"If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed" (John 8:31; KJV). The word: “continue”, is often translated: “abide” and also means to cleave to, dwell and remain. There is the sense of sticking with it and being affected and obedient.   According to this verse, in order to be good followers of Jesus we must not only spend time reading the word but obey what we learn. There are advantages of doing this. In 1 John 2:5, the Apostle tells us that if we obey the word God's love is matured in us, and in his gospel the apostle John says that we will be loved by God and Jesus will reveal himself to us (John 14:21).

The parable of the sower in Luke 8:5-8 teaches us that the word in us bears fruit and in Colossians 3:16 we read that the word in us will give us wisdom. There is so much to be gained by being a student of the word (2 Tim 2:15) but the main thing is that the more time we spend fellowshipping with God in this way the more we get to know him and the more sensitive we are to his voice; after all the word is God speaking to us.

So, read the word slowly and listen as you do so; pray and ask God to open your spiritual ears to understand his word. Remember that no time doing this is ever wasted because God's word does not return void, it will always achieve its purpose (Isa 55:11). It will always bring wisdom (Col 3:16), guide and direct us (Ps 119:105), open our spirituals eyes to God’s promises (2 Tim 3:16) and build up our faith (Rom 10:17).

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 Joseph, in the Old Testament (Gen 37-45), had dreams that his brothers and father would bow down to him. This did not go down well with his brothers. Joseph new God had a call to greatness on his life but many challenges faced him before he achieved his call. His brothers were about to kill him but God intervened and he was sold into slavery in Egypt.

In Egypt he served Potiphar and God blessed him and his master’s house. Potiphar’s wife wrongly accused Joseph of molesting her and Joseph wound up in prison. While in prison Joseph found favor with God and became the right-hand man of the prison keeper. God gave Joseph the interpretation of dreams for two of the Pharaohs servants who were imprisoned. Pharaoh had two dreams and one of the servants who had been in prison with Joseph new Joseph could interpret the dreams.

Joseph came before Pharaoh and because of his great wisdom was made Pharaoh’s deputy. In this role Joseph got to see his brothers again as they came to Egypt for grain in a time of famine; the brothers bowed down to Joseph. It is interesting how God was with Joseph throughout all his trails and no doubt used some of them to form character in Joseph for the task he had for him.

God has a plan for all of our lives (Jer 29 :11) but his timing is not the same as ours (2 Peter 3:8). His ways are above ours and we don’t always understand how God works (Isa 55:8-9). We need to be patient and keep our eyes on him; keep focused, trust him. Don’t try to second guess God or work out the plan for God; we need to allow God to change and mold us for the task he has for us. It will be good: “for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance”, in other words they don’t change (Rom 11:29; KJV).

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 In Isaiah 43:7 the prophet said we are created for God's glory. How do we bring glory to God? I believe one way we do that is by worshiping him. We worship God because he is holy, because of who he is not because of what he has given us.

There are very many psalms that encourage us to worship God. In psalm 99:5 the psalmist says: "Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy". In Revelation 4:10-11 (KJV) the elders in heaven are constantly worshiping God, saying: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are were created".

The word used for worship in both the new and old testament is similar in meaning and scope. The words collectively mean to make oneself low, humble, in obedience but to lift up, exalt, honor and adore the Lord. From these words we also see a sense of intimacy in worship; intimacy with our God.

In John 4:24, the apostle John wrote that: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth”. This is a heartfelt worship in integrity and assisted by the Holy Spirit (Phil 3:3) We don't have to be in a church to worship the Lord, we can do it anytime anywhere; we can do it out loud or we can do it in silence. Either way worship ushers us into the presence of the Lord where God can speak to us, change us and minister to us.

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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others. 

The bible says that as Christians, Christ lives in us (Gal 2:20) and we are in him. He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5). We have been grafted in to the vine. Spiritually this means that we are in Christ. As the life of the vine flows out to its branches, so the life of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, lives in us and flows from us.

In the book of Colossians, we are told that we have been removed from the power of darkness and placed in to the kingdom of light (Col 1:13). This is God’s spiritual kingdom of light; we are connected to Jesus and live in his sphere of influence.

Satan has been defeated through Christ’s victory at the cross and he (satan) was stripped of all power and authority in our lives as Christians (Col 2:15).

In Christ, God sees us as righteous (1Cor 1:30), his sons and daughters (Gal 3:26) and more than conquerors (Rom 8:37). “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13; KJV).

This is who we are but we need to walk in it. This requires that we study the word and find out who we are in Christ; build up our faith so we can stand up to satan when he comes to question our new life in Christ. Satan is defeated but he will try to question your relationship with God through people and by sending you negative thoughts. You must be convinced of who you are so you can stand firm in your victory in Jesus.

In Hebrews 6:10 we are told: "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister." The apostle Matthew (Matt 25:35-46; KJV) recorded how Jesus expects us to minister to people, whether it be to the sick, the poor or those in prison etc. Jesus finished up by saying that whatever we do we do it unto him. So, when we are showing love or kindness to someone we think we are doing it for that person but we are actually doing it for Jesus.

Jesus gave a similar instruction in Matthew 10:42 (see also Mark 9:37-41), where it says that if we give a cup of cold water to a: "little one", it is as if we are giving it to Jesus. This lines up with the instructions we get in the Bible to: "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Mark 12:31).

In 1 Corinthians 13:4 the apostle Paul said said that love is kind. In Ephesians 2:10 Paul taught us that we are recreated for good works. In the epistle of the apostle James we are reminded that faith without works is dead (James 2:20) and that true religion is taking care of those less fortunate than ourselves (James 1:27).

This is what love is all about - kindness in action, acting out the love that God has put inside of us (Rom 5:5). Look for ways to show a little kindness today and make someone's day.

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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.