What Does it mean to be "In Christ"

“You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.”  John 15:3

Father, thank you that we are already clean in Christ Jesus.  Father, I pray that the Deeper Still participants will have this revelation that they are already clean in Christ Jesus.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Last week I went on a field trip to the apple orchard.  The owner of the orchard instructed us on how apple trees are grafted to produce good fruit.  It was quite educational.  I didn’t realize if I plant the apple seed from an apple I eat, it will likely produce bad fruit.  He called this apple a “spitter”, rightly named because if bitten, you will want to spit it out.

To produce good fruit, a branch from a tasty apple tree is grafted onto the root of a bitter “spitter” apple tree.  He visually demonstrated how these two trees are brought together to produce sweet juicy apples.   The stem from the bad tree is cut and a notch is inserted into the cut.  A branch from the good tree is also cut and a notch inserted.  Then, like a puzzle, the two limbs are brought together. The bad tree meshes with the good tree and takes on the nature of the good tree, bearing good fruit.

 

This visualizes perfectly what happens when we accept Jesus into our lives.  Our roots are bad and we will produce bad fruit unless we allow Jesus to come into our lives.  Once Jesus lives in us, our old nature becomes new and we are able to bear sweet good fruit.  This is what it means to be “in Christ”.

 

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  2 Corinthians 5:21

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Now, let’s take a look at John 15:1-3.

“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 I have spoken to you.”

When reading verse 3 with the two verses above it, it goes perfectly with the apple tree demonstration.  We have been grafted in Christ.  We are a part of Him, His branch.  And because of who we are in Him, we are already clean.

 

I have heard some people say that God will take us away if we don’t bear fruit based on the verse above.  However, I don’t agree.  I read it as that God is constantly removing our impurities (bad branches) and purifying us because we are in Christ.

   

We are constantly in a process of sanctification and pruning so we will bear all the plump juicy fruit the Lord designed us to produce in Him.  No spitting or “spitters” here!  We are one with Christ and we are already clean.   

Letters of Recommendation

“You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.  And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” 2 Corinthians 3:2-4

Father, I pray that Deeper Still would be a letter of recommendation for You.   May every word written on Deeper Still’s heart reflect Your grace and glory.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

When I was applying for graduate school, I had to have three letters of recommendation. 

The professors at the graduate schools read my letters of recommendation and determined if they wanted to accept me into the school.

 

The Lord needs letters of recommendation.  He doesn’t need a degree, but rather is working on getting accepted into the hearts of His creation.

He needs us to be His letters of recommendation for those trying to decide if they should accept Him.

 

Do you know Him well enough to write a good recommendation for Him?  Can others tell by your letter that you know Jesus well?  Are others looking at your letter and deciding that Jesus would be a good decision for them?

The questions above are important.  However, it is helpful if we read on to Chapter 5 in this passage…

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.”  2 Cor 3:5

We do want others to see Jesus in us, however, perhaps it isn’t in our good deeds or perfections where Christ is revealed.  Perhaps  Jesus is truly revealed when His glory and grace shine through our imperfections. 

As shattered glass shines forth beauty, grace soaked light shines beauty through our brokenness.

 

The Lord’s restoring power is what composes the letter of recommendation written on the tablet of our human hearts.  Without His Handwriting on our lives, our letters would be useless.  Our letters are written with the Spirit of the Living God.  It is not the carrier of the letter, but rather the Author that  causes our letters of recommendation to be powerful cases for accepting Christ. 

What is Revival?

“And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us as a remnant to escape, and give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage. For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage, but He extended mercy to us…to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.” Ezra 9:8-9

Father, we thank You for Your grace and for leading us to the way of escape into Your holy place.  Thank You for enlightening our eyes and giving us a measure of revival.  Lord, we ask that Deeper Still would be used to repair the broken and rebuild the ruins.  May You use Deeper Still to construct a strong wall of revival in the hearts of post-abortive men and women.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.  

Being from the Northern US, the term “revival” was unfamiliar to me…until I moved to the South. 

It seemed as if the moment my foot stepped on Southern soil, I heard the word “revival”.  It was puzzling to me.  What is revival?  Why do we need it? 

I took four years of Latin in high school, and although I couldn’t tell you how to conjugate Latin verbs, I do remember that “viva” means “alive” or “living”.  “Re” is an English prefix meaning “again”. So, a “revival” literally means “to come alive again”.

Deeper Still Team Member, Deborah Corley, summed “revival” up best in these quotes she recently used at a prayer meeting for Deeper Still. 

"Revival awakens in our hearts an increased awareness of the presence of God, a new love for God, a new hatred of sin and a hunger for His word." Del Fehsenfeld

"Revival is that strange and sovereign work of God in which he visits His own people- re-storing, re-animating, and releasing them into the fullness of His blessing." Stephen Olford

"Revival is not some emotion or worked up excitement; it is rather an invasion from heaven which brings to man a conscious awareness of God." Stephen Olford

This Northern girl may finally be getting what “revival” is all about.  Revival isn’t about a meeting or a tent or an event at church.  It is about constantly keeping our hearts in tune to the heart of God and allowing Him to stir up His love in us. 

My prayer for each of you today is that you will experience a personal revival and encounter with the Lord today. 

Thank you for your faithfulness to pray for Deeper Still.

It's Ok

"[I pray] that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with the fullness of God."  Ephesians 3:17-19

Father, your love is too wonderful for us to comprehend.  Your forgiveness and grace is too marvelous for words.  Lord, may Deeper Still be rooted and grounded in love and be able to share the love of Christ which passes knowledge and be filled with the fullness of You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

My heart pounded as I read the words on the page.  A friend had recommended the book and I reluctantly read it.  As I read it I knew the Lord had led me to read this book.  I won't mention the book because it was controversial and there are still some parts of it that make me squirm in my seat. 

However, there was a part of this book where the Lord had my utmost attention.   In this book, a girl had died and went to heaven and her father was able to see her in heaven through a vision.  My composure broke as I read this scene. Out of seemingly nowhere tears poured down my cheeks. 

"I am so sorry", I softly whispered under welts of tears. 

I repeated these words again and again until tears turned to heavy sobs, the kind where you can barely breath the pain is so intense.  

His voice gently crumpled me to my knees.  He spoke, "It's ok." 

I argued with the Lord. "No, it's not.  It's not ok!" 

Yes, I know I shouldn't argue with God, but that day He seemed so wrong in what He was saying. 

Again, He comforted, "It's ok."  

Again, I argued, "No, it's not ok.  How can you say 'It's ok'?  I had an abortion.  I took my baby's life.  It's not ok!" 

This exchange went back and forth a few times before the Lord gently and patiently spoke these loving words, "Sue, do you think you could have been a better parent than Me?"

Quietly with eyes down, I responded, "No, of course not."

Again I heard, "It's ok."

The extent of God's grace and love will forever elude me.  My mind cannot comprehend the depth of His love, grace and forgiveness.  It is too wonderful for me!  All I know is that it is in the quietness of His presence that I have found redemption. 

His whispers heal the deep and vast crevices of our hearts with His unfailing love.