Blog post June 30, 2026

By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 1 John 4:13

Yesterday we considered how Jesus was vindicated by the Spirit. The Spirit proved He was the Son of God. It is interesting in todays scripture reading we see it is the same for us. His Spirit within us proves we are His children.

As I have pondered my life and the fact the Holy Spirit resides with me, I quickly do a self evaluation and ask myself, is it evident? I think we (I) have the ideal built up in our(my) minds that we will be more like Him if this is really the case.

I became a Christian at the age of 17 and ironically I also became engaged to be married at the age of 17. For 45 years I have been married to the love of my life. I have never known one day of my adult life where I have not been the husband of my wife. Have I done it perfectly? Far from it, but I will say I have always had the desire to do better, to be better, for my wife.

Just as I don't have an adult life prior to marriage to compare myself too, I don't have an adult life prior to salvation to compare myself too. As I became an adult I got the Holy Spirit. Have I done life perfectly? Far from it, and my accuser reminds me daily of my shortcomings, and yet there has never been one day that I have ceased being a child of God. Ceased to have the Holy Spirit within me, leading me to do better, to be better for my Lord.

If I have learned one secret over the years that is worth sharing it is that the answer to being a better husband and a better child of God lie within "abiding". Abiding in Christ is what allows the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in our (my) lives. The proof that the Holy Spirit resides within us is seen by the fruit He bears and that fruit is directly related to our abiding in Christ.

There is no hope of being a better anything if we do not abide in Christ. So if there is one area of your life that you (we) should prioritize, it is the area of abiding. Learn what it is to abide, submit and obey. The Holy Spirit will then vindicate (prove) you (us) as well.

Heavenly Father thank you for Your Holy Spirit. Oh may we do a better job of abiding in Christ so the Holy Spirit is evident in our lives. May we do a better job of submitting to His work in our lives, for Your glory. I pray in Jesus name. AMEN AMEN