“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.”
             John 15:4 (ESV)

The word "Abide" kind of takes on the connotation of just chilling and relaxing.  It is not a word that we use everyday.  However, I would like to point out that it is a verb, and really a commandment from Jesus that we find in John 15.  It is not a suggestion or merely an option.  It is a statement that goes hand in hand.  When you abide in me, I will abide in you.  You can't have Him, without Him having you!

Knowing now that Abide is a verb, let's look at the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of the word.  It means to endure without yielding.  To accept without objection.  To conform to.  To wait for.

I know at first glance the above definitions do not appear to have much action associated with them.  They seem to be kind of mellow and just accepting.  However, it is a transitive verb, which basically means that it is used with an object or noun, and that it refers to a person that is affected by the verb.  

I am the furthest thing from an English teacher.  I struggle with where to place comma's in sentences.  I do find this very interesting though, as based on the definition, it appears that this is referring to us being affected by Jesus.

Not only am I not an English teacher, but I am not an Arborist (tree expert).  I do know enough to realize that my trees and shrubs need pruning from time to time, as they will get sucker branches that grow off of the true branch.  These sucker branches are sort of like lamprey's that are parasitic in nature.  They steal the nutrients from the true branch, and are along for a free ride.  They serve no purpose, and in turn offer nothing in return.  So in the above John 15 passage, we see that unless the branch is grafted into the vine, then it can serve no purpose on its own, and produce no fruit.  In verse 1 of John 15, we see where Jesus says that His father is the vinedresser, and He prunes and takes away any branch that does not bear fruit.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."
             Psalm 91:1 (ESV)

That passage above happens to be one of my favorite in the Bible (next to Titus 3:3-7 of course).  The Psalmist (King David) writes that if I abide under the protection/shelter of God, then I will be protected in the shadow of the Almighty.  That shadow is someplace that I want to not temporarily reside, but set up permanent shop.  I want to be right next to God and His shadow overtaking me. 

I used to travel all over this country every other week for 8 years straight.  I got to see a lot of sights, but it got very old staying in a different hotel room every night.  When you look back at the Psalm 91 passage, this is not meant to imply a temporary dwelling.  Sure there are times that it might feel that way, as we all go through spiritual dry spells of "feeling" alienated by/from God, but thankfully our relationship with Him is not based on emotions or our feelings.  He wants us to not view our dwelling with him as temporary, but rather a permanency that can only come through surrendering our all to Him as Lord of our life.  

Matthew Henry in his commentary states: "That all those who live a life of communion with God are constantly safe under his protection, and may therefore preserve a holy serenity and security of mind at all times.  1) It is the character of a true believer that he dwells in the secret place of the Most High.  2) It is the privilege and comfort of those that do so that they abide under the shadow of the Almighty; he shelters them, and comes between them and everything that would annoy them, whether storm or sunshine."

“But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.”
              I John 2:27 (ESV)

We see from the above passage that we receive an anointing from His Holy Spirit, as a direct result of Him abiding in us.  This means that he teaches us, all while leading guiding, and directing our path.  His Holy Spirit is what give us POWER in Christ.  We are able to have discernment over good versus evil, as well as being tapped into hearing His still small voice of correction and encouragement.  

What happens if we do not abide in Him?  Well we can see some of that in the very next verse from what we just read.  Let's look at verse 28:

“And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.”
            I John 2:28 (ESV)

So if you read that above passage in the inverse, we see the consequences of not abiding in Him.  If we shrink back and don't abide in him, it basically reads that we will not have confidence in our salvation, and will cower in shame before Him.  I don't know about you, but that does not seem very appealing to me.  It sort of reminds me what Adam & Eve did in the Garden of Eden, when they disobeyed the direct order from God.  May we learn from them, and not follow in their footsteps.  I am very willing to set up permanent residency in Him, as I know that He has in me, as my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit!

Are you a lamprey that is just along for a parasitic free ride, or do you desire to be that branch that is grafted fully in the vine by Abiding in Him?

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2Do not be Conformed to this world, but be Transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Webster defines Conform as "To be similar or identical.  To be in agreement or harmony.  To be obedient or compliant.  To be pressed into a mold.  The SAME.  

Webster defines Transform as "To change in composition or structure.  To change the outward form or appearance of.  To change in character or condition.  To CHANGE.

The word Transform comes from the Greek work Metamorphoo, which is where we get the word metamorphosis. 

Meta--Means change after being with.
                                The change can’t start without first presenting your bodies as a living sacrifice to God.
                                                We offer ourselves on the altar of worship & prayer.
 
Morphoo--Means changing form in keeping with an inner reality.
                                This can also be defined as Christ’ sanctification work being done in our lives.
                                                This takes place through the renewing of your mind.

I find it important to note that verse 1 of Romans 12 states that we should present our bodies as a living sacrifice.  That is not something that is understood or thought of much today.  A sacrifice by nature is something that is laid down and killed in order to cover over past transgressions, or to appease someone.  In the old testament, we see where God's people are instructed to lay a sacrifice on the mercy seat altar of the Lord.  The blood that would run down off of the mercy seat, was intended to cover over and wash away the sins of that person or people.  What we see in this passage, is the Apostle Paul writing this letter addressing that no longer are we under the old covenant of animal sacrifice, but that God sent his son Jesus to be a propitiation (substitute) for the lamb on the altar.  This is why he is called the "Lamb of God!"  He was the sacrifice laid on the mercy seat, and his blood poured down and washed away our sins.  

The second part of verse 1 states that we are to be holy and acceptable to God.  What does this mean?  Holy means to be set apart.  It does not mean that we are instantly perfect, as Christ perfects his sanctifying work in us through our entire life.  It does mean though that we are set apart.  We are in the world, but not of it.  Simply put, we are to set ourselves apart.  When you think of the animal sacrifice in the Old Testament, we picture a dead carcass on an altar.  Now granted it was not stinking flesh like road kill that has been sitting on the side of the road for days on end.  However, if we are not set apart by being Holy, that is exactly the stench that rises up to God's nostrils.  Are you presenting road kill to God?

As a Living Sacrifice, we are a fragrant smell in God's nostrils. Why?  Because when Christ died on the cross, he was the substitute lamb.  That in and of itself does not make a fragrant smell, but rather that Christ rose from the dead.  That is where we get the Living Sacrifice part of the scripture, as He places His living Holy Spirit inside of us, and when we are Holy/set-apart for him, we are not a stench in His nostrils, but yet our worship and sacrifice is desirable to Him.

I have heard people say not to Conform.  That is accurate and it is not.  We are not to Conform to this world.  We are however, to Conform to Christ.  This happens through His Transformation process in us.  We then become new creations in Christ, where the old is passed away, and we become new (II Corinthians 5:17).  

So how does Christ transform us?  First, we have to lay down our lives and surrender to Him.  This comes through the regenerating power of salvation, and saving us from a life of sin and death.  Second, we daily surrender our lives and crucify the flesh and the wants and the desires of instant gratification, by allowing His Holy Spirit to make us into His image.  We ourselves do not "become" Christ-like per se, but rather sanctification is Him placed in us.  So less of me, and more of Him shining forth.  

Life Application: 
How do we put a guard over what we "let/put" into our lives?  Here are a couple of scripture passages that caution us against allowing the world to creep into our lives.  I say this not as somebody that has it all figured out, but as one that needs a constant reminder to safeguard my heart.

I Corinthians 15:33 (ESV)
"Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals."

Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

I John 2:15-17 (ESV)
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

The below video is a great demonstration of how God uses a simple basic caterpillar, and transforms him through the chrysalis stage into a beautiful Monarch Butterfly.  In many ways this is the process of Sanctification that Christ does in our lives.  He transforms us when we do not conform to the ways of this world, but rather conform to him, and we allow Him  to set us apart through Holiness, to be an element of transformation in Him.

Genesis 16:1-6 ESV

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children[a] by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. 4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.[b] 5 And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!” 6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. 7 The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.” 9 The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” 11 And the angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant  and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael,[c]  because the Lord has listened to your affliction.  12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man,  his hand against everyone  and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”  13 So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,”[d] for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”[e] 14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi;[f] it lies between Kadesh and Bered. 15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

​I find this story in Genesis very thought provoking, as there are times where I do not "feel" like God sees or hears me.  We all go through dry spells in our relationship with the Lord, and feel like an island unto our self.  However, this passage is a clear indication that God does see and hear us, no matter what we might feel or based on our emotion for that day.  

In Genesis 16 we see clearly where Sarai gets ahead of God and tells Abraham to sleep with her handmaid Hagar in order to bear a child, as Sarai was barren at that point.  Once the deed is done, Sarai harbors contempt for not only Hagar, but for her husband going through with her suggestion.  Bitterness was eating Sarai up inside.  It is easy to point fingers and criticize where characters in the Bible went astray, but the truth is that we can learn from them, as we encounter similar struggles in our lives today. It is easy to get distracted by getting ahead of God and his will for our lives.  

There are a couple of things that resonate from the above passage.  1) Just like Eve offered Adam the apple in the Garden of Eden, and just like Adam partook in his wife's offering, so Abram also gave in to the offering by his wife.  I find the parallels of Eve and Sarai, and Adam and Abram to be a little eye opening.  2) Once Hagar conceived, there was nothing but contempt by Sarai towards Hagar, Ishamael, and Abram.  It is important to note that just aimlessly following instructions by someone, without the guidance of the Holy Spirit (which under the new covenant we are blessed to have indwell in us), will result in confusion, contempt, and displeasure.  We can't hide behind excuses or blame!  Personal accountability and ownership is tantamount.  3) I also find it very sobering that once Hagar is cast out into the wilderness while pregnant with Ishamael, an angel of the Lord appears to her and tells her to return!  Imagine being rejected and hated, and being told to return back into that environment.  It is worthy of noting right here that Hagar was obedient to the angel of the Lord, and said "You are a God of seeing!"  

Now at this point, the average Christian tunes out, as Ishamael is the father of the Arab nations, and Isaac who is estimated to have been born 14 years later, is the father of Judaism/Israel.  I however find it very insightful that just because Abram jumped ahead of God and His plan for him to father Isaac as the father of many nations, He also did not turn his back on Hagar or Ishamael.

Genesis 17:15-21 ESV

15 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah[d] shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give[e] you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.[f] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”

This brings us to the passage above of God Hearing us.  Abraham is making a statement to God, "Oh that Ishamael might live before you!"  God tells him No, as he wanted the chosen bloodline to continue through Isaac, and not Ishmael, but he "Hears" Abraham, and promises blessings and fruitful multiplication to Ishmael's descendants.  

We see clearly through these two passages that God sees and hears Hagar and Abraham, and later in chapter 21 of Genesis (when Hagar and Ishmael are cast out together) we once again see where God says that he hears the voice of Ishamael crying out in the wilderness.  

Is there a time in your life where you felt void of God seeing or hearing you?  Do you ever feel alone, and that nothing that you do is ever seen or heard.  These passages give me hope, in that in situations that were not so pleasant and pleasing, God makes a point of letting His servants know that He Sees and Hears them.  

Life Application: We all get ahead of God at times like both Abram and Sarai did.  We all encounter rejection in life like Hagar & Ishmael did.  Some of us might encounter depression & rejection, and feel like we are cast out into the wilderness.  What is applicable is the solution to these dilemmas.  We see that each of these characters in the Bible in these scenarios cried out to the Lord.  I encourage each of you to cry out to the Lord, as He Sees and Hears you!