‘However, I must take the time to realize what this central point
of power is. Am I willing to give one minute out of every hour to concentrate
on it? “If you abide in Me . . . “—
that is, if you continue to act, and think, and work from that central point— “you will ask what you desire, and it shall
be done for you” (John 15:7).
Am I abiding? Am I taking the time to abide? What is the greatest source of power in my life? Is it my work,
service, and sacrifice for others, or is it my striving to work for God? It
should be none of these— what ought to exert the greatest power in my life is
the atonement of the Lord. It is not on
what we spend the greatest amount of time that molds us the most, but whatever
exerts the most power over us. We must make a determination to limit and
concentrate our desires and interests on the atonement by the Cross of Christ.’
CHAMBERS
How often do you think
about your faith and your relationship with Jesus during the day? No, I didn’t ask what you think the right
answer to that question is, but what the truth is … pou ou … for you. Notice Jesus said “IF you abide in Me…” Abiding - enduring, lasting, continuing, remaining, surviving, permanent, constant, prevailing, persisting, persistent, eternal, tenacious, firm, fast, everlasting, unending, unchanging
Is that how you describe your faith? If we are living our lives in that manner,
Jesus said that what we desire we will receive …but all too often You ask and do not receive, because
you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. James
4:3 We often seek God only to satisfy our flesh … our desire
for things .. When Andrew Carnegie, the philanthropist, was asked how much money a rich man needs, he answered
“Just a little more.”
Our flesh … our old nature is
insatiable .. never satisfied … but that is not the kind of asking that Jesus
is talking about. Matthew 6:31-33 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What
shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (32)
For after all these things the
Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these
things. (33) But seek
first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be
added to you.
If we are truly abiding in Jesus … our focus
will be on His will not ours … We will understand and trust that God is the
Provider – Jehovah Jireh. And so, we
will care about what Jesus cares about … If He is the vine and we are the
branches (John 15:15) … then our
lives will reflect the life of Jesus. There
are Mango trees everywhere in Haiti. If
we are indeed abiding in Jesus, then what is in Jesus will be in us … if the
tree is a Mango then we will produce Mangos because we are connected to the
tree. John
17:23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and
that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have
loved Me.
We need to be sanctified by the Word
of God .. and submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16-17 I (Paul)
say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the
flesh. (17) For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and
the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that
you do not do the things that you wish.
Abiding in Christ doesn’t just happen
.. it requires us to be intentional about our faith … and it starts with the
indwelling of the Spirit and is fueled by the Word of God …
God’s Word is Truth John 17:16-18
They are not of the world, just as
I (Jesus) am not of the world. (17) Sanctify
them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
(18) As You sent Me into the
world, I also have sent them into the world.
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)
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