Day 26 – Fit For Life Challenge

It’s Day 26! I was out checking on my vegetable garden last evening. It’s really growing! I can’t wait to start getting some fresh veggies! I have baby tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and peppers hanging on the branches! As I was looking at them, I thought about the illustration of a vine and branches Jesus uses in John 15, where he describes the relationship between Himself and his followers.

John 15:4-5,”Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.”
The branches on each plant are attached to a main vine. The vine, with his roots growing into the ground, is the power source! The vine is the one producing the fruit. The branches just bear it, or hold it. If one of the branches breaks off of the main vine, it withers. It can’t bear any fruit. It can do nothing. Jesus is saying the same thing about us.. we have to stay connected to the vine.. to Him.. or we can’t bear the fruit in our lives that can only come from Him! He said to stay connected, we must ABIDE in Him.

We don’t hear the word abide much these days. It means to stay, endure, continue, remain, dwell, or live! Can you hear a call to faithfulness in these words? Our relationship with Christ isn’t a one-time encounter and that’s it! It’s a long, steady walk with Him! It’s a lifestyle. It’s a journey. If you have really encountered Christ, and you are truly connected to Him, you will bear the fruit that only comes from His Holy Spirit!

How do we abide? Jesus says to let his words abide in us! We must incorporate God’s word into our hearts and minds, so we can truly dwell with Him and know Him intimately! He loves you and cares about every little detail of your life! Jesus also says if we love Him we will obey HIM! We listen to Him, surrender to Him, obey Him and follow Him! I have found in my life that obedience to Christ is key. It is the key to opening the doors of knowing Him. Trust and obey! There’s no other way to be happy in Jesus… than to trust and obey!

God desires for us to have a firm, lasting relationship with Him! He wants us to bear the fruits of His Spirit! What are those fruits? Galatians 5 tells us! Galatians 5:22-23,”But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Wow! What if we all were connected to Christ, bearing these wonderful fruits in our lives? Don’t we all want these things ? Abiding in Him isn’t a sporadic thing we try only when it’s convenient. It is an enduring commitment to God and to remain in obedience and love!

Action Step 26👇🏼👇🏼 👇🏼
Today is Saturday! Plan to do something today or over the weekend with family or a friend that gets you moving! Get out and walk, run, jog, swim, bike… go to a fitness class together! Whatever interests you, get moving and feel the joy of being able to do so! Keep eating clean! Keep drinking water! Love you all! ❤️