These words are not spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus is leading Philip on.

The last One with whom we get intimate is Jesus.

Before Pentecost the disciples knew Jesus as the One Who gave them power to conquer demons and to bring about a revival (see Luke 10:18-20).

It was a wonderful intimacy, but there was a much closer intimacy to come - "I have called you friends." Friendship is rare on earth. It means identity in thought and heart and spirit.

The whole discipline of life is to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ.

We receive His blessings and know His word, but do we know Him?

Jesus said, "It is expedient for you that I go away" - in that relationship, so that He might lead them on.

It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to step more intimately with Him.

Fruit bearing is always mentioned as the manifestation of an intimate union with Jesus Christ (John 15:1-4).

When once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely, we never need sympathy, we can pour out all the time without being pathetic.

The saint who is intimate with Jesus will never leave impressions of himself, but only the impression that Jesus is having unhindered way, because the last abyss of his nature has been satisfied by Jesus.

The only impression left by such a life is that of the strong calm sanity that Our Lord gives to those who are intimate with Him.

A child of God was once overwhelmed by the number of afflictions that seemed to target her. As she walked past a vineyard during the rich glow of autumn, she noticed its untrimmed appearance and the abundance of leaves still on the vines. The ground had been overtaken by a tangle of weeds and grass, and the entire place appeared totally unkempt. While she pondered the sight, the heavenly Gardener whispered such a precious message to her that she could not help but share it.

The message was this: “My dear child, are you questioning the number of trials in your life? Remember the vineyard and learn from it. The gardener stops pruning and trimming the vine or weeding the soil only when he expects nothing more from the vine during that season. He leaves it alone, because its fruitfulness is gone and further effort now would yield no profit. In the same way, freedom from suffering leads to uselessness. Do you now want me to stop pruning your life? Shall I leave you alone?”

Then her comforted heart cried, “No!” HOMERA HOMER -DIXON

It is the branch that bears the fruit, That feels the knife, To prune it for a larger growth, A fuller life.

Though every budding twig be trimmed, And every grace Of swaying tendril, springing leaf, May lose its place.

O you whose life of joy seems left, With beauty shorn; Whose aspirations lie in dust, All bruised and torn,

Rejoice, though each desire, each dream, Each hope of thine Will fall and fade; it is the hand Of Love Divine

That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks With tenderest touch, That you, whose life has borne some fruit, Might now bear much.

ANNIE JOHNSON FLINT

Only a little more cutting.” How strange the words sounded, and then I heard the ring of the gardener’s ax as he cut away at the lilac bushes. They were very close to the windows and kept out the sunlight and air; more, they obstructed the view.

We watched the process, and as one bush after another fell, one remarked: “Only a little more cutting and we shall get it. These lilac bushes actually shut out the view of the White Mountains!”

I was glad the gardener did the cutting that day, for so much was brought out by the absence of the bushes and suggested by the exclamations that followed: “How lovely that little tree is! I did not see it before!” “What a beautiful evergreen that is! I never noticed it until now!” Have we not heard similar exclamations after severe cuttings and removals in our lives?

Have we not said: “I never loved God so much as I have since He took my little one!” “I never saw the beauty of such and such a Scripture until now!” Ah, He knows! Only trust Him. We shall see it all in the clear light sometime.

God is a zealous Pruner, For He knows Who, falsely tender, spares the knife But spoils the rose.

“THE PRUNER” BY JOHN OXENHAM

Give me the courage to submit to the surgery of Thy Spirit. Give me the bravery to part with what I hold most dear if it separates me from Thee. Through Christ, I pray!

Two years ago I set out a rosebush in the corner of my garden. It was to bear yellow roses. And it was to bear them profusely. Yet, during these two years, it has not produced a blossom!

I asked the florist from whom I bought the bush why it was so barren of flowers. I had cultivated it carefully; had watered it often; had made the soil around it as rich as possible. And it had grown well.

“That’s just why,” said the florist. “That kind of rose needs the poorest soil in the garden. Sandy soil would be best, and never a bit of fertilizer. Take away the rich soil and put gravelly earth in its place. Cut the bush back severely. Then it will bloom.”

I did—and the bush blossomed forth in the most gorgeous yellow known to nature. Then I moralized: that yellow rose is just like many lives. Hardships develop beauty in the soul; the soul thrives on troubles; trials bring out all the best in them; ease and comfort and applause only leave them barren. PASTOR JOYCE

The bark by tempest vainly tossed May founder in the calm; And he who braved the polar frost Faint by the isles of balm. WHITTIER

The finest of flowers bloom in the sandiest of deserts as well as in the hothouses. God is the same Gardener.

This is a precious promise to one who lives for fruitfulness. At first it seems to wear a sharp aspect. Must the fruitful bough be pruned? Must the knife cut even the best and most useful? No doubt it is so, for very much of our Lord's purging work is done by means of afflictions of one kind or another. It is not the evil but the good who have the promise of tribulation in this life. But, then, the end makes more than full amends for the painful nature of the means. If we may bring forth more fruit for our Lord, we will not mind the pruning and the loss of leafage.

Still, purging is sometimes wrought by the Word apart from trial, and this takes away whatever appeared rough in the flavor of the promise. We shall by the Word be made more gracious and more useful. The Lord who has made us, in a measure, fruit-bearing, will operate upon us till we reach a far higher degree of fertility. Is not this a great joy? Truly there is more comfort in a promise of fruitfulness than if we had been warranted riches, or health, or honor.

Lord Jesus, speedily fulfill Thy gracious word to me and cause me to abound in fruit to Thy praise!

He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

We glory in tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.

My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, . . . and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me.

The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, . . . envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: . . . but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Abide in me, and I in you . . . Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

He feedeth among the lilies.

Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.—I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey.—The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.—Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.—Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.