Are You Plugged In?

John 15:5  “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." 

Jesus said , "Without Me you can do nothing".  Wait, there are people all around us that are doing a lot of things without Jesus.  They work hard, they accomplish some big things, so what did Jesus mean?  Only what is done for Christ will last forever. What He meant is, apart from Him, you can do nothing of value, of substance, of eternal consequence of permanency that has results in this life and the life after. 

The other day I was trying to troubleshoot a problem with my freezer.  I spoke with someone on the phone, and the first thing they asked is, "Is there any power?  Was it plugged in?"  Very important, huh.  I ask you the same question today.  Are you plugged in to your power Source?  Just like your electric company, they are providing the power, but unless you "plug in" to that source, you are cut off.  

Galatians  5:4 in the NASB says, "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the law, you have fallen from grace".  Or in other words, you have fallen from the higher ground you fell from.  In the new covenant, grace is high ground.  Grace is heavenly, grace is where God is. How does someone fall from grace?  By sinning?  Nope!  You can't find a verse in the New Testament that says when you sin, you fall from grace. 

So how do you fall from grace?  By seeking the law, works, trying to be righteous on your own merit.  You don't lose your salvation, but the moment you start living by the law, you cut yourself off from the grace supply.  Christ is of no effect, you're not plugged in to God's unlimited supply.  Jesus is grace.  Get plugged into grace and don't unplug, stay connected.  Apart from the unmerited, undeserved favor of God, you can do nothing!