China Made Me: John 17

I am from…

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“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.”

John 17:15

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I am not of this world.

But I am not out of this world.

I am supernaturally natural

And naturally supernatural.

I am from heaven.

But I am here on earth.

I am so heavenly-minded,

that I am of earthly good.

If I were earthly-minded,

I would be of no earthly good,

Nor heavenly good.

Therefore, keep me in this world,

But not of this world.

China Made Me: John 16

Can you tell? I love Him.  Holy Spirit.

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However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.  He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.  All things that the Father has are Mine.  Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”

John 16: 13-15

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From this passage:

(1) The Holy Spirit hears.

(2) The Holy Spirit speaks.

(3) The Holy Spirit is the epitome of truth.

(4) The Holy Spirit tells us of things to come (Spirit of Prophecy).

(5) The Holy Spirit lives for the glory of Jesus.

(6) The Holy Spirit declares (to us).

(7) The Holy Spirit can only move within the jurisdiction of Jesus (which is no limitation at all).

China Made Me: John 15

The Stretching Process

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“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.”

John 15:2

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John 15- a verse that is permeated through every sphere of Christian living.  Yet today, I would like to offer my own experience in these words today.

To begin, I believe that everyone has a physical body, but there is also a spiritual body- a holy temple, that is born of the spirit  (John 3 and Nicodemus).  But our spiritual bodies are not contained within our physical bodies, but can grow beyond its borders.  Now as we experience growth in our spirits, through testing, purging, trials, and love, there is also a stretching process that occurs.  Just like any physical stretch, it is uncomfortable, slightly painful, and feels utterly long.  But, it is important, because without it, our muscles would tighten up like a rock and be limited in growth and expansion.  In the same way, our spiritual bodies must be stretched.

In my Blessed K-Group, we discussed this stretching process.  The question arose: Is it true love if you have to push yourself to offer an act of kindness to someone? If I have to force myself to give someone a ride, is that true love?  If I must be intentional about offering edifying comments to my brother, is that false love?  When I stretch myself to love beyond what I am normally capable of, is that a pseudo-love?

The conclusion was given: Sometimes, we must force and condition ourselves to love others even when we don’t feel like it.  And when I do so, I am stretching my spiritual muscles so that the forced acts of kindness now would be easy and natural in the future.

Jesus never said, love your neighbor only when you feel like it.  He simple stated that we must do it all of the time, because it pleases His heart.  And when we begin to love one another and stretch ourselves beyond what the standard love requires, then a true love would be apparent that would seem alien to those on the outside of the church. Once we condition ourselves to love, then we would be conditioned to love those outside the church as well.