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Knowing God in Christ

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:5 NLT)

I have not been the least of those who have striven, and agonized, and strained, and pressed and reached out for all that the Lord would have, all that is possible. It is possible to wear yourself right out, and kill yourself in a spiritual quest, and the Lord at last says to our hearts: "If you only know Me, things will happen; it will all come to pass without any of your strain, struggle and agony. I am going to bear this fruit. I will bear it through you by way of union and fellowship. Remember that the holy, blessed secret of fellowship is just resting in Me, abiding in Me."

If you saw all the branches of the vine every day groaning and agonizing, and writhing in order to bear their fruit, you would see something which is altogether unnatural. As a matter of fact you will see nothing of the kind. You will see them abiding there and bearing fruit. It is what we often speak of as the rest of faith. What is behind the rest of faith? It is not bringing yourself to a passive state, when you inwardly sink down and say, "I am just going to rest." It is knowing the Lord, God in Christ; for the way in which God has joined Himself to us is in Christ, not apart, and the way in which we have been joined to God is in Christ, not apart. The answer to every need is knowing Him in this way.

Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.

Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. § Whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

Jesus of Nazareth … went about doing good. § Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

The meekness and gentleness of Christ. § In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. § Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. § [Look] unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 2:21;  Mark 10:45;  Mark 10:44;  Acts 10:38;  Gal. 6:2;  2 Cor. 10:1;  Phil. 2:3;  Luke 23:34;  Eph. 4:32;  1 John 2:6;  Heb. 12:2

I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies?’’ … So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned. For they have even taken some of the accursed things … and they have also put it among their own stuff.”

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Song 5:6;  Josh. 7:8,  Josh 10:11;  Isa. 59:1,2;  Ps. 66:18;  1 John 3:21,22

Personification

God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction" (Gen. 41:52).

To share what we have may minister temporarily to the physical; but to minister to the spiritual in an eternal way we must share what we are, and that calls for growth in the Lord Jesus Christ.

"We can only comfort others with the comfort wherewith we ourselves have been comforted of God. Others can only really be helped by what has been the power of life in the would-be helper.

"Information, by itself, however correct and orthodox, however strongly held in conviction and passed on in passion, will lack an essential and indispensable quality or value for spiritual constitution.

"Hence it has ever been God's way to raise up a vessel, personal or corporate, in which His message has been wrought by fiery ordeal. The messenger must not only have the message in him, but he must be in the message: not only in mind and feeling, but in experience and being." -T. A-S.

"We really can only come into the reality of things by being pressed out of measure' (2 Cor. 1:8). So the Lord has to take much time to make our spiritual history. When at length our eyes are open, we cry, O, why did I not see it before!' But everything else had to prove insufficient before we could really be shown, and that takes time."

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time" (1 Pet 5:6).

Consider Humility - Song of MARY (4)

Exodus and Leviticus ?