“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 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.” — John 15:5-6
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It is essential that teammates stay connected every possession of every game. Talking, physical gestures and eye contact are all necessary if they are to stay on the same page executing the game plan.
The same is true for us as followers of Christ. If we are to be productive and effective in executing His plan for our lives, it is essential that we always stay connected with the Lord. Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
The word remain, or “abide,” means to stay around. The idea of abiding in Christ has to do with intimacy of relationship. Jesus Christ is our Source, the only One who can provide the spiritual sustenance and vitality we need to be useful believers.
We remain connected with the Lord through the Holy Spirit (John 14:16), His Word (John 14:26) and prayer (Ephesians 6:18). Prayer is just talking and listening to God. We should constantly be processing our thoughts, feelings, plans and decisions with the Lord throughout the day, every day.
We see weak families, weak teams and even weak churches because of weak relationships. Spiritual turnovers happen when we are negligent and neglectful in building and maintaining an intimate relationship with Christ. Who you are intimately connected with greatly affects your character, your destiny and your quality of life. Check your connections.
— Jerry Birch, Cleveland Cavaliers chaplain
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