Devotional Reading: Psalm 60, Psalm 61, Psalm 62, Psalm 63; Psalm 64; Psalm 65; Psalm 66

Abide In The Living Word

America’s independence formally began  with words: a declaration. The world itself was created in like manner. God spoke and everything that was made came to be at His words. We read in the book of Genesis how He “declared” the earth; and it was so as He said.

The power of God’s spoken word did not end with creation “in the beginning.” We know of the glorious descriptions of heavenly places. We can also praise God for His declarations about our  lives on this earth. What does God say about you?

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:17

We know that in order for God’s words to abide in us, we have to put them in. But abiding is more than being inside. Something that abides takes on a life of its own within. It LIVES inside, not just is inside! The living word living in you is an abiding power directly from God Himself!

If we are in the church (the body of Christ, not the building) but do not abide in the church, we will not give ourselves for its well-being – we will not give life to it. Jesus loved the church (the body) AND gave himself (His life) for it. If we are in a family but do not abide in it, we may share a name but have no care for the life of the relatives. When the Word abides in you, it will both nourish you and be nourished of you.

II Peter 3:18 instructs us to grow in grace AND in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That growth in knowledge of our Savior is part of abiding in the Word. As  you abide, it develops a living connection to the Almighty God. It is like a heavenly wi-fi. (Yes. God is always online :-)). This living connection empowers you to grow in grace.

Each time we read where God said, “I AM…” He was making a declaration. You have heard that a declaration is “speaking those things that are not as though they were.” It could be. But sometimes a declaration is a statement of fact already.

When Christ is Lord of your life, your declaration that you are a child of the King is a fact already. Because of this fact, you can declare everything that God says about you – regardless of how your current situation may have yet to come in accord. Perhaps you are not wealthy now. But, God’s Word says that you can lend and have no need of borrowing. It may not be so today, the world was not declared in a day either. Just because it may not have happened yet, does not stop you from making a declaration of faith.