Daily Devotional

There are some passages in the Word that you can read over and over, believing you understand them and pass them by. That's how these verses were to me for many years till suddenly I came to a revelation of understanding the word abide. It literally means "to stay, or remain, to accept or obey." It comes from the Old English word wait. So what does that mean to wait in His Word? This time as I continued reading the passage (John 8:33-36 I saw even more the depth of that word.

The Jews were fixated on the thought of freedom. They became defensive and defended themselves with their relationship to Abraham and claimed the freedom they had because of it. Jesus followed up on that by comparing a characteristic of bondage/slavery and relating it to sin. He makes an analogy between a slave and a free man. The slave doesn't abide (wait, stay, remain) in a house forever, but… the son does.

So going back again to the words, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples…" It makes sense that the word abode (to stay, wait, dwell) comes from the word abide. It is that staying, and remaining in God's Word that keeps me living with Him. It is that constant living with Him that helps me to know what is true, especially in these times when the world's thoughts and philosophies of love and acceptance can cause my mind to question what is true. I have to keep dwelling/abiding with my Jesus and He shows me and reminds me what is really true.

Oh Lord, I pray for our world, our state, our city, our church, our family, for myself. We need the reminder that we can be swayed away from the truth by the tickling of our ears with what sounds good, "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting (Ephesians 4:14, read Ephesians 4:10-16). Lord help us to abide in Your Word and give us discernment to know and understand what is true, that we can have freedom and live as Your sons and daughters.
 
I Speak Jesus 

Verse 1: I just want to speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
'Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus

Verse 2:
I just want to speak the name of Jesus
'Til every dark addiction starts to break
Declaring there is hope and there is freedom
I speak Jesus

Chorus:
'Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire

Verse 3:
I just want to speak the name of Jesus
Over fear and all anxiety
To every soul held captive by depression
I speak Jesus

Bridge:
Shout Jesus from the mountains,
Jesus in the streets
Jesus in the darkness over every enemy
Jesus for my family I speak the holy name, Jesus
 
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New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.