The Source

John 15:4-5 “Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” ~CSB

The next time you pick up a stick, look up at the tree it fell from. Take a look at the branches still attached to the tree. Those branches have leaves and are not easily broken. The branches still connected are capable of bearing fruit because of the tree it is connected to. But the branch you are holding is brittle, easily broken and does not possess the power to produce anything. It is dead because it is no longer attached to the source that gave it life. 

The sacrifice of God’s One and Only Son is the reason we have life. We have life because we are connected to Jesus. This eternal life was granted by the Father at the cost of His Son’s death on the cross. It is because of Jesus’ death our sins have been forgiven. The accountability for our sins have been paid in full. God then resurrected his Son from the grave so that we may have everlasting life.

Now we only need to believe! Confessing with our mouth that Jesus did this for us! We must know in our hearts that God loved us so much that He did this for us and allowed us another chance to be with Him. In offering us this chance, He has created a purpose for our lives as we live here on earth. Think about it, when it comes to ‘righteousness’: in what we do, where and how we work, even in how we raise our children. How we function in society, the way we live with and around others, how we forgive and how we receive forgiveness; all comes from how strong our relationship is with Christ Jesus!

Everything and everyone around us will flourish successfully if we remain, ‘everyday’, in Jesus. When we do this, we allow Him to remain in us. Jesus is our source of life, our tree, our ‘vine’. If we do not have him, we are just a branch, broken from the tree, on the ground dying. Any leaves or fruits on us will die with us because we are no longer receiving from our ‘source of life’. Eventually we will die like that brittle stick we found on the ground.

Stay connected with the source! Jesus says, “The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit.” God’s fruit of love in us will change this world! It will bring hope of light inside all who believe. As they witness this in us, others will seek God, receive His Son and live righteous lives! Disciples will be made and God’s Word will continue to spread and free the souls of His children. 

Keep Jesus close. Because without Him, “...you can do nothing…” May God bless and keep you well as you journey in Jesus’ name.

Amen

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