ABIDING - JESUS AND ME

When Jesus is the stimulus and I am the response, I am abiding.

"I am the vine, you are the branches." John 15:5

To live the abiding life is to live this wonderful stimulus/response reality moment by moment with Jesus. When Jesus is the continuous stimulus and I am the continuous response, then the fruit will always be sustained, generous love. God will be glorified. I will be a disciple.

When this stimulus/response is not in action, abiding and discipleship stop - always.

Using each letter of the word ABIDING there is a simple way to describe this moment by moment Jesus - stimulus - and - me response relationship.

Jesus - Abundance

Me - Believe

Jesus - Inspiration

Me - Devotion

Jesus - Illumination

Me - Now

Jesus - Grace Me - Generosity

This is the reality that should govern my inner and outer world. As I respond to the perfect stimulus of Jesus’ abundance, inspiration, illumination and grace, then all that He promised to be in me is mine to be received and released as fruit.

These verses have helped to encourage me to abandon the illusion of autonomy and live stimulated by the perfect life of Christ in me. I hope they do the same for you.

Jesus - Abundance - John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Me - Believe - John 7:37-38 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

John 6: 29 Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.

Jesus - Inspiration - John 15: 9-13 As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Me - Devotion - John 15:14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

Matthew 7: 24-27 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

Jesus - Illumination - John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.

Me - Now - John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Jesus - Grace - John 15: 4-5 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Me - Generosity - John 15: 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.


Christ in you is the abiding, stimulating life. Abide!