Abiding with Christ

In the last blog, I spoke of the need to stay in contact with Jesus and when you feel empty or drained, it is an indicator that you need to go get filled.  Being empty is not to condemn us, it is only to be our indicator of our need to be with Jesus. 

Same with sin.  It is not for our condemnation, but it is for us to take action.  When the indicator light on your dashboard of your car shows you that you are in need of gasoline, you do not condemn the car, you just go get it filled.  Let sin, emptiness, even the unsatisfied appetite that drives those scales up, let that be your indicator to ABIDE with Christ.

I have a walking buddy that I have been talking with regarding abiding, and much of what I will share here, is a result of my discussions with her.  Also it includes my prayer time, my personal research and study time in the word to include what I have concluded.

I knew she had studied this topic through BSF in the writings of John several years ago.  So I really wanted her input on abiding.  As she and I discussed this topic, I asked her what it looks like to abide since we are told to abide in the scriptures. 

Her response made so much sense, and I will try to do it justice.  We live our life and as we do, we consult with Him; if we respond wrongly, we ask Him why.  It’s simply recognizing Him in our day, during our day, as we go throughout our day.  We talk with Him, spend time with Him, think about Him, and acknowledge His presence. (In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path)  (He is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path)  

Abiding in Christ is living and remaining in Christ.  We walk in the Word that we study.  We do the will of the Father when we remain IN HIM.  We measure our thoughts against what we know about God through His Word.  A friend posted this quote yesterday by Oswald Chambers: “God will not make me think like Jesus, I have to do it myself; I have to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”  

Abiding is remaining connected to the life source.  (Click here for scripture verses regarding abiding) By being connected, we are one with Him.  We walk as Christ walked, treat others as He treated them, embrace His desires, think His thoughts and become more and more dependent upon Him.  So that I become a walking, living, breathing message of who He is.

She said we must know who He is.  She stressed that He is the measuring stick of righteousness.  The verse in Matt 28 tells us to immerse in who God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is.  According to this scripture we are to "go make disciples of every nation, and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit."  Their names are simply attributes to describe who they are.  (Click here to see the 7 “I Am” statements of Christ)

According to an article from Real Truth Matters, when we remain in Christ, connected to the vine, the character of Christ is displayed.  If this is not happening then it is an indicator that we have not been interacting with the Savior.  (Click on this link to read further)  The following is from this link.  In this article, it goes on to say, to be fruitful we must remain in Him and Him in us.  If we abide, His joy will remain in us.  Boredom implies we are missing contentment.  It means we are looking to be entertained and stimulated.  If Christ is no longer stimulating our mind, heart or emotions that means we are having no real interaction going on between us and Him. (this is where I believe the eating issues result)  Click here to see Empty Stomach or Empty Spirit

So to abide with Christ is the same as being filled with His Holy Spirit.  We need to be desperately dependent on the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.  We need to have conscious interactions with the Spirit of Christ. 

The last thing from this link, Real Truth Matters, is we need to be actively in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.  We need to humble ourselves and confess our disregard of His commands to abide.  We need to repent for forsaking the living water so we could live by our own strength.  He says we try to be both the vine and the branches.

Remember that apart from Christ we can do NOTHING!

Summary:

Sin, Emptiness, Feeling Void and Dissatisfied, Filling the Void with something; are all INDICATORS of our need to ABIDE.

Abide – Be dependent upon, connect to and interact with our Lord daily and throughout the day.  (STAY connected to the vine- do not be cut off)

Be immersed in who God is; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Display the character of Christ.

Take your thoughts captive and line them up with Christ’s thoughts