Never Produce Alone
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 15:6
Picture this, during the fall season the leaves lose their green feature simply because of the change in season. During this season, the days get shorter and the plants get less exposure to the sunlight as compared to the spring and summer seasons. Thus the leaves will now only get a fraction of the necessary nutrients required from the sun as before and would have to be sustained by what is already in the leaf to maintain its life. As a result of the lack of sunlight, its main source to produce fruit is compromised. All leaves contain Chlorophyll which is the important substance that allows the plants to receive its green feature when exposed to the sunshine. When there is a lack of sunshine however, this substance in the plant is inhibited and therefore can not operate as it was created to. Therefore the leaves begin to utilise the stored nutrients in its system until all has been consumed and all life is gone. The leaves may turn; yellow, red, orange, purple or brown and eventually fall off.
It’s interesting when you study this process because what really happens in a nutshell is, when the leaves can not get access to this main source, they begin to use up a secondary source that was never meant to sustain them for over a long period of time. Eventually when all this secondary source is used up, the leaves change colour and die. They change from their natural, verdant green colour which clearly depicts life and richness into something dry and hopeless. When these leaves fall onto the ground they are collected for disposal because at this point they are of no use to the tree anymore.
“Stay joined to me,” Christ said to His disciples “because apart from me you are nothing.” He reiterated this in hopes that they would grasp the importance of it because this point was fundamental. Straying away from the True Vine will cause us to fall. Similar to the leaves of the tree, when they were in direct connection to the sunlight; their main powerful source which helped them to produce much fruit, they lacked nothing. They were flourishing and producing exactly what they needed to maintain themselves. They even produced excess which was utilized during the Fall season until all was consumed.
Interestingly, these leaves/branches represent us. The sunlight represents Jesus; the True Vine, the stored substances represents our own works without Jesus. We shouldn’t allow a change in season to determine whether or not we remain connected to Jesus, our True Vine. In other words we shouldn’t allow a change in circumstances, a change in our environments, a change in our level on the job, a change in our status in society, or a change in our financial situation to become a barrier for Jesus to get access to us. He wants His light to shine on us forever but if we become hindrances for His blessings to shine on us, we will eventually lose that glory we once had. It’s funny how when we are in a season of great wealth we may feel like we no longer need Jesus, when He is the one who gave us the ability to produce wealth. If we choose to forsake Him and His teachings are no longer in us we will be punished. If we choose to act as if we are able to produce fruit alone, we will soon run out of resources just like the leaves and fall off the branch. This is the thing He warns us about. When we try to pursue life on our own, we will lose access to the one who gives true life and fruit. We will use up all our strength and then run out of resources and be burned out. While we may think that our works are producing fruits we would actually be producing useless fruit. These fruits produced out of self cannot and will never sustain us over a long period of time. It was never meant to be this way . God never created us to operate in our own strength but rather through the strength and power of Jesus Christ who is the True Vine.
Do not think for a moment that You can sustain your own wealth. So quickly it will fade away when you do it alone. Instead REMAIN in the True Vine. In the True Vine there will be an unending supply of rich nutrients which will allow you to produce MUCH FRUIT IN AND OUT OF SEASON. The changes in seasons, when you abide in Him will not hinder the quality and quantity of fruit you produce. You will produce so much fruit all year round that others will marvel at the works of God’s hands in your life. Remain planted by the rivers of water and your leaves will never wither. Whatsoever you do will prosper because you choose to abide and remain firmly planted in Him.
Those who try to produce fruit alone and allow the change in seasons to alter their connection with Christ will reap what they sow. When they think they are producing well, sustaining themselves without the True Vine, they will soon realise that all their work outside of Him was pointless. Their self sustenance will run out because we were never meant to produce alone. These leaves which are dried are then gathered for the purpose of being burned up.
If we fail to remain in Him our future will be similar to that of the old dried up branches; no hope, no use except for the purpose of bush fire. This shouldn’t be our desire. Regardless of how much the Lord blesses you as a result of your fruit production and obedience, He says again, Stay In Me. Do not allow the blessings to trick you into thinking that now I can do this alone. No! Apart from Him we are nothing. Every good gift He has blessed us with is only a gift and came from Him. We cannot sustain ourselves outside of Him. When we remain in Him we have full access to all the daily resources we will ever need.
Stay in Abba. Stay Humble and continue to produce much fruit. Apart from Him we are nothing.
