Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5.
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so lead your life in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
Lean on Me. I am a very present help in time of need. Which is all the time.
How do you lean on Me? By drawing all that you need out of My Word. Everything was made by My Word and everything is sustained by My Word.
Leaning on Me is learning to LIVE by My Word. Man does not live on bread alone, that is, the temporal things of the world, on only what you experience or perceive with your five physical senses, what I call the mind set on the flesh—producing offense, bitterness, resentment, bursts of anger, abusive speech, strife, selfishness, despair, fear, and death, but on every Word that proceeds from My mouth. My Words are Spirit and life, John 6:63, I speak peace (shalom) to My people, Psalm 85:8, Mine are Words of eternal life, John 6:68, and My Words contain power. Hebrews 1:3. My Words are not idle words but are your very life. Deuteronomy 32:47. My Words bring comfort, exhortation, and edification. You can build you life on My Word and it will not fall down in a storm. But above all My Words, if you truly abide in them and shape your way of relating to Me, yourself and others by them, they will give you a life of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
When you live by My Word you are not pulled down into the dirt of the world but are above those things, kind of like Noah in the ark, as the flood got worse and worse, he floated higher and higher. When you live by My Word you are above gossip and maligning; you are above temper tantrums and accusations; you are above fear and worry; you are sheltered from the attacks of the evil one; you walk in love; and you are not pulled down below but stay seated with Me above. It is a whole new way of being that is life indeed. My Word is holy and it makes you holy. And when you walk in true holiness there is nothing that affrights you. Nothing can oppress you into slavery, especially not your own thoughts.
When you live by leaning on Me, you draw all you need at every moment out of Me, out of Christ, in whom I have given you access to all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and every good thing and perfect gift. You know that the source of all you need to will and to do is not in you but in the power I have put in you by My Holy Spirit dwelling in your spirit. Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so live your life in, with and through Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7. Don’t be pulled out of Him by abusive treatment from others or situations that look insurmountable, if you will just lean on Him and walk in truth and love, letting offenses go and walking in a peace. Do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 1 Peter 3:14-16.
Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification without which no one will see Me. Hebrews 12:14. Sanctification. Not only peace with people but purity of heart that sets you apart. Do you remember that Jesus prayed to Me to sanctify you (set you apart as holy, to cleanse you pure) in truth. And that My Word is truth. John 17:17. See that no one comes short of My grace; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble and by it many be defiled. Hebrews 12:15. For where jealousy and strife exist, in that place, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:16-18.
Jesus told His disciples, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” John 14:21-24. When you walk in My Word by keeping it you show your love for Me and it flows out in love for others too. And I love you for finding My Word valuable and your very life, which it is, and I walk in an intimate loving relationship with you where I see to all your needs. When you show Me your willingness to obey My Word even in moments when it would be easier to fall into gossip, back-biting, pointing the finger in blame, and grumbling and complaining, then I can truly give you a life worth living. I reward those who seek Me and you seek Me by denying yourself from giving into mean behaviors and instead giving others the benefit of the doubt, of giving them the gift of forgiveness, and by acting in love rather than in hate. Then I can truly act on your behalf and make My abode with you.
Leaning on Me is abiding in Me like a branch in the vine and you do that by keeping My commandments and abiding in Me and My Word abiding in you. And the new commandment I gave you in Jesus is to love one another has He loves you. That is, to lay down your life to serve others in love. Not in harshness and abuse, but in love, genuine love looks out for the interests of the neighbor.
Jesus told you about abiding and what it means, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” John 15:1-11.
Do you see? If you abide in My Words and My Words abide in you, I dwell with you in a close relationship of love where I delight in doing good to you so that you ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. Why? Because when you have come that point of leaning on Me to live your life through and with Me, I can trust you with much and know you will use it well. You will bear much fruit just by being attached to the vine in your obedient and holy life. As you learn to walk with Me and talk with Me, you will become more and more holy and blameless, your speech will give grace to those who hear it instead of kindling strife and every evil work. It will be seasoned with salt. Your words, like Mine, will become words of comfort, exhortation and edification.
I love you. Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. Well done , good and faithful servant, come share your Master’s joy!