KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 15:16 KJV. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

We now consider the last aspect of our key scripture. It says   God answers those who successfully preserve their fruits. It says, whatsoever that such people would ask the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus, would be answered by the Father. God hears the prayers of all who call on Him. Those who obey Him by winning souls and preserving them have a special standing with God. God always honours those who honour Him. 1 Samuel 2:30

In Matt 10:32 and 33 the Lord speaking to His disciples said, if you are afraid to testify of me before men, I will also not testify of you among the angels. He observed that when men testify of Him to other men, He would likewise announce them to the angels, who would become more vigilant about that individual. The Bible says the angels are ministering spirits for the heirs of salvation. Heb 2:14, in the light of these two statements then, the man who wins souls and maintains them would surely have a higher angelic ministry. It is these angels who go on assignment to bring answers to those who please God.

In the light of all that have been discussed above, what would be your attitude to serving God, in the area of winning souls and keeping them in the Lord? One reality of serving Christ is having answers to your prayers. Prov. 13:12 KJV” Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Life becomes more meaningful when our desires are realised through answered prayer.

THOUGHT: MAKE GOD REAL TO YOU, BY PLEASING HIM ALWAYS, AS HE ALSO PROMPTLY RESPONDS TO YOU.

FURTHER STUDIES

John 8:29 KJV” And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”

John 14:21 KJV “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 15:16 KJV” Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

We continue with our discussion on John 15:16. We have looked at the facts that we have been chosen and ordained. We have also looked at the call to bear fruit from other verses of this chapter. We now consider the Lord’s instruction to make the fruits we bear remain. Talking about fruits remaining means, the fruit we bear must abide, or they must not be lost. Indeed, we can lose the fruits we bear.

The Lord said in Joh 17:12 KJV “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled”. The Lord said He did not lose any of the men that the Father gave Him, except Judas who was a son of perdition. The Lord kept the fruit He had.  The sad truth is that many Christians never have the mind to raise souls unto God.

How did the Lord and the apostles keep the fruit they made?

The first act of preserving souls is love for the souls. Love is the bases for that inner drive to see these souls remaining. Love is what moves a man to make every sacrifice to help the new brethren stay in Christ. 2 Corinth 5:14.

The next act that needs to be employed to preserve souls is prayer. Souls are snatched from hell and these evil beings never give up on one of them. It takes spiritual power to preserve them. It takes a travailing, prevailing prayer to preserve these souls from being snatched by the devil. Gal 4:19 ” My little children whom I travail in birth  again till Christ is formed in you.”

The next act is association and teaching. This is what is called fellowshipping. At this level we do not wait for these brethren to come to us, we must go after them and teach them till they have matured to the point where they can easily stand on their own. Going after them also involves showing them the true life of the word of God by your own life.

THOUGHT: PRESERVING FRUITS REQUIRES YOUR WHOLE ATTENTION

FURTHER STUDIES

John 17:19 KJV” And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.”

John 17:15 KJV “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 15:16 KJV “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

We started looking at John 15:16 in our last study. We considered the first part of that verse. Now we look at the next part. It says  Jesus has also ordained us. This statement is very significant. To be ordained is to be appointed or set forth to execute a particular task. It, therefore, suggests that the necessary requirements to be successful in that endeavour have also been added. The Lord is telling every chosen vessel that, He has also made available all things that you may need to be successful .2Peter 1:3 (pls read)

Please note that when God, commissions He also commits Himself to you. God Himself becomes our source of the ability to do the task. 2Corinth 3:5 KJV” Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” God Himself becomes our sufficiency. He makes us qualified to do what He has asked us to do. Phil 2:13 KJV. In God ordaining us, He is the one who has set us forth. There are no grounds for any child of God to be a failure. The child of God is a mouthpiece for God. There is no ground to be afraid or to feel inadequate. Any such feelings are all satanic lies to make you a failure.

Our ordination to serve Him is a great act of grace and mercy together. God is our source and resource. This means we receive every help we need to fulfill our tasks from Him. He is also the very power we employ to execute all that He asked us to do. We must therefore acknowledge this great mercy shown us and forsake anything that may short circuit His power or ability in us.2Co 4:1 KJV “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we ‘faint not;” The word faint not ‘means, we do not give up. We also do not act in ways that would deprive us of His power and abilities in us. Rom 12: 1

CONFESSION

God has chosen and ordained me as well. He is my everything. I stand for Him and count totally on His ability to succeed. I do not think of failure, nor do I give attention to difficulties for, I only deputise for Him.

THOUGHT: GOD IS MY SOURCE AND RESOURCE: MY SUCCESS IS GUARANTEED

FURTHER STUDIES

John 1:16 KJV” And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”

2Cor 6:1 KJV” We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 15:16 KJV “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

Our key scripture for today is quite loaded, so we would consider it in parts. The first part says, we did not choose the Lord but He chose us. Many Christians have not critically considered the fact that Jesus chose us. It is a general knowledge that anytime there is a change in government, via the ballot box, many political party faithful lobby so the president would choose and give them a ministerial appointment. It is a great pride as well as a privilege to be appointed to any of these political offices. Every child of God has not been chosen by men but by the God of all creation.

From our key scripture, the Lord states that we did not choose Him, but He has chosen us. Among millions and billions of people on the earth, have you been chosen? You were chosen to serve the Lord in His kingdom or His church. Count yourself privileged to be among all those who have been chosen. All Christians have been called out of the world. (Note: All men were called, but you responded to the call, making you a chosen one, or one called out). The word church in Greek is ‘ekklesia’ which means the called-out ones. Everyone chosen is a representative of God on this earth. He or she is God’s ambassador. He is therefore given a special authority or certain immunities. An example is Luke 10:19.” Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” This is a privilege and a right to be exercised. We live in a world infested with contrary powers assailing and assaulting humanity from all angles. The man chosen by the Lord has this wonderful privilege to be exercised. We have also received eternal life, which the bible says is the light of men (John 1:4,5). Darkness, that is the power of the evil one has never overpowered it. Indeed, there are exceeding great and precious promises given to every chosen one.2 Peter 1:4

You have been called or chosen to show forth the praises of the Lord.1Pet 2:9 KJV “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: “To show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness, means we must demonstrate the glorious acts of our father on this earth, such that men would always praise our Father, who has wonderfully chosen us. We must not give place for any works of darkness to be seen in us. The works of darkness include sin, sicknesses, lack of all kinds and a general defeat found in most men. In this way we shine and it causes men to praise God, and subsequently turn them to His light.

Dear chosen one, you must say no to anything which is the works of darkness, for the essence of God calling you is to manifest light and nothing of darkness. Take God’s word and shine with it. Amen

CONFESSION

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for choosing me out of the darkness. Thank you for infusing me with your life, which is the light of men. I refuse every work, operation and activity of darkness in order to bring praises to your name, by shinning forth this light.

THOUGHT: YOU ARE CHOSEN FROM DARKNESS TO SHINE, KEEP SHINNING.

FURTHER STUDIES

Mat 5:16 KJV” Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Phi 2:15 KJV “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 15:15 KJV” Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

The Lord Jesus clarified the essence of calling us His friends in the key scripture above. He said he does not call us servants but friends. The Lord was taking the word servants in its normally accepted concept. A servant as translated from the Old Greek language means a slave or a bondman. He has no relationship with His master. He has no access to what the master has. His role is to please the master, with or without any compliment to show approval of his efforts.

This is not so with friends. We learnt in our last study that in God’s concept, a friend is a covenant brother. We have become one with the Lord. We are joint heirs with Jesus. Rom 8: 17. As joint heirs we are joint owners of all that is the Lord’s. This means, there is nothing too dear that He can’t give to us.1Co 3:21 KJV” Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;” Apostle Paul iterates this thought in the preceding scripture we stated. As friends all things are ours. This is the reason He says the Father loves us Just as He loves the Son. John 17:23 KJV ” I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” This is wonderful! God loves us just as He loves Jesus. He hears our cry just as He heard the Lord Jesus.

Does this friendship status mean we do not serve Him? No, not at all. In our place as friends and subsequently covenanted brothers, we give our all to Him. Whatever makes Him pleased becomes our delight. We give our everything to please Him. We actually sacrifice our life to please Him.

Please consider this analysis; we were held by our former master the devil. He used us, afflicted us, and bound us in chains. The prize on us was the life of the Son of the creator of the Universe. He offered His Son to free us and also gave us the status of His Son. How should we respond to Him? We owe Him everything, and so we give Him our ALL.

THOUGHT: IN THANKING GOD FOR THE UNQUALIFIED FAVOUR DONE US, WE SERVE HIM, WITH OUR VERY LIFE.

FURTHER STUDIES

Eph 2:4-6 KJV” But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

Eph 3:6 KJV “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 15:14 KJV” Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

Throughout the scriptures, one person, who was described as the friend of God was Abraham. James 2:23 KJV “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God”. Indeed, it is a great privilege to be called the friend of God. Friendship is not just an ordinary association. Friendship is more or less a relationship. Friendship normally brings to the fore a covenant relationship. In such a relationship each party owns what is his pal’s. We may not see this in our earthly friendships, but in God’s concept, a friend is a covenant brother.

In God’s friendship with Abraham, the Lord God quickly intervened when King Abimelech took Sarah to have her as his wife because Abraham said she was his sister.  Gen 20:3 KJV” But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife”. Despite Abraham’s error, because of fear for his life, the Lord God still came in to save Sarah from being defiled. God made all the females in the Land barren. When the Lord demanded Abraham to sacrifice his lovely son Isaac for Him; He also obeyed without any reservation.

If the Lord Jesus says we are His friends, then we must understand, this is a covenant relationship. This demands we are ready to do everything to please Him.  Nothing becomes too expensive or costly to lose for Him. Our lives are not too dear to be given to honour Him if the occasion so demands. He showed His love and His faithfulness in maintaining that friendship by dying for us. He is also ready to do everything that we may need. Rom 8:32 KJV” He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” This verse assures us that God has in actual fact given us every answer to whatever need we may be having.

What then is our responsibility to Him as His friends? We must lovingly dedicate our lives to honour Him always. When we live in defiance of His word, then we are actually breaking that friendship.

THOUGHT: THE EXECUTION OF OUR FRIENDSHIP TO JESUS, DEPENDS MORE ON US; THAT IS OUR FAITHFULNESS TO HIM.

FURTHER STUDIES

John 14:21 KJV” He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

2Corinth 5:14 KJV” For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 15:13 KJV “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Love, as commanded by the Lord, is the answer for the pain, sorrow and anguish of men. Man’s pain is largely man-made. The scriptures prophesied that there would be perilous times in the last days. This would be caused by men loving themselves more than loving God (2 Tim 3:1-3). When men love themselves and do not love God, they become the most dangerous creatures on the earth. Man is made in the image of God and so He or she is very sophisticated. He would be lying on the same bed with his wife, yet would be speaking in a coded language to a girlfriend on his mobile phone. A person lays hold of your birthday, and within the week and can empty your account at the bank. This is the result of men loving themselves more than God.

The Jesus commandment, which is laying your life for your brothers introduces a calm breeze into the already scorchy atmosphere. This kind of love, would cause the Christian wife, not be developing buildings while the husband is totally ignorant about it. The husband would also not do the same or, be raising a family elsewhere completely at the blindside of the wife. Those who encounter it, no longer siphon monies from government establishments, to live ostentatiously. The child of God will be so cautious about his neighbour such that, when driving, he would not splash mud on passersby on rainy days.

Anyone, who truly acknowledges that he is dead with Jesus gives great value to all men, even to the madman by the roadside. He sees people from God’s viewpoint. He sees men as God’s most treasured beings who need to be valued above all things. He counts his role on the earth as an agent of God on earth to dispense God’s acts to men. His friends are very precious to him, as well as those who do not hold any relationship with Him. Nobody would be treated with contempt because the love of God has filled his heart.

Dear child of God, may we break the cycle of hurts and pain, men are inflicting on their fellow humans by acknowledging our true status in Christ. Start it in your own world and you would gradually have a greater impact on our world.

CONFESSION

I am born of God, and I am dead with Jesus. It is Christ alive in me. I manifest His peace and love to all who come my way. Everyone is very precious to me irrespective of his tribe, status or religion. I live a life of miracles because the Spirit of God is the very one expressing Himself through me flowing through me to touch hurting people.

THOUGHT: THE JESUS LOVE LIBERATES YOU FROM YOURSELF, AND BLESSES OTHERS AROUND ALSO.

FURTHER STUDIES

Mat 5:44 KJV” But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

1Pet 1:22 KJV” Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 15:12 KJV” This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

The Lord said to His disciples that, loving one another is His commandment to them. Well, He added that they should love just as He had loved them.

 Now, how did Jesus demonstrate or what kind of love did Jesus show to His disciples? We can see this in the proceeding verse. John 15:13 KJV” Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” 

The Lord Jesus described that the kind of love He wanted them to demonstrate towards each other, was self-sacrificing love. This kind of love is not within the normal human experience. It is supernatural love. Although it is not the natural human love, our call into Christ, and subsequently living in the Spirit makes this love very possible. Our identification with Jesus through being baptised by the Spirit into Him identifies us fully with His death, burial, resurrection and even glorification (Rom 6:3-5). Through our baptism into Christ, we were crucified with Him (Gal2:20). We can live out selfless or self-sacrificing love because we died with Him. The Lord, by asking us to love as He had loved us is asking us to love the greater love way (John 15:13).

This kind of love is our greatest weapon to win our world. It is a kind of love that sets the Holy Spirit to fully function through us. Christian homes will not see the level of stress and tension that is assailing most Christian marriages if we are to love as the Lord instructed. A lot of Christian youth have not encountered Jesus in a practical way, because their parents are not manifesting Jesus’ love. The worse part is to find Christian parents at each other’s throats.

Dear child of God, our Lord Jesus set an example and also made make it possible for us to live, His love way, through His death and resurrection. Please acknowledge your crucifixion with Jesus, and settle it once and for all that you are dead to the flesh and so, the life that you are presently living on earth is the Spirit of Jesus Himself living through you. That unforgiveness is alien to you. The envy, bitterness or any of the mundane life are old nature which you are trying to force on your true self. From today, repent of any old behaviours and accept your true nature, the Christlike person you have become.

THOUGHT: OUR BIRTH INTO CHRIST HAS QUALIFIED US TO LIVE THE JESUS LOVE

FURTHER STUDIES

Gal 2:20 KJV” I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”.

1 John 4:17 KJV” Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: John 15:11 KJV” These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

The Lord reveals a very important truth in our key scripture. He said all that He told them, has caused His joy to remain in them, and also that their joy might be full. God’s word is loaded with life as well as the tonic to make man whole. James 1:25 calls God’s word, the perfect law of liberty. It liberates from sin, sicknesses, demonic power and anything that holds man captive. It makes the heart glad when one wholeheartedly accepts and submits to it. John wrote that in the word is life, and this life is the light of men. It is in the light of these things, that, the Lord says, His word has filled them with His joy.

Dear child of God, is your life a stressful one? Are you always fatigued with issues that burden your mind so much that, you seek relief from all the wrong places? The solution is just beside you, if you have God’s word with you then that holds the keys to your freedom. Many read the scriptures yet they do not receive any changes in their lives. This is so because such people do not receive the word of God. It is one thing listening or even hearing the word of God, and it is another thing to receive the word. To receive is to believe what is said. When the word takes its place in the heart of a man, it will naturally ease the pressures of this life and gladden the heart.

King Solomon, through the grace of God, shows us how to do these things in Proverb 4:20-21,

 “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart”.

It says;

1. Give Attention to the word of God

2. Incline your ears, or humble yourself to what is said

3. Let them not depart from your sight

4. Keep them in your heart.

If you would do this it would be life and medicine to all your flesh.

You would have the joy of the word in your heart.

THOUGHT: GOD’S WORD IS THE JOY OF MEN’S HEART WHEN TRULY RECEIVED

FURTHER STUDIES

Isaiah 66:5 KJV Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.”

Nehemiah 8:10 KJV” Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joh 15:10 KJV” If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”

God is love, and God is almighty. His love drives Him to do His best for all men. His mighty power makes His generous heart desire to see the peace, and security of men very possible. Sadly, most men picture God as one who does not want them to be free to do what makes them happy. This has developed a level of dislike for God among certain individuals. Men have forsaken God, only to realise, that peace and inner stability are non-existent in that state.

In Luke 15:11-32, the Lord Jesus gave a parable about a wealthy father of two sons. The younger  Son asked the Father to give him his portion of his inheritance. The father did, and this son left for a far country, wasting every fortune on riotous living. In the end, he became poor and miserable that, he had to feed pigs. He had even wanted to eat the husk of the pigs. This son came to his senses and came back to the father, who lovingly received him.

Many people are in that life of misery because they have left the love of the Father and are going after material things. In this life, you are truly living, if you abide in the love of God. God who created us placed in man a principle that would only be satisfied if man lives under God’s love. Neglecting God to have a happier life, is like trying to grow maize, without using the soil; you would fail.

Living in God’s love is to love God and do what He tells you. Do you love God? Do you do what His word says? In our story, when this prodigal son came back home, the Father run to meet him, he washed off his dirt, received a new garment, a new ring, and a party thrown for him. God has so much to do for you, yet you are too far to experience His love. Repent today and come back home.

THOUGHT: THE JOY OF LIFE, IS NEVER FOUND IN GOING AFTER THINGS, BUT GOING AFTER GOD.

FURTHER STUDIES

Isa 48:22 KJV” There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.”

Rom 8:6 KJV” For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”