{"id":29595,"date":"2021-01-26T03:30:18","date_gmt":"2021-01-26T11:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=29595"},"modified":"2021-01-22T17:55:50","modified_gmt":"2021-01-23T01:55:50","slug":"january-26-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2021\/01\/26\/january-26-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"January 26, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cIf you abide in Me, and My words abide in you…” <\/em>John 15:7<\/p>\n

Abide in Me<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you abide in Me….<\/em>What does abiding<\/em> in Christ mean? The dictionary tells me it means to<\/em> bear patiently; to endure without yielding; to wait for; to accept without objection; to remain stable or fixed; to sojourn or dwell<\/em>. As I look at these definitions, I apply them to my relationship with Jesus.<\/p>\n

There are prayers that I have lifted to God that seem unanswered. I am impatient to see God move. Abiding<\/em> would mean that I wait on the Lord to act in His own way and His own time. I bear patiently in the waiting and the wondering, always trusting in His good intentions. I abide<\/em> in Christ.<\/p>\n

When I think of enduring without yielding, I remember Martin Luther as he was challenged by religious leaders. He boldly stated, “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason (I do not accept the authority of popes and councils because they have contradicted each other), my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. So help me God. Amen.” He closed with the words, “Here I stand, I can do no other.” He endured without yielding. And so, he abided<\/em> in Christ.<\/p>\n

I abide<\/em> in Christ as I wait for Him to answer my cries. I abide<\/em> in Christ as I anticipate the Rapture. I abide<\/em> in Christ as I look into His Word. I abide<\/em> in Christ as I look for His second coming and His kingdom established.<\/p>\n

To accept without rejection<\/em> brings to mind the recent loss of a loved one to COVID, yet I had prayed and I had fasted. My will was to see him restored and healthy again. God had a higher plan and better things in mind. My vision was too small. In hindsight, I saw God glorified and His work made known through the death of this man.\u00a0I could have been angry or bitter or resentful. I could have doubted the goodness of God. But in the days that followed his passing, I knew God had done the best and right thing. My soul found peace as I accepted God’s will without objection. I remained abiding<\/em>.<\/p>\n

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”\u00a0<\/em>Psalm 91:1<\/p>\n

“…that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…\u201d <\/em>Ephesians 3:17<\/p>\n

Where are you dwelling? Where are you sojourning? Is Jesus your true home? Do you dwell in the secret place of the Most High? Are you abiding<\/em>?<\/p>\n

Abiding<\/em> in Christ covers the gamut of our spiritual journey with Jesus. It involves our prayer life. It involves our thought life. Abiding<\/em> positions God’s Word to be our authority in all things. It speaks to the very core of who we are and who we are becoming in Christ. It relates to our choices to walk in obedience and submission\u2014or not.\u00a0It involves above all else that heart-to-heart, breath-to-breath, spirit-to-Spirit relationship we have with the living God. Everything in our lives is filtered through that connection to Jesus called abiding<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Abiding<\/em> in Christ is the desire born in one who is well-loved and knows it in the depths of her being and longs to remain in that sweet presence. Abiding<\/em> in Christ is the position of all true believers.<\/p>\n

God is doing a work in our day. He will do all that He has purposed. The question is: will we be part of it? Unless we are abiding<\/em> in Christ, I fear we will miss His best for us. 1 John 2:28 says, “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.”\u00a0<\/em>When He comes, let Him find us abiding<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Father, You have given us Your Son who has redeemed us from destruction. You have given us Your Spirit who indwells us. You have given us Your Word and exceeding great and precious promises. Everything good and beautiful in our lives has come from Your hand.\u00a0May we ever abide with You. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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