September 2016 Message by my South Africa sister.

Without Jesus You can do Nothing

I recently did a Bible study on "......for without Me you can do nothing" - words Jesus spoke in John  15:5. Even Jesus did nothing which He didn't hear, or see,  His Father God doing, so too we can do nothing without Him. That "NOTHING" to me is that we can do nothing of purpose or perfection or in God's will, without Jesus being the Centre of our inspiration and motivation. The more we rely on Jesus and the Holy Spirit for guidance, the more we see success in what we're doing and the less glory we take for ourselves because we know that without our God, it wouldn't have been possible.

Consider the following Scriptures:

John 5:19: Then Jesus answered and said to them: “Most assuredly I say to you, The Son can do nothing of Himself  

                    but what He sees the Father do, for whatever He does , the Son also does on like manner”

John 5:30: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is righteous, because I do not seek My

                    own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

John 5:31: “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true”

Jesus repeated the fact that He cannot do anything without seeing and hearing from His Father God. That indicates the importance and sincerity of Him being depended on God for doing His will. How much more should we be depended on Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s guidance to do God’s will.

John 15:5: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit,

                  for without Me you can do nothing”

Just as Jesus was depended on the Father for His work on earth, so too are we depended on Him. Being one with Him and Him in me, my efforts will be His Holy Spirit working in me to bear the fruit of the Spirit – much fruit – which indicates fruit of value and abundance.

Acts 5:38,39: “ …… for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing…

                         ……but if it is of God, you can not overthrow it.”

What God initiates and does through man, lasts! Our own efforts eventually comes to nothing. My plans should be the plans given by God – His desires established by Him in my heart so that it will be fulfilled (Psalm 37:4). Being in God’s Will allows me not to worry about any obstacles for nothing will overthrow it, only I can when I give up!

2 Corinthians 3:5: “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.”

John 3:27: “John answered and said: A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven”.

God is my “supply”. With God in all I do, all that I think, wisdom that I need, interaction with people, received from Him is sufficient.

1 Corinthians 15:10: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I laboured

                                    more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me”.

             Sometimes we are just so tired and so hopeless, yet when we pray and commit our ways to the Lord, He gives

power to the weak and we’re able to continue – that’s God’s grace. We can do more than we think we can, but we’re tuned in to our own mental and physical tiredness. With God’s grace He takes us further.

Without Jesus I can do nothing:

1. I cannot enter heaven: John 14:6 “Jesus said to him; ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through ME”.
2. I cannot receive or have the power of the Holy Spirit: 1 John 4:13; ”By this we know that we abide in Him, and he in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Acts 5: 32: ”…And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him”.
3. I work in vain with no lasting satisfaction or hope of eternal life:. Matthew 16:26 “ For what profit is it to a man (or woman) if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will man give in exchange for his soul?”

Being in Christ, we have the Holy Spirit who is our Strength (power), Comforter and Helper that will guide is in all our ways, whether it is earthly work we need to do or spiritual service for our Lord God’s Kingdom.(John 15,16)

So “Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ”. (Colossians 3:23,24)

Have a blessed day, each day, as you allow God to take control and His Holy Spirit to lead you, giving Him the glory for your successes, for without Him we can do nothing that will come to something.

WINDOW CLEANING

 My husband and I were “spring cleaning” our house. We have a sunroom which is wonderfully lit by the sunlight due to the fact that it has big windows. But cleaning these windows is another story of hard work so we kept procrastinating.

 Then during this “spring cleaning week”, I one day filled my car with gasoline (petrol as we call it here in South Africa) and an assistant introduced to me the “perfect window cleaner” for my car and any other windows. I purchased this can of cleaning detergent as well as the special cloth to wipe it shiny. According to the salesman it would simplify the process of window cleaning.

 So the next day I eagerly attempted to clean the windows on the inside of the room and some on the outside - my husband cleaned the larger widows where I couldn’t reach. Happy with the windows being cleaned and a “great job done”, I could now relax. However the next morning early as I got up to have fellowship with the Lord, I saw the early morning sunlight on the windows exposing the cloth marks, water stains, and spots missed! It was even dirtier than before! In the shadow the stains could not be seen, but with the sun shining directly on it, it was clear that the job was half done!

 I immediately went to fetch my old cloth and started wiping the windows. I was sad, because I wanted to have my Bible study time now, but I couldn’t leave the windows till later for then the shadow will be on the windows and I wouldn’t be able to see the stains. I had to do it right then! Nobody would see the stains during the day time except 05:30 in the morning, so I could actually leave cleaning it - but then the Lord Holy Spirit started ministering to me the most wonderful truths that blessed me whilst cleaning the windows.

1. Even though no human eye would see the stains during the normal hours of the day - God knows it’s there, and what about my motto in life which is Colossians 3:23,24 [ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ] and  actually God’s word to all of His children? DO IT FOR GOD.

1. God is a sun and shield (Psalm 84:11); Jesus is the Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2) and in His light God exposes those stains which we are not even always aware of, and those we just accept and  prepared  to hide or ignore,  thinking “nobody will see”. GOD SEES! (Proverbs 15:3)
2. We buy cans of cleaning detergents (at a price too!) and cloths, that “guarantee” to shine, just to get the windows cleaned easily and quickly. So too in our spiritual life we use all kinds of external aids (books, videos, TV sermons, WhatsApp messages, following a new “spiritual trend”, works, etc.) to feel spiritually satisfied. But what we really need to do is by the Spirit to pray as David did in Psalm 139:23,24 and Psalm 51:2. Jesus sanctify and cleanses His bride “with the washing of water by the word,” (Ephesians 5: 26). PRAY AND READ THE WORD OF GOD (Ps.119:105)
3. It takes time and physical hard work to clean windows efficiently. So too when wanting to be cleansed by God,  we need to physically  come before the Lord, giving our time only for Him so that by His grace and mercy He can expose our stains in His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). God is so faithful to wash away our sins when we confess and repent (1 John 1:9) but we need to come to Him (Isaiah 1:18,19) COME NOW!

Jesus is coming again, and for those who wait eagerly on His coming, let us remember Jesus wants to present His bride – “a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesiains 5:27) may God be merciful to us and give us grace so that we CLEAN YOUR “WINDOWS” and CLEAN YOUR BRIDALGARMENT.

BE WILLING TO DO SO.

Psalms 36:9 9 says,  For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.