Abiding in Christ and Service
Service for the Lord can become a heavy burden at times, filled with anxiety and stress, before Christians come to understand and experience true abiding in Christ and His abiding in them. However, once the mystery of abiding in Christ is experienced, everything changes. Service for the Master is a joy, and the stress and burdens are relieved. Ellen White challenges us to trust our Lord in the same
manner He trusted in His Father. It was in Faith – Faith in God’s love and care – that Jesus rested. As Jesus rested by faith in the Father’s care, so we are to rest in our saviors. If we trust is Christ, all fear, worry, and stress in service or life will be gone.
How often the disciples’ experience is ours! When tempests of temptation gather, and the fierce lightning flash, and the waves sweep over us, we battle with the storm alone, forgetting that there is One who can help us. We trust in our own strength until our hope is lost, and we are ready to perish. Then we remember Jesus, and if we call upon Him to save us, we shall not cry in vain… weather on the land or the sea, if we have the Saviour in our hearts, there is no need to fear. The burdens if ministry will be lifted, replaced with our resting in Jesus’ presence.
When we are abiding in Christ we have a relationship with Him that He has with His Farther, which enabled Him to rest in the assurance that the Father would speak and minister through Him.
Supporting Scripture; (John 5:30), (John 14:10)
Personal Reflection and Discussion
- How do you react when the trails of life hit you?
- How do you plan to apply this devotional to your life?
Prayer Activities
- Call your Partner and discuss this devotional.
- Contact the people on your prayer list and let them know you are still praying for them.
- Pray with then and ask for the following;
- For God to fill your heart with His nature.
- For God to remind you the next time stormy weather comes, to look to Jesus for strength.
- For the individuals on your pray list.
- That we continue to seek the Holy Spirit
- For today use the following Bible verse in your prayer (Ps. 34:8)
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You see people who worry about everything and make themselves sick, physically and mentally. They usually do not have a real relationship with God and certainly don’t have the Holy Spirit abiding in them. Again it all comes down to faith and trust. God is good and we (me) need to turn to Him first thing and turn over each day and each trial to the Lord.
That is one of the hardest parts about being a Christian, letting go. But once you do you will have a heavy burden lifted and there will be a peace that comes over you like you have never felt before.
This is something I struggle with. I know I have a real relationship with God and know the Holy Spirit abides in me, I just don’t always know if I’m choosing or God. I want to surrender all to God. I know there’s been times I’ve chosen (usually without praying) and suffered the consquences. That usually happens with things I think are not a big deal and feel I could make the decision on my own. Prov says: There is a way that seems right to a man but at the end it leads to destruction; lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will lead your path; A man may plan his path but God directs the steps. Therefore, I believe any sucess comes from God.
I don’t exempt service to God from that equation. But especially in serving God, I want to make sure I’m not doing it in my own strength. There are some who believe a duty to be good and noble, feel they should perform it convinced it is good, and do it without being called and in their own limited strength. Got to wonder about Elisha’s understudy and Judas as a disciple.
I worry about desicions I have to make. I wish I had no anxity over making descions. I pray over it and don’t stop till finally a descion settles right with my soul…as they say. Maybe, I shouldn’t stress the descions so much, maybe others know God’s voice better and are sure of his leading sooner…I don’t feel I’m there.
If you are spending time worrying about this then you need to let it go. I know that it sounds easy and believe me it is not, but God does not want your relationship to be about struggling, your relationship should be about love and peace. I know it is hard but if you are truly walking with God everything will fall in to place. Pray daily for the peace that comes for your relationship and trust that God is with you at all times even when you make the wrong choices.
Jesus spoke the Word of God throughout his ministry. When faced with the devil’s lies and temptations, he countered with the truth of God’s Word. The spoken Word of God is like a living, powerful sword in our mouths (Hebrews 4:12), and if Jesus depended upon it to face challenges in life, so can we. If you need encouragement from God’s Word to overcome your fears, take strength from these fear-busting Bible verses about courage.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.
And let’s not forget my favorite verse;
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
I am not afraid of people or circumstance, I know God works them out. The things I know are out of my control I leave alone. The things I have to choose I pray till I know how to respond.
that is all we can do.