Rock a bye baby, the church is asleep!!!

Praise the LORD!!!

   and wake the f*## up!!!

Now, did that get your attention???

"Rock a bye baby," what an unusual title(not to mention that second line) for a Christian blog. Let me say, "it's a warning of that which is to come."

For decades now, the BODY of CHRIST has been lulled asleep by the preaching from our pulpits. Ministers, proclaiming to preach the GOSPEL, yet only preaching that which the Christian receives and is in the eyes of the LORD. Nothing on that which the LORD has called us to do.

All in all, there is nothing wrong with the Christian knowing their standing before the LORD, but when all else that the LORD taught about is forsaken, then there's a problem. Due to this preaching, our eyes have been turned inside, no longer focused on those things the LORD set forth for us, to do out and about for a dying world. We gather once or twice a week, putting on our best of shows, only to walk out those doors and live no differently then the rest of the world. Those whom we were sent out(called) to be examples for.

Today, there is no longer a difference between a Christian and any other person of this world. Sure, there is for that day or two during the week, that we practice our religion, but the other five or six, NONE. Many want to use the excuse, "that we have to live in this world and survive," but isn't that statement wrong on so many points!?!

  "They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world.

 Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth."

~ John 17:16,17; AMP 

"Trust in the Lorde with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,

       ~ Proverbs 3:5,6; NIV  

   " He who loves [and * takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me;

 And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [* cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.

 Whoever finds his [* lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life].

~ John 10:37-39; AMP

There are those that will say that the church is not asleep, but is suffering from a state of "being lukewarm." Well, you've got to have a pulse to be "lukewarm," and when the church sees nothing outside of it's OWN focal distance, it's worse off than "lukewarm," it's asleep. Void of any cognitive functions, resting intently on that which it knows and HAS. In other words, ASLEEP !!!!!!!

It is time that the BODY, the CHURCH, woke up and turned their eyes upon the LORD. Focusing upon that which HE set forth before us to do and not that "goobly gook" that has been preached before us for so many years. It's time that action was taken, and not just thought about. It is time that our hands and feet began operating outside our circles and in the trenches where those that are in need of help are. It is time, that the CHURCH began resembling CHRIST and not just some foggy image upon a mirror.

Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!

GOD bless and good day,
 Rev. Marshall Barth
 Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Caring and Sharing...

Praise the LORD!!!

   Happy Valentine's Day <3 p="">
Caring and sharing, this could be a deep talk, but it'll not be. For I'd like to give you a little example that just happened to me.

Several days ago, my friend, the one that is allowing me to live in her garage, and I were talking about Mardi Gras. Well I mentioned that one of my favorite things about it were "King Cakes." I've a deep fondness for them and the traditions mean nothing, just the cake :{)))

She'd been away for several days visiting some friends and last night when I got home there was a King cake sitting in my computer chair. Later when she got back in we talked about it. It appears that she had looked around town and was unable to find one. But while on her trip out of town, she had stopped to get a "welcome gift" for her visit and found the only two left in the store. She kept one for her return and they enjoyed the other at their gathering. When she arrived home, she delivered it to my chair.

Folks, here is a dear Christian sister, that went greatly out of her way to share the love of CHRIST with another. Isn't this kind of act exactly what following our LORD and SAVIOR is all about. Going that extra mile to reveal the love of CHRIST for all of mankind!?!


GOD bless and good day,
 Rev. Marshall Barth
 Vine of CHRIST Ministries 

Chirstian "Chicken Littles"

 Praise the LORD!!!

   Good day and GOD bless!!! A serious question, or maybe several:))) Why, is it that we have so many Christians, that when someone begins preaching something about the end times, they begin running all around proclaiming the "sky is falling???" I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, we inundated with this kind of behavior constantly. Take for instance the recent "Rapture" cry out propagated by Harold Camping. This lone preacher isn't alone though, for there are many of cases out there, just check the internet about them all(that is, if you want to waste your time!!!)

   Christian, all that we need to know about the "end times" is already written, in scripture. If you've done your homework, you should of read it. Most likely numerous times over. Though in this, could lie the problem??? People having read it, or not, and taking the words of some other person as being the verification that "it is happening now."

   We're told by the LORD, to know the signs of the times, but not to run around crying out about them being about to happen. But to be about our labors for HIM!!! In the numerous parables relating to the events of the "end times" JESUS didn't describe workers running about singing about all that is about to happen, but of those that were busily about their labors in some manor. In the field, on the rooftop, or about grinding the meal for the days meal, they were all going about their labors, knowing those signs, yet not bothered by the fact that they were actually about to happen.

   Our work as Christians, is to spread the GOSPEL, help those around us during their times of need and (the most important of all) TRUST GOD!!! Anyone can, take a number of scripture verse, events that are taking place and weave them into that which will raise the emotions of the people that hear it. People are famous for manipulating things thru out history, so don't believe all that you hear or see as being the gospel truth. There is only one GOSPEL truth and it is firmly written in your Bibles. Never changing to fit that which is happening around us, but always founded upon the ROCK and HIS WORDS for us!!!!!!!

   ***There are no scriptures referenced here, WHY??? I will not be, as I stated, one whom manipulates it to bring my point across, but as I've always said, read your Bible for yourself and know the TRUTH !!!!!!! We are to be a people leading others to a better way of life, in JESUS, not "fear mongers" who seek to stir the emotions of others to gain followers and notoriety to give our pride a boost!!!***


 Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org


GOD bless and good day,
Rev. Marshall Barth
Vine of CHRIST Ministries

5.18.10_1 John 2:6_Abiding

 Praise the LORD!!!

    It feels good to be back online and able to touch others for JESUS!!! It's been almost a week since I was last able to post anything online, due to the old computers lack of abilities. I praise the LORD though, for all things work together for the good of those that love GOD and are called according to HIS purpose (Rom. 8:28) This is going to be the first posting done with the ability to use my Logos Bible study program while being online, so we'll have to see how things go. With no more ado, here we go!

   1 John 2:6

       "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."(NIV)
       "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." (KJV)

        "whoever says, “I abide in him,” ought to walk just as he walked." (NRSV)

   Now if you've been one that has been following me for a while, you'll remember the fact that I profess that we're to resemble JESUS in our lives. Here in these three versions we have the words, claims/abideth/abide and the Greek word that they come from(menein) has a very different connotation then that which we normally would understand it to be. When we use the word to abide, we think of temporarily existing somewhere. Where as here it means an ever lasting experience, one without end, in other words eternally being like CHRIST. This has been a major point in my walk with the LORD since HE drew me close into a personal relationship. We as Christian (CHRIST-like) are to reflect the very likeness of JESUS to all those around us. People shouldn't see or hear things from us that they couldn't imagine coming from JESUS HIMSELF!!!

    Now for some reason this just isn't that which I remember seeing during my life before CHRIST and truthfully, there are times that it isn't so even now. Yes, that's right. Even today I see and hear many that profess to be Christians living lives far from that which I could imagine JESUS living. I'm not going to be judgmental here, because I've fit in these shoes myself at times along the lines. But there are many, many things in this world that Christians shouldn't be associated with.

    One good example would be the things that we allow ourselves to be entertained by. Music, TV, and books just to name a few. Even though we're not bound by any law stating that these things aren't to be part of our lifestyle, we are to be good judges of them and filter these to the best of our abilities. In other words, a Christian shouldn't be sitting around watching, or listening to, or reading things that wouldn't be on the LORD's list of activities. Do you really believe JESUS would be partaking of a lot of the types of entertainment that we do? Truthfully, I really can't imagine that HE would.

    Now what would the conversations that JESUS would of been taking part in sound like? Would there be a lot of coarse language or ethnic jokes? Would it be about all the "drama" taking place in people's lives or the juiciest of gossip? I really don't think so. From what we read in the Bible that came from HIS mouth, 98% of it was to the glory of GOD and teaching others how to walk in a manor worthy of HIM. Very seldom was it ever putting another person to shame or ridiculing their ways. There were those times that, the other 2%, HE was correcting the self righteous leaders of the people. Even during these, HE did so in a loving manor (as best HE could.)  Are these the types of conversations that we seem to have? Or are they totally opposite from them? I'd tend to say, for the most part, the exact opposite!

     Now for an area that might just hurt, a bit more then these others. What are our actions like, when it comes to those that are around us? I'm not just talking about those that are Christians either. I'm talking about all those that are around us, Christian or not, friend or foe, pretty or disgusting, every single person that walks the face of this earth! Now we all should know how JESUS would of acted towards them. HE'd of shown them the love and compassion that GOD has for all of HIS created people. Even knowing the fact of that which laid ahead of HIM or the fact that HE knew each person's very deepest of thoughts and intentions. HE even showed Judas, he that would betray HIM, the love of GOD at it's highest levels. Can any of us say that? That if we knew a person was going to betray us, even to the point of death, that we could love them and honor them better than we do ourselves??? I wish I could say this, but truly, I don't really think that I could. then again, this would be a matter that I know I'd definitely would be in deep prayer about and one that I'd pray the LORD would give me the strength to accomplish. This only HE knows and I pray I'll never be in that position.

   We all truly need to take these things to heart. We need to study them and examine ourselves under their lens. Better yet, we need to put these matters to prayer. That the LORD would open our eyes to ourselves and the lives that we live and show others of the world around us. For if we are to bare the name of JESUS, shouldn't we let all others see HIM just as HE is? The very likeness of GOD in the flesh, for truly, HE is GOD!!!


    Some other verses you may enjoy: 1 John 2:24-27, 28-3:3, 3:4-9, 10-15, 4:12-16
    Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!

  ***For those that wonder about how it worked out using my program and being online together at once? Not as well as I thought it would. But I ordered several sticks of memory for the system, which should take care of this problem pretty well:)))***

    Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org

 GOD bless and good day,

 Rev. Marshall Barth

 Vine of CHRIST Ministries 

Vine Ministerial Network International

3.26.10_Col. 3:12-17_Acts of a chosen people...

 Praise the LORD!!!

   There are many days where the LORD allows me to go through most of the day without garnering a verse for me, until later in the day. This seems to be one of those days, for I've worked through my network twice already and nothing has come to heart. I worry not though, for the LORD led me to understand, when the idea of a daily devotional was first laid on my heart, that there would always be something to post. Whether a re post or fresh writing, there would always be something to give readers to ponder!   

 Colossians 3:12-17

    12 "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

     A list of orders, you could say, for us to follow in our walks for the LORD. I said, "you could say," because for one there are few 'orders' or "commandments" for the new testament church. That is one thing that separates our faith, from religions. In religions you must follow these rules and regulations or find yourself outside of its body. In the Christian faith though, we are free from almost every form of "must do or don't do." Yes, we do have those things that CHRIST commanded us to do, as we follow HIM, but truly these are few and mostly simple in nature, so simple that a child can follow them( Mark 10:14,15). Something that is almost impossible for the followers of any religion to state. For  to properly follow religion, it normally takes years of study and formal training to accomplish them at even the lowest of levels.

   If we look at the first verse, verse 12, you can break these requirements up into two groups. One to practice towards others and one for our own benefits:
                         "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness," ; " humility, gentleness and patience."
   
    We as Christians are called, now this is a commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves( Matt. 22:39), This is why Paul places these two first. For this is how others will know we are JESUS' disciples(John 13:35), because of our love for others and not just those of our Christian family. Then comes the attributes that we need working on the inside of us, still very important though. These in a great way, influence the way we practice the first set of behaviors also. For in our being humble, gentle and patient, we'll have a greater level of compassion and kindness towards our fellow man.

   Here in lies the reason for the LORD's laying these verses on my heart. Our calling as Christians is to primarily to focus on others and not ourselves. Which isn't quite what you seem to see these days. We tend to see churches that have an inward focus. Focusing more on their own intentions and operations then on those outside. Now you do see a good bit of outreach going on in some churches, but there does seem to still be a focus on themselves. What do I mean here? When a good number of these do outreach, they tend to focus on getting the people they reach, to attend their own church, and not having the focus on these peoples general salvation. This is part of what is wrong within the church today, they've become prideful and worldly and taken on the ways of the world. They're coveting after the numbers and the money. Ways that are far from those that are supposed to be exhibited by the church.

   To center one's focus on oneself, keeps you from being able to reach out with empty hands to help others. It's kind of hard to hug a person, if your arms are wrapped around yourself already. Kind of like when we pray to GOD for blessings, but we refuse to release the things of the world that we already have in our grasp, so we can receive those blessings. Now these three sayings may be over stressing our need to release ourselves and focus on the needs of others, but there truly seems to be a major problem with this. In the individual and in the corporate senses. The pride of the flesh has grown into a major problem within our faith. Almost everyone we speak with seems to focus their practice of Christianity around themselves. I see the prophets and apostles out there constantly acclaiming their understandings and knowledge over that of what is written in scripture and this, constantly! There are so few that truly relate scripture any more without placing numerous references on self, in some way, shape or form. I know if I were to listen to myself, I'd most likely fall into this group also.  It has to do with the fact that over the last century or so the church has been growing more and more worldly and taking on the ways of the world in their pursuit to stand out as a denomination and not just some branch of one.

   The original intents of these devotionals was to help others grow as I also grow. Well truly, I think today this latter part has surely been witnessed. For in writing this, it has caused me to turn my eyes inward, into myself and look upon my own practices in the faith. To draw me closer to the LORD, for I've had to pray and ask HIM to reveal my inner most self to me and the intents of my heart in my own relationship with HIM. This is what a devotional is about, it draws our eyes upon our relationship with the LORD, and helps lead us into a perfecting of it, so as we can better serve HIM daily. I pray that this days readings will bless you as they have me! I'd love to get some feed back from those that read these. Let me know if they're helping your walks or what, positive or negative. I truly do seek the truth. 


These last several days I've not been led to place a lot of extra reading on the table, if you miss it, let me know and I'll put it before the LORD. As with all things this is WHO makes the decisions, so that which is HIS will shall be done!!!


Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org
Our other blog, 'Blogs from the Vine'

GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Vine Ministerial Network International

3.24.10_Eph.5:15-20;Isa. 50:4-9_Living for today

 Praise the LORD!!!

   Since early this morning, I've had two sets of verses written on my notepad. Wondering what the reason for them were. I've just finished my first round of my websites and was led to check on these and as I was doing this, it all came together.

   Ephesians 5:15-20

    15 "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,  16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.  18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;  19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"

   Isaiah 50:4-9

     4 " The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.  5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.  6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.  7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.  8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.  9 Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up."

   The reading of these verses alone could very well be a devotional in themselves. Though this is not the LORD's intent. For in this day and age, where all really seems to be falling apart in the world, the LORD has set HIS people apart, to stand out for HIM among all adversity. Unless you've been hiding within your house with all forms of media turned off, you will know that there are many of the prophesy of the Bible seemingly happening all around us. Earthquakes, floods and  famine, wars and rumors of war are daily headlines in all the media types. It would only take a few minutes to see that there is a whole lot of shaking going on. Its as if GOD has taken the earth and all that takes place on it and shaken them up like one of those 'snow globes.' Everything is suddenly swirling around in a maze of excitement, seemingly all random of each other.

   Though all these events may seem random, they're truly are not. For they have all been allowed to happen by the will of GOD. For what purpose? That everyone's attention will eventually be drawn to focus on the LORD JESUS CHRIST. But this is getting a little ahead of things, for the here and now, it is to wake up those that call upon HIS name, those that were called according to HIS purpose. Those that call themselves Christians, as a preferred title to amend their names. I must admit, no one ever really told me just what all being a Christian had to deal with. Sure they mentioned the forgiveness of sins and life eternal, but none ever mentioned the forsaking of all to follow after JESUS, or to be willing to die instead of forsaking HIS name and faith in HIM! Do any of you ever remember having someone tell you these? This is not the point of this though, the point is that you've made the choice to be called a Christian and done so willfully. It is your job to know that which the LORD has called you to. That which HE has ordained you to fulfill within your life, and to be able to take on this task, whenever and wherever called to do so!!! You maybe saying to yourself, "hold on a minute, how can I do all of this? These are all pretty big task in themselves!" See, that's the problem here, though these task are big and many, the ability to preform them all with excellence and in due season lies not in our own ability to preform them, but in the fact that we allow the LORD, through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, to do them through us! We are truly but the vessel, not the vehicle. We open ourselves up to the HOLY SPIRIT, and allow HIM to work through our bodies to bring about these task, not our doing them on our own.

   In a way the doing of these things on our own, is what has gotten the church into the state it is today. One of following after the ways of the world, and only following JESUS one day a week! In all actuality, that is what the church is doing these days. CHRIST only comes to the forefront of their operations on Sunday, when they have to be focused on HIM to draw peoples attention to the message and the needs of the church, not the needs of CHRIST. Being a Christian is not a one day a week part time job, it is supposed to be a 24/7, "petal to the metal" relationship. Unlike anything we could ever imagine, in a way, kind of like the first time you fell in love (or thought you did!). Where every moment and every thought became captivated by the other person. This is why in scripture our love for JESUS is many times referred to as our first love, a love that is unlike any every before, and any, ever to come.

   So are you, as a Christian (whether told of these things or not) ready to step up and take the place you're called to? The time is here and now, for none of us are promised tomorrow. Tomorrow is something that is out of our reach, we can only do things today, which yes, they will effect tomorrow, but whether we are there or not doesn't matter. For what we do today, is what is important and is what makes the difference. For both now and tomorrow, will be changed by these acts. If we're blessed to live until tomorrow, praise the LORD and continue to do the works HE's called you forward to do! Live every moment as if its your last, and when it truly is your last, you'll have no regrets about your life at all. So live for this time, knowing about the future, forgetting what is past, but working for the moment, that only you can make the changes in!!!


No additional verses to follow up with today, but that shouldn't discourage you from reading your Bible any way. So pray and open it up and let the LORD led you in the paths that HE has chosen just for you!!!


Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org
Check out my other blog, with more on VCM at Blogs from the Vine

GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Vine Ministerial Network International

3.05.10_Psalms 22:7,8_ Dependence

 Praise the LORD!!!

    As I've said before, there are times when the LORD lets me go about my day, never laying anything upon my heart to write about. Today, was one of those days and I was beginning to wonder if I were going to re post something. Then it hit me, while in the middle of running my social sites and reading some of the comments other people were leaving.

   Psalms 22:7,8

 7 All who see me mock me;

they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

 8 “He trusts in the Lord;

let the Lord rescue him.

Let him deliver him,

                since he delights in him.”

   Here we have what a large number of Christian face in their day to day struggles in the world. We are constantly assaulted by those not of the faith. Whether they believe in a god or not, it doesn't truly matter, they just love trashing Christians, almost as if it were a hobby or their job. Many, Christians, get a bit riled up over this, when truly it shouldn't bother us at all. We need to remember that JESUS forewarned us about this very thing(John 15:18).

   I've heard of friends in the ministry that are running Bible related sites online, that are constantly having their sites hacked or bombarded with trashy statement and pictures. Others that are constantly battling with people to maintain an order of decency in their comments. I guess I've been blessed in these matters, because it has yet to happen, though I have expected it. But it could have a relationship to the fact that I allow everyone a bit of a free rein and only will boot someone off if they fail to take the first warning as serious. I've people on these sites from many different religious backgrounds and beliefs and as long as they maintain a basic civilized attitude to their comments I'll allow them to continue posting.

   I've had many good conversations with people of some of these groups, even to go as far as to read into that which they believe. But only as far as the HOLY SPIRIT guides me to though. I've actually, through all my years as a Christian, studied a good number of the cults. This with the understanding that we can only combat that which we know, inside and out, effectively. I've read the Jehovah Witnesses literature, that of the Mormons, Seven Day Adventist and numerous others. All to understand that which they teach and believe in order to be able to witness the truth of the Christian faith to them!

   We are going to have people from all walks of life that will disagree with that which we believe, and it is our duty, yes duty, to be able to give a strong testimony about our faith(2 Tim. 2:15 (KJV)). There are going to be those that no matter what we place before them they're going to disagree over something and there is nothing at all that we can do about it. All people are seeking after truth in some form or another, and the only way they're going to find that which we know and love to be true, is if GOD moves within their hearts, convicts them of their sins, and allows the GOSPEL seed to be planted. It is not our job to change people's hearts, only GOD the HOLY SPIRIT can do this. But it is our job to be ready, willing, and able, to plant that which we've been given, when the time is right.

   So no matter what someone says about you or GOD, realize this, that same GOD that they're putting you down for following, or that they're putting down, is the same one that they'll be standing before on judgment day. We don't know GOD's plans for peoples lives, look at me, I ran from GOD for nearly forty years before HE put the brakes on for me. Maybe someday, one of those people that having been giving you a hard go of it, because of your beliefs, will be one that is in need of your planting the seed of the GOSPEL. There should be no "I told you so's" or gloating, but there will be rejoicing in heaven for the soul of one that was lost, but now is saved!!! So where do you put your dependence, on yourself? or GOD?



A few verses to read: Psalms 38:1-22, 69:1-36; Prov. 8:1-36; John15:18-25

Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!


Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org


GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Vine Ministerial Network International

2.26.10_2 Cor. 12:15_Broken bread and poured out wine...

 Praise the LORD!!!
   Years ago, just after my release from the halfway house, I began to search out the ways to set up the ministry that the LORD was calling me to. In doing this, I contacted everyone that was ministry that I could find. One brother from a ministry in Springfield came and had an hour and a half meeting with me. Giving me great incite into all those things required by law and those things which GOD would proceed to do in my personal walk with HIM as I progressed towards this goal. Today's reading reflects on one of these truths that he told me and one I've seen enacted over and over within my life since that day!

   2 Cor. 12:15

       "15 I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me."


   My devotional readings, focus on the writings of the old masters of our faith; Spurgeon, Chambers, Kempis and Murray. For they were from a time when the world that we know wasn't so intertwined in the operations of our faith and churches. Life was much simpler and less intrusive into our focusing on GOD and HIS will for our lives. The devotional today comes from a combination of readings and not one alone, with the added meat of reflections on my life with CHRIST.

   The apostle Paul here reflects on how he is willing to go to the extremes to lead the Corinthians into a saving knowledge of CHRIST and HIS will for their lives. Doing this and not worrying about the consequences, not even worrying about whether or not they return his love for them back in his direction. This is a total reflection of that which JESUS did for all of us. HE gave HIS all, right down to HIS last breathes, so that we may have forgiveness of our sins and the hope of eternal life. We as Christian, remember CHRIST-like, are called to this very same calling. Each and everyone of us. We're not called to change the world and those in it, but to show the very example that CHRIST showed us, giving of our natural to obtain relationship with HIM in our lives and in turn doing the same for all others whose lives we affect.

   This is where the 'broken bread and poured out wine comes in. When we begin to walk with the LORD, HE will change us from within. Making us into the very vessel of HIS love for mankind that HE wants us to be. To do this HE must break us, bless us, and then pass us out to those around us. This is a shadow of the holy communion (Luke 22:19,20) in which we take place, hopefully on a regular basis too! The person that we were, the natural man, can not exist in the likeness of CHRIST, it is to imperfect and unclean. JESUS must break us and begin forming us into a new creation, which has HIS likeness and not the one of our worldly form. HE must separate us from the world and remove our focus from it and turn it to HIMSELF. Many Christians have a serious problem at this point, for they want to hang onto the old and still resemble the new. It can't be done, for light and darkness can't exist together one will always destroy the other when they're brought into contact with each other.

   This breaking forms us into the newly created being (2 Cor. 5:17)KJV), one which begins to take on the shape of the ONE which broke it, namely CHRIST. But HE can not stop with this, for we must be blessed to continue this process. HE will first fill us with the HOLY SPIRIT, perhaps the greatest blessing of all. For it is HE that gives us the power within our lives to begin seeking after a greater relationship with JESUS. You may think that your having the urge to be more like JESUS is your own longing for HIM, but it is not. It is only by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT within us that we can even begin to attempt this feat. For that which is natural is connected to this earth, from which it was originally formed and only through our spiritual conversion can we obtain that which is spiritual. Our likeness to CHRIST. Once this process is begun in us, we begin to long for a great and nearer relationship with CHRIST. We begin to read or bibles more, we begin to study it as if our very lives depended upon it, seeking with every breath to be closer to HIM and more like HIM.


   At this point our lives have complete begun to transform how and what we think about, worry about and seek to do within our lives.Those things at which at one time held great importance in our lives, no longer matter. Those things that we worried about, we no longer worry over. We begin to seek out others to tell them of the great changes which have come into our hearts and we begin to have rivers of living waters flow forth from us. We seek to give our all to the glory of HE that has made these changes within us and allow ourselves to be poured out like wine and not worrying about the outcome of this world for we now know without a doubt that we are not of this world any longer. But of that which is to come when JESUS returns in all HIS glory to gather up HIS saints unto HIM. This my friend is something to look forward to, something far more worthy of our attentions, then what we shall eat, drink or wear. This is that which will never perish, for it is eternal.



Other verses you may enjoy: Rom. 7:13-25; 1 Cor. 11:23-32; Heb. 13:1-9; Psalms 23

Use these verses, but don't stop with them, cross reference and seek out GOD from within HIS WORD!!!


Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org


GOD bless and good day,

Rev. Marshall Barth

Vine of CHRIST Ministries

Vine Ministerial Network International