We are discovering the Scriptures that give the secret for not only being happy, but doubly happy!
God calls those happy who dwell in His presence. Psalm 89:4 (ESV) says: “Blessed (happy happy) are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!” This is a picture of abiding in Christ.
What do you think it means to abide in Christ? I’d love you to share. I think it means to acknowledge His presence in everything we do—each responsibility we have in the home, cleaning, cooking, teaching, and caring for the children, etc. When we try to do it in our own strength we fail miserably. But when we thank Him that He is with us in every situation it changes everything. It changes our attitude and consequently changes the atmosphere of our home. And that even changes our children’s behavior.
It means to look to Him for His wisdom and strength in every situation. Instead of getting into a state of depression or self-pity because of the difficult trial we are experiencing, we live in His truth and anointing. We don’t confess what we see. We don’t fall into the sloth of despair because we know that when we dwell in God, we no longer live in our own strength but in His strength. In His anointing. In His wisdom. In His rest. In His patience. And we bask in it. We can trust instead of fainting.
It means to let His Word abide in us (John 15:7). When His words abide in us, we live in truth instead of deception. And truth sets us free. And of course, its reciprocal. We not only abide in Him, but he wants to abide in us. Dwell in us. Walk in us. Be part of everything we are doing. Yes, every little mundane thing we do in our home.
Don’t you love thinking about this? God walks with me and in me. He walks in you. We read 2 Corinthians 6:16 in our Family Devotions this morning at breakfast: “Ye are the temple (literally the Holy of Holies) of the living God; as God hath said, I will DWELL in them, and WALK in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” God dwells and walks in us, and we dwell land walk in Him.
And God gives us more promises. He promises that if we abide in Him . . .
We will bring forth much fruit in our lives (John 15:5, 8) because “Without me ye can do nothing.”
He promises that if we aide in Him . . .
We can ask what we will, and “it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7).
He promises that if we abide in Him . . .
That His joy will remain in us and that our JOY WILL BE FULL (John 15:11).
May you have such a happy day as you live in His presence.
Blessings to you,
Nancy Campbell
Painting: Lee Lufkin Kaula (1865-1957).