Saints, Jesus had just finished the last supper with his disciples and was on his way to the Mount of Olives to pray. Christ made it a choice to go through the vineyard on his way to the garden and used the vineyard to instill some spiritual truths to his disciples.

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES

(John 3:16) "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."

(John 15:5) "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

(Colossians 2:3) "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

(Colossians 2:6) "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him."

(John 15:1-5) (1) "I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman." (2) "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." (3) "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." (4) "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." (5) "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

(John 15:6-10) (6) "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." (7) "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (8) "Herein is my father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." (9) "As the father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love." (10) "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my father's commandments, and abide in his love."

(John 15:16) "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."



PREFACE SUMMARY


Dear reader, I found an old photo of some seagulls standing in line like children with three of them calmly sitting on the hood of my 18-wheeler looking at me through the window which caused Google free images to make it available on their site for the calmness found in these wild birds that are always fighting one another is something to see especially the way they are lined up like little school children to minister to a hurting man of God.

Beloved, this happened around 2008 near Salt Lake City, Utah when I was going through some heartening trials that would put some people on a psychiatrist's couch, but how many know when we are pressed out of ourselves; and we know Christ, then dear reader come on now; if we are pressed out of ourselves, then we are pressed into Christ for we know by experience that he our refuge an ever-present help in the time of trouble. (Psalms 46:1)

Beloved reader, did you know that there is a mastermind or creator behind our vast universe, and as we study the unique way everything is designed to function without drifting out of orbit ending life as we know it; our question would be, "Is that creator interested in man which is his greatest creation?"

Saints, this sermon message can be a powerful revelation concerning how to enter into the presence of God including how to benefit from the thousands of promises that are available to the believer.

Jesus said in (John 15:7) that if we abide in him and his words abide in us, we shall ask what we will and it shall be done unto us, therefore beloved, abiding in Christ means committing all of our life and its happenings to him, for no matter what may befall us, we have hope because we remain in him.

Saints, because we get our life from Christ who is the essence of life, but in order to abide in Christ the true vine, we need a way to get in the vine, and I got some good news for a hurting confused world, "God provided a way for us to get in the vine and that way is paved with the precious blood of his dear Son the Lord Jesus Christ."

Dear reader, the way we get into Christ the true vine is when we surrender our life to him and we do this by accepting God's free pardon for our sins and accept him as our Lord and savior.

Saints, did you know that many people today tend to use God as a spare tire by calling on him only when they need him but beloved, this is not abiding, but a type of manipulation which is a type of mocking or using God to benefit us such as using his name for our own gain.

Beloved, we cannot have a mindset like the world which believes that we can do our own thing, then when things get hard, we can run to God for protection for we could end up like Sampson and you know what happened when he lay his head in the devil's lap. (It was not Pretty)

Beloved reader, I believe the bottom line to this entire message concerning abiding in Christ and the purpose for which we were born can be summed up in this one sentence, "God’s promises are to those who remain and abide faithfully in the vine."


THE VINE IS OUR SOURCE OF LIFE


Beloved reader, as we begin this message on abiding in Christ and how important it is to maintain a healthy relationship with him, may we take note of where we were and what frame of mind we were in when the glorious light of the gospel came shinning into our life which caused us to view life in a different way.

Dear Saints of God, did you know that the vine spoken of in our founding scriptures found in the fifteenth chapter of St. John's gospel, represents Christ who is the very essence of life for our connection to life is found in him and outside of Christ the vine we have no way of producing life on our own, yes dear reader, our connection to life found in Christ and him alone.

Beloved, I once read an article speaking of the way a vine would grow and every so often the vine would produce a hard spot for a branch to grow out of the vine.

Saints, did you know that the vine would grow runners that would actually cross to make a hard place in the vine in the form of a cross to bring forth a branch?

Beloved, the article spoke of how the runner from the left would grow to the right and the one from the right would grow to the left thus making a cross for the branch to shoot forth, and Saints of God, this excites me as the branch and the vine are joined at the cross!

Beloved, did you know that our wonderful creator is revealing his plan through nature to redeem mankind which was kept secret in the Godhead from the foundation of the world?

Dear reader, isn't it a paradigm that we get our life nutrients from the vine which is like the blood running through our veins which carries the necessary oxygen with other nutrients which we need to live?

Saints, the bottom line to this entire message is, "We must be connected to the vine in order to live the abundant life we all so crave.

(John 15:16) "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

Saints, Christ is the very essence of life and it is in him that we live and have our being therefore let us strive for perfection and enter into God's rest taking him at his promise that "he that began the work in us will finish that work until the day of the Lord Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)

Beloved, these scriptures plainly state that God is the one that chose us and other scriptures declare that he did it before creation therefore if God began the work in us, then it is up to him to finish the work, therefore beloved, all that is required on our part is to be willing to surrender our life to him and abide in his love and be grounded in his grace.


MAINTAINING THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD


Dear reader, did you know that God's holy bible which is his constitution between God and man is the only book that you will read that will actually read you?

Beloved, did you know the blessing of abiding in Christ will require us to not neglect our prayer life and quiet time with God our father for to be successful in life, we will need our spiritual connection to Christ the vine and when that part is secure, everything else will fall in place.

(Matthew 6:33) "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Beloved, did you know that if a branch were to be cut off, the vine continues to live, because the life is in the vine and not in the branch because the branch needs the vine connection to live?

Beloved reader, did you know that when we have arrived on our spiritual journey to a place where are abiding in the love of Christ, we have been elevated to a place in God where we can receive fresh revelation and direction for each day we are blessed to live, and did you know that if we are abiding in Christ, and we get into trouble, we can claim God's special promise to be with us in trouble?

(Psalms 91:14-15) (14) “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name." (15) "He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him."

Beloved, the bottom line to this entire message of abiding in Christ the vine is solitude and relationship which can best be described as, " For there to be life, there has to be conception, and for there to be conception, there has to be intimacy, and there can be no intimacy if we are not connected to the vine."

Beloved Saints, you do not open your curtains and allow others to see what goes on in your home between you and your wife because that is personal between you and her for the sacredness of what goes on in the home is between the man and woman.

Beloved, what goes on in the home requires trust and commitment between you and your wife because this is a time of intimacy where nothing is secret because both partners see and know everything about each other and they are not ashamed for their secrets to be known that way because they are bonded together under the covenant of marriage.

Beloved, do you remember the old saying, "What goes on in the home stays at home," therefore the sacredness about what takes place in a family requires trust and commitment between you and your wife because this is a time of intimacy where nothing is secret because both partners see and know everything about each other and are not ashamed because they are bonded together under the covenant of marriage.

Beloved, did you know that the same sacredness, commitment, and trust required in marriage holds true in our spiritual walk with God for as we seek the Lord by solitude, prayer, and consecration including spending time in his word, we are getting to know him in an intimate way for we are learning what he likes and what he dislikes that we may please him?

Dear reader, when we come to know the Lord in a personal intimate way, we do not leave his presence and disclose what he has revealed to outsiders.

Saints, did you know that it is in our most sacred intimate times we spend with our Lord that something is going to be spiritually conceived in us, therefore, may we remember that this precious seed conceived in us, must be hidden and protected as it goes through the growing process until it is ready to come forth?

Beloved, some of you reading this message, are already pregnant with the plan and destiny the Living God has chosen for you and you are about to give birth, therefore beloved, what would be wrong with taking a few minutes to pause and think about that precious life dropping into your spiritual birth canal which will cause your water to break forth as your gift makes its entry into a confused hurting world?

Beloved Saints of God and fellow peers, my prayer is that as you read this message, the blessed Living God will begin to birth and develop something inside you and take note that although you may not see it for a while in the natural, I assure you that God will bring it forth and birth it into reality in his time for he has a time for all things to come forth and Church, that is why we must get back to purity and holiness before a perfect creator because he says that we are required to follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
(Hebrews 12:14) "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"



LET OUR LIGHT SHINE


Dear reader, did you know that the branch and the vine must have a connection for the branch to live and flourish to bring forth fruit, for the branch cannot grow fruit unless it is properly connected to the vine which gives it life, therefore we are made to partake of God's glory when we abide in the vine?

Beloved, this is why Jesus wanted to reveal these spiritual truths to his disciples because it is essential that they keep a right relationship with God and their fellow servants which holds true for us today recognizing that the vine is our source of life that gives us what we need to bear fruit and bearing fruit is what our Christian life is all about.

Saints of God, allowing Christ to live his life through us is why we are saved, that we may be a light to a confused world that is looking for answers, therefore if we love the Lord and have his love for souls deep within our heart, we will abide in the vine and bear fruit.

Saints, did you know that letting our light shine in a dark hurting world can be likened to being hopeless dark room or cave trying to find our way out but bumping into the walls because of not being able to find our way in the dark?

Beloved Saints, can we agree that there have been occasions in our life where we have become so confused with our mind playing tricks on us, that we just want to sit somewhere and cry?

Dear reader, let's for a moment imagine ourselves in a dark room or cave maybe with a pinhole of light shining in through the hole and remember that we have some matches with us and beloved, notice that when we strike the match, we soon begin to realize just how confused we were.

Beloved, the flicker and flame of that little match made all the difference in the world to us, and beloved, what little bit we do for God in this dark world looking for answers including a reason to live could be compared to the hope that the little match made in a desperate situation as it gave light to show where everything was in the room.

Beloved Saints, when I accepted Christ into my life, his Spirit began a work of grace in me and I became under new management therefore, I am no longer my own but have been bought with a great price because beloved, God’s Spirit is now at work producing his character in my life teaching me just how precious it is to have a working intimate relationship with him by abiding in Christ the vine.

Beloved, my relationship with my God is like no other, for it is not based on material things, friendships or relationships that will soon fade away, but my relationship with my God who is eternal, is based on a life that is celebrating intimacy with the one who planned my life, the end from the beginning and that beloved is assurance beyond the grave.

Dear reader, my walk with God is a precious friendship that makes me happy as I feel the surge of his life flowing through my veins which gives me the daily strength I need.

Beloved, the bottom line to this message is realizing that the Lord said in his word that where there is no vision, the people perish therefore discovering our purpose will drive our vision and just knowing that God has a purpose for my being on this planet gives me hope which is an anchor of my soul.

(Proverbs 29:18) "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."



ENTERING HIS PRESENCE


Dear reader, did you know that once we have discovered how to enter into the vine, we need to discover how to abide in his presence we do this through true worship begins when we see our Lord for who he is and catch a glimpse of his holiness, for when we have learned the secret of abiding in his presence, we will understand that our connection with him is centered on how we esteem (value) (admire) him for who he is?

Dear reader, did you know that we worship our God who resides in our heart when we praise him for it is with our voice that we express our worship through vocalized praise for there is power unleashed when we enter his presence with true worship and praise?

Saints, did you not know that true worship will get God's attention and cause the burdens that are attempting to hold us captive to lose their grasp especially when we get our focus on him who loves us and gave himself for us?

Beloved, did you know that solitude (seclusion-private time alone) is the key to hearing God’s voice, which is essential in preaching His Word with an anointing and authority that will break the grasp that the powers of darkness have on the people?

Saints, Jesus said that when we pray, we are to go into our closets in private and he said that it is in this private secret place that Satan is restricted and cannot hear our prayers because we are covered by the shield of His love.

Beloved, it is time to get past the Sanctuary of worship and enter a wonderful relationship with Christ who is not flesh and blood, but an eternal being therefore beloved, nothing should ever be allowed to take the place of being in his presence.

Dear reader, there should never be a question in our mind when it comes to our relationship with Christ, for People places and things including family will one day come to an end, but our place of being in direct relationship with Christ will certainly determine how much God can trust us with in the world to come, therefore beloved, we need to come into a place of holy reverence for who he is and what he has done for us that we might be called sons and daughters of the Most-High God.

Dear Saints, for us to be used of God, we must get past regular worship which is filled with man-made forms and agendas which exemplify the flesh more than the creator.

Beloved Saints, I am talking about when church becomes more than good meetings and good preaching for we will experience true revival when we get tired of church in the norm with the world being able to sit comfortably in our meetings where there is no conviction of their sin and way of life.

Beloved, this message is about abiding in the vine and when we enter in solitude and seek God's presence with our whole heart, we are guaranteed by his word that he shall be found and dear reader, did you not know that God through this message is calling us away from the crowd and aside to himself because he is looking in these end-times for men and women that will seek his face to become instruments in his hands for his divine purpose?

Beloved, please understand that we cannot minister what we have not received, and the problem today in some of our churches is people want a neat religion that they can control which will allow the flesh to stay alive.

Saints, there is nothing the church needs more today than a fresh encounter with the holiness and presence of the living God and down through the years, men and women have made attempts to bring God down to their level in an attempt to lower his standard for living, but when his presence and holiness is introduced to us by his Spirit which will strip the mask off of worked up flesh, we will then discover that God is the Standard and is calling all men and women unto repentance.

Dear reader, did you not know that the holy scriptures reveal that great men of God trembled as they fell on their faces when they found themselves in the presence of the holy Angels of God, and we can only imagine what it will be like to meet this awesome Eternal being one day and give an account of our lives?

Beloved, this Awesome Creator has extended unto each of us an invitation to accept his pardon and his grace through the finished work of his Son Jesus Christ who willfully gave his life as a ransom for all that will call upon his name in true repentance.

Dear reader, may we together take a moment and thank God for all he has done for us and praise him for his amazing grace which is available to all that will call upon his mighty name for beloved I feel a stirring in my spirit as this Awesome God is calling us to come out of the outer court of the sanctuary and into the inner court of his presence and grace.

Saints and fellow peers, did you know that when we abide in the vine which is Christ, and we dwell in him the essence of life itself, the powers of darkness cannot pervade for it is our private time of knowing God and experiencing Him in a way that can only be described as complete intimacy?

Dear reader, I love to tell people that approach me concerning my walk with Christ that they can drink from the same fountain that I drink from, and that beloved is the fresh clear water of the Holy Spirit by spending time with him in solitude.

(Proverbs 25:25) “As cold waters are to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.”

Beloved, the bottom line to this message sounds a clarion warning that we have been entrusted with the greatest news on Earth that Christ came to save sinners.

(John 3:16) “For God so loved the world (man) that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Dear reader, I have never in all my years of writing attempted to collect funds from my books or my hub pages, for I did not use my gift of writing for monetary gain but to change lives for eternity.

Dear reader, please know that if you are that important to God, then you are important to me and I am interested in hearing from you therefore after reading this message and God has used it to touch your heart, why not surrender your life to him today and have your name written in his book of life which will grant you access into the vine that you may reap the benefits that are described in this message, and if you should commit your life to Christ, please send me an email letting me know which will allow me to share in your new walk with God? Free Book PDF Manuscripts which you can get from this website. www.withredhand.org


MY CONCLUSION


Church, it is time to wake up to the call upon us and strip ourselves from the love of this world including the love of self. Yes, and turn to the Lord with our whole heart with fasting having our prayers saturated with our tears until we hear from heaven.

Dear Saints of God, Christ is the risen Head of the church, and its members are subject to him therefore in and through the name of Jesus, we can break Satan’s hold over us because we are under a new authority.

(Ephesians1:21-23) (21) "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come" (22) "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church," (23) "Which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all."

Beloved, we discover in the verses above that Jesus is the head of the body which is the church and we as the church of Jesus Christ are under the authority of Jesus, therefore because we have surrendered our life to the lordship of the Jesus Christ, we are no longer under the authority or rule of Satan.

Church, because we live a surrendered life, we are not under the control of superstitions, curses, or charms and Satan may be the god of this world, but we are no longer under his authority or control.

In closing Saints, we find in verse twenty-one of Ephesians the first chapter that all things are speaking of the various orders of angels, demons, and powers, and in verse twenty-two, we can see clearly that Paul is not speaking of church affiliation because if we are abiding in Christ the true vine, we are under new management and leadership.

Beloved reader, somewhere in June of 2018 having just got back from my mission trip in the Philippines ministering with Don Stewart, I was driving my big truck across Interstate 90 in Montana somewhere near the southwestern entrance into Yellowstone national park, when I noticed a young bald eagle gliding alongside my passenger side mirror which beloved, absolutely gained my attention and I just wish I could have had my phone nearby to capture a photo of this once in a lifetime event.

Beloved, it was just after this that the Lord’s presence got very strong in my truck and I heard the voice of his Spirit asking me to rewrite one of my old books dealing with the True Vine as found in John the Fifteenth chapter, and I informed the Lord that I had given the manuscript to that book to others and they have written books from it to which he replied in my spirit, " I want you to rewrite it."

Beloved, I said "Lord give me something to write and he said "Strength thru the Vine" I instantly thought of the molting period of the eagle, especially after having an eagle just minutes before this visitation from the Lord glide along beside my truck.

Dear reader, God was confirming his word to me not only through the voice of his Spirit but the actual occurrence of a young eagle gliding beside my truck at more than sixty miles an hour that he has a need for me to re-write that book and I will never forget what happened when I said "Lord give me something else and he replied, "The Test of Strength."

Saints and fellow peers, did you know that I instantly had a vision of what happens when you squeeze toothpaste then suddenly, a thought entered my mind which gave me clarity on the message concerning what people see when they squeeze us the wrong way.

Beloved, even now while living and ministering throughout the Philippines, I am often reminded of the valuable knowledge God taught me through the process of life to understand that he is a God of character and that beloved, is what he is looking for in his people especially those that are specifically chosen to lead others.

Saints, did you know that you can tell a seasoned leader that is ready to lead by watching how they conduct themselves in the presence of others for they understand the value of teamwork and the importance of leading by example instead of leading by using the authority granted unto them by their position?

Beloved, when we abide in Christ and have learned to not make attempts to relive our past, we will be ready to be used by God for like King David when he said "Let us look to the hills of the Lord from which cometh our help and strength," he was not speaking about the mountains around him where he could see the campfires of his enemies therefore in closing let us enjoy the benefits of abiding in Christ the vine and learn how to draw from our future and pull it into our present.

(Psalms 121:1) "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, Which made heaven and earth."

Dear Saints, I want you to know that I cherish my walk with God and I cherish that he would take an interest in me, therefore beloved, when he wakes me around three in the morning to pray, I do not approach him without first making sure I have a shirt on then go to my bathroom and wash my face, then I brush my teeth and comb my hair for in my mind, I am going before the King of the universe and he deserves respect.

Beloved, I go to my bookcase and get a bible then turn on some soft worship music, then beloved, I place a pillow before my chair that I have carefully placed my bible in and I began to talk to God asking him to guide me into his plan and purpose for my life.

Dear reader, sometimes my God is so real to me that when I cut myself a piece of cake, I find myself cutting him one too and I know he is not there to eat it but the Holy Spirt seems to get excited because God stated in his word that he would withhold no good thing from us declaring that it is his good pleasure to give us the mysteries of the Kingdom.

International Evangelist
Jerry W. Hulse Ph.D.
Miracle Life Church International