Jesus said "I am the vine..."

you are the branches.  Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing."    John 15:5

These three pictures follow Jesus' analogy quite accurately, I believe.  He is the vine and we are the branches.  If we keep attached to Him (like that lush green leaf above clings to its branch) we can bear fruit like that apple (fruit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control).  If we become detached from Jesus and go our own way, we become dry, withered and the fruit that could have ripened on the vine, didn't.

I often wonder what great potential is lost because of our disobedience and unwillingness to become God centered...

Five years ago I wrote these words...to myself as I was thinking about that particular Scripture:
"Today, You passed by. I recognized You.  There were times when I did not, or would not...or could not...I've been waiting for this day when You would shine Your glory on me.  I picked a leaf and waited...it was detached and would die.  Graciously, O God, you passed by on the wind, whispering your truth....'Apart from me, you can do nothing'".

Those words meant a lot to me five years ago...and reading them again today, still do.  I am once again faced with  the truth of God's intentions.  He desires to have me close, to be nourished by Him and to learn from Him, and he desires me to walk forward and become all I was intended...not just allow myself to shrivel up and die...spiritually speaking, of course.

We will be meeting tomorrow as a church body to speak of these things....to vision together as to where God is leading us...because apart from Him....we can do nothing.