Plugged In

It's 10 PM. You're getting ready for bed because you have an early 5 a.m. call. What is the result when you fail to charge your cell phone overnight and then slip it into your pocket as you head to work? Or what happens that same morning when you slide two pieces of bread into the toaster, walk away, and return one minute later only to find the plug detached from the outlet? Does your cell have a charge? Is your bread toasted? What are the results? Nothing! Nothing fruitful happens. These are simple and understandable examples of what happens in the spiritual realm when we do not plug into Jesus through His Word. The Bible (The Word) is but one powerful vehicle whereby we remain connected to God. Why is that important? The Word of God is like a Vine and the source of our covenant relationship with God. We are the branches that develop off that vine and if we become disconnected, we produce no fruit. "He who remains in Me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 KJV). Picture a robust peach tree with fruit blooming forth from every limb. Picture that same tree getting whipped around in a wind storm and one of the branches gets torn away and falls to the ground. What happens to the green leaves of that branch after days of being cut off from the source of the tree? You've seen it! The once, healthy green leaves begin to wilt, dry up, turn crispy brown and eventually wither away. What happens to the fruit on that same broken branch after its source of energy and moisture from the roots of the tree are no longer being supplied? The fruit begins to rot! Notice the five words that stand out in the scripture above. He who REMAINS in me. We must remain in Him, abide in Him, stay connected and plugged into the Power Source because without Him we will not grow, we will not bear fruit and in fact, John 15:6 (NIV) says we will be cut off if we don't remain in Him. "If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." The only way to be filled with all the fullness of God is to stay connected if we don't want to wither away from our only Life Source.

Some of us claim we have spiritual lives but really aren't doing anything with them. Though connected to the Power Source they aren't really "plugged in." I'll give you another simple and understandable example of what I mean. How many of you have a DVR, a Roku, or cable box that has a light on the front that stays lit when your TV is turned off? You know those three things are drawing some kind of power which keeps the indicator light on, yet none of them are operating the television even though the small indicator light tells you they are receiving electricity. The DVD unit or a Roku unit as an example, are extracting some power yet without the full power between them and your television, making them basically useless because they are not operating in the full capacity they were made for. This example reminds me of people who are "connected" to God verbally but aren't really committed and plugged in enough to want to grow and bear fruit. They will keep siphoning the power of very little knowledge from the Word (Vine)... just enough to keep from dying altogether. Yet they aren't nourished enough to bear fruit because they don't feed enough to grow up into a tree and bear fruit themselves thus feeding others from their bounty.


It is a scary thing when we don't remain in Christ because if cut off from the wellspring of God's Spirit, we begin to wither and die. Reading God's Word is vital! It gives us the instructions on how we conduct and lives our lives. Scripture says, "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). The primary way God speaks to us is through the Bible. You should really want to search what purpose God has for you. The more you read, pray, and converse with Him, the more He will reveal His knowledge. Will God reveal how to be a neuro-surgeon, plumber, or painter? No, there are plenty of trade schools and colleges for that. But He will teach you how to get and keep patience, kindness, charity, knowing your purpose, revealing what happens after death, how to have and maintain peace and happiness in the midst of turmoil, principals to help you cope with problems and anxieties, how to live in harmony and so on. The entire book was inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). As you read it, you will begin to understand the heart of God and why He left us His words. It's a book of wisdom, a book of prophecy, a book of love. I know there are parts of the Bible that are complex and hard to understand but with time, with sincerity, with determination to know ... "God rewards those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). And, He will reveal things to you that will have you leaping for joy, Psalm 25:14 " The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him, and He will show them His covenant." When you seek Him, want to know Him, love Him, you will say as Psalm 91:10-11 "He is my refuge and my fortress. No evil shall happen to you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling. He will put His angels in charge over you, to guard you and keep you in all your ways." I say to the reader as in verse 1-2 "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

Here is the sum of it all: Jesus said, "I AM the vine. You are the branches." DON'T LOSE YOUR CONNECTION! Only a connection to the Vine gives life. Only a connection to the Vine produces fruit (love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). He is the source of our life, apart from Him, we wither and die. By holding fast to the disciplines of prayer, study, fellowship, and availability to serve, we are assured of fellowship with other believers in the Body of Christ and an everlasting place in the Kingdom of God. Until next time ...
-Pat-