Abide in Jesus

Sometimes those of us who profess to be Christians need to be reminded that we are human beings, not human doings. The Christian life is not about what we can do on our own, but allowing Jesus Christ to bear his fruit through us. In John 15:5, Jesus tells us that if we will abide in him then he will abide in us. We must nurture the Holy Spirit within us through love, worship and obedience. This is what it means to abide. Lately my life has seemed full of crisis and worry. More than ever, I need to abide.

Unfortunately, taking the time to abide in Jesus is somewhat of a lost spiritual discipline. Much like silence, it is so intimate and so foreign to us that we do not pursue these amazing moments with our Savior. To help us along that path, today I'd like to suggest 10 ideas to help us focus on knowing Jesus, loving Jesus, experiencing Jesus and being linked to Jesus. Remember, John 10:10 teaches that Jesus came to bring us not just life, but abundant life. Let's seek it together. Let's try one of these each day for a while and see if we feel a stronger connection with the Christ.

1. Listen to 3 of your favorite worship songs (consecutively) with your eyes closed, picturing Jesus in the room with you. Sing to him. Worship him.
2. Fast for a meal or a full day and focus the time you gain on love, obedience and worship.
3. Apply John 15:12 to your life by asking Jesus to show you who needs your unconditional love today.
4. Make a list of the Top 10 Reasons You Love God.
5. Do an Alphabet Worship Time. Write down a prayer of praise, thanks or intercession for each letter of the alphabet.
6. Read the 5th chapter of the Gospel of John, highlighting any verses that speak to you about love, worship and obedience.
7. Set aside time for a silent prayer vigil- at least 30 minutes. Be still. Know God.
8. At 10:27 (AM or PM) prayerfully read aloud Luke 10:27 to be reminded of the love of God.
9. Memorize The Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5:3-11. They are the condensed version of everything Jesus taught.
10. Take time to focus on the love of God by writing a letter or e-mail to someone who needs to know that you love them unconditionally because Jesus loves you that way.

Fall into the arms of a Savior who loves you more than you can imagine and who will carry you when you need him. Spend time with him. Abide in him.

Because of Jesus,