Post by Zac Loh on Nov 8, 2007 3:46:55 GMT -5
I had an unforgettable experience while riding my motorbike on the highway (during the time when this was permitted). One day, I saw a skeletal like truck zoomed passed me. The funny scene, the driver was exposed. He was sitting on a makeshift plywood seat and wearing a helmet.
This truck had no body and no accessories. It was just the chassis, steering wheels and engine!
But it was workable. It was being driven to another assembly plant to be fitted.
Just as so, ministry and gifting are like the body and accessories. A car can go places without the body and accessories. But not without a sturdy chassis; or steering and wheels which are working; or a functioning engine.
Then, what are the chassis, steering, wheels and engine ...to us?
The chassis is our relationship with God. The steering and wheel are the spoken words of God. The engine is our spiritual life. And all these are intertwined.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5; underline mine)
What is it, to abide in the vine?
`Every branch in Me’
We are connected to the vine. Our serving comes from our connection to Jesus. There is spiritual connection between Jesus and us. And this line of connection carries spiritual life to us.
We are connected because we are related. Whenever we practice this relationship with Jesus by fellowshipping with Him, uniting with Him and abiding in Him; we are drawing spiritual life from Him.
We fight to be connected to Jesus. Many things can come in-between: spiritual interference from demonic forces, our busy schedule and our flesh; to name a few.
I wrote this somewhere before, but let me share with you a parable that I received during prayer.
There was this famous tailor in an ancient time. This tailor was famous throughout the surrounding villages for his beautiful suits. Many people come looking to see this tailor because of his creative, beautiful and fine workmanship.
One day, the king came to know about this tailor. So the king assigned someone to look for this tailor so that the king could be measured for new suits. So, the tailor went to meet the king and took measurements. So it was, after the suits were delivered, the king was very pleased with them. But more than that, the king was impressed with the character and personality of the tailor. The king was interested to get to know this tailor better.
Again, this tailor was summoned to the palace. This tailor and the king spent time together conversing and discussing. And the king was very happy with this tailor. The king wanted to spend more time with this tailor. So the king gave the tailor an offer: “will you be personal tea maker, so that we can drink tea together often?” “Give me your answer within two weeks.”
So this tailor went back home. But he was very disturbed because he had to give an answer within two weeks. He had to leave everything behind, and relocate. He had to leave the life he knew. But more so, he was inwardly offended: “I am a famous tailor, how can the king ask me to be a tea maker?”
Days passed by. And this tailor had three days left. He was in a great predicament.
The next day, a traveling stranger dropped-in at this tailor’s house, and asked whether he could stay for a night because there wasn’t an inn nearby, and it was getting late. As in those ancient cultures, not only the stranger was welcomed, he was asked to join the family for dinner.
During dinner time, looking at this tailor’s downcast and sullen face, the stranger asked: “what is bordering you, can I be of help?”
And they both went outdoors after dinner. This tailor consulted the stranger of the problem, and told the stranger of the looming dateline. And the stranger asked for a day to think over. The next morning, the stranger left in order to attend to an errand.
In the evening, the stranger came knocking at the door. This tailor met the stranger at the door. And the stranger asked this tailor a strange question: “would you rather be a tailor, or be with the king?”
On the last day, this tailor packed his things; and took his family along …to see the king!
Do you find your worth in what you do? Or do you find your worth in Jesus?
Will you rather be busy in doing what you are good at, or will you rather be in the presence of the King of Kings?
The King of Kings is summoning you to His presence!
`does not bear fruit He takes away’
What is the fruit?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
We serve God, not only by the gifting of the Spirit, but most of all, by the fruit of the Spirit. Isn’t it amazing? That …if we do not bear fruit of the Spirit, even when we are busy serving, or even if we are very gifted …the Father will take us away from the scene?
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:22-23)
`He prunes, that it may bear more fruit’; `clean because of the word which I have spoken to you’
God sanctifies us so that we can bear more fruit. God is concerned with our fruit, more than our gift. God sanctifies us by speaking to us. His spoken word cleanses us.
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17)
God speaks to take us somewhere. It is not necessary a physical place. But more importantly, God wants us to be at a spiritual place …to be like Jesus.
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (Ephesians 4:13)
This truck had no body and no accessories. It was just the chassis, steering wheels and engine!
But it was workable. It was being driven to another assembly plant to be fitted.
Just as so, ministry and gifting are like the body and accessories. A car can go places without the body and accessories. But not without a sturdy chassis; or steering and wheels which are working; or a functioning engine.
Then, what are the chassis, steering, wheels and engine ...to us?
The chassis is our relationship with God. The steering and wheel are the spoken words of God. The engine is our spiritual life. And all these are intertwined.
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5; underline mine)
What is it, to abide in the vine?
`Every branch in Me’
We are connected to the vine. Our serving comes from our connection to Jesus. There is spiritual connection between Jesus and us. And this line of connection carries spiritual life to us.
We are connected because we are related. Whenever we practice this relationship with Jesus by fellowshipping with Him, uniting with Him and abiding in Him; we are drawing spiritual life from Him.
We fight to be connected to Jesus. Many things can come in-between: spiritual interference from demonic forces, our busy schedule and our flesh; to name a few.
I wrote this somewhere before, but let me share with you a parable that I received during prayer.
There was this famous tailor in an ancient time. This tailor was famous throughout the surrounding villages for his beautiful suits. Many people come looking to see this tailor because of his creative, beautiful and fine workmanship.
One day, the king came to know about this tailor. So the king assigned someone to look for this tailor so that the king could be measured for new suits. So, the tailor went to meet the king and took measurements. So it was, after the suits were delivered, the king was very pleased with them. But more than that, the king was impressed with the character and personality of the tailor. The king was interested to get to know this tailor better.
Again, this tailor was summoned to the palace. This tailor and the king spent time together conversing and discussing. And the king was very happy with this tailor. The king wanted to spend more time with this tailor. So the king gave the tailor an offer: “will you be personal tea maker, so that we can drink tea together often?” “Give me your answer within two weeks.”
So this tailor went back home. But he was very disturbed because he had to give an answer within two weeks. He had to leave everything behind, and relocate. He had to leave the life he knew. But more so, he was inwardly offended: “I am a famous tailor, how can the king ask me to be a tea maker?”
Days passed by. And this tailor had three days left. He was in a great predicament.
The next day, a traveling stranger dropped-in at this tailor’s house, and asked whether he could stay for a night because there wasn’t an inn nearby, and it was getting late. As in those ancient cultures, not only the stranger was welcomed, he was asked to join the family for dinner.
During dinner time, looking at this tailor’s downcast and sullen face, the stranger asked: “what is bordering you, can I be of help?”
And they both went outdoors after dinner. This tailor consulted the stranger of the problem, and told the stranger of the looming dateline. And the stranger asked for a day to think over. The next morning, the stranger left in order to attend to an errand.
In the evening, the stranger came knocking at the door. This tailor met the stranger at the door. And the stranger asked this tailor a strange question: “would you rather be a tailor, or be with the king?”
On the last day, this tailor packed his things; and took his family along …to see the king!
Do you find your worth in what you do? Or do you find your worth in Jesus?
Will you rather be busy in doing what you are good at, or will you rather be in the presence of the King of Kings?
The King of Kings is summoning you to His presence!
`does not bear fruit He takes away’
What is the fruit?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
We serve God, not only by the gifting of the Spirit, but most of all, by the fruit of the Spirit. Isn’t it amazing? That …if we do not bear fruit of the Spirit, even when we are busy serving, or even if we are very gifted …the Father will take us away from the scene?
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:22-23)
`He prunes, that it may bear more fruit’; `clean because of the word which I have spoken to you’
God sanctifies us so that we can bear more fruit. God is concerned with our fruit, more than our gift. God sanctifies us by speaking to us. His spoken word cleanses us.
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17)
God speaks to take us somewhere. It is not necessary a physical place. But more importantly, God wants us to be at a spiritual place …to be like Jesus.
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (Ephesians 4:13)