HANG IN THERE
Suggested Reading: John 15-16
(click scripture link to read online)
Orange trees planted in the rich soil beneath Mount Herman in northern Israel.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.
Key Verse: John 15:4
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
Those delicious oranges pictured above must be connected to the branch and the branch must be connected to the trunk in order to be all that they were meant to be. This is the design of the Creator. The example Jesus uses is the same. He is the Vine and we are the branches. In order to fulfill the purpose for which we are created, we must keep connected with Jesus 24/7. This is not a struggle; it’s simply abiding. We just hang in there. We rest in Jesus and His life flows into us. The ingredients of His life are listed here in our reading – LOVE (15:9) – JOY (15:11 & 16:22) – THE HELPER, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH – (15:26 & 16:7) – PEACE (16:33). Relax, abide, and let His life flow. We should take note that what He desires will also flow into us. Our desires will be His desires. This is the secret to receiving what we desire. We must find out what He desires and ask accordingly. It will “be done for you” (15:7 & 16:24).
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, I’m abiding, hanging in there, relaxing in the sure knowledge that Your life is flowing into me and through me to produce delicious fruit. When someone picks my fruit, may they taste the Fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
At times in life I have, figuratively, taken myself by the scruff of the neck and tried to drag myself into doing what I knew I should do. Frankly, it doesn’t work. It’s frustrating, hard work, and produces rotten fruit. In the early 1970’s, we had a peach tree in our back yard which bore delicious fruit. Early one morning I went outside to pray, and I learned the lesson of the peach tree. I observed that it didn’t struggle. It didn’t push. It didn’t jump up and down in its effort to produce the fruit the Creator intended. It just simply knew enough to “abide.” I relaxed and decided to do the same. I prayed only for those things I knew Jesus desired. I knew His desires because I was faithful in daily reading what He had to say to me in His Word. This blog is an extension of that understanding. He is the Vine. I am a branch. Perhaps the Internet is the twig that enables the fruit to be there for the picking and eating.
Yours for productive lives,
David
How much simpler our faith can be than to relax and abide in our Lord. Like a branch, a spiritual chord, which connects our beings and produces the fruits of the spirit. Quite an amazing display of God’s natural forces last night here in southern Ontario! Have a grreat day, everyone!
Resting in the Lord sounds so much better than frantically running around trying to seek His approval doesn’t it? Yet how many Christians still think they need to seek His approval, as if a lightning bolt could come out of the sky and hit them if they didn’t do the right things or enough of the right things. You are correct David when you say that we need to relax and abide in Jesus and let His life flow in and through us … and how do we do this? By being ‘plugged-in’ with our creator, getting to know Him through prayer and bible reading and by enjoying the fellowship of other believers. It’s only by abiding in Jesus that we will mature and grow as Christians, trying to win God’s approval doesn’t work.
Thankyou so much, David. We need this reminder….It takes the pressure off us to “perform” and “try”. How wonderful to abide and trust His life
in us!
This brings to mind Matt. 11:28-30 Come to Me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest……………..for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Blessings to all!
Dear David, I was sad to hear about your cancer and I will have you in my prayers perhaps with the many others I know are praying for you, God will see our need to keep you here. Love to you and yours Theresa
Dear David : Thank God for Spirit -filled wisdom. I am experienced in peach farming, and i can so- relate to what you have discovered. It certainly does make life’s struggles less of a struggle when we allow Jesus to take control.
Yours for keeping on keeping on;
John
Hi David, lt is so great to see you hosting the program this week on l00 Huntley Street,,You were my television Pastor along with my Church Pastor for many years,when l first got saved.l also had a personal mentor,eyeball to eyeball,teaching me The Way. God is so faithful! Now l am enjoying the internet Blog with you. How amazing is that! l always pray to be used naturally supernatural. l just trust the Lord to use me however he wills and often l am giving a word in season without even knowing it! How freeing is that! Without God we can do nothing,so we must walk with him all the time and enjoy the journey.
Thank you David
Lianne Hogg
Soaking with you for Healing of the Body.. Great to see how well you look on 100 Huntley st this am….true enough only our Lord has the day set that we go home to be with Him..in the meantime. we go forward and abide in Him…How wonderful is that….
Blessings David as we journey heading towards home… Come Lord …Come quickly….. see you in the air ( maybe today ) Like Norma-Jean said ..we will not need the plot ….what a wonderful day that will be….Joyful in Hope, Patient in Trials, Faithful in Prayer….
Thankyou & Bless you for,being here for us
THANK YOU David……..i’m so grateful for your sharing…..GOD is awesome!!!
Thank you
Mellany
Good day,everyone. I agree with Christine Bishop, it is nice to see you on Huntley again; kind of like old times! The people in the eastern US and also Ontario sure got pounded by SANDY! I heard Moira say this morning that they sorta blew in to the studio! Hope you guys are gonna be OK there in Burlington. In case anyone notices what appears to be errors in spelling, no need for Political correctness between friends, right? In any case, question for David SR., I listen to a variety of internet ministries including one in particular ( He was a guest on Huntley a while back, Answers Bible questions, that guy ) There are a couple ( at least ) of views regarding HELL and exactly what happens to the lost. Although Scripture supports one view, it appears that Scripture also supports other views. It is actually confusing. This Question is directed to Mr. Mainse but, if anyone else can shed light on the subject, please do. I hear we have had another earthquake here in BC. ( actually an aftershock ) Hurricanes in the east, earthquakes in the west , look up, people, your redemption draweth nigh!! Peace of the LORD JESUS CHRIST be with you all, AMEN.
Perhaps someone more knowledgeable could answer better than I could, but the following is my understanding. Sheol, is represented in the Old Testament as a place of darkness and dreariness where the dead exist without any feeling or knowledge, maybe you’ve heard the term ‘soul sleep’; in the Old Testament all go to Sheol for eternity. In the New Testament times, Gehenna (for example Matthew 5:22) was represented as a place of unquenchable fire, an eternal place of torment. I’m not really sure what the root of Gehenna is or how it became associated with such an eternal place of damnation. Gehenna is used quite often in the New Testament however. Revelations 20:14 refers to the ‘lake of fire’ or Hades. Which as I understand is not the same as Gehenna but is more closely related to Sheol, a temporary place of torment. At any rate, in my books, Gehenna, Sheol and Hades represent an eternal separation from a loving God. Whether it’s a devil poking with a pitch-fork in a flaming hot oven, or a secluded and dark place of the dead … I’ve put my faith and trust in Jesus and I for one am not going to take any chances! Amen!!
Thank you David for your blog today and always. I am especially taking note of your section on healing as I am still trusting as well and have ordered the CD. Thanks for sharing. Still keeping you in prayer as well as others. God bless. Good to see you on the program again.
Good to see you on TV again! You always make me smile with your spontaneous candor! I’m sure you keep them hopping! Praying for God to keep you around…you have been my pastor for over 20 years! We grew up with you as a family and you have become a part of our family history! Your programming had so much influence on my parent’s Christian journey.
Thanks again for your blog – I really appreciate your sharing your life with us. Often I am guilty of trying so hard to do things right in my own strength, instead of just abiding and trusting God for His strength. Your are a wonderful teacher. God bless you.
Loved today’s blog, very inspirational to me,Thank you. Thank God for being there when I need Him and for being my defender and protector.
Scott my brother ( in Christ ), I’m not going to go into specifics about the various views and interpretations out there on the subject but, I’m witchu, bro. Whatever it turns out to be, I don’t plan to go anywhere near the place!! I see some new names and comments out there. Welcome to the family. Y’all have a great evening! Amen.
Thank you for your blog and serving with such humility and in Truth. Please pray for me. I was a guest on 100 Huntley St this summer, July 23. My book is (Gasp) I Have an Idea!
Several years ago I had colon cancer but God healed me! This week I have to go for an MRI because they want to “check” on something they saw in my annual CT scan a few weeks ago. They want to be sure it’s nothing. My MRI is on Thursday Nov.1 at 1:00. Please pray they will “see nothing and be nothing” Thank you also for praying for me to have the glorious peace of Christ during the next few days and week. Believing God for a clear report. Thank you all…blessings~
Stephanie, I send my prayers of feeling peace while you wait for your tests and results. I also pray that there will be nothing on your imaging and God who is our protector and our defender will fully heal your body. When I was going through a difficult time my sister told me to read Psalms 91 (God our Protector) and also Psalm 103 (The Love of God). God Bless and may He keep you healthy, safe and well, Spiritually, Physically and Emotionally.
Your friend Kim
As has been mentioned by several others, it is SO good to see you hosting Huntley Street this week along with Moira and Shauna. We are living in difficult times and our young people seem confused and bewildered with life. I am so pleased to see the way Huntley Street is reaching out to our young people and is throwing a “lifeline” out to them. God bless you as you continue this powerful, effective ministry. You can count on my continued support. Blessings!
I was looking for the CD that David Mainse mentioned on 100 untley St. on Oct 30/12 on healing. It is a cd of music on piano by a man who plays the piano and talks the scriptures. Would you kindly e-mail and let me kknow the address to get this cd. I have extreme back problems and need a divine healing, pls pray for me and let me know how to get the cd.
Thanks, and I will be in prayer for David.
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