Today’s Encouragement is John 15:5 [Jesus said] “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.”
You can do nothing –
“I think I’m offended! Jesus is saying without Him, I can’t do anything! But I can tie my shoes! I can eat lunch… so, what is He saying?”
Jesus explains that He is the vine, and that we are branches – attached to His vine. Only by our remaining in His vine, in contact, abiding, with Him, through a life-giving connection with Him, by our relationship with Him, can we ever ‘bear fruit’, or have any real success – have any lasting value.
The analogy goes on to be even more serious, because, without Jesus, the Vine, and our life-giving connection to Him, we can do Nothing. Because we are dead without Him…
Nothing.
But by remaining IN Him, attached to His Vine, we will bear much fruit. Philippians 4:13 “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Through Christ… attached to Him, dwelling, abiding in Him.
Lord Draw us nearer, make us more aware of the life-giving and life-sustaining relationship we can have with You. So that we have life, and we can ‘bear much fruit’, the fruit of Your amazing love for this lost and dying world.
Without You
Paul Baloche
Today’s Encouragement 