Elisha Vision – Commentary

Your first answer may be: “souls,” but not so fast. Yes, He wants people saved, but His purpose is to prepare a people for relationship with Him. Salvation is the means to entering that intimacy with the Father through the Son, Jesus. He is the vine and we are branches of Him! I often say that the Kingdom of God is relational and the systems of man are transactional. Getting saved and born again is not the end, it is the entrance. God is working on us to change our character from selfish sin to loving fellowship with the living God. He is holy and we must become holy. We are not, but He is changing us. Ultimately, the fruit He desires is not works for Him, but a radical change of character and conduct. Last Sunday Pastor John Thrift shared the importance of fruit. 

“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 15:5

As you continue reading in John 15 it is clear that His main emphasis is love. He mentions love seven times. He also promises joy. These are not works, they are character. It is not what, but who we become. I was personally very encouraged by Pastor John’s message. Those who know me now would not believe what I was like before a lifetime of walking with Jesus. I was totally selfish, often rude, crude, and arrogant. When I was young I used language that would “make a sailor blush.” My character has changed dramatically. I still fall short, but I have changed. I like this saying: “I’m not what I could be. I’m not what I should be. But, praise God, I’m not what I used to be.” So, the question is are you changing to become more and more like Jesus? Our works will end, but our character will remain in eternity.

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”  John 15:16

Jesus clearly taught that the fruit He wants from us was beyond preaching, prophesying, deliverance, and healing. People could do those works and still be lost. The fruit He is growing in us is found in Galatians.

“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

God loves us for who we are becoming! These are all character traits of those who have a relationship with God through Jesus by the Holy Spirit. I testify to you that I have improved in every fruit listed by the grace of God. Even self-control is not the product of our great will power, but the natural product of abiding in the vine which is Jesus. If you are lacking any of this fruit, get closer to Jesus. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Drink of the heavenly fountain of life. The deeds of the flesh mentioned earlier in Galatians 5 are not present in eternity. Live for eternity now! Allow Him to change you and teach you to walk in His love.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists              (Read more)

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