Thursday, September 19, 2013

Paul Email -19Sept2013- John 15 (What do we ask for)

How you doin? We have a new family member. Cousin Chuck's baby girl "Molly" was born today around 1am. Please be praying for this new life and her parents. God is teaching me about His justness through my job. I believe we are to have a heart of servant-hood. I'm allowing my version of justice or the worlds version of justice to block my servant-hood. God help me through this. Teach me to trust in your justice. John 15 today.
Lucky for you today, I didn't get much further then the first 11 verses. 15:3-4 got me first. "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you." (15:3) WOW!!!!!!! Jesus did the work through His words. Just as a reminder, His words are Spirit. 15:4, reminds me that I must stay in Him and Him in me in order to bear fruit. God is the gardener that prunes us so we bear much fruit. Let's review what the fruit is, Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." So, I want to bear fruit. 15:4 tells me, "No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." Ok, remain in Jesus, got it.
15:7-8 is the caper. I've often pondered this verse and others that say the same thing, "ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." The Holy Ghost showed me today the first part of verse 7, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you". "My words remain in you". SAY WORD!!!!!!! Take that with "and it will be given you". Jesus is offering Spirit which produces fruit. He's offering pruning so we can bear much fruit. When I first read this verse (years ago), I'm thinking a house in Stone Harbor, a collection of Harley's, and all kinds of other worldly things. But now I think differently. I believe that Jesus' words remain in me and my desires changed from worldly desires to Heavenly desires. COME ON!!!!!!! I now desire fruits and gifts of the Spirit. These are things that will be "given me". Bill Johnson said, "When I read something in the Bible and think it means something other then what God means... one of us is wrong." He said this in humor, but I get his point. Jesus offers life abundant. Jesus' version of life abundant is slowly but surely becoming my version of life abundant. SAY WORD!!!!!!! Asking for fruits and gifts of the Spirit requires a change in our minds and a change in our desires. Jesus' words remaining in me changes my mind and my desires. That's a good word. I love the word "word". Ask for something Jesus offers today.

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