Saturday, November 18, 2017

Abiding: An Anointing - Part 7

I am sharing a little book with you that has helped me tremendously.  The Title: The Branch and the Vine.  By Frank Phillips.  Frank Phillips was an Evangelist when he came upon these truths and spent the last ten years of his life sharing them.  They are so good that I have permission to share them with you.

Let's turn to 2 Corinthians 1:21,22  "He which establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God; Who has also sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."  So not only are we established and anointed in Christ, but God also seals and grants the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts.

Now lets turn to 1 John 2:27,28.  "But the anointing which you have received of Him abides in you. . Notice the anointing is there again.  "But the anointing which you have received of Him".... of Whom?  God!  John says this anointing is of God.  "But the anointing which you have received of Him abides in you and ye need not that any man teach you."  Isn't that interesting?  "Ye ned not that any man teach you."  Why?  Because the Holy Spirit will.

The person who is honestly and consistently abiding in Christ will be constantly receiving his instructions from the Holy Spirit....he is constantly being taught.  It isn't a matter of some man coming along and teaching; rather it is a matter of receiving instruction from the Holy Spirit.  Now notice, "But as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, an is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in whom?  "Him".  "Ye shall abide in Him!"  Now verse 28:  And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming."  Jesus said, "Abide in Me."  Can you see that there is much solemn truth involved in this abiding business?

What does this abiding do for us?  Why does God want us to abide in Christ?  Why is this whole thing given to us?

1 John 2:6  "He that says he abides in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked."  Abiding enables a person to walk, even as He walked.

Keeping this in mind, let's return to John 15:5, where John is quoting the words of Jesus when He said "I am the Vine, you are the branches.  He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."  We already touched on the fact that the branch has only one purpose: bearing fruit---the illustration is absolutely crystal clear.  Yet we need to establish a bit more of a foundation about what is accomplished before we get into the profound yet simple truths of the illustration.  Grandma Joan is sharing from the book 'The Branch and the Vine"

I hope you are really learning how to abide in Christ and what the results of abiding in Him does for us.  Continued tomorrow.  Grandma Joan

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