TODAY'S READING FROM https://utmost.org/ -- in addition to text from print version of Oswald Chambers Daily Devotional: My Utmost For His Highest -- Date: June 14
In the Matter of Determination
The Spirit of Jesus is put into me by the Atonement, then I have to construct with patience the way of thinking that is exactly in accordance 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. “Abide in Me” — in intellectual matters, in money matters, in every one of the matters that make human life what it is. It is not a bandbox* life.
Am I preventing God from doing things in my circumstances because I say it will hinder my communion with Him? That is an impertinence. It does not matter what my circumstances are, I can be as sure of abiding in Jesus in them as in a prayer meeting. I have not to change and arrange my circumstances myself. With Our Lord the inner abiding was unsullied; He was at home with God wherever His body was placed. He never chose His own circumstances, but was meek towards His Father’s dispensations for Him. Think of the amazing leisure of Our Lord’s life! We keep God at excitement point, there is none of the serenity of the life hid with Christ in God about us.
Think of the things that take you out of abiding in Christ — “Yes, Lord, just a minute, I have got this to do; Yes, I will abide when once this is finished; when this week is over, it will be all right, I will abide then.” Get a move on; begin to abide now. In the initial stages it is a continual effort until it becomes so much the law of life that you abide in Him unconsciously. Determine to abide in Jesus wherever you are placed.
*bandbox: in Chambers’ day, a small, round box made to hold neckbands or collars for shirts; metaphorically, something small, narrow, cloistered, self-contained.
MARY’S THOUGHTS ON ABIDING WITH CHRIST
Because of my own brokenness, I’ve found it difficult to be honest with God – albeit it’s much easier as I’ve gotten older. By God’s grace I’ve found some cherished prayer warriors as friends and companions in this crazy world in addition to much needed Christian counselors. Sometimes our brokenness is so very deep that it takes a Biblical Professional to help you did out and see the ‘Jesus Way‘ of walking in the light:
Wonder
SONG LYRICS (FROM VIDEO BELOW)
Have you ever seen the wonder, In the glimmer of first sight, As the eyes begin to open, And the blindness meets the light, If you have so say, I see the world in light, I see the world in wonder, I see the world in life, Bursting in living color, I see the world your way, And I’m walking in the light, Have you ever seen the wonder, In the air of second life, Having come out of the waters, With the old one left behind, If you have so say, I see the world in light, I see the world in wonder, I see the world in life, Bursting in living color, I see the world Your way, And I’m walking in the light, I see the world in grace, I see the world in gospel, I see the world Your way, And I’m walking in the light, I’m walking in the wonder, You’re the wonder in the wild, Turning wilderness to wonder, If You have so say, I see the world in love
I see the world in freedom, I see the Jesus way, You’re the wonder in the wild, I see the world Your way. And I’m not afraid to follow, I see the world Your way, And I’m not ashamed to say so, I see the Jesus way, And I’m walking in the light, I see the world in light, I see the world in wonder, I see the world in life, Bursting in living color, I see the world Your way, And I’m walking in the light, Oh, I say, I see the world in grace, I see the world in gospel, I see the world Your way, And I’m walking in the light, I’m walking in the wonder, You’re the wonder in the wild, Turning wilderness to wonder, If You have so say, I see the world in love, I see the world in freedom, I see the Jesus way, You’re the wonder in the wild, I see the world in wonder, I see the world in life, Bursting in living color, I see the world in life, I see the world in wonder, I see the world in life, Bursting in living color, I see the world in life, I see the world in wonder
John 15
The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
The World Hates the Disciples
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master. ’If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’The Work of the Holy Spirit
26 “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
