ESOCS Devotional 17 April 2022
TEXT: JOHN 15:1-9
MEMORY VERSE: “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”
0 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted lace ”
The fact that we are members of the church by virtue of our names being in the register of members is not all that it takes to be in Jesus Christ. It takes the receipt and leading of the Holy Spirit of God to truly be in Christ (Romans 8:9, 11; John 15:4).
When we are truly enrolled in Christ, we receive the ability to manifest righteous living. By this, we are able to know and do what is right before God, and reject sin. Thus, one grows and increases in righteous living (John 15:1-2).
It is not as if we will be able to know and do all that righteousness requires the moment we are born again. But every day of our life, the spirit reveals and exposes sin in our life. And we are able to identify it, take responsibility for it, confess, and refrain from it (vs. 3-5).
When you see a man in the Church not able to change from the sinfulness of his days before joining the Church, and not being able to carry on with his life in accordance with the Christian faith, such a man is still in the flesh. He cannot reap the benefit available to those that are in Christ (vs. 6-9).
One key benefit we have in Christ is the grace to ask and receive. We can talk to God in prayer and He hears and grants our request. You need not to consult a prophet or go to a man of God for prayers before your problem will be solved. Those who are truly in Christ have direct access to God and they receive what they ask for. In verse 7 of our text, the Bible says, “If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you”(Matthews 7:7.).
- Can you say that you are truly a branch in Christ?
- Father, make me a more fruitful branch in your service, in Jesus Name.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
FURTHER READING: Exodus 12:1; Mathews 28:1-15; Jeremiah 8:18-9:3
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ESOCS Devotional 17 April 2022
