In his book “Five Secrets of Living,” Warren Wiersbe states, “Everything in the universe obeys God except man, and man has the most to gain by obeying and the most to lose by disobeying! The biggest stars and the tiniest cells all obey God’s will. This is what keeps the universe together.” (Psalm 148:8)
It is because men and women continue to disobey God’s will that evil grows and destroys this world. The same law that governs the farmer who plants seeds in the spring and yields a great harvest, also governs man’s actions. The Bible says, “You cannot fool God, so don’t make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8 CEV)
In John 15 Jesus taught his disciples concerning the need to stay connected to the vine. “I am the vine, you are the branches,” he said. “He who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
I have discovered that there are various levels in my response toward God. On the lowest level I can defy Him and choose to go my own way. While many would not choose to do that, they are content to passively disobey him and act like He doesn’t exist. Others obey him out of joyless duty. However, as we grow closer in our relationship to Jesus and get to know him, we move from duty to desire. Deep within is a longing to honor and please Him in all we do. But there’s a higher level. It’s the level of delight. “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8) Regularly we need to be asking, “On which level do I most dwell?”
In Wiersbe’s book he tracks five secrets of living from Jesus’ teaching on the vine and the branches. It makes a great study!
1. The secret of living is fruitbearing. (John 15:2,8,16)
2. The secret of fruitbearing is abiding. (John 15:4, 7)
3. The secret of abiding is obeying. (John 15:10, 14)
4. The secret of obeying is loving. (John 15:9, 10)
5. The secret of loving is knowing. (John 15:15)
You see… The more we know Him the more we love Him. The more we love Him, the more we want to obey Him. The more we obey Him, the more we abide in Him. The more we abide in Him, the more fruitful we become. And the more fruitful we become, the more fulfilling life is.
The hymnist put it this way. “When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way. When we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
Jesus said, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” (John 14:21 NLT)
Be blessed my friend.
Glen (Pitts)
The Barnabas Group / Loads of Love
Psalm 1; Psalm 119:1-7; John 15:1-17; 8:32
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