Episode 2: Abide

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This week we’re discussing THE most practical thing that a Good and Faithful servant can do to bless the nations and advance God’s Kingdom. We’re talking about learning how to abide in Jesus.

Jesus says to us, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15: 14-15). Put simply, unless we learn to abide in Jesus, we will ultimately fail in our endeavors to be Good and Faithful.

But how does one abide? Well, “we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4: 16 ESV)

We abide by believing in our Master’s love for us and learning to fall deep in love with Him.

But how do we learn to love Jesus? A simple place to start is to get to know Him by reading what He has already chosen to reveal about Himself. By reading our Bibles.

The second way we learn to fall in love with Jesus is by studying Creation. This is because God has intentionally made all of Creation point to Him. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead” (Rom 1: 20 NKJV).

Just as we can grow in our knowledge of God through faithful study of the Scripture, we also grow in our knowledge and intimacy of God through our study of His Creation.

Something I like to do regularly is stand outside, close my eyes, and take a deep breath. I listen and I hear the birds of the air. I feel the wind blow against my cheek. Then I open my eyes and see the beautiful sky. In that one moment I’m reminded of all this: God feeds the birds of the air (Matt 6: 26), His Spirit moves as it pleases and I know not how (John 3: 8), and the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19: 1-4). And suddenly, I find myself keenly aware that God is with me and He is for me and that I am in Him and He is in me (John 17: 20-23).

Until we know how to abide, there is nothing more practical for us to do than to learn how. When we learn to abide by falling in love with Jesus, our lives become an extension of that love. We won’t miss what God has for us to do because we’re following close behind Him. Spend time getting to know Him through Scripture and through your interaction with His Creation (hint: that includes people too. He created them in His image). After all, is there really anything better for us to do than to abide in Him?

Tune in for all the details! Join the conversation at our FB Group and follow us on IG. And don’t forget to check out exclusive Good and Faithful merchandise at our official Good and Faithful store. No matter what, don’t get discouraged. Even if you’re just getting started in your walk with Jesus, just remember that you ARE the Good and Faithful!