John 15:15-17
15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another. NKJV
Calling us servants, we are to serve as Christ served. If He truly is our master, then we should know what He is doing. He chose us to do something specific. Now for some, they are to raise great children for His kingdom. Others, well, they are to worship and seek His voice. Still others can make it in the business scene and fill seats at the "city gates" where the city never closes.
As laborers we are to bring forth fruit so that the Father is pleased, not what we are pleased with at the time. As a child I remember my sister and I having homework. Most times I carried every book I had home so I could work well into the late hour only to carry the same books back to school. My sister sometimes carried a single book home. I use 'sometimes' loosely though. She could make wonderful report cards with all those A's on them. I always seemed more to be working for the varied A- to B+, to C- and possibly a D if I did not spend extra time with a teacher like for Math!
Also, if there was food involved, say a chocolate snickers bar, my sister was ready to eat it now, where I would wait till night time to feast on the wonderful flavors of chocolate and peanuts.
But I remember in my mother's speaking that it was the one who worked would get ahead in life. So year after year I carried books home and carried them back the next day. No, we did not have backpacks in those days. I know that working hard to be true today, and it is in that working hard that will produce progress. Working on the Word of God in our lives will produce when we continue to profess it and confess it out of our mouths. Waiters or those waiting to work do not get anything done. It would be like needing a job but never filling out an application for any specific job. No results!
John 6:26-29
27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." 28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."NKJV
Remaining on the vine and connected to the Lifesource is imperative for us. Remaining in Jesus, we seek the food which endures for everlasting life. In that we seek to live a life where we are productive in society, in our family homes and within communities. We are to work and be faithful with what God desires for us to have here and now, but to always keep our eyes on the "eternal".
Colossians 2:6-10
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. NKJV
We are to walk as when we received Christ Jesus as Lord. Walking with Him, we are the rooted, and we grow being well established in faith. As we abound, in that faith, we are the joyful and we are the strengthened. Not listening to empty deceit or through man's philosophies, but truly living in Him in all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
In Him, we should diffuse His fragrance everywhere we go. Within Him, we influence others, we are the satisfied and furnished with all we need to see His kingdom come in our lives.
NT:4137
pleroo (play-ro'-o); from NT:4134; to make replete, i.e. (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.:
We are in Him and can execute that office He planned for us to participate in. Being apart of the vine, we grow, become and last eternally. Whatever we do for the Lord let us do it with all our hearts. Let us not make it the pretense for personal gain, but only to bring glory to His Name.
May we be found faithful, be a pattern to others, lead quiet and peaceable lives, live in integrity, have a pure heart before God, and make proper use of the gifts within us. Guard that which was committed to us by the Gospel. That good thing was committed to us by the Holy Ghost. And be not entangled in the affairs of this life, commit what you know to truthful men, and keep watching for Jesus' return. Faithful is the man or woman who will keep their watch and know the time is so short, indeed!
Notice:
The Voice of Prayer has a new teaching published:
Speaking As To A Clear Conscience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUEiCK2djgY
You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV
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