Oh that blessed Divine vine!

Are you connected?

Jesus said,
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more 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 bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."
John 15:4-8

I love gardening! It fascinates me to watch a tiny seed be placed in the soil and over time, after watering and weeding a plant grows and produces food! In essence, its amazing watching life happen!

As we are at the end of growing season and it's time to harvest, I've watched several of our vines grow, flourish and some wither! Those that shriveled and withered away are the ones that were stepped on or crushed. Once its cut off from the main part, it dies.

Now, looking at the in line with the words Jesus spoke here, if we aren't in Him and He in us, we have no true life source! Apart from Him, we can do nothing. In fact, we do just as these plants do and shrivel up!

Look at how the Strong's Concordance breaks this down.
μένω ménō, men'-o; a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy):—abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry

(https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g3306)

That's pretty cool! Is it any wonder why we were fruitless apart from the life source?

May we consider this warning and heed wisely.

"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." 2 John 1:9

Consider your walk with Christ. How blessed we are to abide in that divine vine! Are you staying connected in Him or growing dry, dreary and crusty? Is your life producing fruit or have you become fruitless? 

Riots & racial divisions

Racial divisions & riots... Who knew this is just one more prophecy being fulfilled!?! 

Jesus said, "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." Matthew 24:7

Did you know in the original Greek language the word for "nation" is ἔθνος and is Pronunciation

eth'-nos!?! It means a race (as of the same habitat or origin)! Safe to say, this racial & cultural divide is NOT from Christ but rather stems from the world but more defined this division is cultivated by the enemy; Satan himself. 

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2:16

With that said, these things cannot be joyful nor pleasing to the Father in Heaven but rather grievous! 

Galatians 6:8 tells us, "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

Safe to say Jesus is once again 100% accurate! Not only is His return closer than most care to admit BUT we are left with a choice here and now... Add to this worldly and unproductive activity or sow peace that only Christ can bring? We all bleed blood red... 

Hate and discord as well as envy and strife are all rotten fruits of Satan and his destructive antics to steal our focus from Christ. 

May we be mindful of whose fruit we are producing and who will receive glory from it; and remember, "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." James 3:16