Laid out flat!

 

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you [laid you out flat, horizontal], 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" (John 15:16).

 

It's all about fruit! God's original plan for man was to have His Word spoken to man's heart, for man to react and obey His Word, resist the devil who would attempt to steal the precious seed, and then rest while the seed matured into fruit. Adam decided that he could abandon that plan and substitute it with a "better plan." That "better plan" is called sin.

 

Now God has us in a recovery mode. A major factor in the recovery is to be laid out flat, or in other words, to allow our "better plan" to fail. How can God plant seeds in a garden that is vertical and that is running around trying to use things that are not even seeds? Often we think God is unkind by allowing us to fail, but in fact it is His love and compassion to allow us to be "laid out flat" in order that we may return to normal and bear His fruit.

 

John 15 was a major part of Jesus' closing statements to His disciples. He emphasized fruit. He said that some of the conditions were to obey His Word and to be laid out horizontal so that the fruit could grow. In the parable of the sower, Jesus said in Mark 4:11 that this parable contained the very mystery of the Kingdom of God. Fruit is the mystery. So many people miss this simple Gospel of the Kingdom.

 

Thank God that as believers we are going to Heaven when our bodies die. But how are we supposed to live between now and then? He wants all of our needs supplied by fruit. We can watch His fruit supply the fruit of our character, the fruit of our material needs, and fruit in blessing others. Love, security, and significance are the big three.

 

Woe to the person who is so strong that he/she can make life work with "the better plan" and avoid being laid flat.

 

Larry Chkoreff - January 2003