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I have always loved the word abide. So many times English words don't give enough umph as compared to their Greek or Hebrew counterparts, but abide is a good one. I wish it was as easy to accomplish as it is to understand the definition. "Abide With Me" by Matt Maher leads us to a conversation Jesus had with his disciples in a vineyard.

It is with this metaphor that we learn some significant lessons about abiding. It is here we also learn what kind of impact it could have on our lives if we can get it right.

On this episode I discuss:

• The book I used extensively to prepare for this podcast - "Secrets of the Vine" by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson
• Singing this song as a prayer to God, always remembering it is also a request from our Savior
• Searching for terms online like "abide with me in Scripture" to find John 15
• Considering the context before and after the conversation Jesus had with His disciples in John 15 (jumping up to John 12 all the way through John 18)
• Our focus conversation in a vineyard - John 15:1-11
• Our roles in Jesus' metaphor
  • Jesus is the vine
  • We are the branches
  • God is the vinedresser
  • The goal is to produce LOADS of fruit
• The word study that changes everything - find it here in BibleHub
• How Jesus gave the directive to abide by using the term TEN times!
• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture - our Bible Interaction Tool Exercises this week are:
  • Get up early to read God's Word
  • Write in a daily spiritual journal
  • Pray (and seek God until you find Him) - Jeremiah 29:13
• Becoming an expert at being God's friend

 

Additional Resources

• Lyrics

This Week's Challenge

John 15 and the chapters surrounding it are a powerful place in Scripture to sit and ponder. Consider implementing the BITEs this week -- get up earlier to read God's Word, write in a daily spiritual journal, and seek Him with all of your heart. These steps might just be what you're missing to put you on the path to abiding.

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