Abiding in Christ

Call To Prayer 

Title: Abiding in Christ 

By: Njuacha Hubert  

Date: 24.06.2023 

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  John 15:5-6 

There is something interesting I noticed in Genesis 35:1 “Then God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau.” Now reading further you see that Jacob indeed went to Bethel (which means House of God in Hebrew) and built the altar. However, soon afterwards in verse 16 we read that they left Bethel and not long Rachel went into a difficult labour where she gave birth and died. Immediately after, in verse 22, we read that Reuben slept with Bilhah his father’s wife. Two things happened after they left Bethel (the house of God); death that may not have been God’s will and sexual immorality. Could it be that Jacob was disobeying God either willfully or ignorantly by leaving Bethel since the instruction said  “settle there”?.  

In the Old Testament they used the term temple, or tabernacle, but today we know that Jesus is that house of God. The things in the Old Testament were simply an image or indication of the things to come. We cannot live outside Jesus. It is a humbling truth that we can fight and still come back to that realization. Outside Jesus we wither and become dry (spiritually and eventually physically). Things like wickedness and foolishness set in. How do we abide in Jesus? Jesus says we abide in Him by keeping His commandment of Love(John 15:9-13). By walking in the consciousness of His presence(Genesis 17:1). He is not with you to harm you but to protect you. To save you and keep you from sin. Sin is a counterfeit of God’s blessing. There is nothing He has not given you already it is just a matter of time and season(Psalm 23:1, John 3:16). Abiding in Christ is learning and reminding self of His words (John 15:7).  

When we abide in Jesus’s love then we will bear fruits. Fruits of love, fruits of joy and peace. If we abide in His words, we will ask what we desire, and He will give us in due time (John 15:7). Therefore, let us dwell in His presence not just in Church, not just on Sunday but always. In His presence there is goodness and joy (Psalm 23:6). 

Prayer Point:  

Let’s thank God for His word. Let’s pray for more understanding of dwelling in His presence and the grace to dwell with Him in heaven.