“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
No turning back.
Cross before me and world behind me
When we have only Jesus before us in our sights: Without Him we can do nothing.
Then we can afford to die to ourselves.
Then become resurrected in Christ with new living Hope.
Hope that belies whatever our circumstances might look like.
Then We can declare and decree with authority every Word of the truth divinely written.
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart”
Then we can draw in the oars of our own striving and move lifting the sails for the Holy Spirit to fill.
With God the Rudder, Jesus on the tiller, Holy Spirit in the sails.
We can forget formulas and traditions we are emanating Jesus’ light because He has invaded us mind, body and soul.
He has equipped us to fulfil His commission.
Nothing can separate us.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,”
We rise and shine as the morning.
We must remember the same Spirit is within us as Jesus. We like Him are seated next to the Father.
We have such a jewel of knowledge to keep our hope alive. We are those called in such a time as this to show that hope. We have faith to share to make disciples of all men and nations.
We cannot go higher and must humble ourselves to go down to reach everyone else.
It is in this humility that Jesus will lift us higher.
We must be those desperate to see God’s work done it is His priority right now.
We have the knowledge of what the fog and mist is concealing.
We have clarity to keep moving onwards whilst many are immobilised.
What to many did not look good as they returned from exile is the place for a new beginning which will be great.
We are they who trust and know. We have greater responsibility.
If salvation were only about a pass to eternity everyone born again would go straight there.
It is more the opportunity and window to do what we have been commissioned for so that none get left behind.
It is not default it is design.
We are sons and daughters of the King of Kings. Citizens of heaven but located on earth for a purpose.
We know Jesus will return.
We have hope.
We have power to change others and for them too to have hope and faith and to know Jesus as we do.
The illustration shows the lips of our testimony of Jesus as the centre. Our focus and hope to be the voice that makes disciples and brings nations the hope to have the faith which will add to the light that pushes back the darkness.
Six Scriptures that come to mind:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”John 15:5 ESV
“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.””John 6:37-40 ESV
“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.”Proverbs 4:18 ESV
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.”Jeremiah 15:16 ESV
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”Matthew 28:18-19 ESV
The song I have Decided to Follow Jesus. Elevation
https://youtu.be/iRb769P50IQ
Lessisgreater 