Walking in the Garden

My Utmost For His Highest

 

‘“Come to Me . . . .” When you hear those words, you will know that something must happen in you before you can come. The Holy Spirit will show you what you have to do, and it will involve anything that will uproot whatever is preventing you from getting through to Jesus. And you will never get any further until you are willing to do that very thing. The Holy Spirit will search out that one immovable stronghold within you, but He cannot budge it unless you are willing to let Him do so.’ CHAMBERS

 

Have you ever heard the term, ‘personal relationship with Jesus’?  I am certain you have.  The idea of having a personal relationship goes beyond your salvation experience, your re-birth.  It is a lifelong relationship … one that should mature and strengthen over time.  Imagine that you would marry someone and then have nothing to do with them.  So it often is with the Christian life.  To experience the joy and peace that can be found in Jesus, we must pursue a relationship with Him.  When I married my wife, I loved her and knew about her .. what she liked and didn’t like … but now, after nearly 41 years, I know her to the depth of her heart.  I know what she thinks and why she thinks it.  I may think something and she will speak about it, without me saying a word.  We are of one mind ….

 

And so it should be with Jesus.  1 Corinthians 2: 14-16 “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

 

The Word is clear about what our relationship with Jesus is supposed to be like.

 

John 15: 1-11  “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. […] 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. […] 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will[b] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. […] 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

 

Do you hear what Jesus is saying to us?  To find the joy that can only be found in Him, you must develop your relationship with Him.  You have to spend time with him.  Not just think about him occasionally … call on Him only when you have a problem …. Have you ever had that kind of relationship?  The only time someone would call was when they wanted something?  Wouldn’t have been wonderful if they called because they cared about you and not what you could do for them?   You relationship with them was much less than it could have been …

 

So it is with the Lord.  Luke 6:46.  Jesus asked this question.  “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”  To grow in our faith, we must be connected to Jesus .. deeply connected to Him.

 

Spend time with the Lord today.  “I come to the garden alone.  While the dew is still on the roses. [ … ]  and He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.  And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.”

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)