Good morning dear sisters… I’ve heard from some of you how the devotionals are hitting home. And some of you have asked for prayer. It is a joy to pray for you, because we get to be a part of what God is doing, and it brings us so much joy to see how tenderly He cares for us and how He is at work in our body of believers here.
Did you know we have an Intercession Team? They are at the ready to pray for you. If you would like prayer, please email me at nicolechapingiven@gmail.com
Let me know two things:
Would you like just me to pray or may I pass your request along to the Intercessors?
Would you like to remain anonymous?
I count it a privilege to pray for you, as does each member of our Intercessory Prayer Team.
The reading today is entitled Ye the Branches and is from John 15:5.
I am the Vine, Ye are the branches. – John 15:5
Here are some highlights:
The relationship He seeks to establish is an intensely personal one: it all hinges on the two little words I and You.//Let us present ourselves before the Lord, until He speak to each of un is power, and our whole soul feels it: “I am the Vine; you are the branch.” Dear disciple of Jesus, however young or feeble, hear the voice. “You are the branch.” You must be nothing less. // Yes, by His grace I will be nothing less than a branch, and all He means it to be, that through me, He may bring forth His fruit.”
“You are the branch.” You need be nothing more. You need not for one single moment of the day take upon you the responsibility of the Vine. You need not leave the place of entire dependence and unbounded confidence. You need, least of all, to be anxious as to how you are to understand the mystery, or fulfill its conditions, or work out its blessed aim. //You need be nothing more than a branch. Only be a branch! Let that be your watchword….
Dear soul, the character of a branch, its strength, and the fruit it bears, depend entirely upon the Vine. And your life as a branch depends entirely upon your apprehension of what our Lord Jesus is. Therefore never separate the two words: “I the Vine – you the branch.” Your life and strength and fruit depend upon what your Lord Jesus is! Therefore worship and trust Him; let Him be your one desire and the one occupation of your heart.
This word, too Lord! O speak it in power unto my soul. Let not the branch of the earthly vine put me to shame, but as it only lives to bear the fruit of the vine, may my life on earth have no wish or aim, but to let Thee bring forth fruit through me.
Prayer for us:
Abba, there are many things that vie for our attention today. Our to-do list grows, and as it does, so does our sense of failure, of frustration. There are things we know we ought to do, like connect with others, like ask someone for forgiveness, like be still and just be with you… but we don’t, and the weight of that becomes burdensome. There are things we ought not to do, like go to our chosen idols to fill us… idols like FaceBook, or food, or approval. But we have such voids, and these things seem so readily accessible. Oh God, thank You that You alone are the Vine, and all You ask is for us to be the branch. O teach us how to rest and trust…. How to trust that as we rest, as we keep our eyes fixed on You, as we worship You and trust You and walk out that trust by faith in Your promises, as our one desire and the one occupation of our heart is You…. You will be all our heart desires, all we need. And then what we do will flow out of that rest. We are in such need of rest Abba…we don’t know how to keep our gaze steady on You, and in our heart of hearts, are not sure You satisfy as much as our chosen idol. O teach us to taste and see how GOOD You are Father! How You do satisfy, how Your beauty and glory and meditating on Your promises bring us the joy our hearts long for and seek, even in the midst of our circumstances. Lift our chins once again to look You full in the face. Let us believe You today, that You give us the will and power to obey, and as we obey, as we are still and seek Your face, You will meet us there, because You have promised. And let all we do today, be done through us, by Your Vine, by Your Spirit of Life in and through us, and bear the fruit that You will O God. For Your glory and our joy, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
I The Vine
Good morning : ) I hope you have time to read through some of these devotionals. I’m trusting that God will give you what you need for this part of your own journey with Jesus. And I’m trusting that God will give us as a people what we need as we walk this walk of faith together.
Please note, today is the last day I'm including the link to the devotional in the post. You can always go back to previous posts to find the link.
Today’s reading is from John 15:5, is entitled I The Vine and can be found on page 8-9 of the link below.
Here are some highlights:
…the only way to obey the command,”Abide in me,” is to have eye and heart fixed upon Himself. // Yea, study this holy mystery until you see Christ as the true Vine, bearing, strengthening, supplying, inspiring all His branches, being and doing in each branch all it needs, and the abiding will come of itself. Yes, gaze upon Him as the true Vine, until you feel what a heavenly Mystery it is, and are compelled to ask the Father to reveal it to you by His Holy Spirit. He to whom God reveals the glory of the true Vine, he who sees what Jesus is and waits to do every moments, he cannot but abide. // How much weary labor there has been in striving to understand what abiding is, how much fruitless effort in trying to attain it! Why was this? Because the attention was turned to the abiding as a work we have to do, instead of the living Christ, in whom we were to be kept abiding, who Himself was to hold and keep us, we though of abiding as a continual strain and effort – we forget that it means rest from effort to one who has found the place of his abode. // Iam the vine, only consent and yield thy all to Me, I will do all in thee. // …Know that thou are in Me; thou needest no more; remain there in Me. //Let each day in our quiet time, in the inner chamber with Him and His word, our chief thought and aim be to get the heart fixed on Him, in the assurance: all all that a vine ever can do for its branches, my Lord Jesus will do, is doing for me.
Blessed Lord, speak Thou that word into my soul. Then shall I know that all Thy fullness is for me. And that I can count upon Thee to stream it into me, and that my abiding is so easy and so sure when I forget and lose myself in the adoring faith that the vine holds the branch and supplies its every need.
Prayer for us
Abba we wait for you… but You have already been waiting for us. You promise that You are already in the secret place, and You wait for us to come in and shut the door, and be with You. Thank You Abba, that You are the With Us God, Emmanuel. Thank You that You are painstakingly unveiling our own hearts to ourselves, and exposing where we just don’t believe You, or where we are so lacking in faith. You do this because You love us, and desire we come in our need to receive from You what our hearts so long for, have so longed for…for so long. Abba continue to release us from our own self protection, from believing the ancient lie, Did God really say? You have promised Jesus came to give us life, abundant life. You are not withholding that from us. You are intricately and deliberately and patiently removing the obstacles we have put up in protection against those things or people that have wounded us. Even You O God, we have put walls of protection up against, because we misunderstand, we have not understood the pruning. O Abba, release us from our own walls of protection, break through what we cannot, and take hold of us and bring us to Your throne to receive the grace and mercy we need. We need You Lord to do in us what we cannot. We abide in You, release to You, believe by faith in You, because You have promised. Thank You that You will do all this and more, more than we could ever ask or imagine, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
The True Vine
Please note, today is the last day I'm including the link to the devotional in the post. You can always go back to previous posts to find the link.
Today’s reading is from John 15:5, is entitled I The Vine and can be found on page 8-9 of the link below.
Here are some highlights:
…the only way to obey the command,”Abide in me,” is to have eye and heart fixed upon Himself. // Yea, study this holy mystery until you see Christ as the true Vine, bearing, strengthening, supplying, inspiring all His branches, being and doing in each branch all it needs, and the abiding will come of itself. Yes, gaze upon Him as the true Vine, until you feel what a heavenly Mystery it is, and are compelled to ask the Father to reveal it to you by His Holy Spirit. He to whom God reveals the glory of the true Vine, he who sees what Jesus is and waits to do every moments, he cannot but abide. // How much weary labor there has been in striving to understand what abiding is, how much fruitless effort in trying to attain it! Why was this? Because the attention was turned to the abiding as a work we have to do, instead of the living Christ, in whom we were to be kept abiding, who Himself was to hold and keep us, we though of abiding as a continual strain and effort – we forget that it means rest from effort to one who has found the place of his abode. // Iam the vine, only consent and yield thy all to Me, I will do all in thee. // …Know that thou are in Me; thou needest no more; remain there in Me. //Let each day in our quiet time, in the inner chamber with Him and His word, our chief thought and aim be to get the heart fixed on Him, in the assurance: all all that a vine ever can do for its branches, my Lord Jesus will do, is doing for me.
Blessed Lord, speak Thou that word into my soul. Then shall I know that all Thy fullness is for me. And that I can count upon Thee to stream it into me, and that my abiding is so easy and so sure when I forget and lose myself in the adoring faith that the vine holds the branch and supplies its every need.
Prayer for us
Abba we wait for you… but You have already been waiting for us. You promise that You are already in the secret place, and You wait for us to come in and shut the door, and be with You. Thank You Abba, that You are the With Us God, Emmanuel. Thank You that You are painstakingly unveiling our own hearts to ourselves, and exposing where we just don’t believe You, or where we are so lacking in faith. You do this because You love us, and desire we come in our need to receive from You what our hearts so long for, have so longed for…for so long. Abba continue to release us from our own self protection, from believing the ancient lie, Did God really say? You have promised Jesus came to give us life, abundant life. You are not withholding that from us. You are intricately and deliberately and patiently removing the obstacles we have put up in protection against those things or people that have wounded us. Even You O God, we have put walls of protection up against, because we misunderstand, we have not understood the pruning. O Abba, release us from our own walls of protection, break through what we cannot, and take hold of us and bring us to Your throne to receive the grace and mercy we need. We need You Lord to do in us what we cannot. We abide in You, release to You, believe by faith in You, because You have promised. Thank You that You will do all this and more, more than we could ever ask or imagine, in Jesus’ Name, amen.
The True Vine
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Except Ye Abide
Good morning! It’s been encouraging to know that many of you are reading at least the highlights, if not the original devotional by Andrew Murray. Many of the dots of my walk with Christ are being connected through these readings… things I’ve pondered or wondered about, and I see the connections as I read what he wrote over one hundred years ago. How amazing that the principles and truths God taught this man, He continues to teach to us, generations later. God's Word truly stands forever.
The reading today is from John 15:4, is entitled Except Ye Abide, and can be found on pages 7-8 in the link below.
Please note. After tomorrow, I will no longer include the links to the reading. If you need it, you can bookmark it in your browser, download the PDF, or just refer back here to previous posts.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless (except) it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless (except) you abide in Me. John 15:4
There is but one way for the branch to bear fruit, there is no other possibility, it must abide in unbroken communion with the vine. Not of itself, but only of the vine, does the fruit come.
Christ knows so well what a renunciation of self is implied in this: “Abide in me:” how strong and universal the tendency would be to seek to bear fruit by our own efforts; how difficult it would be to get us to believe that actual, continuous abiding in Him is an absolute necessity! He insists upon the truth: Not of itself can the branch bear fruit, except it abide, it cannot bear fruit. “No more can ye,except ye abide in me.”
Let me learn the lesson. Abiding is to be an act of the will and the whole heart.// In regeneration the divine life enters us, but does not all at once master and fill our whole being. This comes as matter of command and obedience.//There is unspeakable danger of our giving ourselves to work for God, and to bear fruit, with but little of the true abiding, the wholehearted losing of ourselves in Christ and His life.// We must allow the words, “not of itself,” “except it abide,” to do their work of searching and exposing, of pruning and cleansing, all that there is of self-will and self confidence in our life;//Abiding in the vine then comes to be nothing more nor less than restful surrender of the soul to let Christ have all and work all, as completely as in nature the branch knows an seeks nothing but the vine.
Abide in Me. I have heard, my Lord, that with every command, Thou also givest the power to obey. With Thy “rise and walk,” the lame man leaped. I accept Thy word, Abide in me,” as a word of power, that gives power, and even now I say, Yea, Lord. I will, I do abide in Thee.
Prayer for us
Abba there are many things that make us weary. There are relationships that grieve us because they are broken. There is still unforgiveness that we carry, though we truly do want to forgive, thought we forgave, but the bitterness continues. There are responsibilities that must be taken care of and we are beginning to wonder how they will ever be accomplished. There are good things that we are involved in, things that bring us life and joy, and yet we are beginning to feel like it is all too much. There is too much on our plate, and even the good things are beginning to feel burdensome.
Bring us back to Your word this morning Father. Bring us back to Your call to us through Jesus. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matt 11:28-30 The MSG.
We desire this Lord. Show us how to throw off everything that hinders, and what we are carrying that You never asked us to carry. Lighten our steps and our walk with You, teach us how to live as free daughters of the King. And as we walk in freedom, O give us a voice to call to others on the journey that it is true… we can live the abundant, abiding life You have promised. And this abiding life is not for our joy alone… the abundant abiding life is to produce other disciples, others who will live in the freedom of being adopted by the King. You are the Vinedresser Abba, You are the Vine Jesus, You are our Life Holy Spirit… we are only the branch. O teach us today to desire nothing more than to be the branch. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
The True Vine
The reading today is from John 15:4, is entitled Except Ye Abide, and can be found on pages 7-8 in the link below.
Please note. After tomorrow, I will no longer include the links to the reading. If you need it, you can bookmark it in your browser, download the PDF, or just refer back here to previous posts.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless (except) it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless (except) you abide in Me. John 15:4
There is but one way for the branch to bear fruit, there is no other possibility, it must abide in unbroken communion with the vine. Not of itself, but only of the vine, does the fruit come.
Christ knows so well what a renunciation of self is implied in this: “Abide in me:” how strong and universal the tendency would be to seek to bear fruit by our own efforts; how difficult it would be to get us to believe that actual, continuous abiding in Him is an absolute necessity! He insists upon the truth: Not of itself can the branch bear fruit, except it abide, it cannot bear fruit. “No more can ye,except ye abide in me.”
Let me learn the lesson. Abiding is to be an act of the will and the whole heart.// In regeneration the divine life enters us, but does not all at once master and fill our whole being. This comes as matter of command and obedience.//There is unspeakable danger of our giving ourselves to work for God, and to bear fruit, with but little of the true abiding, the wholehearted losing of ourselves in Christ and His life.// We must allow the words, “not of itself,” “except it abide,” to do their work of searching and exposing, of pruning and cleansing, all that there is of self-will and self confidence in our life;//Abiding in the vine then comes to be nothing more nor less than restful surrender of the soul to let Christ have all and work all, as completely as in nature the branch knows an seeks nothing but the vine.
Abide in Me. I have heard, my Lord, that with every command, Thou also givest the power to obey. With Thy “rise and walk,” the lame man leaped. I accept Thy word, Abide in me,” as a word of power, that gives power, and even now I say, Yea, Lord. I will, I do abide in Thee.
Prayer for us
Abba there are many things that make us weary. There are relationships that grieve us because they are broken. There is still unforgiveness that we carry, though we truly do want to forgive, thought we forgave, but the bitterness continues. There are responsibilities that must be taken care of and we are beginning to wonder how they will ever be accomplished. There are good things that we are involved in, things that bring us life and joy, and yet we are beginning to feel like it is all too much. There is too much on our plate, and even the good things are beginning to feel burdensome.
Bring us back to Your word this morning Father. Bring us back to Your call to us through Jesus. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matt 11:28-30 The MSG.
We desire this Lord. Show us how to throw off everything that hinders, and what we are carrying that You never asked us to carry. Lighten our steps and our walk with You, teach us how to live as free daughters of the King. And as we walk in freedom, O give us a voice to call to others on the journey that it is true… we can live the abundant, abiding life You have promised. And this abiding life is not for our joy alone… the abundant abiding life is to produce other disciples, others who will live in the freedom of being adopted by the King. You are the Vinedresser Abba, You are the Vine Jesus, You are our Life Holy Spirit… we are only the branch. O teach us today to desire nothing more than to be the branch. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
The True Vine
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Abide
Good morning sweet friends. It is a joy to pray with and for you. Thank you to those who have replied back with words of encouragement and insights into the readings. It’s so good to be sharpened by you and to know He is truly doing His work in us individually, and with hope, corporately.
Today’s reading is from John 15:4, and is entitled Abide, and can be found on page 7 in the link below.
Abide in Me, and I in You …. John 15:4
Here are the highlights:
When a new graft is placed in a vine and it abides there...the graft shoots its little roots and fibers down into the stem and the stem grows up into the graft, and what has been called a structural union is effected/// (Then) ...the sap of the vine enters the new structure.
Many believers pray and long very earnestly for the filling of the Spirit and the indwelling of Christ and wonder that they do not make more progress. The reason is often this, the “I in you “ cannot come because the “abide in me” is not maintained.
It is as in lowly obedience we follow Christ, even in external things, denying ourselves, forsaking the world, and even in the body seeking to be conformable to Him as we thus seek to abide in Him, that we shall be able to receive and enjoy the “I in you.”
The words “Abide in me and I in you” just tell us to believe it, this divine mystery, and to count upon our God the Husbandman, and Christ the Vine to make it divinely true.Let us, in the faith of His working, abide and rest in Him, ever turning heart and hope to Him alone. And let us count upon Him to fulfill in us the mystery: “Ye in me, and I in you.”
Blessed Lord, Thou dost bid me abide in Thee. how can I, Lord, except Thou show Thyself to me waiting to receive and welcome and keep me? I pray Thee show me how thou as Vine undertaketh to do all. To be occupied with Thee is to abide in Thee. Here I am, Lord, a branch, cleansed and abiding - resting in Thee, and awaiting the inflow of thy life and grace.
Prayer for us.
Lord we cannot do what You ask, if You will not first do it in us. Lord teach us to keep our eyes fixed on You, show us how to abide, without striving to abide. Lord it seems so elusive and yet You command, Abide in Me and I in You. How is it that You would abide in us O God? We grow weary of our own anxiety, grow weary of our own lack of faith. And we hear the command to abide and we know we cannot, we cannot. Teach us again what it means Lord… Command what You will, O grant what You command. Infuse us again with a longing for You, to be with You, to simply be with You. As our brother Andrew prayed so long ago, teach us to rest from our own efforts to abide, keep our eyes off of ourselves, and be occupied only with You. You are true beauty Lord, and the radiance of Your beauty is Your glory. Let us with unveiled eyes see the beauty and the glory of You in the face of Christ. We pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
The True Vine
Today’s reading is from John 15:4, and is entitled Abide, and can be found on page 7 in the link below.
Abide in Me, and I in You …. John 15:4
Here are the highlights:
When a new graft is placed in a vine and it abides there...the graft shoots its little roots and fibers down into the stem and the stem grows up into the graft, and what has been called a structural union is effected/// (Then) ...the sap of the vine enters the new structure.
Many believers pray and long very earnestly for the filling of the Spirit and the indwelling of Christ and wonder that they do not make more progress. The reason is often this, the “I in you “ cannot come because the “abide in me” is not maintained.
It is as in lowly obedience we follow Christ, even in external things, denying ourselves, forsaking the world, and even in the body seeking to be conformable to Him as we thus seek to abide in Him, that we shall be able to receive and enjoy the “I in you.”
The words “Abide in me and I in you” just tell us to believe it, this divine mystery, and to count upon our God the Husbandman, and Christ the Vine to make it divinely true.Let us, in the faith of His working, abide and rest in Him, ever turning heart and hope to Him alone. And let us count upon Him to fulfill in us the mystery: “Ye in me, and I in you.”
Blessed Lord, Thou dost bid me abide in Thee. how can I, Lord, except Thou show Thyself to me waiting to receive and welcome and keep me? I pray Thee show me how thou as Vine undertaketh to do all. To be occupied with Thee is to abide in Thee. Here I am, Lord, a branch, cleansed and abiding - resting in Thee, and awaiting the inflow of thy life and grace.
Prayer for us.
Lord we cannot do what You ask, if You will not first do it in us. Lord teach us to keep our eyes fixed on You, show us how to abide, without striving to abide. Lord it seems so elusive and yet You command, Abide in Me and I in You. How is it that You would abide in us O God? We grow weary of our own anxiety, grow weary of our own lack of faith. And we hear the command to abide and we know we cannot, we cannot. Teach us again what it means Lord… Command what You will, O grant what You command. Infuse us again with a longing for You, to be with You, to simply be with You. As our brother Andrew prayed so long ago, teach us to rest from our own efforts to abide, keep our eyes off of ourselves, and be occupied only with You. You are true beauty Lord, and the radiance of Your beauty is Your glory. Let us with unveiled eyes see the beauty and the glory of You in the face of Christ. We pray in Jesus’ Name, amen.
The True Vine
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
The Pruning Knife
Good morning sisters, how glad I am that we get to journey through this devotional together. I have hope that I indeed can live the abundant life He has called us to, not because of my own effort, but because He is the one who keeps and holds me. I pray this hope grows within you as well.
Today’s reading is entitled The Pruning Knife, is from John 15:3, and can be found on pages 6-7 of the link below. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. John 15:3 Here are some highlights: What is the pruning knife of this heavenly Husbandman? // It si the Word of God that is the knife, sharper than any two edged sword, that pierces even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and tis quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. // Not even Paul’s thorn in the flesh could become a blessing until Christ’s Word – “My strength is made perfect in weakness” had made him see the danger of self exaltation, and made him willing to rejoice in infirmities. From the opening of His ministry in the Sermon on the Mount to His words of warning in the last night, His Word had tried and cleansed them. He had discovered and condemned all there was of self; they were now emptied and cleansed, ready for the incoming of the Holy Spirit. It is as the soul gives up its own thoughts, and men’s thoughts of what is religion, and yields itself heartily, humbly, patiently, to the teaching fo the Word by the Spirit, that the Father will do His blessed work of pruning and cleansing away all of nature and self that mixes with our work and hinders His Spirit. All ye who are branches of the true Vine, each time you read or hear the Word, wait first of all on Him to use it for His cleansing of the branch. Set your heart upon His desire for more fruit. Yield yourselves in simple childlike surrender to the cleansing work of His Word and Spirit, and you may count upon it that His purpose will be fulfilled in you. Father, I pray Thee, cleanse me through Thy Word. Let it search out and bring ot light all that is of self and the flesh in my religion. Let it cut away every root of self-confidence, that the Vine may find me wholly free to receive His life and Spirit. O my holy Husbandman, I trust Thee to care for the branch as much as for the Vine. Thou art my only hope. Prayer for us Abba, we confess this can be hard to receive. We want to be free to love You fully and to know the joy of sensing Your presence, and yet what hinders us in experiencing Your fullness is ourselves. We fear exposure through Your Word. We do not want to admit the struggles we have, originate with us – yet Your Word comes and finds us out- it cuts to the heart- our heart – and we are left bare and exposed. At that moment, O open our ears to hear Your promise: “Daughter, you do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with your weakness, but you have One who has been tempted in every way, yet without sin.” Invite us again to Your throne of grace where we might find mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. O give us the courage to believe that in exposing our sin, our failures, our unforgiveness, our lack of faith, that we will find healing, we will find HOPE. O Abba, again draw each of us near to Your Word through Your Spirit, speak to our hearts, prune SELF and then, bear more fruit through us. This You promise glorifies You! And O! Our hearts are full when You are glorified, Your Name and renown are the desire of our souls. |
Monday, February 23, 2015
The Cleansing
Hello sweet friends, my prayer today is that there will be something in the reading that encourages and strengthens you, that drives you back to John 15 to read it in context. This passage of Scripture has become so dear to me, and my hope is that it will speak into your life through the whispering of the Spirit.
The reading today is entitled The Cleansing and is from 15:2. You can find it on pages 5-6 in the link below.
Every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2
Here are some highlights:
(Regarding the vine) And there is not a plant which so soon runs into wild wood, that hinders its fruit, and therefore needs the most merciless pruning. The chief care of the vinedresser is the pruning// …pruning it cannot dispense with, if it is to bear good fruit. … the one work the Father does to the branch that bears fruit is: He cleanseth it, that I may bear more fruit.//
It is not the removal of weeds or thorns or anything from without that may hinder the the growth. No, it is the cutting off of the long shoots of the previous year, the removal of something that comes from within that has been produced by the life of the vine itself. It is the removal of something that is a proof of the vigor of its life; the more vigorous the growth has been, the greater the need for the pruning. It is the honest, healthy wood of the vine that has to be cut away. And why? Because it would consume too much of the sap to fill all the long shoots of last year’s growth: the sap must be saved up and used for fruit alone.
It is when everything that is not needful for fruit-bearing has been relentlessly cut down, and just as little of the branches a possible has been left, that full, rich fruit may be expected.
It is not to sin only that the cleaning of the Husbandman here refers.///We have, in working for God, to us our natural gifts of wisdom, or eloquence, or influence, or zeal. And yet they are ever in danger of being unduly developed, and then trusted in. And so, after each season of work, God has to bring us to the end of ourselves, to the consciousness of the helplessness and the danger of all that is of man, to feel that we are nothing. All that is to be left of us is just enough to receive the power of the life-giving sap of the Holy Spirit.//
O our holy Husbandman, cleanse and cut away all that there is in us that would make a fair show, or cold become a source of self-confidence and glorying. Lord, keep us very low, that no flesh may glory in thy presence. We do trust Thee to do Thy work.
Prayer for us:
Abba, we would see Jesus, we would boldly come to your throne of grace as a daughter to find Yourself. We are too easily content with answers of provision whether physical or spiritual. Abba we want to want You, we long to long for You alone. We dearly love what You have done in our lives in the past, and we desperately want to cling to past victories as proof of our love for You and Your love for us. Abba, we want to pray “do what You will” and yet are scared to do so - we fear the pruning - we cling to what we find our comfort in - oh forgive us for choosing comfort and believing our joy is found in Your hand and not Your face. Lift our eyes to Your face O God, and give us Your strength to pray “this much O God do I want You.” Take what You will, even the very good, only keep our eyes fixed on You. Do not let us take our eyes from you. Show us how You are truly our joy - just You, only You. In Jesus’ Name, amen
The True Vine
The reading today is entitled The Cleansing and is from 15:2. You can find it on pages 5-6 in the link below.
Every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2
Here are some highlights:
(Regarding the vine) And there is not a plant which so soon runs into wild wood, that hinders its fruit, and therefore needs the most merciless pruning. The chief care of the vinedresser is the pruning// …pruning it cannot dispense with, if it is to bear good fruit. … the one work the Father does to the branch that bears fruit is: He cleanseth it, that I may bear more fruit.//
It is not the removal of weeds or thorns or anything from without that may hinder the the growth. No, it is the cutting off of the long shoots of the previous year, the removal of something that comes from within that has been produced by the life of the vine itself. It is the removal of something that is a proof of the vigor of its life; the more vigorous the growth has been, the greater the need for the pruning. It is the honest, healthy wood of the vine that has to be cut away. And why? Because it would consume too much of the sap to fill all the long shoots of last year’s growth: the sap must be saved up and used for fruit alone.
It is when everything that is not needful for fruit-bearing has been relentlessly cut down, and just as little of the branches a possible has been left, that full, rich fruit may be expected.
It is not to sin only that the cleaning of the Husbandman here refers.///We have, in working for God, to us our natural gifts of wisdom, or eloquence, or influence, or zeal. And yet they are ever in danger of being unduly developed, and then trusted in. And so, after each season of work, God has to bring us to the end of ourselves, to the consciousness of the helplessness and the danger of all that is of man, to feel that we are nothing. All that is to be left of us is just enough to receive the power of the life-giving sap of the Holy Spirit.//
O our holy Husbandman, cleanse and cut away all that there is in us that would make a fair show, or cold become a source of self-confidence and glorying. Lord, keep us very low, that no flesh may glory in thy presence. We do trust Thee to do Thy work.
Prayer for us:
Abba, we would see Jesus, we would boldly come to your throne of grace as a daughter to find Yourself. We are too easily content with answers of provision whether physical or spiritual. Abba we want to want You, we long to long for You alone. We dearly love what You have done in our lives in the past, and we desperately want to cling to past victories as proof of our love for You and Your love for us. Abba, we want to pray “do what You will” and yet are scared to do so - we fear the pruning - we cling to what we find our comfort in - oh forgive us for choosing comfort and believing our joy is found in Your hand and not Your face. Lift our eyes to Your face O God, and give us Your strength to pray “this much O God do I want You.” Take what You will, even the very good, only keep our eyes fixed on You. Do not let us take our eyes from you. Show us how You are truly our joy - just You, only You. In Jesus’ Name, amen
The True Vine
Sunday, February 22, 2015
More Fruit
Good morning sweet friends.
Just a reminder, if you have any prayer requests, feel free to email me at nicolechapingiven@gmail.com Any requests shared will be given to our prayer team as an anonymous request, unless otherwise specified.
If you would like to be more intentional about praying through these devotionals and requests that come in, please email me. We'd LOVE to have you on our team. Many thanks to those that have. You are a treasure.
Day 5 is entitled More Fruit, the Scripture is John 15:2 and can be found on page 5 in the link below.
And every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2
Here are some highlights:
As the gift of His grace, as the token of spiritual vigor, as the showing forth of the glory of God and of Christ, as the only way for satisfying the need of the world, God longs and fits for, more fruit. //As churches and individuals we are in danger of nothing so much as self contentment. //More Fruit: The word comes with divine authority to search and test our life: the true disciple will heartily surrender himself to its holy light and will earnestly ask that God Himself may show what there may be lacking in the measure or the character of the fruit bears. //God does not demand…. without providing the means. He comes as a Father, who gives what He asks, and works what He commands. He comes to us as the living branches of the living Vine, and offers to work the more fruit in us, if we but yield ourselves into His hands.//Do let us believe that as the owner of a vine does everything to make the fruitage as rich and large as possible, the divine Husbandman will do all that is needed to make us bear more fruit. All He asks is, that we set our heart’s desire on it, entrust ourselves to His working and care, and joyfully look to Him to do His perfect work in us.
Our Father which art in Heaven, Thou art the heavenly Husbandman. And Christ is the heavenly Vine. And I am a heavenly branch, partaker of His heavenly life, to bear His heavenly fruit. Father, let the power of His life so fill me, that I may ever bear more fruit, to the glory of Thy name.
Prayer for us
Abba You have promised that no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. You have promised that all discipline will produce a harvest of righteousness for those who will be trained by it. We buckle sometimes under the discipline Lord, under the pruning knife. You seem to want to cut away all that we have found our identity in, all that we have entrusted to affirm ourselves. And this is exactly what You do, intend to do. You would be our heart’s desire, You would be first in our vision and dependence. You know this is where our true JOY lives… Abba teach us to submit to the discipline, the sum total, the all that You do to rear us as Your children. We would strive against that in our ignorance… we think in us we live and move and have our being. We think we are responsible to fulfill the commands of the Law. We say we do not but our actions, our lack of prayer and dependence speak otherwise. O forgive us today again Abba. Show us Your ways O Lord, teach us Your paths, guide us in Your truth and teach us. Search our hearts O God, test our anxious thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in us, and root it out. Teach us that our joy comes with resting in Your abiding love, Your Love. And as we do… O God, more fruit. We ask for You to produce more fruit through us. You are the Vinedresser. You are the one responsible to produce the fruit, through the sap of the vine, through the Holy Spirit given to us by Jesus. O teach us to yield again. O teach us our greatest joy is in seeing You produce what we cannot. You are the Giver, You get the glory O God. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
The True Vine
Just a reminder, if you have any prayer requests, feel free to email me at nicolechapingiven@gmail.com Any requests shared will be given to our prayer team as an anonymous request, unless otherwise specified.
If you would like to be more intentional about praying through these devotionals and requests that come in, please email me. We'd LOVE to have you on our team. Many thanks to those that have. You are a treasure.
Day 5 is entitled More Fruit, the Scripture is John 15:2 and can be found on page 5 in the link below.
And every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2
Here are some highlights:
As the gift of His grace, as the token of spiritual vigor, as the showing forth of the glory of God and of Christ, as the only way for satisfying the need of the world, God longs and fits for, more fruit. //As churches and individuals we are in danger of nothing so much as self contentment. //More Fruit: The word comes with divine authority to search and test our life: the true disciple will heartily surrender himself to its holy light and will earnestly ask that God Himself may show what there may be lacking in the measure or the character of the fruit bears. //God does not demand…. without providing the means. He comes as a Father, who gives what He asks, and works what He commands. He comes to us as the living branches of the living Vine, and offers to work the more fruit in us, if we but yield ourselves into His hands.//Do let us believe that as the owner of a vine does everything to make the fruitage as rich and large as possible, the divine Husbandman will do all that is needed to make us bear more fruit. All He asks is, that we set our heart’s desire on it, entrust ourselves to His working and care, and joyfully look to Him to do His perfect work in us.
Our Father which art in Heaven, Thou art the heavenly Husbandman. And Christ is the heavenly Vine. And I am a heavenly branch, partaker of His heavenly life, to bear His heavenly fruit. Father, let the power of His life so fill me, that I may ever bear more fruit, to the glory of Thy name.
Prayer for us
Abba You have promised that no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. You have promised that all discipline will produce a harvest of righteousness for those who will be trained by it. We buckle sometimes under the discipline Lord, under the pruning knife. You seem to want to cut away all that we have found our identity in, all that we have entrusted to affirm ourselves. And this is exactly what You do, intend to do. You would be our heart’s desire, You would be first in our vision and dependence. You know this is where our true JOY lives… Abba teach us to submit to the discipline, the sum total, the all that You do to rear us as Your children. We would strive against that in our ignorance… we think in us we live and move and have our being. We think we are responsible to fulfill the commands of the Law. We say we do not but our actions, our lack of prayer and dependence speak otherwise. O forgive us today again Abba. Show us Your ways O Lord, teach us Your paths, guide us in Your truth and teach us. Search our hearts O God, test our anxious thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in us, and root it out. Teach us that our joy comes with resting in Your abiding love, Your Love. And as we do… O God, more fruit. We ask for You to produce more fruit through us. You are the Vinedresser. You are the one responsible to produce the fruit, through the sap of the vine, through the Holy Spirit given to us by Jesus. O teach us to yield again. O teach us our greatest joy is in seeing You produce what we cannot. You are the Giver, You get the glory O God. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
The True Vine
Saturday, February 21, 2015
The Branch
(We are out of order, but after this we are in sync with the devotional that is being sent in other places... thanks for bearing with me:) )
Good morning dear sisters. I hope you are beginning to look forward to the devotional. I have been so moved by the insights our brother Andrew Murray has, and at how the Spirit has already been affirming many of the truths I read in Mr. Murray’s writings with what He has been teaching me over the past few years through His Word. I pray the devotional will encourage your own meditation on God’s Word.
Day 3 is entitled The Branch, and the Scripture is John 15:2, and the reading can be found on pages 3-4 of the link below.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away... John 15:2
Here are some highlights:
A branch is simply a bit of wood, brought forth by the vine for the one purpose of serving it in bearing its fruit. It is of the very same nature as the vine and has one life and one spirit with it. //The branch has but one object for which it exists, one purpose to which it is entirely give up. That is, to bear the fruit the vine wishes to bring forth. //The branch is exactly like the vine in every aspect – the same nature, the same life, the same place, the same work. And so the believer needs to know…. that his one calling is to yield himself to a perfect conformity to Christ. //The branch is a perfect likeness of the vine; the only difference is, the one is great and strong, and the source of strength; the other little an feeble, ever needing and receiving strength.//The vine has its stores of life and sap and strength, not for itself, but for the branches. The branches are and have nothing but what the vine provides and imparts.
What a life would come to us if we only consented to be branches! Dear child of God, learn the lesson. You have but one thing to do: Only be a branch, nothing more, nothing less! Just be a branch; Christ will be the Vine that gives all. And the Husbandman, the mighty God, who made the Vine what it is, will as surely make the branch what it ought to be.
Lord Jesus, I pray thee, reveal to me the heavenly mystery of the branch, in its living union with the Vine, in its claim on all its fullness. And let Thy all-sufficiency, holding and filling Thy branches, lead me to the rest of faith that knows that Thou workest all.
Prayer for you
Abba, may we cease striving and know You are God. May You show us, day by day, the time You have set aside for each of us to come to You and be with You, to listen to You speak to us through the gift of Your Spirit. It is He who comforts and speaks to us Your agenda, as we, by faith, rest in our connection with the true Vine, Jesus. Oh we would see Jesus! He is our heart’s desire! Forgive us Abba, forgive us for thinking our agenda is of greater importance than Yours. Forgive us that even in ministry… we “do” for You and are more focused on what is to be done, than sitting at Your feet and receiving all You would want to give us that day. It is from relationship with You that we have anything to pour out. Oh forgive us for pouring out onto others from our self-life… may today be a day where we are still and know You are God. May today be a day where each of us goes with You where You are, that we may see Your glory Jesus. (John 17:24) And may this holy sight of You so fill us, that joy overflows from us onto everyone in our sphere, regardless of our circumstances, regardless of our agenda. May being with You truly make the things of this earth “grow strangely dim.” This is the cry of our heart of hearts. Oh make this the cry of our waking minds today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The True Vine
Good morning dear sisters. I hope you are beginning to look forward to the devotional. I have been so moved by the insights our brother Andrew Murray has, and at how the Spirit has already been affirming many of the truths I read in Mr. Murray’s writings with what He has been teaching me over the past few years through His Word. I pray the devotional will encourage your own meditation on God’s Word.
Day 3 is entitled The Branch, and the Scripture is John 15:2, and the reading can be found on pages 3-4 of the link below.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away... John 15:2
Here are some highlights:
A branch is simply a bit of wood, brought forth by the vine for the one purpose of serving it in bearing its fruit. It is of the very same nature as the vine and has one life and one spirit with it. //The branch has but one object for which it exists, one purpose to which it is entirely give up. That is, to bear the fruit the vine wishes to bring forth. //The branch is exactly like the vine in every aspect – the same nature, the same life, the same place, the same work. And so the believer needs to know…. that his one calling is to yield himself to a perfect conformity to Christ. //The branch is a perfect likeness of the vine; the only difference is, the one is great and strong, and the source of strength; the other little an feeble, ever needing and receiving strength.//The vine has its stores of life and sap and strength, not for itself, but for the branches. The branches are and have nothing but what the vine provides and imparts.
What a life would come to us if we only consented to be branches! Dear child of God, learn the lesson. You have but one thing to do: Only be a branch, nothing more, nothing less! Just be a branch; Christ will be the Vine that gives all. And the Husbandman, the mighty God, who made the Vine what it is, will as surely make the branch what it ought to be.
Lord Jesus, I pray thee, reveal to me the heavenly mystery of the branch, in its living union with the Vine, in its claim on all its fullness. And let Thy all-sufficiency, holding and filling Thy branches, lead me to the rest of faith that knows that Thou workest all.
Prayer for you
Abba, may we cease striving and know You are God. May You show us, day by day, the time You have set aside for each of us to come to You and be with You, to listen to You speak to us through the gift of Your Spirit. It is He who comforts and speaks to us Your agenda, as we, by faith, rest in our connection with the true Vine, Jesus. Oh we would see Jesus! He is our heart’s desire! Forgive us Abba, forgive us for thinking our agenda is of greater importance than Yours. Forgive us that even in ministry… we “do” for You and are more focused on what is to be done, than sitting at Your feet and receiving all You would want to give us that day. It is from relationship with You that we have anything to pour out. Oh forgive us for pouring out onto others from our self-life… may today be a day where we are still and know You are God. May today be a day where each of us goes with You where You are, that we may see Your glory Jesus. (John 17:24) And may this holy sight of You so fill us, that joy overflows from us onto everyone in our sphere, regardless of our circumstances, regardless of our agenda. May being with You truly make the things of this earth “grow strangely dim.” This is the cry of our heart of hearts. Oh make this the cry of our waking minds today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
The True Vine
The Fruit
Good morning dear one. I’m hoping that as you receive these emails, your heart is encouraged, and the Lord will begin to make connections between what we pray and His answers. To me, that is thrilling, and I look forward to seeing the fruit of digging into the devotional and prayer.
Day 4 is entitled The Fruit, the Scripture is John 15:2, and the reading can be found on page 4.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away...John 15:2
Here are some highlights:
The one reason for the existence of a branch, the one mark of being a true branch of the heavenly Vine, the one condition of being allowed by the divine Husbandman to share the life the Vine is- bearing fruit. And what is fruit? Something that the branch bears, not for itself, but for its owner; something that is to be gathered, and taken away. The branch does indeed receive it from the vine sap for its own life, by which it grows thicker and strong. But this supply for its own maintenance is entirely subordinate to its fulfillment of the purpose of its existence – bearing fruit.
The one object God had in making you a branch is that Christ may through you bring life to men. Your personal salvation, your business and care for your family, are entirely subordinate to this. The one object of my being a branch, the one mark of my being a true branch, the one condition of my abiding and growing strong is that I bear the fruit of the heavenly Vine for dying men to eat and live.
Our Father, Thou comest seeking fruit. Teach us, we pray Thee, to realize how truly this is the one object of our existence, and of our union to Christ. Make it the one desire of our hearts to be branches, so filled with the Spirit of the Vine as to bring fourth fruit abundantly.
Prayer for you:
Abba, You are the God of Peace, and You have come to bring us life, and wholeness. Abba restore to us what we have so easily given over, show us how we take little steps away from You and where that has led us. Bring us again to Your Well, Your living water, and from there revive us O Lord, according to your word. Abba reveal to us those things that cause death in us; death of relationship with You and with one another, death of dignity, of purpose. Abba convince us, through our need, that You alone are Life Giver, and You alone are Joy, and You alone are Peace. Abba show us those in our own sphere, who are dying spiritually and emotionally and even physically. O God, give to us your own compassion, for without it we simply don’t care. Abba with and through Your compassion, break our hearts for those in our sphere, even those whom we know at church, who live and have a knowledge of You, but do not truly know You. Oh God convict us of our own self righteousness, and break our hearts for those in our sphere, believers or not, who do not walk in the freedom you came to bring to us. Abba You have set us free, teach us how not to be subject to yet another yoke of slavery, the yoke of self righteousness and self pleasure and self seeking, and awaken our hearts to those dying around us. Break our hearts and send us. Let us go and in the going, be filled with Your joy as we see others’ freedom and joy in You. We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
The True Vine
Day 4 is entitled The Fruit, the Scripture is John 15:2, and the reading can be found on page 4.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away...John 15:2
Here are some highlights:
The one reason for the existence of a branch, the one mark of being a true branch of the heavenly Vine, the one condition of being allowed by the divine Husbandman to share the life the Vine is- bearing fruit. And what is fruit? Something that the branch bears, not for itself, but for its owner; something that is to be gathered, and taken away. The branch does indeed receive it from the vine sap for its own life, by which it grows thicker and strong. But this supply for its own maintenance is entirely subordinate to its fulfillment of the purpose of its existence – bearing fruit.
The one object God had in making you a branch is that Christ may through you bring life to men. Your personal salvation, your business and care for your family, are entirely subordinate to this. The one object of my being a branch, the one mark of my being a true branch, the one condition of my abiding and growing strong is that I bear the fruit of the heavenly Vine for dying men to eat and live.
Our Father, Thou comest seeking fruit. Teach us, we pray Thee, to realize how truly this is the one object of our existence, and of our union to Christ. Make it the one desire of our hearts to be branches, so filled with the Spirit of the Vine as to bring fourth fruit abundantly.
Prayer for you:
Abba, You are the God of Peace, and You have come to bring us life, and wholeness. Abba restore to us what we have so easily given over, show us how we take little steps away from You and where that has led us. Bring us again to Your Well, Your living water, and from there revive us O Lord, according to your word. Abba reveal to us those things that cause death in us; death of relationship with You and with one another, death of dignity, of purpose. Abba convince us, through our need, that You alone are Life Giver, and You alone are Joy, and You alone are Peace. Abba show us those in our own sphere, who are dying spiritually and emotionally and even physically. O God, give to us your own compassion, for without it we simply don’t care. Abba with and through Your compassion, break our hearts for those in our sphere, even those whom we know at church, who live and have a knowledge of You, but do not truly know You. Oh God convict us of our own self righteousness, and break our hearts for those in our sphere, believers or not, who do not walk in the freedom you came to bring to us. Abba You have set us free, teach us how not to be subject to yet another yoke of slavery, the yoke of self righteousness and self pleasure and self seeking, and awaken our hearts to those dying around us. Break our hearts and send us. Let us go and in the going, be filled with Your joy as we see others’ freedom and joy in You. We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
The True Vine
Friday, February 20, 2015
The Vinedresser John 15:1
Good morning
sweet sisters! I hope yesterday’s reading was encouraging and you were able to
find some time to be still. If you missed it, just jump in and start today,
don’t worry about going back and “catching up.’ This is a great devotional, and
it’s best to read it at a pace that allows you to savor it.
Day 2 is entitled
The Husbandman, and the Scripture is John 15:1, and can be found on pages 2-3 of the attachment below.
And my Father is the Vinedresser.... John 15:1
Here are the highlights:
Christ ever lived
in the spirit of what He once said: “The Son can do nothing of Himself.” As
dependent as a vine is on a husbandman for the place where it is to grow, for
its fencing in and watering and pruning, Christ felt himself entirely dependent
on the Father every day for the wisdom and the strength to do the Father’s
will. …”The words that I say unto you, I speak not from Myself, but the Father
abiding in Me doeth His works.” ….This absolute dependence had as its blessed
counterpart the most blessed confidence that He had nothing to fear: the Father
could not disappoint Him.
At the very root
of all Christian life lies the thought that God is to do all, that our work is
to give and leave ourselves in His hands, in the confession of utter
helplessness and dependence, in the assured confidence that He gives all we
need. … As high and holy as is our calling,
so mighty and loving is the God who will work it all.
Blessed Father,
we are Thy husbandry. Oh that Thou mayest have honor of the work of Thy hands!
O my Father, I desire to open my heart to the joy of this wondrous truth: My
Father is the Husbandman. Teach me to know and trust Thee, and to see that the
same deep interest with which Thou caredst for and delightedst in the Vine,
extends to every branch, to me too.
Prayer for one another:
(Ephesians 1:16-17, Hebrews 4) Father, let us not cease giving thanks for one another. Thank You for
the faith that you continue to sow in and through us, for growing our love for one
another and our desire to see You magnified within our sphere of influence.
Abba, Father of glory, may you give each precious son and daughter who is reading this
a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You. May each each of us not be content with merely knowing about You, or knowing about Your plan, or
even knowing Your word inside and out. May we seek You, only You as our most
treasured possession on the horizon of our future. As we walk by faith in
You, may we, through our needs, walk out what we have learned in our heads about
You. May we know You, not just on the pages of the Bible, but by experience as
You fulfill Your promises and reveal to us deeper truths as we seek Your
face. May we be convinced that You alone can meet our every need, You alone
know the depths of our hearts and still bid us draw near. May we learn to rest in the
belief of Your promise that You expose our need to meet it. May we by faith,
rest in our identity as a beloved son and daughter of the King of Kings, freed to love
and free to love others with that same agape love poured in and through us by
Your Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ Name,
amen.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
The Vine, John 15
For those of you who are not attending the retreat, but would like to journey with us through the devotional... you are so welcome here. My prayer is that these devotionals would awaken each of us, and then as a Body, to our purpose, our joy, and the simplicity of just being who we were created and designed to be: a branch. Only be a branch in the true Vine, nurtured by the Vinedresser and fed through abiding, to bear fruit, and more fruit, fruit that will last.
My hope is that as we read and soak through these Scriptures, our
ability to rest and abide in His agenda will grow. My hope is that we, who are
so weary and heavy laden at times, will understand better what it means to
rest, to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him. My hope is that we will see
that indeed He is gentle and humble of heart… and determined to bear His fruit
through us… more and more fruit…. fruit that is eternal. My hope is that we will, for longer periods
of time, cease striving. I don’t know about you, but my life has been
characterized by striving. Even chasing the good things for God can be striving.
We need to learn to rest in His agenda, not strive to create for Him, as honest
an expression of love as that seems.
As promised, you will find a link to the devotional, as well as a link
to the audio version of Hebrews in The Message version below. The devotional
will take you about 15 minutes per day to thoughtfully read through. For those
who can’t get to it that day, I’ve included the highlights from today’s
reading.
Again, if you have any specific requests that we can pray through as a
group, you can send them to me at nicolechapingiven@gmail.com
The reading today is entitled, The Vine, and the Scripture is John 15:1.
It can be found on page 2 in the link below.
Here are the
Highlights:
I am the true Vine. The vine is the living Lord, who Himself speaks, and
give, and works all that He has for us.
If you would know the meaning and power of that word, do not think to
find it by thought or study; these may help to show you what you must get from
Him to awaken desire and hope and pray, but they cannot show you the Vine. Jesus alone can reveal Himself. He gives His Holy Spirit to open the eyes to
gaze upon Himself, to open the heart to receive Himself. He must Himself speak
the word to you and me.
He is the the glorified One, who from the throne gives his Spirit to
make His presence real and true. He speaks – oh listen, not to His words only,
but to Himself, as He whispers secretly day by day: “I am the true Vine! All
that the Vine can ever be to its branch, I
will be to you.”
Holy Lord Jesus, the heavenly Vine of God’s own planting, I beseech
Thee, reveal Thyself to my soul. Let the Holy Spirit, not only in thought, but
in experience, give me to know all that Thou, the Son of God, art to me as the
true Vine.
Prayer for you:
Romans 15:13 You are the God of Hope, may You fill
us with all joy and all peace in believing, so that that we may abound in hope
by the power of Your Holy Spirit, Abba. May we have hope, a certain expectation
that You will meet us and in fact are meeting us in our need right now. May we
have a certain expectation of being heard by You and being loved by You. Oh
fill our hearts to overflowing, and may they abound in hope, the true hope of
our calling and adoption as a son and daughter through the finished work of
Christ Jesus. You are our Hope, and today we rest in You, by faith. In Jesus
Name, amen.
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