Remain

I love these verses from John 15 (The Message) ~

"Live in me.  Make your home in me just as I do in you.  In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to a vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

How are you getting by each day?  Is it difficult?  Is it easy?  Is the glass half full or half empty?  All of us probably fall either or depending on the moment...God really spoke to me through these passages this past week and also the story of Mary Magdalene.  I always perk up when something is brought to my attention 3 or more times in a short period of time and well Mary was brought to me 3 times last week with the story found in John 20 after Jesus was not found in the tomb.  First, Mesu Andrews presented the idea about Mary asking questions, then the study of Open Your Bible talked about this same story and then Lisa Harper wrote about it a magazine and all of them wrote very profoundly on these scriptures.  So I wrote in my journal asking the Holy Spirit to guide me in what He was showing me.  

Here are a few things that really spoke to my heart and perhaps they will to you.

First, am I truly living in Christ?  Am I making my home in Him?  Mary once Jesus removed the demons remained with Jesus always even after His death...she was searching Him out.  Am I searching Him out?

I looked up the word remain and the definition is continue to exist, stay, persist, last.  Do I persist?  We produce nothing without Christ.  We wither away and Mary realized how she lived.  She knew she needed Jesus and didn't mind doing whatever it took to be with Jesus.  She left everything and traveled with Jesus.  Imagine, a woman in that day and age going out of her way to stay with the traveling Jesus!  She knew, do we?

To bear fruit we must be joined with Christ!  We don't produce fruit He does!  Do you want to be a part of changing the world?  We must remain with Him!  He is our home!  He is our life!  

Take a moment and read the passages found in John 15 and in John 20.  Mary knew Jesus voice the moment He spoke in John 20, do we?

Hope you have a wonderful day remaining in Him!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie