By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:8)
Our deepest desire as Christ followers is to glorify God. But it is possible that in our attempts to do so, we end up doing just the opposite? We try to glorify God but it results in giving credit to ourselves because of self-effort.
Jesus said that He is the Vine and we are the branches. We cannot accomplish anything apart from Him. When we are connected to Him, there is life. When we abide, we bear fruit – fruit that will last. On the contrary, if we are disjointed from Him, we may bear fruit, but unfortunately, it doesn’t last because we do it from the energy we conjure on our own rather than life that streams from the main Vine.
And this is the promise as we abide:
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)
I pray that as we begin our week, we will abide not by our own strength but by the strength we are able to receive because we are connected to Jesus. Connect to Him by reading the Word, by conversing with Him through prayer and by walking with men and women who do the same.
Have a great week ahead!
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