Abiding in the Vine

 By Andrea Merrell

 

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.         John 15:5 NKJV

 

“I know I’m the branch and He’s the Vine, but I don’t understand the abiding part,” the girl said. “How’s that supposed to work?”

 

To abide means to remain or to continue in a certain place. To stay connected. One of the best illustrations I’ve ever heard is about a simple tea bag. On its own, the tea bag is of no use, but when you place it in hot water, something happens. The longer the bag stays (abides) in the water, the stronger and more flavorful the cup of tea becomes. The water surrounds and permeates the tea bag, bringing out the best possible result.

 

We are like that tea bag. Useless on our own. The Word says without Him, we can do nothing. To abide in Him is a matter of remaining in His presence and in His Word. To stay connected (to the Vine). The more we do this, the more His presence surrounds and permeates our spirit, soul, and body, bringing out the very best in us.

 

He is the Vine. We are the branches. When we learn to truly abide in Him, we will produce fruit—the Fruit of the Spirit.

 

Are you abiding in Him and producing fruit?

 

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and nalinratphi.)

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Are you abiding in the Vine and producing the Fruit of the Spirit? via @AndreaMerrell(Click to tweet.)

 

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Living Unplugged

By Andrea Merrell

I am the vine, you are the branches.

He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit;

for without Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5 NKJV

In this technology-driven society, how can we possibly live without our devices—especially if we don’t keep them in good shape and charged?

I need a charger for my Fit Bit, my iPhone, and my iPad. My laptop will only work just so long without being plugged in.  All these devices have a short shelf life without being recharged. Even my desktop computer must be connected in order to function.

But what about me?

How long can I be fruitful and productive—especially for the kingdom of God—when my battery runs out? 

When I pay close attention, it’s easy to tell when my battery is low. My patience runs thin, my frustration level changes drastically, and my words become curt and even unkind. When I need recharging—or refilling—it's difficult to control my thoughts and guard my attitude toward someone who has offended me.

This is the time to run to my only source of supply. The Bible calls Him the Vine. We are the branches. In order to be fruitful, we must stay connected.

There’s an old song that talks about having a little talk with Jesus. According to the writer, it makes everything right.  

Are you abiding in the Vine? If not, have a little talk with Jesus today. He's waiting to hear from you.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and atibodyphoto.)

TWEETABLE

In order to be fruitful for the kingdom, we must be connected to the Vine. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

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