{"id":25114,"date":"2015-03-26T00:15:39","date_gmt":"2015-03-26T04:15:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=25114"},"modified":"2015-03-25T19:58:55","modified_gmt":"2015-03-25T23:58:55","slug":"just-hanging-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2015\/03\/26\/just-hanging-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Just Hanging Out"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/SeekingHimLogo.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13840\" src=\"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/SeekingHimLogo.jpg\" alt=\"SeekingHimLogo\" width=\"560\" height=\"280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/SeekingHimLogo.jpg 560w, https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/SeekingHimLogo-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as <span style=\"color: #008080;\"><strong><em>I AM<\/em><\/strong>\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\"><span style=\"color: #008080;\"><em><strong>I AM<\/strong> The Light of the World<br \/>\n<strong>I AM<\/strong> The Bread of Life<br \/>\n<strong>I AM<\/strong> The Door <\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008080;\"><em><strong>I AM<\/strong> The Good Shepherd<br \/>\n<strong>I AM<\/strong> The True Vine <\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008080;\"><em><strong>I AM<\/strong> The Way, The Truth, and The Life<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008080;\"><em><strong>I AM<\/strong> The Resurrection and The Life<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Each week during this season of Lent, here on the <em>Seeking Him<\/em> blog, we will be focusing our devotionals on a different aspect of Jesus\u2019 revelation of Himself as<span style=\"color: #008080;\"><strong><em> I AM<\/em><\/strong><\/span>.\u00a0 The aim of Lent should be to prepare our hearts for the remembrance of Jesus\u2019 sacrifice\u2014His trial and torture, the Crucifixion and His death\u2026and above all, the celebration of His Resurrection from the dead. \u00a0We pray that this will be a great encouragement to each of you who read them. \u00a0And that all of us will consider the significance of Jesus\u2019 words and, through them, be helped as we remember and are thankful for all Jesus went through during the last few weeks of His life on this earth.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008080;\">*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0~ \u00a0 \u2665 \u00a0 ~\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u271e\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0~ \u00a0\u2665 \u00a0 ~ \u00a0 *<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008080;\">Abide in Me, and I in you. <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008080;\">As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008080;\">so neither can you unless you abide in Me. <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008080;\"><strong>I AM<\/strong> <em>the Vine<\/em>, you are the branches; <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008080;\">he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008080;\">for apart from Me you can do nothing.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008080;\">John 15:4 and 5 NASB<\/span><\/p>\n<p>I wonder if you are like me&#8230;. When I read a passage like this one, I start to fret.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>What if<\/em> I am not producing enough fruit?<\/li>\n<li><em>What if<\/em> I need to be doing something else?<\/li>\n<li><em>What if<\/em> I am not producing ANY fruit? How do I start?<\/li>\n<li><em>What if<\/em> it\u2019s not the right kind of fruit? \u00a0How do I know?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008080;\"><em>What if, what if, what if!!!<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>I was reading commentaries on this passage and I learned so many amazing things! \u00a0But a commentary written by Chuck Smith included this passage that seemed to answer all my \u2018<em>what ifs<\/em>?\u2019.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u201cThe only lasting fruit is that which is produced as the result of the relationship with Jesus Christ. \u00a0And here again, the idea of fruit indicates to us the method of God. The fruit that comes forth from our lives is a very natural thing; it&#8217;s not forced. \u00a0That apple hanging on the tree is not out there struggling and striving and pushing and doing its best to get ripe. \u00a0All it has to do is just hang in there and it&#8217;s going to ripen. \u00a0And it&#8217;s going to come to maturity. \u00a0And I just need to hang in there, just to abide in Christ, and the natural result of abiding in Christ is my life is going to bring forth fruit. \u00a0One of the problems\u2026today is this endeavor of forced fruit.\u2026you&#8217;re being pushed into all kinds of activities, not really directed by the Spirit. \u00a0And this can become worthless expenditures of energy, unless God is behind it and God is guiding it and God is directing it. Unless you&#8217;re abiding in Him, you cannot bear fruit of yourself. \u00a0You cannot sit down and say, &#8220;Now, this is what I&#8217;m going to do for God this year. And these are the projects that I&#8217;m going to endeavor. And this is my plan by which I intend to fulfill this goal.&#8221; \u00a0That bearing fruit that God desires is the most natural thing that can happen to you as you abide in Christ. \u00a0It&#8217;s just a natural function.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u2013 Chuck Smith<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.blueletterbible.org\/Comm\/smith_chuck\/c2000_Jhn\/Jhn_015.cfm?a=1012004\" target=\"_blank\">click here to read the entire article<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>I have one purpose\u2014to produce fruit. \u00a0If we are hanging out with Jesus, the fruit will come naturally! \u00a0Whewwww! \u00a0That\u2019s a big relief. I don\u2019t need to do more or be more. \u00a0I just need to hang out with Jesus more (\u201cabide in Me&#8230;\u201d) and let the Holy Spirit direct me. \u00a0Anything I try to do on my own is going to be a useless struggle and is destined to fail. \u00a0It would be \u201cforced fruit.\u201d \u00a0I am powerless on my own.<\/p>\n<p>Philippians 4:13 AMP (one of my favorite verses) tells us:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me<br \/>\n[I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him<br \/>\nWho infuses inner strength into me;<br \/>\nI am self-sufficient in Christ\u2019s sufficiency].<\/p>\n<p>Christ empowers me! \u00a0And when I abide in Him, I have full access to all His power. \u00a0The fruit will be a natural result. \u00a0I like the way David Guzik * puts it: \u201cFruit bearing is impossible without abiding; but it is inevitable with abiding.\u201d \u00a0Philippians 1:11 HCSB tells us when we hang out with Jesus we are \u201c&#8230;filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.\u201d John 8:31 AMP reminds us \u201cIf you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We have two choices then: <span style=\"color: #008080;\"><em>either hang out with Jesus or go it on our own.<\/em><\/span> \u00a0If we hang out with Jesus, fruit comes naturally. \u00a0If we go it on our own, we will continue to struggle and begin to wither. \u00a0Not much of a choice really, is it?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008080;\"> *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0~ \u00a0 \u2665 \u00a0 ~\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u271e\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0~ \u00a0\u2665 \u00a0 ~ \u00a0 * <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Lord, I want to spend more time with You so that bearing fruit comes naturally. \u00a0I don\u2019t want to offer You forced fruits from my own labors. When I begin to fret, remind me relax and hang out with You. \u00a0May Your plans be my plans. \u00a0Help me hear Your voice and follow Your lead. In Jesus\u2019 name \u2013 Amen, It Is So!<\/p>\n<p>*<a href=\"http:\/\/www.enduringword.com\/commentaries\/4315.htm\" target=\"_blank\"> here is a link <\/a>to David Guzik&#8217;s article on John chapter 15.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recorded in the Gospel of John, our Lord made seven statements referring to Himself as I AM\u2026 I AM The Light of the World I AM The Bread of Life I AM The Door I AM The Good Shepherd I AM The True Vine I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life I AM [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":164,"featured_media":13840,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3020],"tags":[8625,8612,6134,5889,3367,8555,425,8650,8611,7531,8649,8648,762,3174],"class_list":["post-25114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-devotions","tag-abide","tag-abide-in-the-vine","tag-chuck-smith","tag-cynda-cottrill","tag-daily-devotions-2","tag-david-guzik","tag-girlfriends-coffee-hour","tag-i-am-the-vine","tag-jesus-is-the-true-vine","tag-john-151-8","tag-john-831","tag-philippians-111","tag-philippians-413","tag-seeking-him-devotional","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/SeekingHimLogo.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p39pHp-6x4","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/164"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25114"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25117,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25114\/revisions\/25117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}