May 26, 2012

 “Staying Alive”

Scripture:

John 15:4
Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from Me. (NLT)

Observation:

It is absolutely essential for every Christian, no matter where they are in their walk with the Lord, to stay connected to God and His will by daily reading and meditating on every Word of God. For it is not only infallible in its truth, but it’s the heavenly food that nourishes our hearts, minds, and souls as we develop and share the kind of fruit which helps us remain as clean as freshly fallen snow and as white as wool even though our sins are as deep as crimson red (Isaiah 1:18).

Application

In order for our lives to grow and produce this heavenly fruit which is filled with the transforming power of God, we must have the Holy Spirit living in us to prune out that which is diseased and rotten and growing in the wrong direction, and to nourish our new growth with God’s life-giving food. Without this everyday spiritual nourishing the stems of our new life will weaken and the fruit which began to develop will soon shrivel up and die, dropping away from the Branch to lie rotting and useless. And it is there, back in the decaying world from which we came, that we await the burning (John 15:6). Without this nourishing power from Heaven helping us stay healthy and connected to the Branch, we are destined to fall away and return to the world to partake of its deadly poisonous food which kills and condemns our eternal life. Many hungry souls will taste of God’s Heavenly food only to feed upon it when it’s convenient or desperately needed, then sadly will return to the lust filling diet of the world when it’s not. Don’t be one of those who uses the Word of God to pacify their worldly feeding frenzy, because the Truth tells us that we would be better off never having tasted of God’s heavenly food in the first place (2 Peter 2:21-22). Instead, bathe in the glory of God’s goodness and mercy and grace and be nourished by His Word, which will keep you alive during this difficult life-journey. And one day you will partake in God’s true fruit from the Tree of Life that will be found in the new Heaven on the New Earth. Reject the addictive and poisonous food of this evil world ruled by Satan, my friends, and replace it with the Word of God. For if don’t you will surely die an unrepentant sinner’s death, which is far more deadly than the first death that is a reality for everyone living on this earth.

Prayer:

Thank You O God, for taking care of my every need. Now help me stay strong and committed to You and Your Way. And help me discern what is healthy for my soul and what is not, for when I know the difference I will remain connected to You and be able to stay alive!           Amen