Christians Rely Heavily on the Nourishment That Jesus Gives Them

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.  John, Chapter 15, verse 4.

In this comparison, Christians are the branches and Jesus is the vine.  If a heavy wind had broken a branch off, that branch could not continue to produce grapes year after year on its own.  People who stray away from Jesus lose their focus as Christians if they don’t have an ongoing relationship with Him.  The branch needs a vine with a strong root system to get nourishment up through it; into the branches and into the grapes.  Christians rely heavily on the nourishment that Jesus gives them through His Word (the Bible) to help us grow as His examples for others.  In this same way, we rely on Jesus, who also relies on us to be productive by sharing our faith with others.

Since this is an example of how I apply this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 

I Sure Wouldn't Want to Get Pruned!

I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman.  Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit.  John, Chapter 15, verses 1-2.

I love the comparison Jesus makes in this chapter with a grapevine and His followers (Christians.)  Just like the farmer in the grape vineyard who cuts down unproductive branches, God weeds out so-called Christians who aren’t productive, as well.  Christians who produce fruit will be trained in the ways to become better examples of how God works in their lives.  I need to be a better example, because I sure wouldn’t want to get pruned!

Since this is an example of how I've applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 

I've Been a Do as I Say, Not as I Do Christian

He that hath My Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.  John, Chapter 14, verse 21.
I have often been more of a “Do as I Say, Not as I Do Christian.”  It’s sure a lot easier to tell others how they should live their lives according to what God tells us in the Bible, than to actually live as the example He wants.
Here is a related passage:
*He that receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me.  Matthew, Chapter 10, verse 40.

Since this is an example of how I have applied these Bible passages to my life, this doesn't necessarily reflect the full meaning of the passages.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 

The Peace Which Passes All Understanding

Verily, verily, I say unto you.  He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.  And whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If ye shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it.  If ye love Me, Keep My Commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever.  John, Chapter 14, verses 12-16.

When my son was born, he had to be rushed to a large hospital hours away from us for a life-threatening surgery.  It can be pretty lonely when the nurses bring out the babies for their mothers to hold and your arms are empty.  Fortunately, the Comforter (Holy Spirit) had given me what I call the Peace Which Passes All Understanding.  It’s a calm feeling when I would normally be really upset or extremely concerned.  Instead, I felt at peace knowing that God was taking excellent care of things so that I shouldn’t worry…and He did!
Here is a related passage:
*Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the Peace of God, Which Passeth All Understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians, Chapter 4, verses 6-7.

Since this is an example of how I've applied these Bible passages in my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passages.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 

I Let Food or Possessions Become Too Important

Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.  If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.  John, Chapter 14, verses 6-7.

Knowing how patient, understanding and forgiving Jesus is gives me a clear picture of God the Father who is exactly the same.  Fortunately for me, since I need lots of patience and forgiveness.  I tend to keep making the same mistakes over and over again by getting caught up in feeling self-righteous about things, judging other people and letting food or possessions become too important in my life (just to mention a few of my many shortcomings.)

Since this is an example of how I've applied this Bible passage to my life, it may not reflect the whole meaning of the passage.

Please share by clicking on comments below. Thanks! Debbie



This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 

We are Often Skeptical and Ungrateful...

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of Man should be glorified.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.  If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour.  Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say?  Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.  Father, glorify Thy Name.  Then came there a Voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified It, and will glorify It again.  The people therefore, that stood by, and heard It said that It thundered: others said, An angel spake to Him.  Jesus answered and said, This Voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes.  John, Chapter 12, verses 23-30.

I love the way Jesus made the comparison between His life and a kernel of wheat that dies, but through its death brings forth much fruit.  Jesus was willing to give up His life for us so that we could be forgiven from our sins.  Yet, we are often skeptical which seems awfully ungrateful after all Jesus has done for us.  Jesus goes on to say that those who are willing to give their lives for Him will have eternal life.  Are we willing to give our worldly lives over to God and become examples of how Jesus works in us?  That’s what it takes!
Here is a related passage:
*He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.  Matthew, Chapter 10, verse 39.

Since this is an example of how I apply these passages to my life, they may not necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 

Jesus' Life is No Coincidence

On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the Name of the Lord.  And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt. These things understood not His disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him.  John, Chapter 12, verses 12-16.

This reminds me of a really good instructor who tells you before-hand what you’re going to learn.  That way you can identify the important information when you see it.  The really good instructor gives you a variety of examples to prove a point.  That’s what I see happening in the Bible.
The Old Testament tells us we are looking for the Savior and what He will do and say, along with what things will happen to Him when He comes.  The New Testament not only tells about Jesus fulfilling these things that had been predicted, but tells of all the miracles that He did, as proof to those who are doubtful.  These things are verified through different people who described what Jesus said and how He saved us from our sins through His death and Resurrection.  If a person has any doubts, reading the Bible would help them see how Jesus’ life is no coincidence.
This is one of the many passages from the Old Testament that foretells of Jesus:
*Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having Salvation: lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.  Zechariah, Chapter 9, verse 9.
Here is one of the related New Testament passages that show how Jesus had fulfilled the ancient prophesy:
*And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto Me.  And if any man say aught unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.  And this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold; thy King cometh sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.  Matthew, Chapter 21, verses 1-5.

Since this is how I've applied these Bible passages to my life, this doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 

I'm Ashamed to Say, I've Been a Self-Righteous Christian

There they made Him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with Him.  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray Him.  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor: but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.  Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of My burying hath she kept this.  For the poor always ye have with you; but Me ye have not always.  John, Chapter 12, verses 2-8.

Judas chastises Mary for doing something good when he really had ulterior motives.  He really wanted the money for himself.  How many times do we have ulterior motives but sound very self-righteous to others?
I know eating was one of the subtle ways that I let Satan sneak into my life.  You wouldn’t think Satan could have a stronghold on a person with something as seemingly insignificant as eating.  Generally, we think about major things like drinking, taking drugs, infidelity, stealing, etc., not eating.  Things that seem minor are easier for us “Self-righteous Christians” to let into our lives without noticing how it works a wedge in our relationship with God.
God showed me how important food and my compulsive eating had become when I yelled at my daughter when she was little.  She had brought some of her neighborhood friends over and had given them each one of the green Pippin Apples that I had stored in our refrigerator.  I yelled at her, telling her that she shouldn’t have given the apples to them because there wouldn’t be enough for the family.  Actually, I wasn’t really worried about the family.  Those apples were my favorite and I had bought them for me!
I was being a terrible example of my faith!  My ulterior motives interfered when I should have been complimenting my daughter for sharing with others.  Instead, I was hoarding the apples for myself!  It seems silly to have let something as insignificant as apples sneak in between my relationship with my daughter and my faith, but I’m ashamed to say that I did.

Since I've applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.


This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections. 

Truth, Mommy. Truth...

For when the Gentiles, which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, these, having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves: Which show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to My Gospel.  Romans, Chapter 2, verses 14-16.

Our family had a policy that if our children told the truth, there would be a lighter consequence to try to reinforce their being honest.  I remember hearing my pre-school aged son at the other end of the house saying, “Truth, Mommy.  Truth,” when he had done something that he knew he wasn’t supposed to do.
I’m proud to say that my children have grown to trust the instincts that God gives them through their conscience, much more than I ever did.

Here is a related passage:
*Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.  Hebrews, Chapter 13, verse 18.

Because this is an example of how I’ve applied this Bible passage to my life, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the passage.



This is a connection I've made from this Bible passage. Please share your connections.