Abide in Christ

 

Abiding is one of the most beautiful words in the English language! It includes the concept of union, oneness, fullness, belonging, continuity, prevailing, resting and being made complete. It conjures up visions of luxuriating in a huge feather bed, floating on still waters, lying down in a field of flowers, of having no lack and feeling perfectly comfortable. Abiding in Christ actually does supply us with this combination of safety and provision.

Abiding in Christ also provides us with a restored soul as His goodness and mercy pursue us all the days of our life (Psalm 23). God gives us all of His blessings, but so often we turn from them and from Him. We choose to live life through our own effort, so that we will gain the power and praise. We refuse to submit to the Spirit’s direction because we want to live life our own way. We compromise with the flesh, the world and the devil and we ruin our testimony to the world and our union with our Heavenly Father.

I challenge you to turn from living life your way and choose God’s way instead. Hold fast to His promises, acquire His blessings and allow His Spirit to incorporate His fruit and gifts into your life. God beckons us to come to Him to find rest for our soul – our mind, will and emotions (Matthew 11:28-29). God calls us to take up His yoke, so that He may bear the weight of our load. A yoke is not torturous or restraining, but enabling; as long as we yield to His will each moment of the day.

Abiding in Christ brings us complete peace and joy, which defy description and go beyond human reasoning. The longer we walk with God, the deeper we abide in His rest. We feel complete in Him and experience intimate fellowship and enduring fulfillment. This happens gradually as we surrender more and more of our humanity and carnality to Christ’s divinity within us, as we abide under the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91:1).

We live in perfect rest as we relinquish our self to God and entirely surrendered our life to His management and care. Christ reigns supreme in every area of our life. We live in undivided commitment to Him with our whole spirit, soul and body. We seek to please Him and to further His kingdom with our every thought, word and action. We have no hidden agendas or ulterior motives. We simple rest in His love and abide in His presence continually.

Prayer:

Father God, simply taking up Your yoke eases our burdens and keeps us in the center of Your will. You care for us as a mother nurtures her child. You protect us as a father who rises up to defend his family. We are joint heirs with Christ and children of Your Kingdom (Romans 8:17). As we fully trust in You, You supply all of our needs and fill our soul with gladness (Philippians 4:19; Psalm 4:7). Remind us to surrender every part of our life to You. Help us to obey your directives, walk in Your Spirit and abide in You.

Thought for the Day:

In the heart of God we find safety and victory, peace and rest, acceptance and encouragement.

Spring of Living Water

Jesus promises that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled (Matthew 5:6). He used the concept of water to express the free flowing ministry of the Holy Spirit in us and through us. He told us that when we drink the water He gives us, we would never thirst again. Christ is our spring of living water, which provides us with His divine life now on this earth as well as in eternity (John 4:13-15).

His water wells up in the midst of our soul and flows freely out of us to all those around us (Matthew 12:40). This living water comes not just from one, but many rivers (John 7:38-39). It supplies us with light, love and liberation. His holiness within us flows out of us and blesses others. It is like a continual fountain centered in a beautiful lush garden of life within us. The abundant supply of spiritual water brings liberal blessings to us and to everyone in our life (Exodus 17:6).

All we need to do to receive this thirst-quenching water is to believe in Jesus Christ and come and drink from the well of His salvation (Isaiah 12:3). As we drink freely from the fountain of the water of life, which surges from the throne of God, we will thirst no more (Revelation 7:16-17, 21:6, 22:1, 17). His wisdom and comfort pour plentifully and constantly in us and through us. It is a strong stream, which overcomes the conflict of our doubts and fears. We find Christ’s fullness in our body, soul and spirit.

The indwelling Spirit of Christ in us infuses us with the abundant water of His grace. We are instruments of the Holy Spirit and we draw from the water of life, which comes from His deep spring. He uses us to impart His mercy and grace to our family, friends, neighbors and associates who are poor and needy in soul and spirit (Isaiah 44:3). They are all searching for this living water to quench their soul, which is scorched from life on this earth (Isaiah 41:17).

God’s water cleanses and purifies us and allows us to bloom as fruitful trees of righteousness, which grow and bring forth the fruit of His Spirit. As fruitful trees, we also provide a cool refuge to those wounded by their trials in life. They are revived, comforted and encouraged to grow in their spiritual life as well. We bring reconciliation to the world through the abundance of living water flowing through our attitude, words and actions.

Prayer:

Father God, Your unfailing love is priceless to us. Thank You for enabling us to live a self-controlled and Godly life in Christ Jesus (Titus 2:12). We feast on the abundance in Your household and we drink from Your river of delights. You are the fountain of life; in Your light we live and move and have our being (Psalm 36:7). You make known to us the path we should take in life and You fill us with joy in Your presence within us. You give us eternal pleasures now and for eternity (Psalm 16:11). Keep us as the apple of Your eye and hide us always under the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 17:8; Psalm 36:7).

Thought for the Day:

If we truly desire to live joyfully forever, we will allow Christ to rule and reign in our life.

Manifestations of God

Most of humanity does not know Jesus as the Christ, nor do they care about Godly principles at all. If unbelievers see no distinction in our daily walk when compared to theirs, we have a problem with our connection to the Vine (John 15:5). We may even have a false hope of Heaven, because we never truly repented or made Jesus the Lord of our life. If, however, we are grafted into the Vine, their reason for rejecting His truth may be that we are hiding His light within us and they cannot see it (Matthew 5:15-16).

Once we surrender our identity over to the Ruler of the universe, however, God makes a huge difference in our character and existence. When we fully submit to God for Him to use as He pleases (Isaiah 29:16), our life takes on the character of Christ. This is when people see us as authentic Christians. We have God’s peace in trouble, His perseverance in trials, His love for our persecutors and His joy during periods of grief.

They see us exhibiting patience in trying times, using self-control when others give in to debauchery, displaying meekness rather than having a haughty attitude, relating to others with kindness and basing our life and decisions on faith in our faithful God. We lay down our life and prefer the needs of others over our own agenda. This is when other people want for themselves what we have within us. They see truth and reality in our lives. We are capable of this behavior, not because we are exemplary human beings, but because of the Holy Spirit within us (Galatians 5:16:25).

We were formerly dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1), but now we are dead to sin, and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Romans 6:11; Colossians 3:3). The Holy Spirit fills us with His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). We have an eternal view of life. We know that our eternal weight of glory far outweighs the momentary, comparatively light affliction we experience in this world. We view the visible issues of life as transient and passing, because we know that the spiritual aspects of life are everlasting (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

We live in this world as manifestations of God through Christ. We have the same abilities and expression of the Spirit that Christ did, because He lives within us (1 John 4:17). We obey God’s Spirit with an awareness, which exceeds human understanding. We cannot prove this relationship intellectually or physically, but the Spirit of God bears witness to our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16). People see the fruit on our branch, and realize it is actually the Vine, which is the source of our productive lives (John 15:5).

As we allow God’s light within us to shine brightly, many in the world will see Him through us and want to give their life to Christ as well (Matthew 5:16). As Born Again Believers, our life on earth has Jesus’ supernatural capabilities. Not only does the Spirit of God lead us (Romans 8:14), but He also fills us to overflowing (Acts 4:31). We are children of God, with Christ living in us by God’s Spirit (Romans 8:11). The more we decrease, the more He increases within us (John 3:30).

Prayer:

Father God, Jesus prayed that no one would snatch us out of Your hand. You are greater than all, and we are perfectly safe in Your everlasting arms (John 10:28-29). Fill us completely full of Your Spirit and keep us as the apple of Your eye (Psalm 17:8). Draw us close to You and never let us go. Your unfailing love is our priceless treasure and we run to the refuge of the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 36:7).

Thought for the Day:

The Holy Spirit is our source of power. Ask Him to manifest Himself in and through you.

 

 

Psalm 91

¹ Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

² This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

³ For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

⁴ He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

⁵ Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. ⁶ Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

⁷ Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. ⁸ Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.

⁹ If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, ¹⁰ no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.

¹¹ For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. ¹² They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

¹³ You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

⁴ The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.

¹⁵ When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble.  I will rescue and honor them. ¹⁶ I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

Failings are not Failures

Read: Hebrews 4:14-16

“To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” - Jude 1:24-25

I despise getting falsely accused. I do so many things wrong already, that I do not want to add fiction to the facts! I used to have such low self-worth that my head almost touched the ground when I walked! Then, I learned that with Christ in me, all of His worth is now mine. That person's opinion is just that...his/her opinion, and not fact at all. Talk about a shot of adrenalin! This thought makes my heart sing and my feet tap out a dance of joy.

Even with His worth as my own, however, I still suffered with shame when I actually did something wrong. It wasn’t very long before God taught me another lesson. Failing in one area of our life opens us up to the possibility of success in another. We may lose a battle in the process of our day, but Jesus already won the war 2000 years ago on Calvary’s cross.

Therefore, we no longer need to feel shame over, nor obsess about our shortcomings. Rather than experiencing defeat from our failings, we can look for God’s direction in other areas of our life. As we bask in the Sonshine of His love, His peace and joy fill our soul and our spirit to the point of saturation. Then, we seek His will and walk in His wisdom as His Spirit leads us moment-by-moment throughout the day. This way we experience complete intimacy with God and ultimately more success in our endeavors.

For example, maybe baking is not your specialty; and every time you try, you fail. This does not have to be a defeat in your life. Maybe God is trying to steer you in another direction or show you another calling for your life. Instead of baking, He may want you to read, or write, or work in some particular field of employment where He can use you to further His Kingdom. In another example, if you are not a good student, you are not dumb or stupid! God just wants to use you in more practical ministries. 

If you get into some type of trouble because of some ill conceived action on your part, you are not a failure. You just lost a skirmish. Hide under the shadow of His wings (Psalm 17:8) and allow your Heavenly Father to restore you to a place of confidence in His ability within you. Then, folllow the leading of His Spirit into the next moment of your life.
            
Thomas Edison is known to have said, “I have failed my way to success.” He tried thousands of different fibers for the element in his light bulb. He imported plants from all over the world in his endeavor to find just the right substance. Finally, as we all know, he succeeded. What if he gave up after a hundred tries? What if he quit after five hundred failed attempts? The world would be a darker place today!

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we often discover what we can do, by finding out what we cannot do. Help us to listen to Your Spirit each moment of the day, so that our successes far outweigh our failings.

Thought for the Day:
We learn wisdom as much from our failings as we do from our successes.

Our Offering

Read: 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10
"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God."  ~ 2 Corinthians 5:20 NKJV

Circumstances in the world in which we live get more perilous with each passing day. A financial collapse, a current event or a natural catastrophe can bring the world to its knees at any moment. We have no need to fear, however.

God unfolds His plan to His children one day at a time. With His peace in our hearts, we can reflect His light into the desperate and dying world around us. Our friends, family, neighbors and associates will see Christ in us as we remove the shadow of our self-reliance and trust completely in the Lord. The power of God freely working in and through us is like a magnet, which attracts those seeking His Truth. Jesus said that when men see our good works, they will glorify our God in Heaven (Matthew 5:16).

We have no fear of failure when it comes to His calling in our life. God's strength is made perfect through our weakness. Our complete dependence in Him is our offering to Him. Do you think that God cannot use you? As a Believer, we can allow God to channel His will through our lives. When we are our weakest that is when He is His strongest. He will use us to share reality with a world that is built on illusions.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we offer our lives to you as a living sacrifice, to use for Your Glory and for the advancement of Your Kingdom on the earth.

Thought for the Day:

Approaching God with empty hands allows Him to fill them to their fullest. 

Hope Deferred

Read: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there’s life and joy.” - Proverbs 13:12 (TLB)

Depression often accompanies a time of disappointment or discouragement. We watch our hope dwindle away and our heart sinks into the quagmire of despair. A lost job, a failed relationship, a wayward teen, a child lost to tragedy or war, frustration with our government, the world’s environmental deterioration, the failing economy, disillusionment in the church’s leadership and so many other life events contribute to our mood. I know there is hope in Jesus, but sometimes I just cannot sense God’s direction for my life. I struggle to make a connection, yet He remains aloof.

At times like this, God knows there are worst gales of adversity ahead. He utilizes His silence to draw me closer. Like the tree planted by the water, I sink my roots deeper into Him. I follow the Psalmist’s example by encouraging my soul (Psalm 42:5). Only under the shadow of His wings do I find true and lasting peace. My only secure hope is in God. I praise Him, for He alone is the source of my comfort and joy.

PRAYER:

Lord, help us to remember that happy are they who have the God of eternity as their provider, and who keep their hope in You. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

I put my hopes and dreams in the Lord’s hands. I know they are safe there.