The Overwhelming Importance of Believers Abiding in Christ, while He Abides in Them!

18 May 2025 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

John 15:7.       ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you.’

Sunday morning, Victoria Day long weekend, celebrations in the air, though with the strong winds that are blowing again like yesterday, those celebrations may have to be mainly indoors.  But first, fellowship with the Father and each other! Yes friends, that’s always the most important part of a Sunday, for without that we would not be invigorated and inspired to go out and do another good week’s work in Jesus’ name! And for that wonderful sense of confidence and faith rebuilding, we give Him much thanks and praise, of which He’s so worthy! And all God’s children said a loud and grateful, ’Thank You Jesus!’ 

Today we’ll open our fellowship session with a wonderful old hymn ‘Abide With Me,’ written by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847) which captures that faith and trust we have in Almighty God. It appears that young Lyte was adopted from an orphanage at nine years old by an Irish Minister, Dr. Robert Borrows, who, although he already had five children put Lyte through school up to Trinity College in Dublin, where he won prizes and scholarships for poetry. 

After graduating in 1814, he became an ordained Anglican Minister. Then it seems he threw himself into his work with great fervour, and with his wife Anna, spent his days caring for the sick and needy, which made him ill, he contracted tuberculosis and had to journey to France every winter to regain his health. But apparently in early September of 1847, he gave his farewell sermon which included the lyrics to ‘Abide With Me,’ and died shortly thereafter from his illness. So, let’s offer up our sweet sacrifices of praise in a soulful rendition of this marvellous hymn, one that’s basically a prayer for God to stay with the speaker throughout life and in death. 

Singing: ‘Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away; change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me. I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power? Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me. 

I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where grave thy victory? I triumph still if thou abide in me. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee; in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.’ 

Oh my people, what marvellous words and sentiments that catch the very essence of our God! What can be wiser than asking God to stay with you as the darkness falls, for He is the Great I Am; the Omnipotent One, the Lord and Sovereign of the Universe, and no one else can protect you better than Him! And what about these words? ‘When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.’ Our God is indeed the Help of the helpless and the God of all comfort,’ as Bruh Paul writes to the church at Corinth. 

‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor. 1:3-4) What a great scripture that is my brethren, and every time I read it, the very idea of our heavenly Father comforting us so that we can comfort others, touches something in me, raises my appreciation of our awesome God. 

Then, while the joys of the world grow dim, its glories pass away through changes and decay, whom do we call on but ‘Thou who changest not.’ And the prophet Malachi tells it like it is: ‘For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ (Mal. 3:6) And this commentary explains that verse thus: ‘It emphasizes God’s unchanging nature and His unwavering character. This immutability serves as a source of comfort and assurance, highlighting that God’s promises and character remain constant, providing a foundation for faith.’ 

James, Jesus’ brother also informs us that, ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning.’ (James 1:17) There again we see the unchanging and very stable nature of our God, upon whom we can cast our complete trust.  And do we ever need His presence every hour, for it’s only His grace can help us to thwart Satan’s power, and we clearly see that when Bruh Paul asks for the thorn in his flesh to be removed. The Lord simply informs him: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor. 12:9a) 

As one commentary says: ‘This implies that when we are facing challenges or weaknesses, God’s grace is available to provide us with what we need to overcome them, even if the weakness remains.’ Glory be to the Most High God Jehovah! For whom else can guide and keep us like thee eh? As Bruh David says of the Lord in Psalm 32: ‘I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.’ (Ps. 32:8) 

And what confidence and trust these marvellous words and sentiments bring: ‘I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me.’ Now that’s for sure my people! We will triumph because Christ has triumphed over, hell, death and the grave. As Bruh Paul writes to the Corinthians: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave (hades), where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor. 15:54b-57) 

Now aren’t those all great reasons for wanting the Lord to abide in us? Of course! But there’s also another side to the coin, as Jesus puts it: ‘If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto (for) you.’ (John 15:7) And the best way to do that is as Bruh Paul advises. ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for asmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor. 15:58) 

And we could not get any better advice than that, so please, this Victoria Day Sunday, let’s take it and run our race of faith with it nuh! Much LOVE!

…only as we abide in Christ…and He in us…can we ever defeat the evils of this world…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 July 2019 Revelation 1:18.

07 Jul 2019 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Revelation 1:18.    ​I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell (Hades) and of death.
​

Now just in case you did not realize it, I’m here to inform you that the weekly cycle of life has come full circle again! (smile) This is the Lord’s Day, the Sabbath, the day on which He rested after spending the entire week creating the universe and all therein. It’s also the day that we ought to rest from our labour and journey to His sanctuary to fellowship with other believers, praising and exalting His Holy Name, giving Him exceeding thanks for all that He’s done for us. 

And last, but definitely not least, to hear His Holy Word, so that our spiritual selves can be refreshed and renewed, to enable us to rebuke and repel the evil enemy as we venture back into the ungodly working world tomorrow. And all of God’s children said a loud, proud and sincere: ‘Praise the Lord! Magnify His Holy Name!’ 

So let’s get right into the praise section by singing this old but much LOVED ‘Christian hymn, ‘Abide with Me,’ written by Scottish Anglican Henry Francis Lyte. He wrote it in 1847 while he lay dying from tuberculosis; he survived only a further three weeks after its completion.’ And was it ever a fitting going away present to leave to posterity, as he indeed wrote a telling, thoughtful and true hymn! So, in one accord, let’s sing it like we really mean it nuh. 

‘Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away; change and decay in all around I see; O thou who changest not, abide with me. I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power? Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? 

Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me. I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless; ills have no weight, and tears not bitterness. Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes; shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee; in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.’ 

Oh friends, those are such powerful, moving and gospel true words! Nobody else can help us in this life like Jesus can! And I like the descriptions: ‘Help of the helpless.’ That’s exactly what Jesus came to do! ‘O thou who changest not…’ More glorious truth! ‘I need thy presence every passing hour…’ And do we ever my believing brethren! Without it, we’d quickly be toast against the enemy. ‘What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power? Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?’ Exactly what we were just saying: only with Jesus in our lives can we ever hope to overcome the evil and diabolical enemy called Satan! 

Consequently, ‘I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless.’ Oh my people, living with and for Christ, certainly raises our level of courage to great heights, because we know that with Him in our corner we can conquer any and every foe! And when he asks? ‘Where is death’s sting? Where, grave thy victory?’ The thrilling, victorious answer comes: ‘I triumph still, if thou abide with me.’ 

And that’s for certain sure friends, because Christ defeated hell, death and the grave by His sacrificial death and His awesome resurrection! Note His words to John in the vision on the isle of Patmos: ‘I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell (Hades) and of death.’ 

Oh friends and fellow believers, the victory is indeed ours through Christ Jesus! Never forget that! Isaiah prophesied it: ‘He will swallow up death in victory (forever); and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. ‘ (Is.25:8) And we all know that our great and faithful God doesn’t make idle promises, His word doesn’t return to Him void, but accomplishes all its purposes. 

And Jesus certainly made mincemeat of Satan!  That’s why Bruh Paul could be so exuberant and cocksure when he wrote to the Corinthians: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave (Hades), where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (2 Cor. 15:54a-57) Oh mih people, shout and jump for joy, for victory is ours! Sing ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Praise the wonderful name of the Lord for He has indeed done marvellous things on our behalf! 

And Bruh David said it too in Psalm 68 – God has gone before his people. ‘Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.   Selah. He that is our God is the God of salvation: and unto God the Lord belong the issues (escapes) from death.’ (Ps.68:19-20) But my people, all that good and wonderful news of victory through Christ, doesn’t mean we can just sit on our laurels and don’t do anything to help our cause. 

That’s why Bruh Paul at the end of his victory speech, warned the Corinthians:  ‘Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (2 Cor.15:58) And it most definitely is not, for all good work will eventually be rewarded in God’s time.

Friends, I sincerely recommend then, that we all take that warning to heart and get down to brass tacks right now, standing steadfast in Christ, rebuking and repelling the enemy who is trying to be a spoilsport and curdle our victory! Please don’t let him! Much LOVE!

…Christ won the victory…but we have to keep it alive…