How do we think of God

 "I am the vine , you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."  (John 15:5, NASB)

Sometimes we think of God as just a bigger version of ourselves.  We use him when things get bad, but most of the time we feel like we can handle life on our own.  We can, as we used to say when we were little, "Do it myself."  In this version of God he becomes a handy tool that we can call on (prayer) when we have a need, but he is not Lord.  This is a highly dangerous view of God.  And yet it is one that is all too common.  

It is interesting that the Bible does not give us this option.  God reminds us that he is higher than us.  He reminds us that our lives are but a mist and a vapor, but he is eternal.  He reminds us that we are weak and he is strong.  And yet even with all the reminders we cannot seem to escape trying to view him as something we need when we reach the end of our rope.  John 15 reminds us that Jesus is the vine and we are simply branches.  Think of this - the branch without a connection to the vine is a literal piece of garbage.  This is what verse 6 says.  If our goal is to bear fruit (as it states in verse 5) than we MUST be connected to Christ.  Without him, we cannot bear any fruit because he is our life!  

So today, remember that apart from Christ, you can do NOTHING!

The B I B L E, Yes that's the book for me

 Have you ever taken a moment to really think about the Bible - that book that you wish you spent more time with, but sometimes have a hard time prioritizing?  

Many times we have a wrong idea or a series of wrong ideas about what the Bible is.  I think that many people think that it is like a good self-help reference book.  It is not.  Some think it is a manual - it is not.  Some think it is a love letter - it is not.  Of course it has elements of all of these things but it is not any one of them.  It is a unique book.  A book that is the Word of God.  A book that was inspired by God.  A book that is written by human authors and shows their uniqueness and yet shows the reality that it is inspired by a singular God who is sovereign over all.  

This book that you hold, this book that you read is the authoritative Word of God written to many different people at many times and preserved by the will of God so that when we read it the Spirit of God can use it to teach us, and correct us, and train us in righteousness!  What a glorious gift!