| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Sanctification” Our Bible verse for today: “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” John 15:5 (CSB) Our thought for today: “It’s a matter of submission” In his great little book, “The Doctrine of Salvation,” Dr. Darrell Robinson included a chapter with the title “Salvation and Daily Living.” He writes, “The new life is a process of growing and maturing into the likeness of Christ. At conversion His life is within us, but His likeness is not within us. Sin still has power over the believer, but sin’s power is potentially broken through Christ’s death and resurrection. Victory belongs to the Christian as she appropriates by faith all that is hers in Christ.” His life is in us, but His likeness is not. All that there is of Jesus is ours at the moment of conversion by means of His Holy Spirit living in our heart. But His likeness in us becomes more prominent over time, a little at a time, as we learn to be more like Him and less like us. It’s a matter of submission. I learn to surrender my will for His in all things. I learn to think like Him, talk like Him, and act like Him. As that happens, I become more like Him and less like me. The way Jesus explained this important truth was by using the illustration of a grapevine and the branches that grow off it (John 15:5). The grapevine lives its life through the branches and it produces its fruit through those branches. The life of the vine flows through the branches and the fruit of the vine is produced through the branches. As long as the branch stays attached to the vine, it will produce the fruit of the vine. Independent of the vine, the branch can do nothing. In the same manner, Jesus is the vine and we are His branches. His life flows through us and He produces His fruit through our lives. As long as we stay attached and fully submitted to Him, His life will flow in us and through us, and His fruit will be produced through us. But this only works if we stay attached and fully submitted to Him. If we do, over time, more and more of His fruit is produced through our lives and we, the branch, are seen as being one with the vine. But it is His fruit, not ours. The fruit (works) is what Jesus would produce if He were here on the earth in the flesh and bones body that you are walking around in. It is His Spirit in you, and working through you, that is producing His fruit. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. God bless, Pastor Jim (If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville |
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Oak Hill Baptist Church 
Amen. Good word. Thank you so much for your newest book. That was so kind of you. God bless.
You’re very welcome. Thank you for your faithfulness by sharing your writing every day.