March 24, 2009

“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you are joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing.” John 15:5 The Message

God is … 

… a Holy Farmer .. Your life has been given the greatest farming secret for all time: Real intimacy begins by being joined with Jesus. You cannot produce kingdom produce “separated” with yourself. You can strain .. work your life into exhaustion .. and try to make life work on your terms .. but .. Jesus has already told you that You will never produce any real and abiding fruit without him making his home inside your life. God already knows exactly what that looks like in your life for today and tomorrows. He knows how to work the “soil” of your life .. the rich parts .. the diseased parts .. the dry parts .. the under-prepared parts .. the neglected parts .. the weary and worn out parts .. the abused and rejected parts .. and all parts of your life. Your Father is a Holy Farmer. He knows how to be patient with you and in you. He knows that your life grows best by being intimately connected in love with Jesus. It is how you will receive real and truth-filled nourishment in every room of your life. In-To-Me-See is what real intimacy is in Jesus. He invites you to be joined with his life and you in turn invite him to make his home in you. It only takes a moment … but He’ll go room by room through your life … healing broken areas .. strengthening weakened areas .. and saturating you with “at home love”. Are there some areas you need to attend to? Are there some areas that Jesus needs to attend to? He has all the time you need …

“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done — kept my Father’s commands and make myself at home in his love.”  John 15:9 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Vine-Ripened Followers of Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)