Post by elizabeth on Feb 23, 2014 18:03:14 GMT
The Hope Within
Stop looking outside of yourself for the strength to carry on. Turn to the indwelling presence of Christ.
By Charles F. Stanley
For many years, my Christian life resembled a roller coaster—up one minute and down the next. Instead of making progress, I went through life experiencing more failure than success. I was locked into a relationship with Christ that I didn’t even enjoy. Each struggle to follow Him made me feel as if I never quite measured up to His expectations. But all that changed when I began to comprehend one simple truth: Christ lives in me.
Many believers think the Christian life is something they merely do—like going to church, reading the Bible, praying, and serving. They picture God far away in heaven, hearing their prayers and sending down the strength they need in times of trouble. This may sound good, but it’s not what the Bible teaches. The power we need to live the Christian life isn’t dispensed from “above”—but is released from within the life of every believer through Christ’s indwelling presence.
Just before He was crucified, Jesus Christ gave His disciples an illustration of their relationship with Him. He described Himself as the vine and His followers as the branches who abide in Him (John 15:4). According to the metaphor, they would bear fruit as a result of the Lord’s life flowing in and through them, not by means of human effort. You’ll never see a branch on a grape vine sweating and grunting as it pumps out the fruit. It simply lets the sap flow through it and displays the grapes that the vine produces. And so it is with those who follow Jesus: He is the source of our nourishment and growth. This amazing experience begins at the moment we accept the Lord’s offer of a saving relationship with Him.
To continue reading click here
Stop looking outside of yourself for the strength to carry on. Turn to the indwelling presence of Christ.
By Charles F. Stanley
For many years, my Christian life resembled a roller coaster—up one minute and down the next. Instead of making progress, I went through life experiencing more failure than success. I was locked into a relationship with Christ that I didn’t even enjoy. Each struggle to follow Him made me feel as if I never quite measured up to His expectations. But all that changed when I began to comprehend one simple truth: Christ lives in me.
Many believers think the Christian life is something they merely do—like going to church, reading the Bible, praying, and serving. They picture God far away in heaven, hearing their prayers and sending down the strength they need in times of trouble. This may sound good, but it’s not what the Bible teaches. The power we need to live the Christian life isn’t dispensed from “above”—but is released from within the life of every believer through Christ’s indwelling presence.
Just before He was crucified, Jesus Christ gave His disciples an illustration of their relationship with Him. He described Himself as the vine and His followers as the branches who abide in Him (John 15:4). According to the metaphor, they would bear fruit as a result of the Lord’s life flowing in and through them, not by means of human effort. You’ll never see a branch on a grape vine sweating and grunting as it pumps out the fruit. It simply lets the sap flow through it and displays the grapes that the vine produces. And so it is with those who follow Jesus: He is the source of our nourishment and growth. This amazing experience begins at the moment we accept the Lord’s offer of a saving relationship with Him.
To continue reading click here
