Abide!

Abide!

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7 KJV

It is not a mistake that the word 'abide' is used at least 9 times in the first 10 verses of the chapter under consideration. It is a reflection of my residence status in God. It is very important to get this right, as it is the basis of my placement, use and impact.

What does it mean to 'abide'? It is to remain; to stay fixed and focused; to follow a rule, decision or instruction. If I do not know the One who asked me to abide, how do I remain in Him? If I have not taken time out to study what He loves, how do I please Him with my daily choices and decisions?

And it matters IN whom you seek to abide. There are quite a number of options, but nothing works like the true vine of nourishment. The world seeks to give you options, but the problem is that the world's options are not self - sustaining. They last for a while, give the impression that they are viable, but because they are not the true vine, they cannot provide eternal nourishment.

The Word of God here is Jesus, which means that you cannot go far without a daily and regular nourishment from the Word. Positive thinking and mental exercises are only good as palliatives; they can never really truly satisfy or provide what is needed for the life God promotes. 

It is as I abide that I get all that is promised. Temporary residence or occasional entry and exit will not work. God promises answers to prayers for all who abide IN Him. Do I seek after His Word or do I believe the tokens of liars? Am I moved more by grammatical constructs than the power of God's Word? 

The assurance is so clear: get the Word, believe and live it, and you will see Him work wonders. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Don't be deceived by the deceitfulness of high sounding words; make sure that the Word of God is your one and only pursuit. The benefits are eternal. His time of favour is here.