Devotionals
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5 (NIV).
Let's take a closer look at the vine. Inside the vine, nutrients are feeding it so that it will survive. Those nutrients are flowing to the branches as well so they may bear fruit.
What happens if the branch is cut off from the vine? It dies. It cannot bear fruit apart from the vine. It must be connected to the vine to bear fruit.
The branch itself cannot bear fruit on its own. It is the vine that bears fruit through the branch.
So what does this mean? How can we apply it to our lives?
This verse says that Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. As we have already established, branches cannot bear fruit without the vine. The vine produces fruit through the branches. The branches cannot do it on their own.
We cannot produce fruit on our own. Christ does it through us, but we have to be connected to Christ, our Power Source.
Accepting Christ is a start, but what are we doing every day to connect to Christ?
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." - Matthew 6:33 (NIV).
I stopped doing the normal prayer and devotions thing. You know where you set aside time everyday to be with God.
Instead I read a handful of Scriptures in the morning before getting out of bed from devotions I subscribed to via email. I have an ongoing conversation with God throughout my day.
Norman Vincent Peale called this "Taking God as your Partner."
Sometimes I am angry, frustrated or just venting, but I am continually asking for His advice and help.
To connect to our Vine, Christ, it is all about connection. It is not enough to just be a Christian. We must draw on Him...on His Strength, His Mercy, His Peace, His Resources, His Love.
We need to take our eyes off us and our resources. Instead we must put our eyes on Jesus and what He did on the Cross for us, on all He died to give us.
Salvation, yes, but He took stripes on His back to heal us here on Earth (I Peter 2:24, Romans 8:11), a crown on thorns (Matthew 27:29) pierced His head to heal our mental issues, He hung on a tree to relief us of the Curse (Galatians 3:13).
Become Christ-conscious. Look to Christ as your Source. Draw on His Resources instead of yours.
Remember Philippians 4:19 (NIV): " And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.". His Resources. Not ours.
Practice being Christ-conscious today.
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