a·bide - Verb
1. to remain; continue; stay: Abide with me.
2. to have one's abode; dwell; reside: to abide in a small Scottish village.
3. to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship, etc.; last.
Our lives are continuously changing. Our relationship in Christ is growing immensely. So it doesn't surprise me the more I read, the more knowledge I gain. We often take for granted the simple words of the Bible.
John 15:5
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
What are you rooted in?
Some people have no roots to Christ. They live day to day only powered by the things of this world. Whether you believe in Christ or not most people find comfort in something on this earth. Whether it's family, their job, money, or something more sinister like drugs and alcohol. But what happens when its all gone? Most people have something they believe in. Could be karma, maybe a higher power is a thought in the back of your mind. In reality some people just don't want to believe that you will be held accountable for your life and what you do with it. It is obvious in those CEO's as I have heard them called. These are those who only attend church on Christmas and Easter Only. What is the point? Do people really think that by going to church on those 2 days they will be given special accolades in heaven? Where is there commitment the other 363 days of the year?
1 John 2:17
John 15:5
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
What are you rooted in?
Some people have no roots to Christ. They live day to day only powered by the things of this world. Whether you believe in Christ or not most people find comfort in something on this earth. Whether it's family, their job, money, or something more sinister like drugs and alcohol. But what happens when its all gone? Most people have something they believe in. Could be karma, maybe a higher power is a thought in the back of your mind. In reality some people just don't want to believe that you will be held accountable for your life and what you do with it. It is obvious in those CEO's as I have heard them called. These are those who only attend church on Christmas and Easter Only. What is the point? Do people really think that by going to church on those 2 days they will be given special accolades in heaven? Where is there commitment the other 363 days of the year?
1 John 2:17
17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
So there it is the word that appears so often but gains little respect. What does it mean to truly abide in God. In those definitions I posted earlier we can pull these words to form a life line from our soul to him.
I will remain committed to reside in a relationship with Christ.
I can only guess that most people are like myself. We go to God when things get really rough but when life is simple, when everything is going our way we tend to step away from God. Not permanently, just enough to say "I got this God you go help those in need." "When I need you I will call on you again." I know I have done this several times in my life. Although I am trying to get better I can only grow closer to God by allowing him to truly abide in me. It is so easy for our flesh to think that we got it all together and when things fall apart or get rough we say "Why Me?" Often we take for granted that there are others asking that same question, but with more serious thoughts in mind. While I have wondered why people have caused me harm with their words or by walking out of my life. There are others who are being hurt by a deadly disease, the tragic loss of a loved ones, or maybe even their own addictions. These are the times that most of us start walking away from God.
Day by day we take a step further away from him. We wallow in our grief. We start playing a blame game. We look and point fingers in every direction, instead of doing what God calls us to do.
When do you call on Jesus?
Are you one of those people that I spoke of above? If so I challenge you to try to abide in him. Of course I would only ask you to do this if I was going to accept the challenge myself. Here are some of the ways I plan on stepping up to this challenge.
1. Prayer: My prayers will be more specific and more often and I will keep a prayer Journal.
2. Read the Bible, commit to being in his word daily in hopes that I will be able to define more of those words that are often taken for granted in the Bible.
3. Ask God to reveal my purpose.
4. Keeping an open mind to God and his plan for my life.
So there it is the word that appears so often but gains little respect. What does it mean to truly abide in God. In those definitions I posted earlier we can pull these words to form a life line from our soul to him.
I will remain committed to reside in a relationship with Christ.
I can only guess that most people are like myself. We go to God when things get really rough but when life is simple, when everything is going our way we tend to step away from God. Not permanently, just enough to say "I got this God you go help those in need." "When I need you I will call on you again." I know I have done this several times in my life. Although I am trying to get better I can only grow closer to God by allowing him to truly abide in me. It is so easy for our flesh to think that we got it all together and when things fall apart or get rough we say "Why Me?" Often we take for granted that there are others asking that same question, but with more serious thoughts in mind. While I have wondered why people have caused me harm with their words or by walking out of my life. There are others who are being hurt by a deadly disease, the tragic loss of a loved ones, or maybe even their own addictions. These are the times that most of us start walking away from God.
Day by day we take a step further away from him. We wallow in our grief. We start playing a blame game. We look and point fingers in every direction, instead of doing what God calls us to do.
Jeremiah 33:3
3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
When do you call on Jesus?
Are you one of those people that I spoke of above? If so I challenge you to try to abide in him. Of course I would only ask you to do this if I was going to accept the challenge myself. Here are some of the ways I plan on stepping up to this challenge.
1. Prayer: My prayers will be more specific and more often and I will keep a prayer Journal.
2. Read the Bible, commit to being in his word daily in hopes that I will be able to define more of those words that are often taken for granted in the Bible.
3. Ask God to reveal my purpose.
4. Keeping an open mind to God and his plan for my life.
3 comments:
Absolutely love your witness.
I write a blog which I have entitled “Accordingtothebook” and I’d like to invite you to follow it. I’m your newest follower.
Also...I like John 6:56 for an "abiding" scripture.
Thank you, I followed you back. Look forward to reading some of your passages as well. Also thank you for your input on John 6:56 I am very new to a walk with Christ word so I am new to writing about it, but I feel with learning will come knowledge and knowledge will help me to gain a better understanding of all Christ's care for us and if I can share then The light lives in me. :)
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