Stop Striving
It’s not striving, it’s abiding that makes the difference. Many Christians are striving
to do the will of God, and many fall, but Jesus explains to us in John 15:4-10
“abide in Me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide
in the vine, no more can you, except you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the
branches, he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit, for
without Me, you can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a
branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and
they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask
what you will, and it shall be done to you. Herein is My Father glorified, that you
bear much fruit; so shall you be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so
have I loved you; continue you in My love. If you keep My commandments, you
shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide
in His love”.
When you are striving, you are trying to do things in your own flesh, and that
cannot be, but when you recognize that in the flesh you can do nothing, then
surrender to God and let Him show you the real you.
It’s the word of God that washes us (Ephesians 5:25-27) “husbands, love your
wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it. That He
might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That He might
present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish”. Also in Titus 3:5-7, it says
“not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy
He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. That being
justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
life”. And in Hebrews 10:22 it says “let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water”.
Let’s look at what happened after the flood, as Noah and his family left the Arc;
God blessed them and told them to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the
earth (Genesis 9:1). They were to go forth through out the earth, but Genesis 11:
1-9 says “and the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it
came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land
of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, go to, let us make
brick, and burn them thoroughly, and they had brick for stone, and slime had they
for mortar. And they said, go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may
reach to heaven; and let us make us a name, less we be scattered abroad upon
the face of the whole earth. And the Lord Yahweh came down to see the city and
the tower, which the children of men built. And the Lord Yahweh said, behold, the
people is one; and they have all one language; and this they begin to do and now
nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let
Us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand
one another’s speech. So the Lord Yahweh scattered them abroad from there
upon the face of all the earth; and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the
name of it called Babel, because the Lord Yahweh did there confound the
language of all the earth; and from there did the Lord Yahweh scatter them
abroad upon the face of all the earth”. You see that they were striving to reach
God through their own efforts.
I know that when I was striving to stop drinking, I would do it for a little while, but I
would then fall. But when I surrendered my life to Jesus, and started reading His
word, before long, I was not drinking anymore. We have to let go and let God
(Proverbs 3:5-6) “trust in the Lord Yahweh with all your heart, and lean not to your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your
paths”.
The apostle Paul in Romans 7:15-19,24-25a “for that which I do I allow not; for
what I would, that I do not; but what I hate, that do i. If then I do that which I would
not, I consent to the law that is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin
that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwells no good thing;
for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For
the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. O wretched
man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God
through Jesus Christ our Lord”.
God does not look at mankind through their sins, Jesus paid the price for the sins
of the whole world (I John 2:2) “and He (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins; and
not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world”.
God looks at mankind struggling, striving to maintain their own lives, wanting them
to come to Jesus and be free (I Timothy 2:1-4) “I exhort therefore, that first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable
life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of
God our Savior. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge
of the truth”.
Jesus said “come to Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart;
and you shall find rest to your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light”.
In John 8:31-32 it says “then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, if
you continue in My words, then are you My disciples indeed. And you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
We need to abide in Him, in His words, because Jesus said that the devil takes
away the word that we do not understand. As Jesus was explaining the parable of
the sower, He says in (Matthew 13:19) “when any one hears the word of the
kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away
that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side”.
The apostle John in his epistles of I and II John teaches us what it means to
abide. In I John 2:6,10-11 it says “he that says he abides in Him, ought himself
also so to walk, even as He walked. He that loves his brother abides in the light,
and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hates his brother is in
darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not where he goes, because that
darkness has blinded his eyes”. I John 2:24-25,28 says “let that therefore abide
in you, which you have heard from the beginning, if that which you have heard
from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son and in
the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us, even eternal life.
And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have
confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming”.
In I John 3:14-17,24 says “we know that we have passed from death to life,
because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death.
Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has
eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God because He laid
down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But
whoso has this world’s good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his
bowels of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in him”? And he that
keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that
He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us”.
In I John 4:11-16 says “beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one
another. No man has seen God at any time, if we love one another, God dwells in
us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He
in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that
the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess
that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God. And we have
known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells
in love dwells in God, and God in him”.
In II John verse 9 says “whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of
Christ, has not God, he that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the
Father and the Son”.
So let us keep His words in our heart, meditating on them, so that they will abide in
us. And let us walk in love, which is the key to our abiding in Him.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 23, 2010
It’s not striving, it’s abiding that makes the difference. Many Christians are striving
to do the will of God, and many fall, but Jesus explains to us in John 15:4-10
“abide in Me, and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide
in the vine, no more can you, except you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the
branches, he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit, for
without Me, you can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a
branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and
they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask
what you will, and it shall be done to you. Herein is My Father glorified, that you
bear much fruit; so shall you be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so
have I loved you; continue you in My love. If you keep My commandments, you
shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide
in His love”.
When you are striving, you are trying to do things in your own flesh, and that
cannot be, but when you recognize that in the flesh you can do nothing, then
surrender to God and let Him show you the real you.
It’s the word of God that washes us (Ephesians 5:25-27) “husbands, love your
wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it. That He
might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That He might
present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish”. Also in Titus 3:5-7, it says
“not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy
He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. That being
justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal
life”. And in Hebrews 10:22 it says “let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our
bodies washed with pure water”.
Let’s look at what happened after the flood, as Noah and his family left the Arc;
God blessed them and told them to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the
earth (Genesis 9:1). They were to go forth through out the earth, but Genesis 11:
1-9 says “and the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it
came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land
of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, go to, let us make
brick, and burn them thoroughly, and they had brick for stone, and slime had they
for mortar. And they said, go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may
reach to heaven; and let us make us a name, less we be scattered abroad upon
the face of the whole earth. And the Lord Yahweh came down to see the city and
the tower, which the children of men built. And the Lord Yahweh said, behold, the
people is one; and they have all one language; and this they begin to do and now
nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let
Us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand
one another’s speech. So the Lord Yahweh scattered them abroad from there
upon the face of all the earth; and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the
name of it called Babel, because the Lord Yahweh did there confound the
language of all the earth; and from there did the Lord Yahweh scatter them
abroad upon the face of all the earth”. You see that they were striving to reach
God through their own efforts.
I know that when I was striving to stop drinking, I would do it for a little while, but I
would then fall. But when I surrendered my life to Jesus, and started reading His
word, before long, I was not drinking anymore. We have to let go and let God
(Proverbs 3:5-6) “trust in the Lord Yahweh with all your heart, and lean not to your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your
paths”.
The apostle Paul in Romans 7:15-19,24-25a “for that which I do I allow not; for
what I would, that I do not; but what I hate, that do i. If then I do that which I would
not, I consent to the law that is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin
that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwells no good thing;
for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For
the good that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. O wretched
man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God
through Jesus Christ our Lord”.
God does not look at mankind through their sins, Jesus paid the price for the sins
of the whole world (I John 2:2) “and He (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins; and
not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world”.
God looks at mankind struggling, striving to maintain their own lives, wanting them
to come to Jesus and be free (I Timothy 2:1-4) “I exhort therefore, that first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable
life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of
God our Savior. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge
of the truth”.
Jesus said “come to Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart;
and you shall find rest to your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light”.
In John 8:31-32 it says “then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, if
you continue in My words, then are you My disciples indeed. And you shall know
the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
We need to abide in Him, in His words, because Jesus said that the devil takes
away the word that we do not understand. As Jesus was explaining the parable of
the sower, He says in (Matthew 13:19) “when any one hears the word of the
kingdom, and understands it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away
that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side”.
The apostle John in his epistles of I and II John teaches us what it means to
abide. In I John 2:6,10-11 it says “he that says he abides in Him, ought himself
also so to walk, even as He walked. He that loves his brother abides in the light,
and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hates his brother is in
darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not where he goes, because that
darkness has blinded his eyes”. I John 2:24-25,28 says “let that therefore abide
in you, which you have heard from the beginning, if that which you have heard
from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son and in
the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us, even eternal life.
And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have
confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming”.
In I John 3:14-17,24 says “we know that we have passed from death to life,
because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death.
Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has
eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God because He laid
down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But
whoso has this world’s good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his
bowels of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in him”? And he that
keeps His commandments dwells in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that
He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us”.
In I John 4:11-16 says “beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one
another. No man has seen God at any time, if we love one another, God dwells in
us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He
in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that
the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess
that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God. And we have
known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells
in love dwells in God, and God in him”.
In II John verse 9 says “whosoever transgresses, and abides not in the doctrine of
Christ, has not God, he that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the
Father and the Son”.
So let us keep His words in our heart, meditating on them, so that they will abide in
us. And let us walk in love, which is the key to our abiding in Him.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 23, 2010
