Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in Sidetracked In The Wilderness - # 55
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
Notice: this email is part of a BLOG, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. Why a blog? So that many can receive the weekly thoughts
I express on Michael’s writings in an easy manner.
Michael
answers the key question: HOW…? Every
Christian who hears about and decides to want to “abide” is faced with this
“how?” Soak on what Michael has to say,
and begin to REST and TRUST and RELEASE CONTROL and DEPEND in the One you say
you are trusting to have forgiven you of your sins and will one day take you to
Heaven to be with Him for all eternity.
Which is more difficult? Christ
forgiving sin and giving us eternal life in Heaven, OR taking care of us for a
few years with some simple life situations (for Him) here on Earth? Well, amen.
HOW TO LIVE
THE ABIDING LIFE
excerpt
from pages 164-169 of SIW (5th printing,
March 1998)
excerpt
from pages 164-170 of SIW (14th printing,
March 2012)
(used with permission from
ALMI):
…The
“how-to” of abiding begins not with a work, but with an attitude to be
maintained. We live in an attitude of
abiding, deeply aware that He is our life.
First, we are to be constantly mindful of our true condition were we to
be outside of the Vine…
…Coming
to know oneself and accept the fact that in one’s body dwells no good thing is
not easy, and often is accompanied by much suffering…The first step, then, is
to know ourselves and carry the attitude of absolute dependence that comes from
this knowledge throughout the day.
Second,
each of us must take his place as one who believes. Believing is not so much work as it is rest,
not so much activity as it is receiving, and not so much what is immediately
reaped as patience in the wait prior to obtaining. Faith is waiting on God to provide in quiet
confidence, something that every living creature fathoms except man, who must
learn it. Faith is enjoyable waiting and
easy resting.
Third,
we are aware that the abiding life is not a feeling, but an awareness. One of the great secrets of the Christian
life is that when one is filled with the Spirit he generally feels nothing,
since it is the natural and normal way of life…Abiding is knowing that He is
keeping us even when we cannot keep ourselves.
Fourth,
we take our place as the creatures and give up our tendency and desire to play
the role of the Creator. We understand
that we are His creation and with full confidence expect Him to maintain us.
Once
we have taken our place as the creatures, next we resolve to live only one
moment at a time…
…Life
is only to be lived one moment at a time, being faithful in each to experience
His life. God will then give succeeding
moments wherein we are abiding and full of His life, and these moments will
soon turn into days, and finally into a lifetime of living out of the joy of
the Master’s presence…Ask only for the grace that you need today…
…Each
day begin with this simple confession: “This day, Lord, I thank You that I am
in You and You are in me. Thank You that
no matter how I feel, I abide in You.
Thank You, Lord, that it is not a position I must struggle to maintain,
for You have put me there. This moment
is all I will be concerned for. I accept
my position of abiding with joy.”
There
isn’t much more I can say other than what I expressed in the introduction to today’s
writing. It still boils down to REST and
TRUST and RELEASE CONTROL …and DEPENDENCE (albeit those are four things we
don’t do so well most days) and…to do so “one moment at a time”,
“moment-by-moment.” Oh, yes…don’t
forget, the WAY is BY GOD’s GRACE (His doing it through us…see 2 Corinthians
12:9-10). Hallelujah!
Note:
if you don’t have one of Michael’s Sidetracked In The Wilderness books,
please contact ALMI
(www.abidinglife.com) and get one today!
To access ALL past weekly
blogs, go to Getting
Out of the Wilderness by logging onto www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
NOTICE: another blog…on Michael Wells’ book, My
Weakness For His Strength, called Living Life With a Capital “C”. You can
access by logging onto www.leemccm.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
leemccm@gmail.com
1737 CR
2051 Nacogdoches, Tx 75965 936-559-5696
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