Nothing Without You

Good Morning All,

Today I woke up at 4:30 and for 10 minutes, I checked my email and social media and responded to text messages. At minute ten I realized how much of an error this was, and read my Bible. It was still open to John 15, so I read it again. 

John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you. Unless you abide in me. 

The emails and text messages that I received & responded to were very exciting, and I felt a sense of happiness and it was great...but it was not directly related to my relationship with Christ. This does not make it inherently evil, but I noticed how my happiness was not even because God was making things happen, it felt so separate from Him.

John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

I really felt that. It weighed heavily on my heart because I remember a time where God was giving me so many opportunities, but I failed to truly see Him and cling to Him in the midst of them. I lost sight of the giver and was focused on the gifts. Needless to say, that did not end well for me at all. I don't feel like God threw me away, but I do feel like I withered and burned in that time.

John 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 

When I read this, I was somewhat torn because I was thinking "so we just remain in God and then ask whatever we want and it will happen? What if we want bad stuff?" Although that may sound immature or foolish, it was my thought pattern, and then I understood that when we truly abide in Him, the desires of our hearts will be aligned with His will. 

Even if we don't want to travel on a missions trip or go to "Bible college", we will begin to want things that assist us in working toward the fulfillment of His purposes in the Earth.

John 15:11 These things have I spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

This verse was the real deal Holyfield. He wants us to have joy, and He told us the major key to get it (did you like my pop culture reference?). I appreciated this so much because He explained why He just told us all that He did, and it was for our good. The happiness I had when I woke up pales in comparison to the joy I will have if I keep His commandments.

Some of my actions, thought patterns and relationships are not indicative of me abiding in Him and therefore not leading to the joy that He has promised. My action item is to be more aware of the correlation between what I do and where it leads.

Peace,

Lorae