Monday, 24th April 2023
Alex Buabeng-Korsah
TOPIC: ABIDE IN HIM
THEME SCRIPTURE: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it shall be done for you.” – John 15:7
PREPARATORY QUESTIONS:
- What does it mean to abide in Christ?
- Why is it important to abide in Him?
The background of John 15 looks at Jesus and His disciples leaving the Upper Room and moving towards the Garden of Gethsemane. They passed the temple where there is an important ornament: “a golden vine with a cluster as large as a man.". This decoration becomes the basis of a visual parable in which Jesus is the true vine. In the parable, Jesus points out to His disciples that they are the branches of the vine, and it is important that the branches remain in life-union with the vine.
Precious One, to abide in the vine is to remain in Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
If we abide in or remain in sync with the Way and principles of Christ, then we are abiding in Him. If we make His word our truth and reality in this life, so that our perspectives are founded on Him, if we remain in life-union with the Son, so that when the world looks at us, they see Jesus in the way we think, talk, and live our lives, then we can ask for anything and it will be done for us. Abiding in Him means yielding to Christ and living your life in Him (completely reliant on Him).
Abiding in Christ means making Him your source, sustainer, and sufficiency.
It is critical that we abide in Christ (remain in life-union with Him), Precious One. The reason is that we can do nothing unless we maintain a life-union with Christ (John 15:5). We will lose the power to do the extraordinary. We will have the same struggles as men who are not of Christ. Our lives would be ordinary. Secondly, if we do not abide in Him, we will become like an independent branch, broken off and without nourishment from the main tree. Such will wither and be gathered for firewood (John 15:6).
However, we can bear fruit if we remain in life-union with Christ and His word is also in us. By the fruits, men get to know the kind of tree we are connected to, and by this, the Father is glorified (John 15:8).
If we stay in life-union with Jesus, we can ask for anything we want and it will be granted to us (John 15:7). Isn’t this marvelous?
It is not enough, Precious One, to be a branch of Christ; you must also remain a connected branch to Him. It is not enough to come into Christ; you must make "in Christ"’ your dwelling place and ecosystem. Moses, having walked with God for many years, prayed, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations…” (Psalms 90:1). It is our responsibility to abide in Christ, and in Christ, you have what it takes. You have God's word to help you renew your mind in order to align with Christ's perspectives and your new identity. God has given you the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. What makes you think you cannot abide in Him? Rise up today and cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Cor 7:1). Choose to abide in Him all your days. Hallelujah!
FURTHER READING – 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Call to Salvation: If you have not received salvation yet by turning over your life to Jesus Christ, today is your day. Click here to do so.
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:
- How well are you connected as a branch to Christ?
CONFESSION
I confess this day that, in the same way I received Jesus and Messiah by faith, my journey of faith continues, progressing further into my union with Him. My spiritual roots go deeply into His life as I am continually infused with strength, encouraged in every way every day. I am established in the faith of Christ, being enriched by my devotion to Him. Hallelujah
1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Deuteronomy 10; Deuteronomy 10; Ecclesiastes 3; John 20; John 21
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