HIS WORDS

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” John 8:31-32

Living the Word of God

HIS EXAMPLE TO US

Abiding in the truth means living it out. This is real freedom. Jesus lived out the Word of God in all its facets.

MY STORY

It was a long time after meeting Jesus that I began to understand what the word “know” entails. I “knew” Him in the sense that I had met Him, had read about Him in His Word, and had regularly heard teachings about Him. My friends also “knew” Him and so I had a lot of input about Jesus.

But as I walked with Him longer, I came to understand that the word “know” means to perceive, which is a deep understanding that comes with experience. To truly know Him, I had to live in His Word, and His Word had to live in me.

MY RESPONSE

Abiding in His Word means I have to have the experience of DOING it—in other words, I have to obey it, do what it says. My life becomes “knowing by experiencing.” I exist within the experience of living in His Word. This means I not only obey His commands, but I also have the perspective, the outlook, the worldview of what He says in His Word—the whole kingdom mindset. I need to mind the starts and stops and checks of the kingdom mindset. My focus should be on the Word of God, which includes not only the command to obey, but also truths about gratitude, blessings, and gifts; work and play and rest; giving and receiving; loving and giving, prayer and remembrance, studying and forgiveness, evangelizing and sharing. All this, and so much more, is included in His Word. All this, His written Word, is what we “abide in.” It is His life, His kingdom living in us, and being lived out through us.

MY PRAYER

“Father, help us to abide in Your Word, to live it out in all its facets, and thereby be Your disciples. We long to know Your truth, and to be truly free from anything that would bind us. By Your Holy Spirit, may we be a transformed people. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”