Nothing Apart From Me! (John 15:5)
""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." John 15:5Jesus is the vine, the source of life, character, and true effectiveness and I am a believing disciple in union and communion with HIM. HE has placed me into HIM""You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. "This I command you, that you love one another." John 15:16-17I need to moment by moment remain in a trusting relationship of total dependence upon the LORD Jesus the vine. I must recognize that I have no power, life, or ability to bear an effective loving life apart from HIM. I have no ability to produce real good works outside of HIS life flowing through me. Every action of love that I have ever done is really the result of the LORD Jesus’ work in me. The more I can really remember and rely on this reality then I can cooperate with this process of bearing the fruit of God’s love and love for God in my life. I can glorify the Father and the Son for making this possible. I can deeply believe that without the LORD Jesus I can do nothing worth doing for the kingdom of God. My effectiveness is 100% dependent on HIM and HIM alone. The Apostle Paul seems to reflect on this same truth when he says:""I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20My relationship with the LORD Jesus is then the most critical factor in determining my ability to live a life that has a legacy of loving word, deeds, and attitudes. The more deeply I am “in the vine” and the life of the VINE Jesus flows into me then I will produce an eternally productive way of life day by day. It all depends on my Messiah Jesus. So all my worship, prayer, bible reading, meditation, practicing HIS presence while living and working, needs to be aimed at experiencing the reality of the relationship HE has given me and recognize the wonder of my abiding life that is “IN HIM”. To feel and seek to allow to flow HIS life in me to accomplish HIS will on earth as in heaven. PrayerGood, great, and merciful Living Messiah Jesus, allow me to be a fruitful branch this day. I don’t want to waste today by trying to bear fruit in my own strength. I have no strength. I have no life but the life YOU give me. I am barren and broken outside of YOU. I can produce nothing truly productive outside of YOU. My one hope is that YOUR life will flow through me and produce in me words, actions, and attitudes of LOVE. Regardless of what I do, if I don’t have YOUR LOVE in me it profits me nothing at all. LORD, pour out YOUR love into me this day. I cast my many care on YOU. They are greater than my strength to bear them. Carry them for me. Lift me up, cleanse me, and make me a fruitful branch this day for YOUR glory and my good. Thank YOU for having mercy on me. Amen