Abide

Why Abide?

Every Nation has always placed a high premium on the power, truthfulness, and benefit of Scripture. God reveals himself to us through his Word, by which he transforms and empowers us. In 2022, we’re calling everyone to a renewed commitment to read, understand, believe, and obey God’s Word. Thus, our 2022 consecration devotional material will focus on metaphors that refer to the Word.

Introduction

Deuteronomy 8, Matthew 4:3–4, Luke 4:1–4, John 4:34

Read Deuteronomy 8:1–20 “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” — Deuteronomy 8:3 Bread was central to the diet of the ancient Near East. Even today, many cultures have a bread that is unique and prevalent to their diets. There is the crunchy baguette in France, the unleavened roti in India, the spongy injera in Ethiopia, the thin tortilla in Mexico, and the soft pandesal in the Philippines. But in Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses declares that man doesn’t live by bread alone. While the Israelites were in the wilderness, God provided for them by raining down manna, a bread-like food, from heaven. Now, as they prepare to enter the Promised Land, a land of plenty, Moses takes time to remind the people who fed them in the wilderness. And even though they will no longer need bread to rain down from heaven in the new place they are going, their dependence on God remains the same. It is in trusting and obeying God’s Word that they will live and thrive in the land. They need his Word like they need bread to survive. In the same way, our dependence on God’s Word should be like our reliance on bread. Each day of this fast, our bodies will crave more and more the nourishment that bread provides. But it is this craving, this almost all-consuming awareness of our need for food, that this metaphor of God’s Word as bread becomes all the more relevant to us. Just as our bodies crave bread, we should crave God’s Word, living in constant awareness of our need for him and his words every day. In fact, we learn in John’s gospel that Jesus himself is the very Word of God. He calls himself the “bread of life,” promising that whoever comes to him will never hunger or thirst. When we come before him and fill ourselves with God’s Word, we can receive his salvation and be truly fulfilled. God’s Word is true. God’s Word is powerful. And it is through God’s Word that he reveals himself to us, and we are transformed and empowered to live for him. As we go into a week of prayer and fasting and our hunger for bread grows day by day, may our appetite for God’s Word grow even more. Reflect: 1. Think of a situation when you had to depend on God. Give him thanks for sustaining you through it. 2. What verse or passage has kept you encouraged this past year? Take time to praise God for his Word being trustworthy and powerful in your life. Pray: “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” — Deuteronomy 8:3 God, thank you for the gift of the Bible. Through your Word, you speak to me and remind me that you are for me. You show your everlasting character, and I learn to hear your voice as I read and meditate on scripture. Lord, help me build a daily desire to abide in your Word, a desire that would grow throughout my walk with you. Your Word nourishes my spirit and fulfills my heart. As I pray, fast, and consecrate myself to you this week, may my understanding and love for you grow as I draw nearer to you. In Jesus’ name, amen. GOD’S WORD SUSTAINS US.

Day 1

1 Peter 1:13–25, Mark 4:3–9, Mark 4:13–20

Read 1 Peter 1:13–25 “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God . . .” — 1 Peter 1:23 In this verse, Peter tells us that it is through the imperishable seed of the Word of God that we have been born again. What does he mean by this? In God’s Word, we find the good news of what God has done in Jesus Christ to save us. And it is through the good news found in God’s Word that one is born again. But God doesn’t just uncover his plan of salvation through his Word. He reveals his very self to us. That’s why Peter calls it the living and abiding Word. Peter compares the Word of God to an imperishable seed. What’s interesting about a seed is that it’s dry and dull with little evidence of life before you plant it. But once it’s in the proper condition, planted in damp and nutrient-rich soil, life bursts forth from it as we eagerly wait above the surface for those signs of life to appear. Just like a seed needs to be planted in the proper condition for life to spring forth, God’s Word is waiting to be planted in the good soil of a believing heart. And then, by the Holy Spirit, his Word will germinate, take root, and grow, bringing life and beauty to whatever it touches. When we open up the living and abiding Word of God, we encounter the God of the universe, the one who created all things and is making all things new. And when we meet him, our lives can’t help but be transformed. There may be areas of your life that have felt dry. Maybe your love for the lost has waned, or your passion for God’s mission has been quenched. God’s living and abiding Word will never lose its power to touch every dull, dry, and dead area of your life, causing it to burst forth with new life that is lasting and eternal. And as his Word touches and transforms our lives, we can’t help but sow this imperishable seed, sharing the good news of what Jesus has done to save us, wherever we go. Reflect: 1. Think about when you first heard the gospel. Did someone share it with you? Reflect on that moment, thanking God for his salvation. 2. Since the Word is living and abiding, what are some areas of your life it can renew this week? Pray: “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God . . .” — 1 Peter 1:23 God, I believe that your Word is an imperishable seed that can renew every area of my life. I can bring my brokenness, confusion, and insecurities before you, knowing that you make me whole, confident, and secure through the seed of your Word. You have brought me from death to life and are faithful to finish the good work you began in me. Lord, I pray that you will continue to change my life to reflect your love to others around me. Because of your Word that you’ve planted in me, I can be bold to share your gospel wherever I go. Amen. GOD’S WORD MAKES ALL THINGS NEW.

Day 2

Psalm 119:105–112, Psalm 119:130

Read Psalm 119:105–112 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105 Psalm 119 is a wisdom psalm that expounds on God’s Word as the perfect guide for life. In verse 105, the psalmist says that God’s Word is a lamp to his feet and a light to his path. In the ancient Near East, a lamp was a small bowl with a pinched lip on the side where the wick would sit. Filling the bowl with oil, you would light the wick, providing enough light to illuminate a dark path. As we go through life, we’re frequently faced with situations beyond our ability to navigate: decisions we have to make, challenging circumstances we face, ideas and ideologies we have to wrestle with. We try to figure things out on our own, but without a guide, we stumble in the darkness. We need a trustworthy light to illuminate the dark path in front of us. In God’s Word, we find such a guide. In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul tells us that all Scripture is God’s breathed-out Word, meaning the words found in the Bible are from God. Do you have someone in your life who is so reliable that when they tell you something, you trust their words without question? You can trust them because their character has proven to you over time that they are trustworthy. And if we can trust a person’s words, how much more can we trust the words of our perfect God, who has proven time and again that he is good? God’s Word is a trustworthy and reliable guide because God is a trustworthy and reliable guide. You may currently face a situation beyond your ability to navigate—a decision you have to make or a challenging circumstance you have to respond to. God’s Word is a bright light to guide your dark path and provide you with the wisdom you need. And not only will God’s Word give you wisdom, but in obeying God’s Word, you will grow as a person of wisdom who can shine his light in a dark world. Reflect: 1. Think of a time when God’s Word has given you wisdom during a difficult circumstance. Spend time in thanksgiving for his guidance. 2. Praise God that he is trustworthy and reliable. Are there areas in your life where you can better trust God’s Word for guidance? Pray: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105 Heavenly Father, you have given me your perfect Word as a guide through this imperfect world. Because you are good, trustworthy, omniscient, and kind, I can lean into your guidance in every situation I face. You care about my life and the decisions I have to make. Your Word has the power to bring order to chaos and is light in the darkness. I have no reason to fear. As I hide your Word deep in my heart, teach me how to read and apply it to my life. Amen. GOD’S WORD GUIDES US.

Day 3

James 1:19–25, Romans 2:13

Read James 1:19–25 “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.” — James 1:23–24 James is writing to Christian Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire who are experiencing trials and who, during these trials, are following the worldly practices of those around them instead of putting God’s Word into practice. And so, throughout his letter, James makes the point that it’s not enough to hear God’s Word. We have to do what it says. Here, James compares someone who hears the Word and doesn’t do what it says to a person who examines himself in a mirror but then walks away and forgets what he looks like. The analogy almost seems ludicrous. How can you look closely at yourself to see how you really look and then walk away and forget? But that’s the point that James is trying to make. Do you examine yourself in the mirror in the morning, checking to make sure your hair isn’t sticking up straight, or you don’t have anything in your teeth? In this process, if you noticed a giant smudge on your face, would you walk away and forget about it? Just as it would be foolish to walk away and do nothing about a smudge on your face–to forget what you look like–it is foolish after examining God’s Word to walk away and not obey it. Like a mirror, God’s Word shows us what we’re really like. Without his Word, it’s easy to deceive ourselves into thinking we’re something we’re not, to ignore our weaknesses, and make excuses for our sin, especially when we’re in the midst of challenging circumstances like James’ audience. But this isn’t possible when we hold up God’s Word to our life. When we examine our lives by the truth of God’s Word, we see what we’re really like, and we’re met with God’s grace and mercy to repent and be transformed. We need to investigate God’s Word so that it can show us who we really are, but we can’t stop there. We then need to walk away and put God’s Word into practice. Reflect: 1. How have you seen God’s grace and mercy at work in your life? 2. Are there areas where you have been hesitant to put God’s Word into practice? Take a moment to praise him for his love and mercy toward you. Pray: “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.” — James 1:23–24 As I read your Word, O Lord, I trust that you will show me what I am like and what you are making me to be. Search my heart and reveal where and how I need to put your Word into practice in my life. Grant me the humility to do what your Word says as a faith response to your free gift of salvation. Holy Spirit, thank you for your power that helps me obey, changes my heart, and directs my steps. In Jesus’ name, amen. GOD’S WORD REVEALS WHO WE ARE.

Day 4

Jeremiah 23:23–32, Acts 2:37–38

Read Jeremiah 23:23–32 “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” — Jeremiah 23:29 The prophet Jeremiah lived during tumultuous times for the nation of Judah. He started his career as a prophet during the reign of King Josiah, the last faithful king, and he continued to prophesy during the final years before Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the people were brought as captives into Babylon. Throughout Jeremiah’s ministry, he proclaimed the bitter message that judgment was coming, calling the people to turn from their evil and idolatrous ways and to turn back to the pure worship of the one true God. But the people didn’t listen to Jeremiah. Instead, they chose to listen to false prophets, men who spoke attractive messages that reflected what the people wanted to hear rather than declaring the word of the Lord. Contrary to these futile and hollow words spoken by the prophets, God’s Word is a hammer, capable of breaking the hardest rock to pieces. When you see the word “hammer,” you may think of a carpenter’s hammer that’s used in most projects around the house to drive nails into an object. But in this context, it’s better to think of a blacksmith’s hammer used to forge and shape metal and, when wielded with great force, can crush and shatter an object. As we walk with Jesus, it’s possible for our hearts to become hardened. This can happen through a secret sin that goes unconfessed, bitterness that comes from unforgiveness, or the cynicism that creeps into our hearts when a prayer goes unanswered. During these times, we may find ourselves endlessly scrolling on social media, reading negative news online, and binge-watching television more than abiding in God’s Word. But when we open up the Word of God, we experience the weight of his hammer, able to crush and shatter the sin, bitterness, and cynicism of a hardened heart as we respond in humility and repentance. Reflect: 1. How have you experienced God’s Word softening your heart? Thank him for his power to change your heart. 2. Are there particular moments or hardships that have caused you to follow “false prophets” rather than turning to God’s Word? Pray: “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” — Jeremiah 23:29 God, you know my heart better than anyone, and you have loved me even when I have drifted from your ways. Show me how I have drifted and place me back on solid ground. I repent for when I have placed my trust in the things of this world instead of in your Word. Your Word has the power to turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh. I open myself up for you to mold my life. God, as you soften my heart, empower me to bring your Word to those around me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen. GOD’S WORD SOFTENS OUR HEART.

Day 5

Hebrews 4:1–12, Ephesians 6:13–17

Read Hebrews 4:1–12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” — Hebrews 4:12 Leading up to Hebrews 4:12, the author speaks about a Sabbath rest that God has for us. While this Sabbath rest was offered to the Israelites, their disobedience and unbelief kept them from entering it. Now, this Sabbath rest is provided to those in Christ, but the author of Hebrews warns us not to take it for granted like the Israelites did so that we won’t fall by the same sort of disobedience. The author of Hebrews then talks about the power of the Word of God, comparing it to a double-edged sword. With swords, there are different types of blades, each designed for a different purpose. Some are meant for force, while others are meant for accuracy. A double-edged sword, sharpened on both sides, is uniquely designed to pierce its mark with precision. As we learned from James, the Word of God shows us what we’re really like, and as we learned from Jeremiah, God’s Word has the power to crush our sin-hardened hearts. Now here in Hebrews, we find that the Word of God is a double-edged sword, able to pierce to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow. Essentially, this means that it can penetrate to the very core and essence of who we are. But the author also says that the Word of God is living and active, meaning that it doesn’t just pierce our heart, showing us who we are and convicting us of our sin, but it has the power to transform us from the inside out. As we live out our salvation in Jesus, we don’t want to fall by the same disobedience and unbelief that the Israelites did in the wilderness. But as we read the living and active Word, this double-edged sword will pierce us, showing us what’s really in our hearts and transforming us more and more into Christ’s image as we respond in repentance and faith. Reflect: 1. Faith and repentance are gifts from God that draw us closer to him. Have you thanked him for these gifts? 2. What areas in your life are you in faith to see the Word transform? Pray: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” — Hebrews 4:12 O Lord, thank you for your living and active Word that transforms me from the inside out. I choose to abide in it even as it cuts through the hard places of my heart. Lord, I repent of when I have conformed to the world’s standards. I pray that you would transform and renew my mind as I meditate on your Word daily. Increase my faith and make me more like Christ as I read it. Amen. GOD’S WORD TRANSFORMS US.

Conclusion

Matthew 7:24–27, 1 Peter 2:4–10

Read Matthew 7:24–27 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” — Matthew 7:24 In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shares with his disciples and the crowds what life in the kingdom should be like. He then ends this famous sermon with this warning: will you be a wise builder and build your life on the rock of my words? Or will you be a foolish builder and disregard my words, building your life on the sand? If you live somewhere that experiences frequent flash floods, then this illustration that Jesus uses of building your life on a firm foundation will be relevant to you. In a matter of minutes, torrential rains can tear through with power, destroying what was once a beautiful home. And just like storms reveal the state of a building’s foundation, the storms of life reveal whether or not we have built our life on the firm foundation of God’s Word. This week, we’ve learned that the Word of God is like bread necessary for our spiritual nourishment, a seed planted in our heart and bearing fruit, a light illuminating our path and guiding us into all wisdom, a mirror showing us who we really are, a hammer that can crush our sin-hardened hearts, and a sword able to pierce to the core of who we are and bring transformation. The question is, what will you do moving forward from this fast? Will you be a wise builder who builds your life on a firm foundation? While this week has been a powerful time of coming together and experiencing God and hearing from him, participating in an annual five-day fast is not enough to build your life on a firm foundation. It’s in the lifestyle of daily reading and obeying God’s Word that we build in such a way that the storms of life can’t tear us down. Reflect: 1. Abiding in God’s Word is abiding in Jesus, the living Word of God. Is Jesus the foundation on which your life is built? 2. In The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word “abide” means “to remain stable or fixed in a state; to continue in a place.” In 2022 and beyond, how will you make a renewed commitment to abide in—reading, understanding, believing, and obeying—God’s Word? Pray: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” — Matthew 7:24 Heavenly Father, I thank you for what you have done in my life this week. Thank you that you show up when I seek your face and that you are faithful to speak to me. You have given the gift of your Word that I may build my life on the solid foundation of who you are. Help me to abide in your Word daily that I may hide it in my heart and experience your life-transforming power. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen. GOD’S WORD IS OUR SOLID FOUNDATION.