Abiding in Christ

Here is a copy of the lesson I shared at a recent Bright Lights girls meeting with some girls from our church. I thought it might be an encouragement to some of you as well. Many of these quotes and ideas I heard at a Set-Apart Girl Simulcast from Leslie Ludy, which was hosted by a dear friend of mine.

I pray this is just as encouraging to you as it was to me in studying and reminding myself of God's faithful promises and the joy and delight of abiding in Christ.

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Bright Lights How to Develop a Ministry/Abiding in Christ 6-26-14

Last meeting we talked about how to share the gospel and how to be a witness to this lost world. To illustrate the importance of abiding in Christ and how that relates to being a witness for Christ, Take the example of the 2 major seas in Israel, the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Both of the seas have some inflow of water, but only the Sea of Galilee has outflow. These 2 seas can illustrate 2 types of Christians, the Christian who abides in Christ and her joy overflows to the world around her, or the kind of Christian who receives instruction but never shares, never demonstrates the joy of Christ with others.

So, how does this relate to developing a ministry and being a witness to the world? Here is a quote from Leslie Ludy from the Set-Apart Girl conference, “Being set-apart for Jesus is not a hindrance to our Christian witness; being set-apart for Him IS our Christian witness. The world isn’t rejecting Christianity today because we aren’t enough like them, but because we are too much like them. It is not popularity and cultural relevance that will win the world for Christ, but men and women who live and die as if Jesus is all that matters.”

Jim Elliot, one of the missionaries to the Auca tribe said, “Do not seek after a ministry, rather anticipate the fruit of a disciplined life by abiding in Christ.” So today we will have 2 main points: first, the importance of abiding in Christ (the inflow); second, the ministry that results from abiding in Christ (the outflow).

First, let’s read John 15:1-17. What does abiding in Christ result in? (bearing fruit, joy abounding, love for others, close friendship with Christ, abiding/remaining fruit). Just as the branch must cling to the vine to live, so we must cling to Christ. Jesus did not say ‘I am the power supply cord and you are the computer or cell phone.’ Rather He said, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” Just as a branch will die unless it is connected continually to the vine. So we will be useless unless we are continually in Christ and daily abiding in Him. This is one truth that sets us apart from the world. We have a relationship with the Lord. Leslie Ludy shares about clinging to Christ, “We will shrivel up and die unless we cling to Jesus, just as the branch clings to the vine for its survival. We cannot cling to Him if we are clinging to anything else. True set-apartness is based on a relationship with the King of all kings. When you are truly set-apart for Christ, people... look at your life and see Jesus - His life, His purity, and His holiness, His joy, His selflessness, and His love. You are clinging to His cross and His righteousness not your own self-effort.”

So how do we gain this joy filled relationship with Christ? The key is to delight in Christ. Let’s look up some Scriptures on the joy of delighting in Christ. (Psalm 16:11, John 3:29-30, Psalm 19:7-10, Psalm 42:1-2, Psalm 73:28, Psalm 119:97-99, 103, John 14:21, 23, Romans 8:14, 2 Corinthians 6:16b-18, Philippians 3:7-14, Colossians 3:1-4).

Here are some practical ways to develop a joy-filled relationship with Christ.

• Read His Word (not just as a daily chore, but as a time to get to know Christ)
• Think upon (meditate) on God’s Word
• Remember and record His faithful promises
• Think about His character
• Memorize His Word
• Don’t let distractions get in the way of spending time with Him
• Prayer (according to the will of God)
• Spending time in His presence in worship

I know it is so easy to go into “autopilot” and just go through the motions of being a Christian instead of actually abiding and delighting in Christ. Sometimes it may seem as if being a Christian is just a list of “dos and don'ts” or just having a place to meet with friends once a week. But being a Christian is so much more than that! Our identity of being in Christ is our joyous relationship with the One who made us, the One who saved us, the One who is always there for us. In Revelation the Lord speaks about the danger of losing our first love. (Revelation 2:2-5) We can outwardly be standing for truth but if Christ is not our first love, our absolute joy, God calls us to repent because He loves us. (Revelation 3:19-20) He calls us to have a close relationship with Him.

There was a time in my life where outwardly I was mostly doing the right things, saying the right things, being the “good girl”. I made the appearance of faithfully abiding in Christ. But in actuality I was losing my first love. Being a “Christian” had become sort of a list of what I did or didn’t do or say. Rather than a relationship with the One who loves me. But as I was learning, when we go astray or lose our focus on Christ, He desires to reconcile us back into close fellowship with Himself. “It is like God says to us when He disciplines us, ‘I love you so much, to leave this (sin, fake emptiness, hypocrisy) in your life.’” - Leslie Ludy. As I was learning, I could not go on living an outwardly “good life” without abiding in Christ. The result of this hypocrisy is discouragement, bitterness, disillusionment and lack of joy. “We have settled for a counterfeit peace and joy.” - Leslie Ludy.

But the awesome news is that God is faithful! He is calling us to have this close relationship with Himself. He will diligently search for His lost sheep (us). Even though we will fail, God will never forsake us. (2 Timothy 2:11-13). He remains faithful! So the very first step in developing a ministry is learning to abide in Christ and to joyfully delight in Him.

If we are truly set-apart and abiding in Christ then we will have a ministry. This is the second point, this is the “outflow”. Leslie Ludy what happens when others see the life of a girl who is set-apart for the Lord, “When a young woman looks at your life and sees that Jesus is all that matters to you, she will be hungry for what you have.” When the world sees Jesus in your life, your smile, your words, actions, attitudes, your joy and peace - then you will be witnessing to them that there is a better way. When Christ is seen in my life, my joy is complete. Our goal is to “reflect the purity and Heavenly nature of Jesus Christ in and through our character and conduct. Being set-apart for Jesus is our Christian witness.” - Leslie Ludy.

One way all of you girls can have a tremendous impact now when you are young is to pray. I know that sounds very basic, but actually that is our greatest tool to impact the world for the Kingdom of Christ. Praying is actually speaking to God, getting to know Him. Now I think you all know that, but just imagine if you never spoke to your best friend, how would you know her? You would not be able to really know her and develop a close relationship with her. In the same way, how can we have a relationship with Christ unless we speak to Him in prayer? Remember that the prayer of faith according to God’s will avails much. (1 John 5:13-15, 1 John 3:24, Ephesians 6:18-19, Matthew 6:5-8). I encourage each of you to pray that God would give you the attitude of Christ and that His character would be displayed in your life. (Philippians 2:5, 1 Corinthians 11:1, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15). I pray that the mind of Christ be in you that others would see the light of Christ in you.

Another way you can have an impact on the world for Christ is to share with others who is Jesus to you and how important He is to your life. When others see your joyful, radiant smile, and notice it, that is your opportunity to proclaim the joy of Christ. Writing out your testimony of how Jesus is your all in all is another way to share about the transforming power and joy in Christ. Remember that “Being set-apart for Jesus is not a hindrance to our Christian witness; being set-apart for Him IS our Christian witness. The world isn’t rejecting Christianity today because we aren’t enough like them, but because we are too much like them. It is not popularity and cultural relevance that will win the world for Christ, but men and women who live and die as if Jesus is all that matters.” The world must see a difference between the joy in our lives because of Christ and the emptiness of the world.  

The Wonder of Thee

My heart pours out to Thee, 
My God, Abba Father. 
How deep are Thy truths, 
How wonderful Thy ways. 
If I could count them, 
If I may understand them, 
The knowledge would be 
The wonder of Thee.

Answers to "Little" Prayers

God answers our prayers in the most wonderful ways! Don't you find it amazing to see all the "little" prayers you prayed (and maybe forgot about), how later the Lord answers them way beyond what you could imagine? Isn't that just like our God to care about all our needs, small and large. I wanted to share some "small" answers to prayer that I thought might encourage all of you.

Once, many years ago, when I had been leading a Bright Lights group for only a little while, I was given the chance to be the piano player (since our previous pianist was not able to help that year). I was very nervous about this and did not think I was doing well at all. I had considered even quitting playing piano since I was "not doing very well" with playing for others. This that very next day one of the girls in my group send my a card and mentioned how she loved Bright Lights and her favorite part was singing around the piano. A little encouragement changed my day!
This last week I had prayed that if I was doing what God was calling me to do that He would show me in just a little way how He was using me to share the love of Christ with others and draw them to Himself. I was not sure if I was really doing what He was calling me to or just doing what I wanted to be doing. Less than a week after this prayer (which no one else knew about), one of my dear friends who has been involved in my Bright Lights group since the beginning shared how she came to know the Lord.

I am not saying these to lift myself up to to glorify the Lord and to show forth His faithfulness, especially in the "little" things. May He show Himself powerful in your life as well. Remember to give all the glory to the Lord!
How has God shown Himself faithful in your life recently?
Please share in the comments below!

John 17

 Christ's Easter Prayer

John 17  

 ¹ After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:    “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
    ⁶ “I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. ⁸ For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. ⁹ I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. ¹⁰ All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. ¹¹ I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one. ¹² While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.    ¹³ “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. ¹⁴ I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. ¹⁵ My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸ As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
    ²⁰ “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: ²³ I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.    ²⁴ “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
   ²⁵ “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. ²⁶ I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)