Category: Devotion of the Day

ABIDING AND ABOUNDING

He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.
John 15:5

Why do so few Christians do business for God in daily public life? Because they do no business with Him in private devotional life. When people do not mean business with Christ in their hearts they will not do business for Christ with their hands. Too often there has been mental acceptance of a proposition without heart surrender to a Person. There has been a superficial profession: The Word has been heard and even received with joy, but there has been “no root.” Or there has been a superficial dedication, like the son in the parable, who said, “I go, sir,” but did not show up in the vineyeard. If all who have “volunteered” to be missionaries had gone the world would have been evangelized.

When we really abide in Christ we bring forth much fruit. Alas, many branches will be cast into the fire and burned. If we are truly “with” Him we will gather for Him (Mt. 12:30).

Those who mean business with Him do business for Him. When we abide we abound.

TRUST AND TELL

With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:10

We do not have to pray a certain number of hours or weep a certain quantity of tears in order to be saved. Him that cometh to Jesus as best he knows how will in no wise be cast out. There are no exceptions. Faith is not a strenuous attitude of mind, a tense effort to believe. Faith is not merely refusing to doubt. The essence of saving faith is trust, stretching out relaxed on what God has said. We get out minds on ourselves, how well we stretch out, how much we relax, instead of on our support, the Word of God.

The insomniac cannot sleep, because he tries to hold up the bed. He cannot let go and let the bed hold him up. He may not be lying in a perfect position, but the bed holds him up just the same. Your faith may not be perfect, but God’s promises are. You can never trust yourself, but you can always trust Christ. It is a heart-and-mouth experience. Trust Him and tell it!