The key to spiritual renewal (both personally and in the church) is to have a rich devotional life where we “abide in Christ.” To abide is to rest or remain. Jesus himself said: you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. John 15:5-6

The first effect of abiding in Christ is we have fellowship with God. A central theme of Scripture is the two-way relationship between God and man. God did not make mankind only to ignore him. No! When the universe was created it was declared, “good.” Man is the imago Dei, that is, made in the image of God to have fellowship with God.

Genesis tells us that in the beginning God walked and talked with Adam in the garden. Because God is pure and holy, he cannot tolerate sin in His presence, thus, when sin entered the world through disobedience, this close relationship was broken.

Because God does not change, he still wants fellowship with you and I. St Paul wrote God wants to renew this relationship with us through Jesus. Jesus is the way we find peace with God.

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 1 Corinthians 1:9
St John discovered the same thing: We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3

How do we do this? By prayer, by listening to prayer. By reading our Bibles, and learning from its lessons. God speaks to us through the Bible, we speak to God through prayer. The key to a meaningful relationship with God is found in listening and learning….on a regular basis. Have you taken time to be with Jesus today? Unhurried time? Have you spoken with Him, today?