"He is the vine and I am the branch."

1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” --John 15

In my time of respite, God has been teaching me so much. The revelations I have been given in the past 2 months revealed to me that any work I would have pursued at the end of August would have been for my glory, in my own power, and as valuable as FILTHY RAGS to God. Even work in ‘His Name.’ I would have had the best intentions, but He would not have been the center of my life. I and my efforts would have been.

I just read a devotion from My Utmost for His Highest and a line caught my eye, “…But if this time of soaking before God is being spent in getting rooted and grounded in Him, which may appear to be impractical, then you will remain true to Him whatever happens.” I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOAK IN THE GLORY OF GOD WITH SUCH LITTLE DISTRACTION. I am learning that God’s Holy Spirit {which is equal in power and capacity with God and Jesus—that was a newsflash to me—who thought the Spirit was more like God’s bell boy…oh LORD have I been confused} causes us to act and will according to His own purpose. HE roots out sin in me. HE calls me to obey. HE has given me the fullness of God that dwelt in CHRIST JESUS! I have all the fruits of the Spirit available to me if I would only have faith that the Holy Spirit will show itself in me.

There is nothing I can do or be for God. My whole life has been about doing and being: doing work, being good enough. Not realizing my identity and standing with God had drastically changed the MOMENT I accepted Christ. 

I could go on and on. I really had no idea about this stuff. I have spent my whole life {Christian and non-} trying to earn my salvation, condemning myself, manually generating "holiness", waiting to someday “arrive” a saint, and walking in my own power when I had the Spirit of GOD available and dwelling inside me.  Like, INSIDE ME. Inside you too, if you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around it…but I am singin’ praise while I do! I mean, I was a MISSIONARY for 3 months...for my own glory?! 

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."   Isaiah 6:5