I AM THE TRUE VINE
Thursday – February 13, 2020, Sh’vat 18, 5780
Greeting my dear and precious saints of God who so diligently love the Lord and are friends and partners of this Ministry Ordained of God. Loving the Lord is keeping His Word, His commandments with a willing heart, not reluctantly or in some other perfunctory (unthinking, automatic, mechanical, obligatory) fashion.
Isaiah 1:19-20 (KJV)
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
When we decide and function in love (agape) we are selfless (dead to self), obedient to Scripture, and abide by Blood Covenant. When one truly believes in something or someone, they are enthusiastic and their focus is upon the other person and their purposes. It seems to me that we are all to focused on our own day to day life and not enough on the larger issues by far of the Kingdom of God. It is not until we are dead to self that the fullness of our Covenant with God kicks in.
Hebrews 9:16-17 (KJV)
16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
A testator is one who is making Covenant. In order for a Covenant (will or contract) to be in force there must be two parties. God has put a Covenant in place through the Blood of Jesus that we can choose to become a participant to it or not. Jesus died to put the Covenant on the table. We must die to self in order to fully step into that Covenant.
If you are reading this on Facebook please take a moment to hit the “love” and “share” buttons to expand the reach of this Ministry. Todays’ picture is of Donna and myself last year at Samoset Resort in Rockport Maine. Believe it or not I am now moving ahead into chapter fifteen of the Book of John. As we prepare to dive into todays’ teaching let’s read our primary text aloud together.
John 15:1-4 (KJV)
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Jesus tells us as we enter this chapter that He is the “true vine” which tells us immediately there are other vines but they are not the “true vine”.
Matthew 24:24 (KJV)
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Not only will many arise who claim to be Christ but many false religions will arise that claim a path to the Father, to Heaven. Our text is likening the Kingdom of God to a vineyard and God the Father is the farmer or owner of that vineyard. As we move into verse two, we see that we, the saints, the children of God, are dependent upon and intimately connected to the vine who is Christ, the true Christ, the true vine. Let me ask myself, am I bearing fruit? Each of us reading this might want to ask ourselves the same question, am I bearing fruit? The consequences of not bearing fruit looks like removal from the vine. Well connection to the vine is our only source of life. So, is an unfruitful Christian removed from their salvation and thrown into Hell? We see later in this chapter another group of people who do actually choose Hell over Heaven. Unfathomable but happening all around us due to the deceptions of the devils.
John 15:6 (KJV)
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
This person did not continue to abide (continue) in Jesus and is no longer considered a branch and therefore no longer a Kingdom of God citizen and is cast out. What an awful thing to happen but it is not sudden but the result of a series of conscious choices made by the individual. It starts with a deception which is the small wedge which can fell a huge tree. Lord willing, I will pick up right here next Monday.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name! Quit asking God to bless you, you are already blessed, you have the Blessing, give Him something to do by the words of your mouth. Once you know the will of God, decree the thing (Job 22:28, Isaiah 45:11, Mark 11:23). (The Blessing is the Holy Spirit) We have left God way to long with nothing to do in our lives.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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