Abiding in the Vine VIII - Living Grace Fellowship

Wednesday 07/15/15

Series: Abiding in the Vine VIII

Message – Abiding in the Vine VIII.mp3

Now remember our purpose for Wednesday nights is as a supplement to Sunday’s teachings on the soils. So that we can learn how to have good soil…abide in our Vine and produce fruit unto Godliness by the Power of the Gospel of Christ! Right!?

Tonight we are going to look at another way in which the Holy Spirit is our helper/comforter. This, along with last week, could (if we allow it – if approached in the right way) awaken a deep and completely surreal experience of our fellowship with Him – our Co-partnership with Him.

Quick Review

Last week we considered the Help in our weakness the Holy Spirit offers by praying through us the perfect will of God with words – we can find no words for!

The Holy Spirit IS the Helper, IS the Comforter, IS the Counselor, IS the Teacher & Guide into the truth who is Christ, IS the Anointing & IS the POWER of God – He IS the Spirit of Freedom!

Remember Romans 8 was all about how the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us AS we walk after the spirit.

The mature sons of God are those who continually look, talk and order their conduct LIKE HIM BY constantly being led by the Holy Spirit.

We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ IF we suffer with Him that we may be glorified together with Him and we patiently wait for the hope of new bodies by the aid of the Holy Spirit within.

“IN the SAME WAY the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself comes to our rescue and pleads for us in yearnings for which we can find no words,” – Rom. 8:26

Did any of you experience that this week?

God in you

Phil. 2:1-16,

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, (2) fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (3) Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (4) Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (5) Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (6) who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (7) but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. (8) And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (9) Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (12) Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (13) for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (14) Do all things without complaining and disputing, (15) that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (16) holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”

In verse 1 –

Consolation = Paraklesis – exhortation, admonition or encouragement for the purpose of strengthening and establishing the believer in their “belief”. – in Christ

Comfort = means comfort resulting from love

Fellowship – koinonia partnership of the spirit

In verse 12 obeyed is Hoop-akouo – to listen under (to submit to one’s words)

Work out – To effect or produce a profound reverence, respect, honor for God accompanied with a serious and sincere dread of displeasing Him.

BECAUSE – it is God

Remember last week – WE ARE DEBTORS but not to the flesh, but to the Spirit.

1 John 1:1-7,

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and learn to abide in Him by the help of the Holy Spirit.

You have a special place in God’s family & kingdom. If you do not know Him, please use our ‘Contact Us‘ page and reach out so we may have the privilege to introduce you to the Lord. Attendance at our church will NOT even be mentioned nor will money.

If you have been spiritually fed by this ministry and wish to give to its ministry, we appreciate that and you may do so here, but all outreaches of this ministry are FREE for you and anyone to enjoy at no cost.

Blessings!

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!