"...Remain united in me, and I will remain united in you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me."

John 15:4

It is not easy to stop trusting ourselves and rely on Christ. In this world, the message we hear is that value comes from what we do, what we earn, and what we accomplish. However, if we believe that, we will be busier than God ever intended us to be, trying to do well, what he never intended us to do at all. The pace of Jesus was measured and deliberate. He knew that God's work had to be done by God. We work, but we must rely on Him every step of the way. Before you do anything else, begin your day by expressing your dependence on God. If you have trouble relying on Him, ask Him to help you. Growing faith, is a job for God!

Our Daily Bread - October 27, 2001

We Have Been Given Treasure

And you also became God's people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation. You believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised. The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised his people, and this assures us that God will give complete freedom to those who are his. Let us praise his glory!

Ephesians 1:13-14

Grace, forgiveness, strength, wisdom, direction, the power to resist temptation, reconciliation, protection, lightened burdens - all these riches and many more are ours. God has truly given us every spiritual blessing because we accept Jesus as our Personal Savior.

Our Daily Bread - October 28, 2001