Wed., 3/25/15 Devotion (Jn. 15:5)

Today's encouragement comes from John 15:5, where we read these words of our Lord Jesus Christ:

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

How much can we do, of any spiritual good, without Christ? None at all. THE single basic key to Christian living is this concept of "abiding in Christ." But, what does this mean; and how do we do it? It means that we are trusting in HIS righteousness, and trusting in HIM for everything. How do we do that? By faith.

Is this easy? It is easy to understand, but it is hard to do. And why? Because we are not inclined to *remember* to trust in Christ. Our fallen nature hates to depend on Anyone but itself. By grace, may we abide in Christ (as His church) today.

[Puritan quote of the day: "We must know for our comfort that Christ was not anointed to this great work of Mediator for lesser sins only, but for the great-est, if we have but a spark of true faith to lay hold on Him.” —Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]