THE BRANCH LIFESTYLE (PART 1)

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

Personally, I think this is one of the most fascinating verses in the Bible, no cap. As if the words aren’t weighty on their own, this statement was spoken by the greatest person that ever walked on this side of eternity – Jesus Christ. I want to write about “The Branch Lifestyle” in form of a mini-series, I will not do it back to back but as I get inspired to.

The Branch Lifestyle is what the whole chapter of John 15 is about and what the Christian life should be pivoted upon. Whenever I read this verse, I am reminded of the truth that anything done outside the vine no matter the magnanimity is considered as nothing. For me, this statement made by Jesus is both scary and liberating because it means that the heart of the person doing what is what is rated and not the flamboyance of the outward representation of what is being done.

Not to make it any complex but rather to remind you that if you think you are excelling outside of the vine, producing fruit et al, it will be wise to digest this simple arithmetic: Branch – Vine = Nothing (zero). At the end of the day when your works (fruit) will be tested, hope it wont be consumed by fire which will equal nothing? (1Cor. 3:12-15). He wasn’t mincing words when He said that outside of Me you can do NOTHING. Nothing means zero, zilch, nada.

The branch outside the vine is as good as dead. It may thrive and look like it is producing fruit outside for a short time with substitute water and food, but it cannot last because it wasn’t made for that lifestyle. Our nutrition (wisdom, creativity, knowledge, revelation, life purpose e.t.c) can only be drawn from the vine, whatever it is you think you are getting outside the vine isn’t nutrition my dear, it is death sentence.

Quote: Anything done apart from God, He considers not because He has said that apart from Me, you can do nothing!