Dec 2008 |
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IN THE VINE
Recently I was talking to a
long-time dear friend, who had left a big local legalistic Church ( to which
I had actually introduced him, many years ago now) and for a while joined in
with small groups.
�Then� he told me, �I felt that I heard God say �
leave the small groups and get back IN THE VINE !�
Whereupon, he left off
with the small (home based) groups, and has joined in with another biggggg
local Church, where he contributes much time and energy, and has some
measure of recognition for his efforts. He then proceeded to tell me all
about this new Church of his, its activities, and its supposed influence,
etc etc
While he was relating all of this, I wasn�t quick enough to
immediately respond, but later on, I considered his comment further - to
leave the small groups and get back in the vine ! (He knew of course that it
is with smaller groups where my wife and I now find truer �koninia�
fellowship and relationships, so I took it that this was partly directed at
me as a rebuke)
On consideration, his comment tells me plenty about
�where he�s at�
I believe that he has, like so many others I must
say, completely and totally mistaken a vital aspect of the Christian life,
in that he has confused personal experience and fellowship with RELIGIOUS
CHURCH ACTIVITY - the poor dear chap - how so very sad !
A Christians
personal experience depends on being united with Christ, and joined to the
vine / Christ - without whom we CAN DO NOTHING - not a thing. John 15
Jesus is the vine, we are the branches. The living sap as it were, must flow
and bring nourishment and nutrients from the vine to the branches - in
other words, the Holy Spirit himself connects us to Christ and ensures
enrichment of spiritual life, without which we just go �through the
religious motions� and can achieve NOTHING of lasting spiritual worth. We
should be �. led by the Spirit, as the wind blows where it will,
(wherever it pleases) John 3 : 8
I believe that he has largely
substituted RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY, and �Church� programmes and performance for
a continuing personal experience and intimacy with the living Vine, and
being individually Spirit led, (and I see ill-health as a direct result of
such relentless activity and its demands in so many instance !)br>
Ohhhhh the subtle seduction of the RELIGIOUS
SYSTEM, and the deception involved. The Religious System that gave Jesus so
much agro, and to which he responded with scathing words and denunciation in
truth - just read Matthew 23 again, and hear his zeal expressed so
vehemently !
My wife�s experience, and mine, has been that our
personal experience of being joined to the living Vine, has increased
markedly when we left off the bigger groups and met in smaller home based
groups, where we could really get to know � and BE KNOWN � by others, deeply
and more intimately.
TThe esteem and outward recognition that
religious effort, attendance, and remorseless activity can bring to feed the
ego within �THE PRESENT RELIGIOUS SYSTEM, has been replaced by a deeper
peace, and recognition of our own personal identity in Christ ALONE.
My wife and I didn�t leave the SYSTEM to escape involvement in it, but in
direct response to Jesus words - My sheep hear My voice, and they follow
Me John 10 : 27
May our connection to, and abiding IN THE VINE
long continue !br>
AAs we continue to pray that others eyes will be opened
accordingly, even by the direct application of �.. EYESALVE
I'M ON A C O M M I T T E E
Oh, give me your pity,
I'm on a Committeebr>
Which means that from morning to night,
We attend and amend, and contend
and defend
Without a conclusion in sight.
We confer and concur, we
defer and demur
and reiterate all of our thoughts.
We revise the
agenda with frequent addenda
And consider a load of reports.
We
compose and propose, we suppose and oppose,
and the points of procedure
are fun ;
But though various notions are brought up as motions,
There's terribly little gets done.
We resolve and absolve, but we never
dissolve,
Since its out of the question for us.
What a shattering pity
to end our committee
Where else could we make such a fuss !!
AAuthor unknown
C O M M I T T E E E S ............
Where Minutes are kept and Hours are lost !!br> |
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