Are You A DRIED UP BANCH?

SF,  Stagecoach, NV

Dear Brothers, Sisters, Prodigals & Unsaved,

First let me tell you my Pastor, Allan had this message, that I really needed today - thought it might give many of you something to think about like me.

Let me ask you ARE YOU A Live Branch or dried up one?  A branch can do many things; grow, cling, intertwine with other branches and take over a garden.  Baring fruit or flowers.  Pastor Allan has been speaking on the different types of “I AM’s” in the Bible.  Today’s message really hit me between the eyeballs, exactly what I needed.  I’ll explain that in an example below.

(Please NOTE: ALL of John Chapter 15 is in RED, so it’s WORDS JESUS SPOKE!  So these Words we should especially pay attention to.

• [John 15:1-8 NASB] 1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every [branch] that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither [can] you unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. 7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and [so] prove to be My disciples.”

People of their day, understood these scriptures, because many were farmers.   “I AM” is Jesus telling us His position in the Heavens, while He was on earth.

A vine, must have a root, planted in good soil, watered often and in the sunlight to grow.  Jesus was a vine, but Abba [God] was His root, or Vinedresser [someone who maintained the vines in the orchard.  Can you imagine Jesus needing to be pruned?  I cannot!  Because of His obedience [fulfilling over 300 prophecies] and seeking His Father daily. 

Today we, like Jesus are an off-shoot of Abba’s root.  27 times the Bible refers to Jesus praying; both around people and off by Himself. Hebrews 5:7, 7:25,  Luke 3:21, Luke 6:12, 9:18, 11:1,  22:32, Matthew 14:23, 26:39, 26:42, 26:44, Mark 1:35, 6:46, 14:19, 14:32, 14:35, 14:39, 19:13, 26:53, John 11:22, 16:26, 14:16, 17:1-25, Romans 8:24.  Also, Jesus would go off to pray from about 3:00 AM to 6:00 AM, how many of us do that?  Me, somewhere between those hours I’m often going to bed.

Abba sent us Jesus to bring a NEW COVENANT of just 2 Commandments, that cover all of the 10 written by Moses and available to every human on the earth:

[Matthew 22:37-40 NASB] “And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’” 38 "This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' 40 "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Did you notice, most of the verses above are in CAPS, I'm told that's shouting - I wonder if that's what the Lord wanted.  The meaning of LOVE is when we Love Jesus/Abba with “all your heart” means that you love them with intense emotional feelings, with all your devotion, and you have loyalty, respect, and for the person you are in a relationship with.  This is the TRUE meaning of LOVE!  This is definitely something the majority of us, need to work on.  Love is not when it’s convenient, but should be considered within all relationships, including your neighbors, the way you would want someone to treat you.  For these are the Two Golden Rules.

In verse 3 we see, that when you are in Christ, you are a branch from His root, and pruning is necessary, not to discipline, but to have you create MORE FRUIT.  Remember Jesus came that we might have life and that ABUNDANTLY.  So, the more Word you understand and apply in your life, the more FRUIT you’ll receive.  Should you be in error, the Holy Spirit will correct you.

Verses 4-5 is clear - IF you choose to abide in Jesus [as James says, being a doer of the Word], He will abide in YOU.  Jesus never goes where He’s not welcomed.  It also says, no matter what you try in the flesh [your branch], will not bear any fruit.  His root, is our bread of life, our assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled [clean] from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water [Hebrews 10:22].

Verse 6 cannot be any clearer, IF you don’t abide in Jesus, He WILL throw away your branch once it’s dried up - which will be gathered with others and burned [in hell].

Verse 7 is our GOOD NEWS - IF you’re in Jesus and [abiding] remaining in Him, continuing to stay in fellowship, whatever you wish [pray for] it will be done [manifested] for you.

Verse 8 states, that when we obey [working the Word], we glorify Abba and bear MUCH FRUIT, this proves that we are His disciples.  So believing and NOT DOING dries your branch out - causing your branch to be removed.

[Hebrews 8:13 NASB] “When He said, "A new [covenant,]" He has made the first obsolete.  But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.”  For the Israelites, who do not accept Jesus as their Messiah, they will still make it to Heaven, by the Old Covenant - but they will go through the 7 year tribulation, according to the Word.  But KNOW THIS - IT’S NOT THE WILL OF THE FATHER OR SON.  It’s their will that NONE SHOULD PERISH or go through hell for 7 years!  That's YOUR CHOICE.

EXAMPLE:  Unfortunately the enemy has been attacking me continuously for too long,  and my big mouth did not separate me from my God or Lord - my LOVE for them is absolute, it just allowed the twerp [enemy] to beat me up somewhat.  I’ve just let too many things slip through the cracks.  Unfortunately, I forgot a few lessons I was taught in my younger years.  

1. Book of James 3:5-6 - Your tongue may be a small mussel, but it has a power to set a forest afire and can destroy the entire body.   This is NOT A “Speak it and Claim it” as some say, but IT DOES allow problems when we talk negative, opening a door for enemy to throw a wrench into our works.  Confessing what you see or are afraid of - will be the first thing the enemy will try to have you accept.  And once you say you have it, that’s giving the twerp [enemy] authority to give it to you.  And goofy me, [notice I didn’t say dummy] I’ve been confessing just that; I’m not sleeping well, I’m not getting enough sleep - and of course 3-4 hours of sleep was all I got each night - not good for this old body.  Now  confessing and thanking Him,  I’m asleep by midnight and my alarm is set for 8 AM each morning.  So I’m getting the rest I need.
2. Matthew 6:22-24 tells us, the eye is the lamp of the body.  IF your eye is clouded or evil [not in obedience], then your body is filled with ungodly thoughts/actions.  My cloudiness didn’t come in from evil, but left a door open to the enemy by NOT refreshing myself daily in His Word.  I became too busy in the world - which is why I said I needed Pastor Allan’s words today.  My branch was starting to dry up.  By nature, I’ve always been a procrastinator, which is why the blogs haven’t been every Sunday and Thursday.  I can only apologize to you and ask your forgiveness.  I WILL DO BETTER - even though this one is going out later than usual!
3. Jesus also says in Matthew 6:23 the eyes are the light.  Meaning all people should keep their eyes on God, with Him, there's always a light on at the end of every tunnel.  Also, the eyes are also windows to the soul.  We must focus, not on the trash of the world, because where your heart is, so is your treasure.  I know MY ONLY TREASURE is in and through Him. 
       My answer to this one is not saying what’s going on in the world - but leaving it to the one who’s in control - in the Hands of my Lord and His Father.  I’m removing it off my shoulders and giving it back to Him - where it belonged in the first place. 
       So if any of these are causing you problems too.  Know, that nightly I pray for not just for those I know personally, but for every leader of every nation, blessing them as we’re told to do. Asking the Holy Spirit - to remind them, that EVERY PERSON WAS CREATED BY ABBA.  We are ALL Abba’s Children, saved and unsaved they are in authority because Abba placed them there - to bless and not curse the people in each nation around the world.
       Change cannot happen, until we start handing the world’s problems over to Him.  We cannot give Abba a doll with an eye [button] missing and ask Him to fix it - then take it back trying to fix it ourselves - that’s impossible!  As we saw above, WITHOUT CHRIST [the vine], WE CAN DO NOTHING!  In Him, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

              FYI - just so you know, I’ve also been declaring:  [Psalm 25:14-15 NASB] 14 “The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him, And He will make them know His covenant.  15 My eyes are continually toward the LORD, For He will pluck my feet out of the net.” meaning - NO MORE BEING STUCK!

Blessings, Your Sister [those in/out of Christ] Don’t wait too long - He really is coming soon.

Sandy F. - The Lord’s Servant.