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. |
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
The Pruning Knife
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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