Golden Nugget: “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

Daily Verse: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” —John 15:4

Daily Message:

Have you ever had a laptop with a weak battery? It dies quickly if it’s not plugged in. The worst thing is when your laptop is dying and you forget your charger at home. That’s a recipe for frustration and getting nothing done. Can you relate? 

In John 15, Jesus teaches that our lives have weak batteries, and if we don’t stay plugged into him then we’re not going to produce the fruit we’re created for. Though his direct metaphor is a bit more earthy, it’s saying the same thing. As offshoots of the main vine of Christ, we can’t bear fruit unless we remain connected to Christ. He says we must remain “in him.” 

He goes on to say the secret to remaining in him is to love people the way he has loved us. So think about how Christ has loved us. He pursued us, identified with our weaknesses, and made a giant sacrifice so that we could have life. He’s saying the secret to staying plugged-in is to love like that. 

How’s your battery holding up?

Consider This:

• When is it hard to love people the way Jesus has? 
• How can you become better connected to Jesus today?

Take Action:

For one week, commit to starting your day with a prayer asking Jesus to help you identify opportunities to love like him.