Abiding and Remaining in Christ

John 15:5 NIV "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing".

Have you ever thought about the relationship between the branch and the vine? We don’t use these kinds of word pictures very much anymore, but think about it--if the branch is not attached to the vine, it withers and dies. The branches’ very life depends on it being attached to the vine. The same thing happens if we try to operate in this life without Jesus. Without Him, we can do nothing. We are cut from our life source. But when you remain in Him, by daily connecting with Him through prayer, worship, and study of the Word, then your life will be fruitful. You’ll walk in joy and blessing. I love that this verse says “much fruit”, which means you will have an abundant harvest in your life.

David asked a very pertinent question to God in the following psalm: “O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill?” Psalm 15:1 Prior to Jesus Christ coming to earth, dwelling amongst us, choosing to deny himself and sacrificially give himself up for the forgiveness of our sins, we had no way of intimately abiding and remaining in Him, unless we walked in perfection under the law…..which no one could or ever can do!
In order for you to abide in God, before the sacrifice of Christ, One had to attempt to, “Depart from evil and do good, So you will abide forever” Psalm 37:27. Not that we are not to still be trying to live sin free lives, but the difference is that when we fail….and we will, we can sincerely humble ourselves and come to God, and ask for His forgiveness through the blood sacrifice of Christ and our sins will immediately be forgiven. And they will never more be remembered by God, as they will disappear and be as far as the east is from the west! Psalm 103:12
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"—Galatians 3:12-14 Jesus made it possible for us to dwell with Christ each day. We no longer have to wait for a Holy priest to go into the Holy Tabernacle once a year where God dwelled, before Christ, and ask for the forgiveness of our sins. Hebrews 5:9-11 Christ is now our Lord and Savior and we can dwell in God through Him each day!

Because of what Christ did at the cross we now have these new commands that allow us to be successful if we will only engraft into Christ each day and then abide and remain in Him. "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11"These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” John 15:9-11.

We find God’s fullness and Joy in Christ and can dwell in it each day, if we will only choose to abide and remain in Him……and it is a choice! God doesn’t want you to just barely get by. He wants to overwhelm you with His goodness. Abiding happens through spending time in God’s Word and meditating and praying on it through out each day. When we hide God’s Word in our hearts, the Word begins to permeate our very being and change our hearts, which begins transforming us to more Christ-likeness…..which we all desire.

Lord, please draw us all into a deeper and more intimate walk with You today. Give us the desire to remain and abide in You and let our lives be a living testimony to the wonders of Your love for us. Keep us from evil, as we place your armor on us, and abide in You…the Author and Finisher of our faith! In Jesus Holy name we pray, Amen

Have a powerful and prosperous day of abiding and remaining in Christ in the workplace and a home!