Chaplin Challenge

My Dad is a retired Army Colonel, who is has recently begun deputation as a Baptist Chaplin promotor. I of course am very proud of him, and how he has allowed God to lead in his life. I thought I would give you the opportunity to enjoy a few words of wisdom from "The Chaplin" :)

Abiding in Him

Chaplin Joe Willis

John 15:4 says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. Based on this verse, I have to constantly remind myself that if I want to bear any fruit for my Lord and Savior, I must abide in Him. But what does it mean to abide in Him? Webster defines “abide” this way: “to remain or settle down”. I had a man remind me that the word “abide” is the verb form of the noun “abode” An “abode” is another word for our house or dwelling place. What a great thought! Is my body the house or dwelling place of the Lord?

I Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”  

Have you ever said to someone who came into your house, “Make yourself at home?” Did you really mean it when you said it? If we are to have Christ abide in us, then He must be able to make Himself “right at home” in us. If we are “born again” believers, He already owns us and our body is already His temple. So I guess the bigger question may be this, “Does He feel at home in us, or does He feel like a visitor or a stranger? Would He be happy with what He sees in our house (body) or would He be embarrassed in the place that we ask Him to dwell?

My challenge to you today is this: May we all live in such a way this day and every day that Christ feels “right at home” as He abides in us and as we abide in Him!