DAILY DEVOTIONAL: MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2020
SCRIPTURE READING
John 15:7a
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you
If a sentence begins with the word “if,” then we expect it to be followed with the word “then.” See how that just worked?
If this, then that. If the bathroom door is closed, then someone is in the bathroom. If the dinner table is set, then there are knives, forks, spoons, glasses, and napkins at each place on the table.
Our verse begins with the word “if.” If we abide in Jesus and Jesus’ words abide in us, then something—but we’re not going to get to that something tonight. We’ll save it for tomorrow night.
Tonight we’re just going to look at the conditions Jesus gives for us to receive the promise. What are those conditions?
Two conditions: first, if we abide in Jesus; and second, if Jesus’ words abide in us.
We’ve already talked a lot about abiding in Jesus. This has been the theme of much of the chapter so far. We must abide in Jesus. We must be attached to Jesus. How are we attached to Jesus?
We are attached to Jesus by trusting Jesus. We trust Jesus with our money and time and children. We trust Jesus about Coronavirus. We abide in Jesus when we trust Jesus.
The second condition is that Jesus’ words must abide in us. What does it mean for Jesus’ words to abide in us?
Jesus’ words abide in us when we obey His commands. We hear Him telling us to do this and not that, and we obey. Jesus’s words also abide in us when we listen to His Word, the Bible, preached each Sunday.
Jesus’ words also abide in us when we memorize these verses in John 15. All the words of the Bible are Jesus’ words, so when we memorize them, we’re working hard to get Jesus’ words to abide in us. That’s a very good thing, isn’t it?
Scripture: John 15:7a If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you
QUESTIONS
- Can you come up with an if-then statement?
- What are the two ifs we studied tonight?
- When we memorize Bible verses, we are working to get Jesus’ words to _ _ _ _ _ in us.
SONG OF THE WEEK
Like a River Glorious
Like a river glorious
Is God’s perfect peace,
Over all victorious
In its bright increase;
Perfect, yet it floweth
Fuller ev’ry day,
Perfect, yet it groweth
Deeper all the way.
Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blest,
Finding, as he promised,
Perfect peace and rest.
Hidden in the hollow
Of his blessed hand,
Never foe can follow,
Never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry,
Not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry
Touch the spirit there.
Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blest,
Finding, as he promised,
Perfect peace and rest.
Ev’ry joy or trial
Falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial
By the Sun of Love.
We may trust him fully
All for us to do;
They who trust him wholly
Find him wholly true.
Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blest,
Finding, as he promised,
Perfect peace and rest.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY
O God, purify my heart that I may entirely love You and rejoice in being loved by You; that I may confide in You, and absolutely resign myself to You, and be filled with constant devotion toward You; that I may never sink into a base love of anything here below nor be oppressed with the cares of this life; but assist me to hate that which is evil and hold fast to that which is good. In Christ’s name. Amen.
SCRIPTURE MEMORY THIS WEEK
John 15:5-6 (KJV)
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
