Chosen by the Vine / Four Great Incentives

Chosen by the Vine

Jesus followed up, saying in John 15:16:

"You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain."

The only way fruit can remain is if the branch abides in the Vine.  Why is this?  Because the branch is continually growing and producing fruit.  And the same kind of fruit will be produced day after day.  We won't be looking for cherries one day ad peaches the next.  No, every time we go to that tree we will find the same kind of fruit, even if the fruit is in a different stage of development.  And it is in the context of producing fruit that Jesus says, "Whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you."  John 15:16.

Four Great Incentives

What a wonderful thing it would be if our eyes could be opened to really understand what it means to abide in Christ and to experience the blessings that come through abiding.  Meade MacGuire's "Life of Victory" suggests four great incentives--objectives might be another way to put it--for seeking the abiding experience:

1.  "Whosoever abides in Him sins not:  Whosoever sins hath not seen Him, neither known Him."

It is only as we abide in Christ that we cease sinning.  It's impossible for the abiding Christian to commit sin.  This abiding experience results in freedom from sin.  It doesn't mean temptation will disappear, nor does it mean there won't be an occasional stumble or fall; but it does mean we are not going to deliberately turn our backs on the Lord Jesus if we are abiding in the Vine. Satan may come along with something very attractive, but if we continue abiding in the Vine, the attraction will pass--God will take responsibility for that.  All the while the character of the Lord Jesus will continue abiding in the Vine, while the character of the Lord Jesus will continue to be credited to us so long as we are abiding, even if we make an unintentional mistake.  Intentional rebelliousness that proceeds out of an unborn natural heart that hasn't ye died will be past history.  Jesus says that being born again and abiding will take care of this.

There are three more incentives but the study could get a little long so will continue with the other three tomorrow.  I hope you are joining with those who are taking these studies to heart and practicing them.  I've been practicing them and it is wonderful to know that Christ is taking care of our sins by putting His life in our place when we are sorry for our sin and repent.  It is such a relief to know that all we have to do is surrender our lives to Him and He does the rest as long as we stay surrendered.  I know it's not easy after a life time of trying to do everything ourselves, it is very difficult to give up on our selves and give in to Christ but once you catch on to it, it becomes easier and it is such a relief and blessing to know we are  being saved day by day as we walk with Him and stay abiding.  I love this kind of life.  Grandma Joan