The fifteenth chapter of John’s gospel has much to say about abiding. The Greek word for “abide” is meno and means to remain, not to depart, continue, stay, live. To me it means being in close fellowship with the Lord throughout the day, not being in one day and out the next. “So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you” (John 15:4; TPT). We are further told that if we abide in the
Lord, we will bear fruit (John 15:4,5), our prayers will be answered (John 15:7), we will not sin (1 John 3:6) and we will enjoy God’s protection, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps 91:1; NKJV).
David, at the end of the 23rd psalm declares that “the house of the Lord (and His presence) shall be my dwelling place” (Ps 23:6; AMPC). Paul, praying for the Ephesians says, “May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts!” (Eph 3:17; AMPC.)
Obviously, it is important that we abide in Christ and He in us, there are many scriptures to back this up, but how do we do it? We can’t spend all day long on our knees. However, as we go through our day we can keep bringing our mind back to God; praising Him, thanking Him and sending short prayers as often as we remember. “For all who obey His commands find their lives joined in union with him, and He lives and flourishes in them” (1 John 3:24; TPT).
Sometimes when we talk to people about becoming a Christian, they feel unworthy or too sinful. Many Christians also look back at their former lives and will not allow themselves to receive all God has for them. We all need to be reminded that Jesus, through His sacrifice on the cross, won forgiveness for
us for all of our sins (Col 2:13b). In the Greek “all” means “all”! That would encompass all sins past, present and future.
When we asked Christ into our lives as Lord and Saviour (Rom 10:9-10) the apostle Paul told us that we became a “new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17; NKJV). Our spirits were made new (John 3:5-7) and we entered into an abundant life with God (John 10:10b). Paul encouraged us to forget the past and press into the future God has for us (Phil 4:13-14). Jesus used an analogy saying that a plowman doesn’t look back (Luke 9:62). Jesus will enable us to change to be more like Him (Phil 1:6) and to put off the old pre-Christian person we were and embrace the new person He has for us (Eph 4:22-24). Our primary focus in life needs to be to, “set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Col 3:2; NKJV). We need to prayerfully study God’s word and allow the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-15) to reveal God’s plan and purpose for your life (Ps 139:16). God loves each one of us, we are His children (1 John 3:1-2) and His desire is to bless us here and now and in an eternity in heaven. Be encouraged, look ahead, put the past behind you.
In John 8:12, Jesus spoke and said that He was the “Light of the World” which He expands upon in John 12:46; (AMPC), “I have come as a light into the darkness, so that whoever believes in Me
(whoever cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me) may not continue to live in darkness.” (See also, John 8:12 and John 9:5).
Thinking in natural terms, what does light do? It shows us the way clearly (Psalm 119:105) and it dispels darkness (John 1:5). This is exactly what Jesus did and what He is still doing. He guides us one step at a time so we won’t stumble or take the wrong path.
Not only did Jesus say He was the light of the world but He also said that we are the light of the world! (Matt 5:14). Also, in Eph 4:8 we learn that we must, “walk as children of Light (lead the lives of those native-born to the Light)” (AMPC). The very next verse tells us how to do that, “in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart and trueness of Life” (Eph 4:9; AMPC). In other words, we need to let our light shine so non-Christians can see Jesus in us. “In the same way let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:16; CSB).
As you meditate on these verses bear in mind that the light in Jesus is so bright that in the New Jerusalem, “The city has no need of sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the splendour and radiance (glory) of God illuminate it, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Rev 21:23; AMPC). Hallelujah!
“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. Commit your way unto the Lord (roll and repose each care of your load on Him); trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.” (Ps 37:4,5; AMPC). In
verse 4 we have an “if then” promise; if we do our part (delight ourselves in God) then He will do His part (give us our heart’s desires). I’m sure we all want to receive that promise, so how do we go about delighting ourselves in Him? I believe one of the major ways we do it is by spending time with Him – through reading the word, worship and prayer. The more we do this the more we will want to. Once we spend more time delighting in God and less time focused on all the needs, we want Him to meet, it often happens that our needs get taken care of in the process, without our even asking. David put it like this, “As the hart pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God.” (Ps 42:1; AMPC).
In verse 5 of Psalm 37 there are 2 things that we have to do. Firstly, we have to put our future into God’s hands; in other words, we have to stop trying to work out everything for ourselves. Secondly, we have to put our trust in Him. We can put our trust in God because He is good and faithful; He has a good track record and it is found all through the Bible! Nothing is impossible for Him (Luke 1:37, Matt 19:26).