God wants us to be strong in our confidence in Him. He points us to the sure foundation of His word. One of the purposes of being ‘shaken’ is to reveal areas where weakness in our faith exists. If the notion of God’s love remains just a good idea in our heads, then our confidence in His love for us is susceptible to being shaken loose. If you have ever lost confidence in God’s love for you, then you know exactly what I am saying. We are to recognize it is time to make an adjustment.Â
KINGDOM PROTOCOL
This is off-topic, just a freebie. For those of you who wish to grow to soar with Him in the spirit realm, the ability to become “untethered” from the cares and pleasures of this life is an absolute prerequisite! To be adjusted by Him and remain flexible to Him will simply be a ‘must’.
GRAFTED INTO THE VINE
Jesus’ imagery in Jn. 15 of us abiding in Him as being grafted into a vine is not a mere metaphor. He is being literal. When we become grafted into Him we draw our life-source from Him. This is no intellectual concept. ‘Abiding’ is a state of being. We know we are loved because we are now literally rooted and grounded in Him.
IN THE VINE
Once we are ‘in’ the vine, all He promises in John 15:1-8 begins to manifest:
v.1. we are in Him
v.2. He takes charge of pruning us
v.3. His Word washes us of guilt
v.4. Want kingdom-fruit? Stay ‘in’ Him.
v.5. When ‘in’ Him, ‘much’ (not just a little) kingdom-fruit appears.
v.6. If we are not abiding in Him, He is not fooled (though we may be successfully fooling ourselves)…
v.7. As we abide, His Word also makes its’ home in us. And ‘amazingly’, His Word begins to become clear and makes sense.
v.7. We take on His interests (having exchanged them for our own self-interests)
v.7. ‘THE GREAT EXCHANGE’: When our desires have become His desires, we ask Him, and is it done.
v.8. Jesus tells us straight out, ‘This’ is the way you glorify the Father…
v.8 Now, you will bear ‘much’ fruit…
v.8. This is the way you prove to be My disciple (one who follows His teachings and the lifestyle He dictates[by the Holy Spirit]).
IN CONCLUSION
Grafting can be painful. But the rewards are out of this world. I love how our fine brother Peter said it in Jn. 6:66-69:
“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Written by Bob Blase
Featured Image by Markus Winkler on Unsplash