For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

We think that we can just get a blessing any old time

BUT YOU SEE HIS BLESSINGS DON'T JUST COME DOWN ANY OLD TIME! Job said according to the vapor thereof. How much vapor has gone up?

· How many prayers have gone up

· How much worship has gone up

· How much dedication has gone up

· How much praise has gone up

 You see we have to give him something to work with. So we send up worship. So we send up praise. So we send up prayer. So we send up fasting. So we send up dedication to the house of god.

And he sends down... Blessing. And he sends down... More blessing. And he sends down... Healing. And he sends down... The holy ghost. And he sends down... Power packed services. And he sends down... Anointed preaching. And he sends down... Miracles...signs...and wonders. And he sends down... Answers to prayers. And he sends down... Saved loved ones. And he sends down... A growing church. And he sends down...revival.

 

And for those who have not received your answer….It’s coming! “Do Not” grow weary. Do not give into fear, worry and depression. Press in. Press in not into your circumstances…press into God.

Press into God’s word, journal, and let God speak to you. Don’t throw in the towel. Don’t be motivated or discouraged by your feelings. Send up your worship. Send up your praise. Send up your prayer. Send up your fasting. Send up your dedication to the house of god. So God can send down all He has for you.

Many people try to be good, honest people who do what is right. But Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to Him, like a branch attached to the vine. Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful.  

 

Have you ever wondered why Jesus used the illustration of a vine and then called Himself the true vine?

 

At the time of Christ, a golden grapevine was draped across the four columns at the entrance to the temple. Josephus records that its beauty was such that it was known as “a marvel of size and artistry to all who saw with what costliness of material it had been constructed.”

 

The Mishnah says that people would sometimes make a free will offering by purchasing a golden leaf, berry, or cluster which the priest would then attach to this vine. Often those who gave generously to the temple had their names inscribed on the golden leaves. This was a custom that all were familiar with in Jerusalem. When Jesus depicted himself as the true vine, He was undoubtedly contrasting Himself with this artificial vine, suggesting that if the disciples would offer themselves to Him to the degree that people offered their substance to this golden symbol, the result would be abundant spiritual fruit.

 More people died that day because of their surroundings than those that were killed by the sword of the enemy.

 As I read this scripture, God gripped my heart, and He began to say, this is the same with the world today… The reason that people are not coming to God is not because they are fighting against God, or even the fact that they don’t want to know God. It’s because they are too entangled in their surroundings…

 Everywhere you look there is something to entangle you. God wants to bring you out of your surroundings, but you’ve got to respond to God. It’s God’s spirit that is going to bring us out of the surroundings of this life!