Abide in Christ

Bikers Church Cape Town

ABIDE IN CHRIST By Pastor George Lehman God is real, no matter how I feel. God is: Reliable, dependable, undeniable. How many here have experienced. Discouragement, downness, emptiness, heaviness? You feel like God has deserted you, You even feel; is it really worth it all? Why is it that people struggle to stay in a place of intimacy with God, a place of "ABIDING" in Him? Staying connected to the Vine. How I see this over and over - people have these wonderful experiences with God: Life is good, prayer is great, you reading your bible, your walk with God things couldn't be more wonderful, And then there comes this emptiness, lack of enthusiasm, it just overwhelms (oorrompel) The key to a *consistant* walk with God is to learn to "ABIDE in Christ". To abide means: - To live, to continue, to remain, fixed in a state immovable, to stay closely connected, allowing His word to fill our minds 1 John 2:5-6 (ESV) – 5But whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in Him: 6whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. Just listen how many times Jesus uses the word "abide". John 15:1-11 (NIV) – “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. 5I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. 6If you do not remain in Me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9As the Father has love Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. 10If you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love. 11I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (Joy comes only from abiding) *You can still be connected and bear no fruit. Abide: - Jesus says, is not a suggestion or a request. You don't have to command a child to eat dessert, sweets. A command is for someone to do something that’s not going to come naturally. We must understand that: - we are not with Him - trying to achieve something we are in Him successfully, fulfilling His plan Ephesians 4:6 (Msg) - "He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything. Our western culture teaches us: - If someone does something good to us, it’s our responsibility to do something good back. We think He "saved me" now - I must do things, I must perform to please God. It's only possible by His strength, His power, His ability. John 15:5 - Apart from Me, you can do nothing. 1 Timothy 1:12 - "I give thanks to Him who has granted me (the needed) strength and made me able for this." Psalm 73:26 - "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the rock and firm strength of my heart and portion forever." Any branch to be effective and bear fruit can only get its source, its nutrients, its abundant fruit from the Vine. Abiding helps us to tap into all of God's spiritual riches. Ephesians 3:20-21 (Amp) – 20Now to Him who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] - 21To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). We must be so careful to not make a common mistake, seeking an experience rather than seeking God. It's all about FAITH not feelings. 2 Corinthians 5:7 - For we walk by faith, not by sight (feelings) Abiding in Christ is a "relationship" - not a "sensation". Edmund said: - "Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light." It’s not about feelings its about Truth. It is in those times of great discouragement, emptiness, defeat fear and loss, when you experience a spiritual dryness, regardless of how you feel, Faith relies on the promises of God Faith hangs onto God's unchanging character. We can abide in the fact that: - God is good. He really loves me. He is with me He knows how I'm feeling. He knows what I'm going through. He really cares. He has a plan for my life. (It's not mind over matter - it's heart over truth). We who learn to "ABIDE in Christ" don't have to be troubled by trouble. You see, circumstances cannot change the character of God. He is still for you, even when you don't feel it. CH Mackintosh wrote: - "There is power in the presence of a Risen Lord and Savior (abiding) to solve our difficulties, remove our perplexities (verslae), calm our fears, ease our burdens, dry our tears, meet our everyday need - tranquilize (kalmeer) our minds and satisfy every craving of our hearts." It's when you hit that low, that spiritual dryness - giving up is becoming a good alternative - AND YET you CONTINUE to ABIDE and trust Him - that my friend is when you truly worship Him in the deepest way. God will honor those who go beyond their feelings to obey Him. Proverbs 28:14 - "Blessed (happy, fortunate and to be envied) is the man who reverently and worshipfully fears (the Lord) at all times (regardless of circumstances) but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity." John 15:8 - "When you bear (produce) much fruit, my Father is honored, and glorified and show and prove yourselves to be true followers of mine!" Story of the lady who had a house on the seashore in Ireland in the 1900’s: - "She was very wealthy and stingy. Everyone was surprised when she decided to be among the first to have electricity in her home. Weeks after the installation a meter reader came to her door. He wanted to know if her electricity was working well. She said it was. He then asked her why her meter shows scarcely any usage, "Are you using your power?" She said: "Each evening when the sun sets, I switch on my lights just long enough to light my candles, then I turn them off again." You see, she tapped into the power, but she doesn't use it. Her house was connected but not altered. All we have to do is "abide" in the Power Source - not only flip the switch, but live "abide in the Light". 1 John 3:1 - "See what can incredible quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should (be permitted to) be named and called and counted the Children of God." And so, we are. He has done so much for us - through Jesus' death - all He wants from us is to have faith - to ABIDE in Him. 1 John 2:28 (Amp) - "And now little children, "abide" (live, remain, permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming".