Let’s take a break from the Bible Prophecy and turn our eyes to Jesus.  I plan to continue the series on Bible prophecy but, this morning, I was reminded of something that happened to me about 16 years ago.  Here is the story.

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Those who DWELL under his shadow shall return;
They shall be revived like grain,
And GROW like a vine.
Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

Hosea 14:7

Have you ever heard a sermon that stayed with you for a very long time?  Perhaps it comes to your mind when triggered by a verse here or there.  Or maybe the reality of it lingers until it finally sinks in and you are transformed. The verse above triggered something I heard a long time ago and it has never departed from my thoughts.

About 16 years ago at the funeral of my step-brother (David), the family set up a TV and VHS machine in the entrance to the church where it played a video of one of David’s weekly Bible classes.  I paused to listen to this gifted teacher. His words have been on my mind ever since.

David was one of 4 sons and a daughter of a family run by a tough ex-Army Sargent father, made callous by WWII. My brother and I was drafted into the family in 1963 when my mother remarried.  My step-father took a particular interest in toughening me up, but that is a different story. Of all the sons, I like David the most.  He was  quite, but intelligent and athletic.  David and I played basketball almost every day.

David went off to fight in Viet Nam in 1969 and came back as wild as could be.  When he returned, he bought a brand new 1969 Chevy SS with a 396 engine that was strong and wild like him.

He drank and smoked pot almost daily and soon the car was a pile of twisted metal.  He and my cousin walked away unharmed.  He was hardened from what he saw and did in the war. He would laugh and tell me stories of how they would fly the helicopter low and kick the locals off their bicycles.

But, Jesus came into his life and David was transformed into a wise and gentle teacher of God’s word around 1974. This was about the time I gave my life to Christ. He and I often talked of spiritual things although we were of two different denominations.  I remember one night, we were discussing the timelines of the 70-week prophecy in Daniel.  We were in the parking lot of the apartments where I was staying.  We drew our respective charts of the timelines in the dust on the trunks of the parked cars under the street light.  When we needed more space, we just moved to the next car hood or trunk!

 Although we had some difference, we both were certain of one thing.  Jesus had come into our lives.  We were forgiven and we both had great joy in knowing and working for our Lord! We loved to talk about Jesus. We were both babes in Christ, but growing in leaps and bounds in the word of God and our relationship with Jesus.

Sadly, David was killed in a car accident on his way to work around 1998.  A young lady on her phone swerved and sent David and his van tumbling down the freeway.  He was not wearing his seat belt.   What a tremendous loss for God’s kingdom!

At the entrance to the church, where they had the funeral, one of David’s classes was on a loop and played over and over. On the screen, you could see the calm and Christ-like face of my brother in Christ. He was talking to the class about “continuing” in God. He cited different Bible characters who “continued” with God. His point was clear. We are to “continue” with God. We should not set our hand to the plow and look back. To do so makes us unworthy of the kingdom.

But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:62

David said, we are also to “dwell” in Christ like you would in your house. To “continue” in Christ is to move forward in our God no matter the circumstance (grow). Our God will finish the work that he started in us as we “dwell” and “continue” with Him.

…for in Him we live and move and have our being…

Acts 17:28

How I wish I had that tape!

Hosea concludes his book after spending 13 chapters of exposing the sins and rebellion of His own people.  It ends with the encouragement to them, and us, to “dwell” and “continue” (grow) in the true God. Many Christians have said, “it is too hard for me” and they give up. They took their hand off the plow and went back. Maybe they should have started by simply “dwelling” before “continuing.”

The wise person in Christ will know the importance and necessity of “dwelling” and “continuing” in Christ no matter the circumstance…no matter how rebellious and wild they may have been at one time or the challenges of the moment.

From Steps to Christ, p. 68, 69: “Jesus teaches the same thing when He says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. . . . Without Me ye can do nothing.’ John 15:4, 5. You are just as dependent upon Christ, in order to live a holy life, as is the branch upon the parent stock for growth and fruitfulness. Apart from Him you have no life. You have no power to resist temptation or to grow in grace and holiness. Abiding in Him, you may flourish. Drawing your life from Him, you will not wither nor be fruitless. You will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.”