"No one straightway desires new wine..."

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="129a11c3.png"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to the Heart4God Website!"><U><B><IMG SRC="4b55a500.png" border=0 width="90" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin"><U><B>Writings by Date</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id212.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Writings of Joseph Herrin Organized "><U><B>Writings by Topic</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.heart4god.ws/Audio/index.htm"><U><B>Audio Files</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id690.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Videos"><U><B>Videos</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id323.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Writings of Others"><U><B>Other Authors</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id339.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Questions and Answers"><U><B>Q&A</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id328.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Heart4God Email List"><U><B>Heart4God E-mail List</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.parablesblog.blogspot.com"><U><B>Parables Blog</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id306.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="File Downloads"><U><B><IMG SRC="2b264140.png" border=0 width="100" height="20" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <B>"No one straightway desires new wine..."</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="c2827160.png" border=0 width="807" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Joseph Herrin (2-9-1998)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Ephesians 5:25,27</div> <div> “Christ...loved the Church and gave Himself up for her...that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.”</div> <bR> <div> It is certain that the church of Yahshua the Messiah will go through a transformation before the return of her Lord.  The church will be beautified.  She will be made ready for the appearing of the Bridegroom.  As was foretold in the book of Daniel, “Many will be purged, purified, and refined...” Daniel 12:10.  As members of this last days church, we are given the awesome privilege of being a part of this Bride that has been purified and made ready for Christ.</div> <bR> <div> Recently, during our Sunday School hour, a number of us began to work through the series entitled “Experiencing God”.  One of the points of emphasis in this study course states, “God is constantly at work around us.”  This leads into the next point, “God invites us to join Him in His work.”  The author encourages Christians to become aware of what God is doing around them and then make the necessary adjustments to join Him in His work.  In these last days before Christ’s return, we will have much opportunity to make adjustments in our lives in order to join God in what He is doing.  As the Spirit works a transformation upon the Bride of Christ, many things that exist will be shaken, but those things that are of God will remain.</div> <bR> <div> It is imperative in these last days that we recognize what our Heavenly Father is doing.  If we do not recognize His activity around us we may find ourselves attempting to build up what He is tearing down and we may reject the very work that He is involved in.  We have heard from many lately that God is preparing to do a new thing among us and many have rejoiced to hear that word.  We need to be prudent in our thinking, however.  Christ said that “no one having tasted old wine straightway desires new wine.”  We may say boldly that we desire to see this promised new work of God among us, but when we see the casting down of old, established ways of doing things in order to make way for this new thing, we may find that our initial response is not an enthusiastic one. “No one having drunk old wine straightway desires new wine.”  </div> <bR> <div> New wine cannot be put in old wineskins.  The old wineskins will burst.  To receive the new work that God will do among us we must have new wineskins to hold the new wine.  The forms and structures that were part of the previous work of God must be replaced.  We cannot hold onto the things that were.  We must relinquish our attachment to traditions that have become comfortable to us so that we can freely respond to what God is doing among us.  We must have supple and flexible wineskins to contain the new wine.</div> <bR> <div> Christ said that no one “straightway” desires new wine.  Though our initial response to God’s new work may not be a positive one, we can come to desire the new wine. It is our attachment to the old and comfortable, and the pain and anxiety of abandoning that which we are comfortable with that causes us to view the new with reluctance.  As we perceive the benefit of the new wine and as we realize that there is life in the new work of God, we can move past our initial reluctance and begin to embrace with joy that which God is doing.</div> <bR> <div> Remaining supple and flexible to the moving of God’s Spirit will become more and more important as the day of our Lord draws nearer.  Those who have teachable spirits will be used of God to do mighty things.  Those who remain obstinate and immovable, demanding that the old ways be adhered to, will find that the work of God has passed them by.  They will have wineskins that cannot contain the new wine.  As we prepare for the “NEW THING” that God will do among us, let us make ourselves ready for change.  Let us say, “Father, send your Spirit to accomplish your will among us and may we move at the slightest breath of your Spirit.”  Come Holy Spirit.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>