Jn.15:4-5
Jesus passes on an invaluable truth. His followers are to abide (remain) in Him and He promises to abide (remain) in them. To abide in Christ means spending the majority of our time walking in Christ. It means living and breathing in Christ. Sometimes we do things, like go to a job and then check out. We weren't really ever there wholly as a person. If we are to abide in Christ, we can't be checking in and out with Him. God doesn't "do" us checking boxes. Those are rituals. Rituals belong in religion, and God isn't fond of religion. God desires a relationship with us. 1 Corinthians 8:3 says "But the man that loves God is known by God." Love isn't a part-time thing. So, Jesus goes on to say that you can't bear fruit unless you are abiding in the vine. Too often we try to call Jesus "out of the bullpen" or "off the bench" to rescue us; when we should have been going with Him all along. Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches and if we will simply abide in Him, then we will bear much fruit; apart from Him we can do nothing.---Decision time: Am I going to keep trying to do it myself, treating Jesus like some genie in the bottle that I call on only when I need help? -Or- Do I live walking with Jesus every step?
