THE K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S
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“ tru e and faith fu l” (Rev. 1 9 :11 ). He kept th e Law, tak ing Israel’s place in th e earth. Those who reject Him will be rejected. Those who do not abide in Him, will be abandoned. The prun ing knife is in the F a th e r’s hand. Everything must be cut off th a t hin ders,— anger, malice, ambition, pride. Discipline, trials, sickness,— all are a means in th e F a th e r’s hand for the culture of th e branches (Heb. 12:5-15). He is th e tru e life. Life is imparted to th e branches only through Him, and th e life of the vine is in the roots— hid den from sight. So our life is hidden (Col. 3:3) “ F o r y e a r e d e a d , a n d y o u r li f e Is h id w ith C h r is t in G o d .” Life is received by receiving Him (John 1:12.) “ B u t a s m a n y a s re c e iv e d h im , t o th e m crav e h e p o w e r to b e c o m e th e s o n s o f G o d , e v e n to th e m t h a t b e lie v e o n h is n a m e .” Life is sustained by feeding on Him (John 6:51) “ I a m th e liv in g : b r e a d w h ic h c a m e d o w n f r o m h e a v e n ; i f a n y m a n e a t o f th i s b r e a d , h e s h a ll liv e f o r e v e r ; a n d th e b r e a d t h a t I w ill g iv e is m y fle sh , w h ic h I w ill g iv e f o r t h e li f e o f t h e w o r ld .” Life is retained because of His prom ise (John 14:19) “Y e t a l i t t l e w h ile , a n d th e w o r ld s e e th m e n o m o r e ; b u t y e s e e m e ; b e c a u s e I liv e , y e s h a ll liv e a ls o .” All life is of H im ; all life is from Him. 0 , th a t we m ight open wide every avenue of our being th a t His life, in its abundance, m ight flow through us and th a t we m ight become channels of blessing to a needy world! (2) ABIDING IN HIM FOR POWER. “Ask what ye w ill” (v. 7 ). If we abide in Him, conscious of fel lowship w ith Him, conscious of doing His will, we may “ ask what we will and it shall be done unto us.” (v. 16, 1. c.) “ T h a t w h a ts o e v e r y e s h a ll a s k th e F a t h e r i n m y n a m e , h e m a y g iv e i t y o u .” Life is through the blood; cleansing - is through the Word (Psa. 119:11) “ T h y w o r d h a v e I h id in m y h e a r t , t h a t I m i g h t n o t s in a g a i n s t th e e .” (Col. 3:16)
“ L e t t h e W o r d o f C h r is t d w e ll in y o u r ic h ly in a l l w is d o m .” (Eph. 5 :26) “ T h a t h e m i g h t s a n c t if y a n d c le a n s e i t w ith th e w a s h in g o f w a t e r b y th e w o rd .” If we are to have power, we must abide not only in Him, b u t in His love. In th is love we are accepted (Eph. 1:6) “ T o th e p r a i s e o f th e g lo r y o f H is g r a c e , w h e r e in h e h a t h m a d e u s a c c e p te d in th e b e lo v e d .” (John 13:1) “ N o w b e f o r e t h e f e a s t o f th e p a s s o v e r , w h e n J e s u s k n e w t h a t h is h o u r w a s c om e t h a t h e s h o u ld d e p a r t o u t o f t h i s w o r ld u n to th e F a t h e r , h a v in g lo v e d h is o w n w h ic h w e r e in th e w o r ld , h e lo v e d th e m u n to t h e e n d .” Think of the immensity of th a t love — th e fulness— “As th e F a th e r hath loved H im !” The proof of our abiding is our obe dience to His commandments (v. 10) “ I f y e k e e p m y c o m m a n d m e n ts , y e s h a ll a b id e in m y lo v e ; e v e n a s I h a v e k e p t m y F a t h e r ’s c o m m a n d m e n ts a n d a b id e In h is lo v e .” When we gladly obey, His love is shed abroad in our hearts. The con sciousness of knowing and doing His will brings joy (v. 11). Jesu s was facing th e cross, yet He talked of joy! (Heb. 12:2) “W h o f o r t h e jo y t h a t w a s s e t b e fo re h im e n d u r e d th e c r o s s , d e s p is in g th e s h a m e , a n d i s s e t d o w n a t t h e r i g h t h a n d o f t h e th r o n e o f G o d .” Joy comes through suffering and sor row and persecution (Acts 13:52) “A n d th e d is c ip le s w e r e fille d w ith jo y a n d w ith t h e H o ly G h o s t.” (1 Pet. 1:7, 8) “T h a t t h e t r i a l o f y o u r f a i t h , b e in g m u c h m o r e p r e c io u s t h a n t h a t o f g o ld w h ic h p e r i s h e t h , th o u g h i t b e t r i e d w ith fire , m i g h t b e f o u n d u n to p r a i s e a n d h o n o r a n d g lo r y a t t h e a p p e a r in g o f J e s u s C h r is t. W h o m h a v i n g n o t s e e n , y e lo v e ; in w h o m , th o u g h n o w y e s e e h im n o t, y e t b e lie v in g , y e r e jo ic e w ith jo y u n s p e a k a b le a n d f u l l o f g lo r y .” (3 ) ABIDING IN HIM FOR FRUIT, “H erein is my F ath e r glorified th a t ye bear much fru it” (v. 8.) A vine is good bu t for one thing, (Ezek. 15:2-4) to bear fruit. If fru it less, then it is useless, good only to be burned. F ru it-b earing depends upon our liv ing— our abiding in Him who is “ the
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