Word in Christ

Abide. Abide. Abide. Jesus repeatedly draws our attention to this principle in our spiritual lives. The purpose of our lives is to glorify God by bearing fruit as we do the works that Jesus did. And Jesus desires that every disciple bears fruit. God is glorified when we live holy lives, obey His commands and give witness to the resurrection of Christ. It's only possible to accomplish this goal through abiding in Christ. Only then does the power and life of Christ flow through us producing the kind of fruit that makes a lasting difference. A branch cannot produce fruit by itself. Without the life of the vine within it, the branch will just shrivel up and die.  If you aren't bearing fruit, you are not fulfilling God's purpose for your life. On one occasion when Jesus was going to the Temple, He passed by a fig tree with many leaves. Jesus was hungry and wanted to eat the fruit from that tree, but there was none. There were only leaves, so He cursed the tree. The d...

When she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone. (Mark 7:30) The Syrophoenician woman, also called the Canaanite woman, was a Gentile (non-Jew) with a demon-possessed daughter. It was hard for the mother to care for her child, and sometimes the situation seemed hopeless. There was nothing that could be done to free the girl from her torment. The mother had heard of Jesus' power to heal and went to him. She told him about her daughter and asked him to heal the little girl. Jesus said, "First I should feed the children  – my own family, the Jews. It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs" (Mark 7:27). Jesus meant he should care for the Jews first, and this woman was a Gentile. The woman was desperate. She wasn't willing to give up so easily, because Jesus was the only hope for her daughter. The woman answered, "That's true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat t...

For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do   – this I keep on doing (Romans 7:19). Somebody once asked St. Francis of Assisi how it was possible for him to do so much for the Lord. He answered, "The Lord God looked down from heaven and asked, 'Where can I find the weakest and most insignificant person on earth?' Then God saw me and said, 'I'll work through him; he will never become proud because he will know that I'm using him because of his insignificance." Gracious Lord, please heal me from my sin that, as Your child, I can be whole. Amen. Solly Ozrovech      

We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us (2 Corinthians 4:7). Eastern kings of ancient times used to store all their treasures in earthen pots. A crude tin lamp can cast a bright light and a tattered book can contain lofty thoughts  − in the same way these plain earthen pots became the bearers of precious treasures. This is exactly what it is like in the kingdom of God: plain fishermen became disciples; the bearers of God's treasures. Paul compares our lives to these earthen vessels in which we carry the glorious message of the Gospel of Christ. Life surrounds us with problems and obstacles, while Christ surrounds us with His glory. The earthen vessel is the image of human frailty and mortality, of fallibility, contamination and impurity, but it is also an image of the Potter's ability to recreate our lives with His hands, to the glory of God. When God calls us as disciples, we shrink back because we are so intense...

"Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Far too often God's Word is read haphazardly, even by His committed children. It is almost as if the Bible has become a good luck charm or just a document. Treating the Bible in this disrespectful and disconcerting way has not only impoverished the church, but has also resulted in spiritual shallowness in many believers. It is the direct result of disobedience and lack of discipline. The Bible is not an anthology containing interesting proverbs and speculative theological suggestions. No, it is God's Word, conveying a true message and it should be read in a disciplined, logical manner. It comes directly from God and His power emanates from it when it is fully understood. Amos R. Wells expressed it as follows: I supposed I knew my Bible, reading piecemeal, hit and miss, Now a bit of John or Matthew, now a snatch of Genesis; certain chapters of Isaiah, certain Psalms (t...

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). Just before our Lord's ascension He was deeply aware of His disciples' sadness at the prospect of His departure. They were stunned but Jesus understood man's need and He promised them a Helper,  "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever  – the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17). Sadness and sorrow are concrete realities. How well do we not know that! That is why these words spoken by the Lord are such a glorious comfort. He was indeed the Man of Sorrows, who was well acquainted with grief. Is there need or shortage in your home? Jesus didn't even have a place where He could lay His head (Luke 9:58). Have friends disappointed you? His friends betrayed Him (Luke 22:48 and 58). Do you battle with sorrow? In Gethsemane Jesus experienced such anguish that His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:39-46). Are ...