Stay Close To The Source

John 15: 4v5

Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself. No more can ye, except ye abide in me. KJV.

A Love Covenant

Abide in me and I will abide in you, for I am your source and support. In me you overcome. Within this covenant of love, I give unto you myself, (John 14:6) as your eternal source, that you may bear in abundance the manifest fruit of the spirit. (Gal 5.22- 23).

We all have this invitation to love.

But do we find that acts of the depths of sin are still rooted within us? Our spirit says ‘no to sin, ‘we want you extinguished,’ but most times our soul says ‘yes. Our Eternal Father has given to us a covenant of love, both within the old testament (Ex.20: 1-17) and the new. The apostle Paul (Saul) followed a set law of commandments under the first love covenant, understanding that when he lived by these rules, it was his standard of righteousness, that showed God how much he loved him; yet he discovered something different after an encounter with the breath giving life of the father, Jesus, on the road to Damascus, who changed him into a new creation.

In this Paul found a new warring within his being, that fought against his former way of understanding and beliefs. (Roms 7.9) Seeing that before his encounter with Jesus, he lived zealously outside of the new covenant law of love (John 13: 34) but rather living by the justification of commandments, that merely pointed to the new way of covenant love.

‘A new commandment, I give unto you.’

This commandment surpasses, all other laws or commandments. The law of love. (John 13:34)

Paul now struggles, because what was righteousness to him under his former works and beliefs, now become unrighteousness to him under the law of a new commandment of love. This was a very hard struggle for Paul, for what he believed was good, had now become evil in his eyes, and that which he saw as evil works against God, in the customs and beliefs of Christians now became that which was good. So it became a constant battle of the mind for him, a deep struggle, to be free from his old works and beliefs and to enter into the new law of living in love in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 7: 4-25)

We also as believers undergo a similar struggle as Paul did, as we begin to come out of our former ways of living into the newness of Christ. Our old ways really are calling out to us for a bubbling up and out of us, a pouring out of us, a falling to the ground, that we may be filled with the love of God. For this is the path we take, to come into the fullness of him and into the overflow of his goodness.

How do we stay on this path of purification? (Ps.119: 9-19). The covenant of his new commandment is love. (John 13: 34-35)

This is the agreement that we covenanted ourselves to, within the name of Jesus when we said yes, we receive you Lord, because we believe and know that you are our source.

Staying close to the source is somewhat like a marriage covenant. Vows that say ‘I do, and the life long journey of covenant agreement is created. I am my beloved’s and he is mine. I desire to be close to this source of love I have found and married into for....forever; and to us his bride he says:

To understand me. Is to know me. (seek for me)

To love me is to seek out the desires of my heart.

Adore me, honour me, for you are the apple of my eye. (Psalm 17.8) (Zech 2:8).

To understand who I am is to merge your thoughts with mine, to be built up on most holy faith, for I am Jesus the centre of our covenant.’

This love comes with the importance of first love commitment, being closely knitted together with our ‘source of love.

When hearts are truly knitted together there can be no separation. What can separate us from this true source of love? (Roms. 8:38-39) Nothing, for his love for us endures forever. When our hearts and minds stay fixed on the Lord, what can separate us from loving him? Can any of these? (Roms:8:38-39) no nothing, because our hearts are merged together inseparable from his heart.

The Lord as our source has a love language, even as we do, seeing that we were birthed from out of the goodness of who he is. He calls out to us and says:

‘Come unto me all who are weary and heavy burdened. I will give you rest.

My thoughts toward you are good.

I Love you with an everlasting love.

Love me with all of your heart mind and soul, even as I have loved you.

I want you to embrace my peace.

I give you joy for strength

My yoke is easy, receive it, carry it.

Call unto me and I will answer and show you great and mighty things.

Quality time is my greatest love language.’

God desires your presence to share his heart with you. (Jer.33:3)

He speaks:

‘I am your source, come, seek me out and when you find me, stay close, never let go.

I will gird you up on eagles wings.

I will shelter you under my wings.

The source of your shortcomings will then find no place in you, because you have now found your place in me.’

Truly our soul finds rest in him, truly he is our rock, our salvation, our strong tower.

I will abide in thy tabernacle forever. I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah (Ex. 3:14)

Brethren it benefits us to stay close to the Lord, our source of covenant love.

Blessings♡D