Staying Connected is Good for Everyone
Today we want to look at the concept of staying connected to Jesus, and staying connected to each other, in the body of Christ. In John 15:1-6, Jesus talks about making sure that we don’t drift away from Him;
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.”
This aspect of staying connected to God is greatly overlooked by many good Christians. We must accept the fact that by ourselves, we have an enormous capability to make a big mess of things. We fail to see the coming freight train, and stand oblivious to problems around us that are brewing. If we could just stay in close contact with our Father, with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit, things would go much better for us.
If staying close to Jesus was never going to be a problem, then He would not have spent so much time, warning us about the pitfalls of falling away. But, the falling away only describes part of what Jesus is revealing to us here. The second part of the warning comes with a promise of protection, prosperity, and peace of mind. Let’s look further here in John 15:7-11,
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
So the benefits of staying in Jesus go way beyond eternal life. Let’s look at the points that Jesus gives us in John 15:
- Yahweh the Father is the land-owner.
- Jesus grows as a Grapevine in God’s garden.
- We grow as branches out of Jesus the Vine.
- The Father cuts away branches (people) that won’t grow.
- Branches not connected to Jesus the Vine, don’t bear any good fruit.
- The cut branches are burned by fire (signifying hell).
- Branches that stay connected, get to ask God for anything!
- God gets all the glory when you bear MUCH good fruit.
- God loves those who stay connected.
- Your joy is made full.
Our prayer for today;
Father Yahweh, fill me with Your joy, and increase my harvest, as according to Your word, and keep me connected to the Vine, that is Jesus, in Jesus’ name, amen!
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