Remain and Maintain!

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. John 15:4-10 NIV

To remain somewhere or in something means to stay there. To maintain something means to keep it up--don't depart from it.

If we remain--stay with God and allow His Word to stay in us, we will bear much fruit with Him and without Him, we accomplish nothing.

If we stay with God and stay with His Word we can ask whatever we want from Him and He will do it--according to His Word.

If we stay in His love as we maintain our walk--keeping His commandment to love,  we will continue in His love.

Notice--this is about love--not lust as some have ignorantly claimed in order to justify their perversion to keeping God's Word.

We must make a decision and then stick with it to do as God directs us, not man and to love others as we obey God.

Now, this might seem a little tricky to some, but it isn't when we know that God's love for us is unconditional--regardless of our race, nationality, ethnicity or religious beliefs--He loves us all and is waiting for us to love Him as much as He loves us. Loving others unconditionally does not mean we condone wrong doing or blatant sin, but we care enough to keep praying and seeking God for direction. We do not have to agree with others in order to love them and we certainly do not have to live in opposition to God's Word to prove our love for others.

True love of God--means we stand firm on what's right and sometimes--we love from afar--maintaining our stance in our determination to live according to God's Word.

Love can change people, but in order for the change to make an impact--we must clarify our position in living for The Lord--not for political correctness. This does not mean we hate or demonize or rant about others with who whom we disagree--it means we simply give no place for wrong to influence our determination to obey God.

Throughout this day and for the rest of week--let's practice how we remain in His Will and determine how we'll maintain our position of faith in Him and our determination to love--no matter what!