Tuesday, August 16, 2022

ABIDE IN ME and MY WORDS IN YOU

 ABIDE IN ME and MY WORDS IN YOU 

I woke one Saturday morning (July 23, 2022) a couple weeks ago to the Lord speaking those words to me. I knew there must be more to that phrase than just what appears on the surface.

Proverbs 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

While none of us here may be literal kings (or queens), the Bible does tell us in Rev 1:6,10 that Jesus has made us Kings and priests unto God. And the Bible also instructs us to SEARCH the Scriptures. (John 5:39)

Solomon said he applied his heart to know and to SEARCH and to seek out wisdom. (Ecc 7:25)

Have you ever asked the Lord, “what does that mean?” when you read a Scripture?  

If you ask and then listen, He’ll begin to reveal and open your understanding to deeper things. 

Jesus spoke many things in parables yet there was a deeper meaning behind His words.  He revealed it to those who stayed close to Him and asked (meaning, His disciples). But sometimes we have to do a little digging, a little more studying, a little more searching the Scriptures to understand the meaning more fully.

 

ABIDE means “to stay, to dwell, to remain stable”….unmovable, unshakeable.  Oxford dictionary added this definition: “to accept or act in accordance with a rule, decision, or recommendation.”

 

Hannah had longed for and prayed desperately for a child and promised God that if He would give her a baby, she would dedicate that child back to the service of the Lord. 

When he was old enough, Hannah brought her long awaited, earnestly prayed for first born son, Samuel, to Eli at the Tabernacle so he could appear before the Lord and ABIDE there forever. (1 Sam 1:22)

As a mother, that had to be the hardest thing but she knew the best thing for him would be to dwell in the house of the Lord doing the work of the Lord.

Samuel dwelt and remained in the presence of the Lord all the days of his life.
His mom made the choice for him before he was born.  But he then made the choice to remain in the service of the Lord - steady, unmovable, unshakeable, keeping his mind and focus on God and listening for what God had to say. Because he chose to ABIDE in God’s presence, God used him mightily as a Prophet in Israel.

 

David asked and then answered his own question in Psalm 15…

1 – Lord, who shall ABIDE in Thy Tabernacle? Who shall Dwell in Thy holy hill?

The answer came….

2 – He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the Truth in His heart.

3 – He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.

4 – in whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD.  He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

5 – he that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth THESE THINGS shall never be moved.

 

BECAUSE their hearts are fixed on God and doing what is right in His eyes.

David made this vow to God….

Psalm 61:4 – I will ABIDE in Thy Tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert (covering) of Thy wings.

David went on to talk about those who FEAR the Name of the Lord.  In other words, they don’t treat or take the Name of the Lord lightly.  They reverence His holy Name. David said the ones that do….

Psalm 61:7 – He shall ABIDE before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.

 

David must have learned a lot about ABIDING in God because he again penned in
Psalm 91:1 – He that DWELLETH in the secret place of the Most High shall ABIDE under the shadow of the Almighty.

There is a secret place in God that is only found through close communion and much time spent with the King of Kings.  It’s not hard to find.  It just takes spending more time in prayer, Bible reading, and fasting.

It is a place that is so precious and sweet when you find it.  Once you find it, you will long to be in God’s presence more.  You’ll long to read your Bible.  Because in those times, you will feel God’s presence hovering and speaking to you. Sometimes, He’ll even wake you in the night hours to talk to Him, and He’ll draw you to and show you things in His Word.

When you find and remain in the Secret Place of the Most High, God is going to cover and protect you.

 

Jesus also talked about the need to ABIDE….

Throughout John chapter 15, Jesus mentions the instruction to ‘abide’ several times.

John 15:4 – 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.

I have a grape vine that has branches extending out in all directions.  However, if I was to cut one of those branches off, it would not be long before it withers and dies.

The main vine is where the branches get their nutrients from. That branch can not bear fruit unless it stays connected to the vine.

Grape vines require adequate exposure to sunlight in order to produce fruit.  The more sun they get, the more abundant the harvest.

 

Jesus went on to explain in John 15:5 – I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that ABIDETH in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth MUCH FRUIT: for without Me ye can do nothing.

* The more you stay connected to the vine (which is Jesus), and the more you let God saturate you with His presence, the more spiritual fruit you will produce.

 

Jesus issued a dire warning in John 15:6 – IF a man ABIDE NOT in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

* We won’t make it if we don’t stay connected to Jesus!

* There is no way you can stay alive spiritually for long if you’re not praying daily; not reading God’s letters of instruction to you (the Bible) every day; not attending Church faithfully and hearing what God is trying to say to you through the preacher. 

* Too many are trying to live a life disconnected from the Vine (Jesus Christ).  They may be alive physically, but they are dead spiritually. We will spend eternity somewhere.  The choice is ours. Living for Jesus will be worth it all in the end.  Those who choose not to live a dedicated life for Jesus will quickly realize the first moment in the flames of hell how much the things of this world were NOT WORTH IT.  Choose to ABIDE in the vine and live for Jesus while you can.

 

Jesus continued in John 15:7 – IF ye ABIDE in Me, and My words ABIDE in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

* Notice: there was a requirement followed by a Promise.

Jesus was trying to open their understanding in John 15:7 teaching:

IF ye ABIDE in Him = you remain stable, won’t be shaken in your faith, one who is in Church, then out, living for God, then they're not, they live this way, then the opposite.  They’re unsteady and waver in what they believe.

And He also said we need to let His words ABIDE in us = God’s Words need to remain in us.

The Bible talks about those who are a forgetful hearer (James 1:25)

It’s so easy to “hear” the preached Word or read something in the Bible, but then not remember what we heard or read not long afterwards.   

We need to strive to keep God’s Word in our hearts and minds.

Not to be a forgetful hearer so you will not waiver or be easily swayed by every wind of doctrine.                    . 


Remember the second part of the definition of ABIDE was: to accept and act in accordance with God’s rules, decisions, or instructions.

This flesh can get in the way and think that certain rules, decisions, or instruction are unfair or ridiculous.   It’s easy to want to rebel against them.

          
This afternoon, as I was driving home, I was asking God for more understanding concerning what He had spoke. He answered in a way I wasn't expecting.  I was absentmindedly driving, following a vehicle in front of me, not paying attention to my speed or my surroundings.

Suddenly, I noticed there was a patrol car directly behind me and I was doing over the speed limit.  I was not ABIDING by the laws of the land.  I slowed down and prayed he would have mercy. He followed me as I turned, and I continued fervently praying.  Thankfully, he turned again and quit following. 

My thoughts and feelings about the laws and rules do not matter. They are there for a reason, and if I break them, there will be consequences unless mercy is shown. Mercy is extended quicker when you are humble and repentant.

Just as we need to abide by the laws of the land, we also need to abide by the laws of God’s Word….whether we like them or not.

So, Jesus said IF we ABIDE in Him and let His Words ABIDE in us…

THEN ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

 

John 15:8 – Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear MUCH FRUIT; so shall ye be My Disciples.

* God is glorified when we produce spiritual fruit and others see it.  People will be able to know and see that we are His disciples. 

* Jesus said all men shall KNOW we are His disciples if we have love on toward another. (John 13:35)  Love is a fruit of the Spirit. God receives glory when we produce MUCH fruit.

We find another requirement followed by a promise in the next verse….

John 15:10 – IF ye keep My commandments, ye shall ABIDE in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and ABIDE in His love.

* We need to follow, keep, accept and act in accordance with whatever rules, decisions, or instructions are written in the Bible.

* IF we do this, we will remain in God’s love.

Jesus wants us to abide in Him and His Words abide in us.

He said the reason He spoke these things to us is so that His joy might remain in us and that our joy would be FULL.  (John 15:11) 

When we abide in Christ and His Words abide in us, we will have joy and our joy will be full.

 

 

 

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