2012 Theme & How to Have 

Anticipation and Hope

God Present: pruning and producing John 15:2

In his last words to his closest friends, Jesus says to continue to live, dwell, remain, abide in Him.  He explains how by using the analogy of how branches respond to the care of the vinedresser.  In our case we need to let Father lift them up, cleanse them from dirt, bind them to the trellis of discipline, and yield to God’s pruning, so they could produce even more fruit for him and others.

Regarding this word, “abide in me and I will abide (dwell, live, remain) in you (vrs 4)," I offer another analogy-that we live or abide in the house of our thoughts. We relate to others through the rooms of our feelings and motivations deep within our heart and soul. Though we live every moment from our inner “house,” often we are not aware of some things in these rooms-what spirit is moving and arranging things within.

However, we were not made to live in the limitations of our souls, but in the revelation, freedom and life in the spirit. We were made in God’s image to live in Him and be his dwelling place through our spirit, not just remain or dwell in how we feel, what we think or what we choose to do on our own.

My thoughts and feelings set the course for my decisions and reactions. So the more I build my house of thoughts with God’s Word, the more God is present in me. The more His word is the dwelling place for my heart, the more God is present in my responses to others. The more I practice his presence the more my house becomes his dwelling place-a place he wants to dwell and is comfortable. I want to continue to draw life from God and for Him to want to abide in me.

Jesus allowed himself to be lifted up upon a cross. Do you know that He saw this as victory, as fulfillment, as the path and door to his joy, to bring glory into the Father’s house much fruit. He even promised to bring you and many other brothers and sisters into what he was preparing in God’s house. He had come as the promised, Living Seed which would be planted in the ground to die, in order to bring forth much fruit.

(John 12:23-26 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him).

Are you willing to be part of Father’s house and vine with Jesus, to die to self and be lifted up in God’s victory and bring many others into God’s house with you? Jesus calls you to himself and into his kingdom, to share in his death, but also His resurrection and in much fruit, thereby to share in God’s glory. He endured the loneliness of the cross but did not remain alone. He wants this same relationship with the Father for you and with you.   

Moment by moment, look for how God is present in the house of your thoughts, feelings and actions, pruning and producing, fruit for His glory and for others’ benefit.

-PD