Abide in Me… —John 15:4
{CHAMBERS} “In the matter of determination. The Spirit of Jesus is
put into me by way of the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I then have to
build my thinking patiently to bring it into perfect harmony with my Lord. God
will not make me think like Jesus— I have to do it myself. I have to bring
“every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
“Abide in Me”— in intellectual matters,
in money matters, in every one of the matters that make human life what it is.
[…] Am I preventing God from doing things in my circumstances by saying that it
will only serve to hinder my fellowship with Him? How irrelevant and
disrespectful that is! It does not
matter what my circumstances are. […]
It is unnecessary to change and arrange my circumstances myself. Our Lord’s
…. never chose His own circumstances, but was meek, submitting to His Father’s
plans and directions for Him. Just think of how amazingly relaxed our Lord’s
life was! [….] You say, “Yes, Lord, just a minute— I still have this to do.
Yes, I will abide as soon as this is finished, or as soon as this week is over.
It will be all right, Lord. I will abide then.” […] In the initial stages it
will be a continual effort to abide, but as you continue, it will become so
much a part of your life that you will abide in Him without any conscious
effort.”
{ELGIN} (Ephesians 1:13-14) “When you believed, you were marked in him with
a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his
glory.” The Holy Spirit enlivens your
new self toward God. You put your faith
in Jesus and God puts His Spirit in you.
The very same Shekinah Glory that led the Children of Israel in the
desert … the very same that resided in the Holy of Holies in the temple. Now you are the temple … and that Spirit
leads you, or will if you will follow. (1
Corinthians 6:19-20) “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the
Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your
own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
Think about how amazing that
is. Now think about the reverence that
you show with respect to that amazing fact of your new life in Christ. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was some
physical – visible change when you accepted Jesus .. .when you were born again
by the Spirit? (John 3: 4-8) “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus
asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be
born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of
God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh,
but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying,
‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its
sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is
with everyone born of the Spirit.””
Nicodemus didn’t understand
because even though he was a teacher of the precepts of God, he only had a
natural understanding of the facts he was teaching. Be careful that you don’t make the same
mistake. The Spirit of God will give you
understanding but only if you seek it.
If you rely on yourself and your culture you will miss it and struggle
in your Christian life. Think about it.
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