John 15:4-17
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 unless you remain in Me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father.
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved Me. Remain in My love. 10 When you obey My commandments, you remain in My love, just as I obey My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is My commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me. 16 You didn’t choose Me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is My command: Love each other.”
The question God convicted me of last night was this: If we aren’t changing, turning more into the likeness of Christ, then how does that help others? How do we change the world? How will God ever be glorified through our lives? It can’t. We can’t! He can’t!!! God reminded me that we must be continually be surrendering to His Will and opening our heart to Him if we ever plan to make a difference in the lives of others for Christ. We are nothing without Him. Without His love.
God’s Word says, “We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19
Christ is the ultimate source of love. Unless we are in His Word and on our knees in humble prayer, we cannot see His face and we cannot be overwhelmed with His love for others.
We ask, “Where is the love in this world? Where is the compassion?”
The answer is that we have left it at the foot of the Cross. The love we are looking for is the love God intended for us to extend to others. Sadly, for generations we, yes even us believers, have continued to turn our backs on the one true God, our Father and Creator. We have rebelled against His commands and against His guidance, while chasing after life on our own terms. As a result, we have ultimately caused our own pain and destruction.
But God says we can do life another way. In John 15 (the first Bible passage I used in this devotional) we see the promise God made for us even before He created us. He says that if we seek Him above all else and draw close to Him, He will be with us. He will fill the deepest places of our hearts and transform us to become more like Him.
The question remains…
How long will we refuse His love?
…..How long will YOU?
“I Am Nothing” – Shawn McDonald
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