that the Lord is good!

INTIMACY WITH GOD – PART 5 – Abiding

Abide in Me, and I in you. 

As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 

John 15:4

Definitions of abide (from Blue Letter Bible):
1. In reference to place – not to depart; continue to be present; to be held; kept
2. In reference to time – to continue to be; not to perish; endure
3. In reference to state or condition – to remain as one; not become another or different.

(Photo above is of a grafted branch abiding in its host.)

ABIDING IS TWO-FOLD

1. “Abide in Me…”
A branch participates in the process of grafting. It presents its body, so to speak, to the vine. It leaves its old life and environment (the original plant it came from), and conforms to the environment and life of the vine. On the outside the branch may look the same, but on the inside profound changes take place. A key to its survival is that it has to throw out little shoots which would attach it to the host vine so that it would not die, but remain in the vine and continue to be held there. This is a clear illustration of what Jesus meant when He told you to abide in Him.

HOW DO YOU ABIDE IN HIM?

• You follow Jesus’ example of His abiding in the Father. He said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.” – John 4: 34.
• Obedience is the key. This is what Jesus thrived on, and so must you.

1. Jesus answered, “If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching….” – John 14:23a
2. Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ’There is no other commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12: 20-31. Therefore if you don’t love, you won’t abide.
3. “…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12: 1b, 2

2. “…and I in you.”

The host vine also participates in the grafting process. The vine infuses its sap into the grafted branch, giving it life-sustaining nutrients. If the graft is successful the sap helps to fuse the vine and the branch together.

WHO ABIDES IN YOU?

     When you fulfill the conditions that Jesus has given, then His promise of abiding in you is activated.

• “The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see Him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you.” – John 14:17
• “If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him.” – John 14: 23

It is clear, then, that the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit abide in you in response to your obedience to Jesus’ word.

DIVINE INTERDEPENDENCE

“As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”

You can do nothing for God in your own strength. You must be one with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in intimate union. Jesus, your Vine who is one with the Father (the Vinedresser), must continually impregnate you with the “sap” of His Word through the power of His Spirit. Remember that you do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. You, in response, must remain embedded in Him and yielded to Him, allowing the Word to work in you and through you.

ABIDING OR JUST PASSING THROUGH?

Apostle Austin J. de Bourg says, “A man has not learned anything until it has changed him”. Therefore you don’t abide in the True Vine until you have learned of Him, obeyed Him and allowed Him to change you.

Here is a simple test…

1. What were the last two instructions that you received from the Lord, either during your own personal prayer, Bible study or from a minister preaching the Word?
2. Since receiving them how have you specifically been living out those instructions on a daily basis?
3. How has it changed you?

Your honest answers to these questions will help you to determine if you are truly abiding in Him and He in you, or if the “sap” of His word is just simply passing through you.

INTIMACY WITH GOD – PART 4 – Another Touch of Love

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser…..

and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” 

John 15: 1, 2b

Picture this………… You’re a strong, healthy branch, firmly attached to the Perfect Vine. Your leaves have been a vibrant green and you have produced huge clusters of grapes. Even now there are buds of new growth bursting out all over you – heralding more fruit to come.

Along comes the Vinedresser. His face lights up when He sees you, and His eyes twinkle with that unmistakable look of love. You are so proud to show Him what you have produced, and the promise of even more things to come!

You notice that the Vinedresser has pruning shears in His hand. Suddenly you feel searing pain as the instrument cuts into you. Severed leaves, woody bark, fruit and new buds all crash to the ground below you. The Vinedresser seems unconcerned that He is stepping on your hard work – the very things that you thought would have been so pleasing to Him. He pauses briefly to step back, smile and admire His handiwork before resuming the painful lacerations.

At the end of it all you stand before Him stripped bare except for a few short nubs that are closest to the Vine.

You have just received another touch of love from the Vinedresser.

In the natural, when grape vines are pruned it is not just to remove parasites that may have attached themselves to the branch from the outside. The main purpose for pruning is to remove growth that came from within the branch itself – growth that once was very positive and productive. The greater the growth, however, the greater is the need to be pruned.

You see, a branch that is left to grow without pruning may produce a lot of fruit, but the quality is inferior. This is because its nutrients have to be disbursed to too many of its parts. Long stems from a previous season’s growth make the vine look productive on the outside, but they consume too much sap. So when the branch is cut back to just a few shoots, the sap is concentrated in a limited area. When new fruit come forth they are abundant and of high quality.

Just like the natural branch, those “long stems”, “fruit” and “buds of opportunity” in your life can be a hindrance, so the Father uses His Word and experiences in your life as instruments to prune you.

Are you due for a pruning? You are if…

1. You are involved in multiple ministries, activities or projects and you have little quality time to spend abiding in the presence of the Lord.
2. You have been working hard, but the fruit of your labor is less than satisfactory.
3. You are feeling dry spiritually, even though you have been going through the motions.
4. You have become satisfied and comfortable with your role as a (fill in the blank) _______________, and what you have accomplished in that role.
5. You have allowed the sin of pride to infiltrate your life by becoming dependent on your own abilities and accomplishments.
6. You have been secretly or openly taking credit for your “fruit”. For example: you may credit your qualifications, your children, your position in church or in the secular arena to your own self-effort.
7. You are at a crossroad in your life.
8. Friends, family or other interests distract you and keep you from focusing on your calling in Christ.
9. You have accomplished great things for the Kingdom of God recently.
10. You have been self-absorbed…..allowing your imagination to get the better of you, and you have been envisioning yourself reacting to people and/or situations in an effort to defend or preserve yourself.

How does pruning promote intimacy? It causes you to focus. You don’t have “leaves”, “stems”, “buds” and “fruit” to work at maintaining. All of self has been cut away. You have been crucified. Now you can focus on your Beloved Vine, Jesus the Christ. As you tap more and more into Him, He is able to pour more and more of Himself into you. Your dependency on Him is more profound. Your relationship blossoms and you are ready to engage with Him in Divine spiritual intercourse.

…to be continued

INTIMACY WITH GOD – PART 3 – The Touch of Love

“I am the true vine, 
and My Father is the vinedresser. 

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away…”
John 15: 1, 2

Picture this… You are a branch attached to a strong, sturdy Grapevine. However, you are a weak branch so you are trailing on the ground, unlike some of your fellow branches above you. Your outer bark is covered in dust, and when the rain falls the dust turns to mud. You really want to be like the other branches and produce some luscious grapes, but your leaves are not receiving enough sunlight or air, and you are stuck in the mud.

Along comes the Farmer – the Vinedresser – and He sees your condition. What does he do? He gently but firmly lifts you from the ground, washes you clean and ties you to a higher stake. He ties you in order to train you to grow in the direction that would give you the sunlight and air that you so desperately need in order to become fruitful.

When Jesus said that the Father takes away every branch that does not bear fruit, He was illustrating the loving touch of our Father when we are unproductive. The phrase “takes away” literally means “to raise up, elevate or lift up”.

Have you ever felt like that barren branch? Do you feel like that now? You are a Christian, and therefore you’re in Him, but you are stuck in the “dust” of carnality. It need not be sexual sin; it could be anything that prevents you from focusing on what God created you to be.

It is in these times that the Father – your Vinedresser – comes along and washes you with the water of His Word. He does not immediately cut you off from Himself and discard you because of your unfruitfulness. No, instead He corrects your position, lifting you up and limiting your movement. He causes you to have experiences that emphasize your total dependence on Him. He leads you to just the right Scripture or sends someone with just the right message at just the right time. All of this is to make you grow in the direction He wants for you.

God is a loving God of infinite second chances. He chastens those He loves, but at the same time He does everything to restore you to health so that you can be productive in Him. Your job is to yield to His corrective measures – whatever He uses to “tie” you and train you.

Once you adapt to your new position in Him and you begin grow in the right direction and produce fruit, the Vinedresser – your Father – returns with another touch of love…..

….to be continued.

INTIMACY WITH GOD – PART 2 – Intimate Dependency

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” – John 15: 1, 2

Jesus used this illustration to show the intimate relationship between the Husbandman/Vinedresser, the Vine and the branch. We can learn so much about this intimacy by studying the natural grapevine.

THE VINEDRESSER/HUSBANDMAN
It is the vinedresser who decides where the vine is planted. He knows the nature of the vine, so he lovingly cares for it, watching over it and rejoicing in the fruit it produces. The vinedresser – not the vine – determines the time for planting, the time for pruning and the time for harvesting.

THE VINE
A fruitful vine can do nothing without the vinedresser, and is completely dependent on him. It can only grow where the vinedresser decides, and can only produce as much as the vinedresser determines. The health of the vine is a reflection of the love and care of the vinedresser. In turn, the vine becomes the source of strength, stability and health for the branch. (Conversely, a weed has no gardener, so it grows wild and can cause harm to cultivated plants!)

THE BRANCH
The branch is simply a vessel used by the vine. It has the same nature as the vine. Through its sap the vine channels its energy to and through the branch. The branch, then, is a reflection of and a smaller version of the vine.

Just as the vine is dependent on the vinedresser, the branch in turn, is totally dependent on the vine. It is only when the branch is one with the vine that it can produce what the vinedresser desires – fruit that reflect the nature of the vine.

INTIMATE DEPENDENCY
Jesus, the True Vine, said of the Father, the Husbandman –  “The Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in His turn].” – John 5:19.

Of you and me Jesus said, “Without Me you can do nothing.” 

The Father loving and directing the Son…  The Son loving you and providing all that you need… You loving the Son and therefore the Father…  The Father loving you in turn because of your love for His Son, and the fruit that you bear out of your union with Him.

What divine intimacy!!

INTIMACY WITH GOD – PART 1 – Vine or Weed

“I am the true vine, 

and My Father is the vinedresser.” 

John 15: 1

If Jesus said that He is the True Vine, then it means that there are false vines to which you can become attached. How can you tell when someone is a false vine?

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?” – Matthew 7: 15, 16

• Their motives are to satisfy themselves rather than serving the people of God. Listen carefully to the words of the preacher. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

“…there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money.” – 2 Peter 2: 1-3

• Is the focus on getting a blessing rather than on being a blessing to God?

• Do they claim to be the only ones to have a certain revelation that you will miss out on if you don’t buy their book or cd, or support their ministry?

• Do they promise that you will be blessed, or your problems will be prayed for and solved….once you send them a “love offering” of no less than $xyz.

• Do they insist that people come to the altar for healing or a prophesy with an offering in their hand? Often they determine what the offering amount is, and keep lowering it until they ensure that everyone has given. The ones who have the least to give usually get a “God bless you” while the ones who gave thousands of dollars are attended to more.

• Do they focus on getting their book or cd on the bestseller list?

“They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.” – 2 Peter 2: 19

• Humility is a key characteristic of any true teacher.

• Beware of those who boast about what material possessions they have acquired. God is not impressed with planes, boats, luxury cars and estates.

• Do you see a lot of worldly influence in the ministry?

Whenever you read or listen to a messenger who claims to come from God, ask the Holy Spirit to show you if that person is connected to the True Vine or if they themselves are a weed.