Life Support
by Stephanie Feaman(12)http://www.openzine.com/eph210
“ ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.’ ”
John 15:4, 5 (American Standard Version)
Reflection: Jesus Christ is our life support as believers. Through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Lord supplies everything we need to grow and flourish spiritually. An intimate union with the Holy Spirit enables us to overcome our carnal nature and live in a way that is pleasing to God. As we continue to put our faith in the Lord and obey His commands, our love for other believers will grow and we will become united through a common bond—Jesus.
The fruit of the Holy Spirit produces love, joy, gentleness, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). All of these characteristics reflect the image of God and require the work of the Holy Spirit to come to fruition. Continued and close fellowship with the Lord is a prerequisite. Without the pruning and nourishment that only God can provide, human attempts at producing these characteristics fail.
Jesus set the example for us when He walked the face of the earth. As we follow the Lord and obey His commands, just as He followed the Father and obeyed His commands (John 15: 10), we will remain in His love and He will help us overcome the world.
Heavenly Father,
Your Holy Spirit dwells within me. I am so grateful for your presence and I thank you for the nourishment that I receive from your Word. Lord, help me to grow closer to you each day. I pray that your love will flow through me so that your name will be glorified and others will be drawn to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
"Life Support" is an excerpt from the booklet God's Masterpiece: A 25 Day Devotional by Stephanie Feaman
Article submitted Monday, March 22, 2010 & read 327 times.
Leave Your Comments:
» left by Mark Parsec(351)(171 days 13 hours ago.)
Hi Stephanie, This is a wonderful devotional. Thank you for posting it here at Blogz. God bless you! Mark ParsecRespond to this comment
» left by Linda DeWitt (86 days 3 hours ago.)
Enjoyed your devotional. Thanks for sharing.Respond to this comment
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