Focus: John 14:23 - KJV
23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 14:19-24
There are many who do not understand the ways of the Lord. Prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, attempts had been made in the past to bridge the gap between God and man to no avail. The law and the ordinances could not afford it. Indeed, when the people heard God speak at the time of Moses, they could not withstand His presence and had to appeal to Moses to be the intermediary between them and God as they were not willing to listen directly to Him. Then, the Lord gave us the everlasting bridge that gave access across the gulf that exists between the world and the throne of heaven. The bridge was represented by the cross of Christ. As many as are able to mount on the cross and move on without allowing themselves to be shaken into the gulf by the storms of life, get to the other side. They cross over, in a manner of speaking. The ability to withstand the storm while on the cross is made possible only by loving Christ and being obedient to His words. They are those that are able to get to the father through Christ and will abode with them. There is no other cut but the cross. Those who belong in the world have no access to God except by the cross. Remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man. There was a gulf between the place where the rich man was and that where Abraham and Lazarus were. That gulf has not been removed; it has only been bridged.
There is clear danger among those who are called Christians today. Not because it is their direct fault but because of the teachers that have been appointed unto them. Many of them are not taught to stick primarily to the words of Christ. They are rather being taught on steps to get rich, positioning for miracles and all manner of things. Meanwhile, there is a set goal and a purpose for which Christ came. It is not bad to learn from the mistakes of those who had gone before us. It is not however, our business to want to emulate them and live our lives like them, outside of the words of Christ. It is those words like love your friends and pray for your enemy, vengeance is mine, forgive, if you have two coats give one to him who has none, pursue peace with all men etc., that will sustain us while walking on the cross as the bridge to the kingdom, against every storm and winds of doctrines that may want to shake us into the gulf. Wanting to avenge oneself is against Christ’s words and therefore a proof of not loving Him. The same is true for praying that a human enemy should die or be affected negatively. Let us therefore be careful what we believe and follow. Only the way of Christ leads to the father.
Our Lord and our God, we thank you for the grace you have given us through the cross of Jesus Christ to be able to get to you and abode with you. Thank you so much for the words you left us with and the Holy Spirit that teaches us all things and reminds us of your words from time to time. Daddy, please hold us up by those words that we may not fall into the gulf, in Jesus’ name. No matter what the enemy may be throwing in the manner of storms and shakings, please never allow us to fall off, in the name of Jesus. Our focus is to end up with you: please keep us strong to the end that we may abode with you dear Lord, in Jesus’ name. We do love you Lord, and we shall continue to assert our love for you to the end by keeping your words. Help us never to be lured out of it, in Jesus’ name.
SOLUTION: Be sure to know the words of Christ and let it operate in your mind continually as a reminder of His love. Never allow anything contrary to His words to play out in your life. By this we shall all make it across to the place where God dwells in the light.
If you are blessed by this post, kindly share with your contacts, as well as others, that they may be blessed also. Thank you and may God bless you abundantly as you do so, in Jesus’ name.
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