Jan. 11th - Stay!

Training your dog to fetch is not such a hard thing. Most dogs are more than willing to run and play with their masters. Our little dachshund Harlee is the master of fetch! The problem is the next level. STAY! "Stay" goes against her nature. Everything she has learned up until this point is full speed ahead. When you throw her toy into the other room and instruct her to "Go get your toy", she knows before you even say the words what she is going to do! However, when I throw her toy into the other room and instruct her to "stay", well that's another story all together.

Jesus wants us to "Fetch".
Now before you get too offended by me using a dog illustration, you better read Matthew 15:26 where Jesus refers to the Gentiles as dogs! I'm in good company here so follow along. Jesus taught us to "Go into all the world..." (Matt. 28:19,20)
I think the big secret in fulfilling this command is first learning to "stay". If we get "Stay" down good, "Go" won't be a problem either. Some people try to "Go" before they learn to "Stay".
Jesus taught us in John 15 to "abide" in Him. This red lettered word of instruction is the equivalent of "Stay".

Abide in Him.
Let Him abide in you.
Let His Word abide in you.

When you read the first eight verses of John 15, you'll also learn that not obeying the masters instruction to "Stay" has some unsettling consequences. I'll let you figure out what "takes away" and "cast out" mean.

Once we learn to "Stay", that is abide in Him, the global instruction to "Go" is much easier also. We'll become real God glorifying disciples who "bear much fruit". That's what "Go" is all about.
Can you hear your Masters voice today? If not, you may not have mastered His command to "Stay".

Meet you here in the morning,
Sam

Suggested Reading:
Proverbs 11
John 15

Quote of the Day: "One truly finds his or her life only in laying it down for Christ and the gospel." - Dr. David Shibley