Now or Never: Daily Promise 24
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“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:4-5 (NIV)
If you’re anything like most people, you approach the changes you want to make in your life with great intentions! It may be improving your physical fitness, losing those extra pounds, financial freedom, or completing your education. The trouble is we often lack the power to accomplish them. We want to be more fruitful and effective and yet can’t seem to align our actions with our intentions. If that describes you, I have some great news. Jesus offers you and me a promise in John 15:4-5 (NIV) that will guarantee a fruitful and productive life. He said, “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Here’s the good news, branches that are connected to the vine don’t have to try to produce fruit; they simply bear the fruit that the vine produces. Your job is not to produce anything, but to “remain in Him!” The responsibility to make things happen isn’t yours; it is God’s. Trying to behave a certain way because we think that’s what we should do, is like tying plastic apples to an apple tree. It’s artificial fruit. Real fruit, “much fruit,” comes from abiding or remaining in Christ!
You can relax from striving to produce fruit. It’s not about striving but abiding. Instead, press into an intimate personal relationship with Christ by spending time alone with God daily in prayer, reading the Bible, and doing what He’s telling you to do. Make weekly worship at church a spiritual habit. Connection with Christ and other Christ followers creates the dynamic for real life change. If you’re not already connected with a church family, I want to invite you to connect with Woodlands Church at our Membership Class this Sunday following the last morning service. You can register now at wc.org/membership. If you are unable to attend in person you can join us online at live.wc.org for the class. Those coming in person will enjoy a free lunch and meet our pastors.
As you connect with Christ and other Christ followers, you’ll be amazed at the fruit He will produce in your life!
· If you’ve never made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ, you may want to pray this prayer: Oh God, I have tried so hard in my own strength to please You and to do Your will. Thank You for not leaving it up to me. I invite You into my heart as my Lord and Savior. Forgive me for my pride in thinking I can live my life apart from You. Thank You for dying on the cross for all my sins and rising from the dead to offer me Your life. I receive You today. Change me from the inside out and make my life fruitful as I remain in You.
· If Jesus Christ is already your personal Lord and Savior, you may want to pray this prayer: Father, thank You for reminding me that You are my life and apart from You, I can do nothing. Forgive me for trying to live the Christian life in my own strength. I try and fail so often. Teach me to rest in You today, to trust You to produce in me the character of Jesus. Help me to remain in You today in my thoughts, my conversation, and all my relationships. Thank You for Your promise that You will make my life fruitful as I remain in You.
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.