Old Dog III
The Vineyard
Bob Neumann
Greetings,
When I dug out the worn notes written long ago I had no intent for any preamble. Yet THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT was most intent at reminding me of the circumstances and the aftermath. Why now after all this time this most intimate of memories is to be published? Then again why would it bother me? Maybe because I did not learn the lesson back then. Maybe it was not the ”appointed time”.
Only when the pieces were put together, did the answer to the “why?” of six years ago is able to be answered now. Proving HE is faithful even when we forget the original question.
It was the year after Hurricane Andrew, and an intercessor heard the call to gather all the intercessors to pray. All of us had struggled to rebuild homes and lives. The rebuilding of the church we were members of had one set back after another. For some of us there was a common desire/ burden to gather and seek GOD. To intercede and restore the breach. A night was chosen and those that were burdened gathered after much individual prayer and fasting.
In the third hour of travail something occurred to me that did not fit into the planned ”agenda”. It was not the answer, but it was. Only now do I know it, understand it. We had lifted up our pastor and the sheep in his care. We had been intense and focused, but none felt a ”breakthrough”. Quiet resignation was what we walked away with. Through the years we had come together and prayed as THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT directed, but now all we heard was to ”go home” and be still. We did.
Of the core of ten to twelve prophetic intercessors that had hedged this pasture, for years, all but one was removed within three years. The one who was called to lead the company of intercessors and to teach the BASIC TRAINING course….no longer intercedes or teaches.
We were told why, but did not realize it. Or should I say that I was told why. But I did not understand it. And like any obedient servant I went to the Pastor….and was told by ”authority” it was not relevant. Now I know the response was a lie.
THE VINEYARD While in prayer we all were asking why the problems to the rebuilding of the ”Sanctuary”. While focusing on the problem and seeking THE FATHER’S FACE I found myself standing in a wondrous place. It was unfamiliar for the only place I had ever been in was the pasture with the MASTER’S SHEEP. But now I heard that Voice I heard when I first breathed in HIS LIFE after being pulled from the pit. While I had never before seen HIM, but His VOICE I had hoped to hear again. AND now HE STOOD before me.
“COME WALK WITH ME CHILD”, HE invited as HE reached down HIS HAND and took mine. When HIS HAND touched mine it was like every sense in my body exploded. It was like I was acutely aware of everything about me. Every sound and every color was perceived in a fullness indescribable. But it was the smells. Everything had a unique and a wondrous scent. Then I noticed that THE FATHER had a ”perfume” that was as much a part of Him as the sound of HIS VOICE and the TOUCH of HIS HAND. Casually we walked together and came to this VINEYARD. What was unique is there was but one VINE. It came forth from the ground and had one great trunk that went to the LEFT and to the RIGHT. The single trunk that branched to make two looked old and strong. Like it had been there for a long, long time. As THE FATHER walked down the length of the VINE every few feet there was a branch. HE showed me where each branch had been carefully grafted into the VINE. and HE explained.
“CHILD, EACH BRANCH I HAVE GRAFTED INTO MY VINE. I REMEMBER EACH ONE. WHEN IT WAS GRAFTED AND WHAT IT HAS PRODUCED”.
As we walked I noticed areas where there was areas of bare vine. That sometimes several branches were bare, brown and looked dead to me. When THE FATHER came to such some HE removed at the graft site, others HE drastically pruned back and explained that there was still life in the branch and HE would wait a little longer.
Then there were areas where there was life and the foliage was thin. Again HE pruned back all the leaves leaving only bare branches, green in color. There was much life that could flow through this branch, by pruning back. THE FATHER was giving it a chance.
So we walked along as HIS HANDS and the pruning knife moved with surety pruned when needed and removed when necessary. Dead and diseased branches were removed without emotion or hesitation. As HE pruned and removed I would gather the cuttings. When they were hard for me to handle HE would stop and tie each bundle and set it aside off the path. When HE did this HE told me THE STORY of the VINEYARD.
LONG AGO I PLANTED MY VINEYARD AND IT DID NOT BEAR GOOD FRUIT. SO I
REMOVED THOSE VINES AND REPLACED THEM. I PLANTED THIS MOST SPECIAL VINE AND IT’S ROOTS GO VERY DEEP. THE LIFE OF THE VINE FLOWS THROUGH
THE VINE TO THE BRANCHES I AND I ALONE HAVE GRAFTED INTO MY VINE. IT IS THE LIFE THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE VINE THAT ALLOWS THE BRANCHES TO GRAFT INTO THE VINE AND TO GROW.
As we returned to the Vine we came to branches that had grown almost as large as the VINE itself and had produced branches that came off of it. THE FATHER moved the large dark green leaves and showed me clusters of grapes uniform in shape, color and size. With ease of movement cut the ripe clusters and placed them into HIS basket. With a smile HE turned to me with a grape and placed it into my mouth. I had never tasted anything sweeter in my life.
Every few steps there was a new branch, some had a few clusters, some had many. There were grapes of every color imaginable, light green to pink, bright red to deep purple so deep it was black. And on each branch the clusters were different. Some had huge clusters of the tiniest grapes, some had small clusters of huge grapes. As HE continued to harvest I would get to taste each kind. Each was unique and wondrous.
For a moment we paused as we watched the SUN begin to set. The sunset over the waters was beyond words. It did not seem like we were in any hurry. When we stood HE turned to me and said, “CHILD, THERE CAN BE NO FURTHER WORK WHEN
THE DARKNESS COMES, AND IT WILL BE DARK SOON. THERE ARE SOME THINGS I WANT TO SHOW YOU.”
With those words we returned farther down the vine.
We came to the place where there was a huge abundance of leaves. As HE moved the leaves I saw there was no grapes. “LOOK”, HE said, and I saw the branch. It looked the same as those freshly grafted. “THERE ARE THOSE THAT WILL NOT GROW WITH THE VINE. THEY PRODUCE LEAVES TO COVER THEMSELVES, BUT THERE ARE NO GRAPES.” And in one swift movement the branch was removed and the VINE left bare. The branch and all it’s leaves were bound for the fire.
Later we came to a branch were the leaves were green, but grapes littered the ground. None of which were close to being ripe. The branch and leaves again looked good but the bunches were feeble and could not hold the young grapes. This branch too was removed.
Next we came to a branch and HE showed me the grapes. They were not ripe, but a mold or fungus was covering them and they gave off a foul smell. This branch too was removed.
Then we came to a funny looking bunch of leaves. Their shape and color were ”wrong” and the grapes were misshaped. I do not know why but I reached for a grape as I had done before at other branches and THE FATHER caught my hand. With profound gentleness HE lifted me in one arm and whispered. “THIS IS ONE GRAPE I DO NOT WANT YOU TO EAT.” As HE placed me back on my feet HE moved the leaves and exposed the branch. It looked dead. “YES, CHILD IT IS DEAD, THE SPIRIT THAT IT PULLS LIFE FROM IS NOT FROM ME AND NOT THROUGH THE VINE. IT IS NOT OF
ME.” Again, but with force, HE pulled it off the VINE, and there was no mark on the VINE from where it had been. It too HE tied up for burning but would not allow me to even touch it.
Now the SUN had completely set and we stood in twilight. Every branch had been pruned or removed. As we walked to the entrance of the VINEYARD HE stood and lifted the basket into the air, declaring into the heavens….
“HERE IS THE FRUIT OF MY VINE! IT HAS COME TO IT’S FULLNESS AND I REJOICE IN THE WORK OF MY HANDS. IS THERE ANYTHING LIKE MY VINE! IS THERE ANYTHING SWEETER THAN THE FRUIT OF MY VINE AND MY SPIRIT? COME AND REJOICE WITH ME. ENTER MY HOUSE AND TAKE YOUR REST”.
Now that is what I experienced and wrote then. It had been a long time since I had gone back to read what I had written. Why, because it was the first time I walked with HIM. Twice now it was in the Vineyard. As I read this and typed it, I wanted to change ”THE FATHER” to ABBA….but I could not. When HE first took me on a walk I did not yet know HIM as ABBA. But it was this first walk that began to unfold the fullness of the REVELATION of my ABBA in my life.
After the FIFTH THUNDER I was given a short WORD where all of this Vision was reflected in 6 or 7 short lines.
There are too many people who were grafted into the VINE that have no intent to bring JOY to ABBA because they have born no fruit. There are those who bore fruit, and chose to stop. Then there are those that cast their fruit off, or poison all who touch them.
So they are being cut off and left to be burned in due season.
Some ABBA pruned back radically to allow them to grow in HIS VINE AND HIS SPIRIT. That is what was occurring back when we met to pray. We were pruned and some of us were grafted elsewhere to bear fruit in due season. Now that pruned branch, and many others like it will be checked and judged according to the fruit.
Will ABBA REJOICE….or REMOVE FOR BURNING?
selah old dog