John 15 ^“1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. ²Every 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. ³Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. ⁴Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. ⁵I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. ⁶If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. ⁸Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. ⁹As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. ¹⁰If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.¹¹These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

If one looks at the definition of abiding you will find it to be: enduring, surviving, standing, durable, everlasting, eternal, unending, unchanging, and steadfast.  Does that describe your relationship with Christ?  Does it describe mine?  It certainly does describe how Christ’s abiding love has been for me; but does it describe mine?  How do we lean on Him, unchanging, unwavering in our faith, enduring all hardship or trials, eternally, everlastingly seeing Him as our greatest treasure and then abiding in His love for each step of this journey-trusting Him to guide each step and never struggling to do it our way?  How do we wait patiently for His answer, resting our heads upon His chest in silence?

Let me share with you this chapter from Ultimate Inspiration God’s Plan of Love

Continue reading How to Abide in Christ for Joy and Strength →

Today I want to share from my archives.  I wrote this back in 2013.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. Ephesians 1:3-12

He knew me from before I was ever born.  Before creation, God knew me.  He knew every-time I would fail Him, every time I would doubt Him and still chose me to be His adopted Child.  He, according to the good pleasure of His will, predestined me to be His Child–to make me holy and without blame before Him in love by covering me with the sacrificial blood of Christ.  He then blessed me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places with Christ.  This is the hope we who believe can hold tightly to when we are filled with self doubt and feel overwhelmed with our failures.  Christ carried out guilt and fears with Him to the cross in addition to our sins.  When we wallow in our own unworthiness, we open the door to sin having power over our lives.  It is always important that we take our focus off of ourselves and place that focus on the only one who has the power of victory over sin—Jesus Christ.

Continue reading How to Know the Security of God’s Grace →

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace Ephesians 1:1-7

Chosen in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. How Amazing is that!!

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Continue reading Do You Really Have an Appreciation of Grace? →

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. Psalm 119:10,11,18,19

 

Can I really cry out like David, that I have sought God with all my heart? Has it been the plea of my heart not to wander from God’s commandments? That would be my desire; yet, how often in this lifetime did I wander after counterfeit joys? A pilgrim wandering about on a journey of life down many roads; yet, every road ultimately lead me back to home-to God’s love. It has been His wondrous Grace every step of the way, teaching me to love His laws and commandments more. Rebellious hearts that we are, search for “freedom” from the laws that might bind. We want to speak of freedom as though it were “free to do as we wish” in search of joy at the expense of all. We bow down to worship at the altar of self; only, to then find emptiness and despair.

Continue reading Where Is the Truth of Liberty and Freedom Found? →