shadow

God

Consider the Source

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 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5, NIV

roots-of-powerWe all know what happens to branches that are cut from the plant: they wither and die. On the surface, this seems kind of obvious, but stick with me here.

The roots of plants draw water from the soil, and combined with the process of photosynthesis in the leaves, create “food” for the plant to survive. The leaves cannot perform photosynthesis on their own, away from the plant, because the water drawn from the soil by the roots is necessary for the process. Branches that are cut cannot produce fruit. They will die because they no longer receive what they need from the plant.

Jesus used this simple illustration in verse five to remind us what our “source” should be. “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing.” As branches, we are dependent upon the “living water” that comes from the “vine” – Jesus – for our branches to bear fruit. Apart from Him, our “branches” cannot produce any fruit. We must remain in Him, or we can do nothing.

How do you remain in Jesus? Spend time with Him. Spend time reading His Word. Talk to Him. Get to know Him. Spend time with others who know and love Him. He doesn’t care if you have thirty minutes a day for deep Bible study or if you talk to Him throughout your day, thanking Him for even silly things like a good parking spot at Walmart. (Both are great, by the way.) He just wants you to remain in Him! Be aware of His presence in your everyday life. Let Him know you know your “source!”

Sister, if you find yourself in a “fruitless” situation, it might be time to check your source.

Remaining in Him,

Amy

My Identity: What does God say about me?: Known

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In 2 Corinthians 5:17 the Bible reads that we are “new creations” if we are followers of Christ. Have you ever wondered about the way God feels about you? We can be very hard on ourselves at times. We often struggle with our identity. This week, we’ll turn to God’s Word to find out how He views us and how we can find our identity in Him.

 

Known

“You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.”

Psalm 139:3-5, NIV

3_Known_WEDNESDAYDo you desire to be truly known? Timothy Keller, the author of The Meaning of Marriage, wrote, “To be known and not loved is our greatest fear.” We want to be known, but we fear the rejection that we believe may come with the exposure of being known.

Many of us work hard to project the version of ourselves that we want others to see. We want people around us to think we have it all together. It’s difficult to admit our struggles, even to those who know us best.

So it’s a relief to understand that God knows everything about us, even the darkest parts of our hearts, and He still loves and accepts us. We are known completely and loved unconditionally.

We don’t have to hide from God or fear condemnation. Romans 8:1 reads, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Throughout Scripture, we come to know a man named Jesus who encountered sinners with love and acceptance. He demonstrated compassion, not condemnation.

We can be very hard on ourselves. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking negative thoughts and constantly berating ourselves. This habit can even be the result of prior verbal abuse from someone close to you. Let’s work on stopping the condemning self-talk and learning to be gentle with ourselves. If God knows us fully and still considers us precious and worthy of love, we can give ourselves a break.

If you struggle with being kind to yourself, use this prayer in Psalm 139:

Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24, NIV

Today, remember that you are fully known and completely loved. When we rest in that knowledge, our identity as a child of God becomes clear.

Seeking Him,

Allison

My Identity: What does God say about me?: Loved

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In 2 Corinthians 5:17 the Bible reads that we are “new creations” if we are followers of Christ. Have you ever wondered about the way God feels about you? We can be very hard on ourselves at times. We often struggle with our identity. This week, we’ll turn to God’s Word to find out how He views us and how we can find our identity in Him.

 

Loved

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”

1 John 4:9-10, NLT

1_Loved_MONDAYDo you struggle with believing that God loves you just because you are, not because of what you do? This has been a lifelong struggle for me. I grew up thinking God loved me more on the days  I was a good girl, attended church, put a quarter in the offering plate, and didn’t torment my little sister. However, on those days when I was mean to my sister and that Sunday I told my mother that I didn’t want to go to church because it was boring, I envisioned God crossing His arms and shaking His head at me.

He must have been disappointed in me, right? Of course He loved me less on my bad days, right? Wrong! I’m a rule follower, so it’s easier for me to understand the concept of conditional love. Being good equals being loved. That was my understanding for a very long time. Finally, I started comprehending God’s matchless, unconditional love for me. God doesn’t love me because I do. He loves me just because I am.

God’s amazing and unending love for you is already at maximum capacity. He couldn’t possibly love you more (or less) than He does in this very moment. His love doesn’t waver based on your actions or even your attitude toward Him.

We can get stuck in a vicious cycle of attempting to earn God’s love, respect, and forgiveness. The good news is that God doesn’t need us to earn anything. He sent Jesus to earn it for us. Today’s verse in 1 John defines real love as God sending “his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” Even before we loved Him, God made a way for us to be accepted as His loving children.

Learning to receive the love of God is a lifelong journey. Let’s allow God to lavish His affection on us. Another of my favorite verses is Isaiah 62:3 (NIV), which reads: “You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”

Today, remember that your identity is held by God. You are a royal jewel in His hand.

Seeking Him,

Allison