Abiding in the Vine XI - Living Grace Fellowship

Wednesday 08/05/15

Series: Abiding in the Vine

Message – Abiding in the Vine XI.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 spend some time discovering HOW to do what we learned last week.

So far we have seen how the Holy Spirit comes to our rescue and gives us aid in

Prayer through Tongues
Being our inner desire to work out our soul salvation
Being the Reveler – the One Who reveals God the Father through Christ Jesus the Son!

Again I will tell you that tonight’s teaching along with the last 3 weeks of teaching, could awaken a deep and completely surreal experience of fellowship or Co-partnership with Him IF YOU WILL LET IT.

Are You ready?

Say this 2xs…

“Blessed am I because my eyes do see and my ears do hear!

I anticipate God’s revelation in my life!”

What are some things we learned last week about the Holy Spirit and His work of revealing, teaching and guiding us into the truth?

He ALWAYS talks about Jesus
He talks about Jesus to show us the Father
He unveils the heart and character of God in and through the word of God.

Jesus has been made unto us – wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption from God the Father.

1Cor. 2:9-16,

“But, on the contrary, as the Scripture says, What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, [all that] God has prepared (made and keeps ready) for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed]. [Isa. 64:4; 65:17.] (10) Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man’s scrutiny]. (11) For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. (12) Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. (13) And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. (14) But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. (15) But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. (16) For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. [Isa. 40:13.]”

But how do I get to the place where I not only experience His regular intervention of revelation in my life and grow to anticipate it?

David’s Journal

The enemy knows what God is doing in His body and always seeks to counter it by drawing the simple minded astray. People (and particularly Christians) need to be careful to guard their hearts against the lies of our enemy. Paul said of the early church that they gave the devil no opportunity because they WERE NOT IGNORANT of his devices….sadly that is NOT true of the average American Christian today. We are so easily led into error by simple-mindedly believing anything “sold” on TV, that we don’t make for much of a challenge for the enemy at all. Every time the world throws some unsupported claim about the bible into the night air on TV, it is designed to rob people from a truth God would have them be focusing on and when Christians fall for it, they are the losers.

Recently there was an “mini-series” on the History Channel that lined up some “Theologians” to attest to the notion that King David was an especially mean and unlikable king – not at all the way the Bible portrays him. Of course they offered nothing more than conjecture and fabricated circumstantial evidence and to “partial, cherry-picked” statements from prominent Christian leaders who were both respectable and not-so-much, in order to support their claims. Nevertheless, because it was the “History Channel”, I am MORE than certain several pastors have now begun to teach that David was a tyrant.

The David of actual history…the David revealed in the Bible was NOT an ungodly, tyrant, but a very humble and godly king who loved God and His people. More than nearly any other person under the Old Covenant, David loved the Lord and he pursued Him with all of his heart – for all of his life!

It is for this reason that we want to look at him and some of his characteristics and habits in order that we might better understand what made him a “man after God’s own heart” in his pursuit of knowing Him.

David was a young shepherd boy who spent a lot of time alone.
In many ways he identified with and dearly….tenderly loved the sheep.
He took the stories he’d hear in his youth of God’s deliverance and love for Israel to heart….he made them personal. God was NOT just the God of Israel he was “MY” God (David speaking). God is NOT just the Shepherd of Israel He is “MY” Shepherd….
He knew and trusted in God’s protection for himself and those under his care. When he tended sheep it was trust to slay lions & bears. When he Attended to Saul it was trust to slay a giant, when he was king it was trust to protect a nation…..all because he KNEW his God…not just about Him…HE KNEW HIM!

So, let’s end tonight by become a bug on the wall as we see the pursuit for revelation of God in David’s life.

(Psalm 119:10)

I have sought You with all my heart; don’t let me wander from Your commands.

(Psalm 119:11)

I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.

Much of our attention in life is centered upon things we value. David treasured God’s word! It was not a religious duty to him, it was a heart passion. He wanted to know God.

(Psalm 119:12)

LORD, may You be praised; teach me Your statutes.

In this last verse we see David’s desire to have God be his teacher. This is an amazing request revealing again the nature of David’s relationship with God. Asking the Almighty to be your instructor was quite the bold request, but David knew something of God’s tender heart towards “His lambs” and so dared to request His mentor-ship.

(Psa 119:13)

With my lips I proclaim all the judgments from Your mouth.

a judgment, a legal decision, a legal case, a claim, proper, rectitude. The word connotes several variations in meanings depending on the context. It is used to describe a legal decision or judgment rendered: it describes a legal decision given by God to be followed by the people.

“You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you ask, “How have we wearied Him?” When you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the LORD’s sight, and He is pleased with them,” or “Where is the God of justice?” ~ Mal. 2:17

(Psa 119:14)

I rejoice in the way revealed by Your decrees as much as in all riches.

(Psa 119:15)

I will meditate on Your precepts and think about Your ways.

A masculine noun meaning precept, instruction. The root expresses the idea that God is paying attention to how He wants things ordered.

The psalmist’s diligence in obeying God’s precepts was rewarded with understanding and the hatred of evil (Psa_119:100, Psa_119:104);

(Psa 119:16)

I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

(Psa 119:17)

Deal generously with Your servant so that I might live; then I will keep Your word.

(Psa 119:18)

Open my eyes so that I may see wonderful things in Your law.

(Psa 119:19)

I am a stranger on earth; do not hide Your commands from me.

Admits his vulnerability and how susceptible he was to error and danger coupled with a request.

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!