Remain in christ
Remain in Jesus
On one Sunday morning when you go to your church, you saw a branch of a vine passing you, you asked to the vine branch,
“Vine branch, Where are you going?”
Vine branch replied “Oh, I was busy during the past few days, now I am going back to my vine to spend some time with it, remain in it, so that I can nourish myself and grow as well as bare some fruits.
Then you went to your church and after two hours while you returning to your home again on the way you saw the same vine branch passing you. Than you again asked:
“Vine branch, Where are you going?”
Vine branch replied to you “Last two hours I remained in the vine, now I have a lot of work to do. I am going to be busy during the week with my own affairs.
Can you imagine this kind of a situation? Not at all.
Not at all possible this kind of a situation. You can’t imagine that will happen.
But you are doing it. The things which cannot come even in your wildest dreams, I.e. unimaginable things, you are doing.
See what Jesus talking about remain in Him: Mathew 15:5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
We remain in Jesus only on Sunday. Very few find time to remain in Jesus during the weekdays. But Jesus wants us to remain in Him as a branch remains in a vine. The relation is inseparable. Continuously remain in the vine. Not occasionally. Not that when you are free. Not that when you are at home. Not that when you in a good mood. Not that when you are feeling well. It is not for good times only. In your office, in your home, in your job, in your business wherever you are, whatever you do, you must remain in Him. It doesn’t matter whether it is spring or autumn, winter or summer, rainy or sunny, in all seasons the branch has to remain in the vine. The moment the branch separate from the vine, it will wither
It doesn't mean that you always shut yourself out and pray in solitude. Saying "Praise the Lord" and "Hallelujah" repeatedly and keep you away from everyone else is not remain in Christ. Yes, while you are alone and praising God is good. Do it as much as you can. I does that. When we meditate or having quiet time we can do that. At the same time we cannot avoid having social and family life. We need to work for a living. We need to meet other people for business. We have to do that. While doing your business, do not forget God. Inside your heart, you should have the fear of God. While doing your business, while dealing with your customers, while having your lunch with your friends and colleagues, you should have to behave in a Godly way and do not give chance to enemy to control you.
1 Peter 5: 8-9 says "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings".
Christin life is a fight. Fighting with enemy who try to control us. That is why Peter tells us that Be self-controlled and alert. To constantly remain in Christ, we need to be self-controlled. While living in this world, very often, we lose our control and do unwanted and unintended thins. It could be anything. Like having bad relations, being tempered, doing unrighteous things etc.
On the other hand Christian life is perfect obedience to God and His law. Living a complete harmonious life as per the teachings of Christ is what God expect from us. Fighting is a tough thing. But obedience is not as tough as fighting. God wants obedience and our enemy is trying to fight with us. When you obedient to God, Satan will not come to you for fighting. When you obey God, God will take care of you. Protect you from the fighting enemy in the way God protected Job from the Satan by building a fence around you and your property. Not only he protect you, he will bless you too. In everything you do.
One thing we need to do is to be alert. Alert to obey God. Alert to Satan and its schemes. Satan wants to attack you and he is prowling around you. Be alert and be self-controlled. Success is yours.
