“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4, ESV)
Herbicides are known to kill plants. People use herbicides that are specially formulated to kill weeds, grass, or other flora. Many herbicides work by inhibiting photosynthesis in the plant. This essentially deprives the plant of the sunlight needed for it to grow. Almost all plants require sunlight to grow. To inhibit sunlight will force a plant to stop growing and then die. The plants don’t die from an outside attack. They die from within, due to the lack of photosynthesis.
I see a very interesting spiritual correlation to the way herbicides kill plants. If you take away sunlight and photosynthesis, a plant will wither and then die from within. In like manner, if you take away God’s connection from a person, after a while, that person’s heavenly soul with wither. When it does, the person’s life becomes hollow, lonely, focused on the wrong things. It won’t take long for that person’s soul to become so shriveled that it is all but dead. Then, spiritual diseases like sin, evil, and more will corrupt the rest of that person. Thus, spiritual death leads to physical death of one form or another.
The book of Romans makes this connection between rejecting God, living in sin, and the resultant death. Romans 6:23 explains that the cost of sin or the “wages of sin” is death. The only way to escape the connection between sin and death is to accept “the free gift of God which is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Many people do not realize the manner in which sin and evil destroy a person from the inside out. Like herbicides mess with needed photosynthesis and then kills plants from the inside out, sin messes with your connection to God and then destroys your soul and body from the inside out. You can see this connection in Romans 6:23 where sin leads to death.
There are many other places in the Bible where sin is directly linked to spiritual and physical death. Romans 7:5 reveals that “sinful passions bear the fruit of death”. Romans 7:23 teaches that sin is “death working in me”. James 1:15 explains that when “sin is full grown, it brings forth death”. These and other scriptures bear witness that sin blocks your connection with God, destroys your precious soul, and leads to spiritual, moral, and physical death.
As an example of this process, let’s look at the man from Mark 5 who was suffering from demonic infestation. Jesus came across him among the tombs of the Gerasenes (Mark 5:1). This man was filled with demonic evil. And what was his life like? We are told in Mark 5 that he was so wild that people tried to save his life by putting him in chains. That didn’t work. He broke the chains. Matthew 5:5 adds that this demon-possessed man constantly cried out and “bruised himself with stones”. Can you see here how this man who has rejected God is full of demons and has become highly self-destructive? Can you see how sin and evil working in him has corrupted or destroyed his heart, soul, and mind? Now, what happens when Jesus frees him from the demons and heals him? John 5:15 says that when the sin and evil left the man, he was “clothed and in his right mind”. John 5:18 further states that the man wanted desperately to go with Jesus. His soul was healed and looking for connection to God through Christ!
If you look at scripture closely, there is a spiritual life cycle of sorts that occurs in your soul. If you reject God, sin will enter. When you sin, evil will take over. When evil takes over your soul, you will become self-destructive as demons seek to have their way with your shriveled soul. The only alternative is that you always seek God in Christ. When sin enters, ask God for forgiveness. Atone for your sins. Do not let evil get hold of your soul. Do not reject the love of God. Seek God’s mercy. Revel in God’s grace. Praise God. Give thanks to God. Like plants need photosynthesis to remain healthy and produce fruit, you need God to remain healthy and produce love and grace and peace and more in the world around you.
Several years ago, I watched an interview about a man who had “made a pact with the devil”. He rejected God and began to dabble in the occult. Initially, he found great satisfaction in being able to do whatever he wanted. He didn’t care if he sinned. He didn’t worry about what others thought. He didn’t have to worship God. He didn’t have to repent. Soon, however, things turned ugly. As his soul shriveled with the loss of its connection with God, evil began to take root. Then, he began to self-destruct. He wrecked his friendships, one after another. He ignored his family. He began to use drugs. Then, he used stronger drugs. Then, he began to fantasize how to kill others and himself. The only thing that saved him was a chance encounter with a man who prayed for him. In that moment, this satanist reached out to Jesus. Suddenly, his soul began to have feeling. He began to regret his choices. He begged God for forgiveness. He is now an advocate for people leaving satanism and believing in Jesus.
Today’s scripture is clear. If you “remain in Jesus”, Jesus will “remain in you” (John 15:4). You will “never bear fruit by yourself”, because you need that connection with God in order to live. You must “remain in the vine”, connected to God in Christ. The alternative will shrivel your soul, cause you to sin, and make you susceptible to all forms of evil. Look at those in the news who have rejected God completely. Ever notice how self-destructive sinners become?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
I love You, oh Heavenly Father! I so enjoy the times when I feel Your presence nearby! I love those moments when Your peace enters my day, brings joy to my heart, and brings healing to my soul!
I am thankful that You sent Jesus into this world. His words and actions have given me direction and hope. His life has demonstrated the need for a connection between my soul and Your Spirit. I am lost without You! My soul shrivels when I let sin have its way. I need You like I need to breathe!
Today, I pray for those whose souls are shriveling. They have followed worldly passions. They have rejected obedience to You. Sins have captured their attention. Worldly ideals have clouded their spiritual vision. Their bitterness and resentment build as their souls shrivel without a deep connection with You. I fear for their future! Show them a way back from self-destruction! Let them seek Your will again! I pray they see their error before it’s too late!
In the name of Jesus, I am humbled this day. You chose me! You saved me! You sent Jesus for my salvation as well as the salvation of this world. Thank You Heavenly Father! Thank You! Amen.
I see a very interesting spiritual correlation to the way herbicides kill plants. If you take away sunlight and photosynthesis, a plant will wither and then die from within. In like manner, if you take away God’s connection from a person, after a while, that person’s heavenly soul with wither. When it does, the person’s life becomes hollow, lonely, focused on the wrong things. It won’t take long for that person’s soul to become so shriveled that it is all but dead. Then, spiritual diseases like sin, evil, and more will corrupt the rest of that person. Thus, spiritual death leads to physical death of one form or another.
The book of Romans makes this connection between rejecting God, living in sin, and the resultant death. Romans 6:23 explains that the cost of sin or the “wages of sin” is death. The only way to escape the connection between sin and death is to accept “the free gift of God which is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Many people do not realize the manner in which sin and evil destroy a person from the inside out. Like herbicides mess with needed photosynthesis and then kills plants from the inside out, sin messes with your connection to God and then destroys your soul and body from the inside out. You can see this connection in Romans 6:23 where sin leads to death.
There are many other places in the Bible where sin is directly linked to spiritual and physical death. Romans 7:5 reveals that “sinful passions bear the fruit of death”. Romans 7:23 teaches that sin is “death working in me”. James 1:15 explains that when “sin is full grown, it brings forth death”. These and other scriptures bear witness that sin blocks your connection with God, destroys your precious soul, and leads to spiritual, moral, and physical death.
As an example of this process, let’s look at the man from Mark 5 who was suffering from demonic infestation. Jesus came across him among the tombs of the Gerasenes (Mark 5:1). This man was filled with demonic evil. And what was his life like? We are told in Mark 5 that he was so wild that people tried to save his life by putting him in chains. That didn’t work. He broke the chains. Matthew 5:5 adds that this demon-possessed man constantly cried out and “bruised himself with stones”. Can you see here how this man who has rejected God is full of demons and has become highly self-destructive? Can you see how sin and evil working in him has corrupted or destroyed his heart, soul, and mind? Now, what happens when Jesus frees him from the demons and heals him? John 5:15 says that when the sin and evil left the man, he was “clothed and in his right mind”. John 5:18 further states that the man wanted desperately to go with Jesus. His soul was healed and looking for connection to God through Christ!
If you look at scripture closely, there is a spiritual life cycle of sorts that occurs in your soul. If you reject God, sin will enter. When you sin, evil will take over. When evil takes over your soul, you will become self-destructive as demons seek to have their way with your shriveled soul. The only alternative is that you always seek God in Christ. When sin enters, ask God for forgiveness. Atone for your sins. Do not let evil get hold of your soul. Do not reject the love of God. Seek God’s mercy. Revel in God’s grace. Praise God. Give thanks to God. Like plants need photosynthesis to remain healthy and produce fruit, you need God to remain healthy and produce love and grace and peace and more in the world around you.
Several years ago, I watched an interview about a man who had “made a pact with the devil”. He rejected God and began to dabble in the occult. Initially, he found great satisfaction in being able to do whatever he wanted. He didn’t care if he sinned. He didn’t worry about what others thought. He didn’t have to worship God. He didn’t have to repent. Soon, however, things turned ugly. As his soul shriveled with the loss of its connection with God, evil began to take root. Then, he began to self-destruct. He wrecked his friendships, one after another. He ignored his family. He began to use drugs. Then, he used stronger drugs. Then, he began to fantasize how to kill others and himself. The only thing that saved him was a chance encounter with a man who prayed for him. In that moment, this satanist reached out to Jesus. Suddenly, his soul began to have feeling. He began to regret his choices. He begged God for forgiveness. He is now an advocate for people leaving satanism and believing in Jesus.
Today’s scripture is clear. If you “remain in Jesus”, Jesus will “remain in you” (John 15:4). You will “never bear fruit by yourself”, because you need that connection with God in order to live. You must “remain in the vine”, connected to God in Christ. The alternative will shrivel your soul, cause you to sin, and make you susceptible to all forms of evil. Look at those in the news who have rejected God completely. Ever notice how self-destructive sinners become?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
I love You, oh Heavenly Father! I so enjoy the times when I feel Your presence nearby! I love those moments when Your peace enters my day, brings joy to my heart, and brings healing to my soul!
I am thankful that You sent Jesus into this world. His words and actions have given me direction and hope. His life has demonstrated the need for a connection between my soul and Your Spirit. I am lost without You! My soul shrivels when I let sin have its way. I need You like I need to breathe!
Today, I pray for those whose souls are shriveling. They have followed worldly passions. They have rejected obedience to You. Sins have captured their attention. Worldly ideals have clouded their spiritual vision. Their bitterness and resentment build as their souls shrivel without a deep connection with You. I fear for their future! Show them a way back from self-destruction! Let them seek Your will again! I pray they see their error before it’s too late!
In the name of Jesus, I am humbled this day. You chose me! You saved me! You sent Jesus for my salvation as well as the salvation of this world. Thank You Heavenly Father! Thank You! Amen.