Daily Devotional For Friday, June 6, 2025

Happy Friday Southside. For those of you who keep up with history, today is a special day for America and Europe. 81 years ago on June 6, “D-Day” happened. I like to think that the “D” stands for deliverance. It was the largest assault against Nazi Germany under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. On that day approximately 150,000 Allied Troops from 5,000 ships hit the beaches at Normandy. There were over 10,300 Allied casualties, which included 4,414 American soldiers. By the end of June, over 850,000 troops, 150,000 vehicles, and 570,000 tons of supplies had landed on the beaches.

I would like to take the same designation of D-Day and use the “D” to stand for “Discipleship Day.” Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not a one day a week event. It is a 24/7 lifetime commitment. You can go to church every week and even more than once a week and never be a disciple or be discipled. The main word the Gospels use for this is “abiding.” In John 15:5, Jesus says this: “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (NASB).

The Greek New Testament word is [μένω; meno]. There are many ways to look at this but in John 15, John gives the best analogy. As long as the branch stays attached to the vine, it grows and produces fruit. The instant it is pruned or cut off, it stops doing that and dies. It is the job of the vine to send all the nutrients necessary to the branches to be fruitful. Yet, today, so many Christians attempt to live their lives apart from Christ, the Vine. They do everything through their own strengths, talents, abilities and past experiences. But this welcomes disaster. Why? This is all due to personal pride. 

Absolute dependency on Jesus the Vine is essential for any godly fruit to be produced. Think of it this way. If we were to sever your arm from your body, what would be the results to your arm and to you? If we were to remove your heart or your lungs or your liver or your pancreas from your body, what would be the results to those organs and to you personally. Both would die. This is not theory, but fact. This is not conjecture, but the truth. Yet, so many Christians today believe otherwise.

So, how do we abide? Jesus said this in Luke 9:23, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (NASB). How do we deny ourselves and take up our cross daily? Here are a few suggestions.

1. First, you’ve got to live in the Word daily. Jesus said this in John 8:31-32, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; (32) and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (NASB). The Word is your spiritual food. If you eat spiritually like you eat physically, what does tell you how your spiritual life would be? If you eat physically every day, but rarely spiritually, what condition are you in spiritually? If you do not have a Bible reading plan, go online. There are many good ones or ask one of the staff at Southside. 
2. Second, you need to learn to pray in faith. Jesus said this in John 15:7, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (NASB). Prayer is not a ritual we do, but a relationship we cultivate, nourish and grow. It is through prayer we align our will to His will and are given the faith we need to do what He asks. You can always tell who prays – they are willing to step out in faith because they have spent time with the Father. When it comes to praying, keep it simple. There is nothing wrong in plans that tell you what to pray for each day. I have used them, but if you are starting, start with praying each day first to create the habit of praying daily.
3. Third, you need to be fellowshipping with other committed disciples. I didn’t say “committed church goers,” but committed disciples. Jesus said this in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (35) By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (NASB). Yes, we are not to neglect coming together as a church. See Hebrews 10:25. Coming together is no guarantee of abiding in the Vine. For 3 years the disciples were with Jesus and often in the Gospels He says to them. “Do you not believe? Do you not get it? Do you not see why I am here and why I have called you?” This is why our closest friends should be godly disciples. 
4. Fourth, you have to be willing to witness to others. Sharing with others is one proof we are abiding. We share news of a new house, new car, new baby, new job, etc. Jesus said this in John 15:8, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (NASB). Bearing fruit includes making disciples.
5. Fifth, you have to be serving others. Jesus said this in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (NASB). A disciple without a ministry or not serving others is a scrooge without a heart. We give to others because Christ has given to us.

Assignment: Read over these 5 disciplines for abiding. Which of these are you doing well and which of these are you struggling? Put on your schedule today a reminder to start doing these. Why? If you don’t, you probably won’t. Each of these 5 disciplines depends on the Vine, Jesus, to help us bear fruit. That is the goal of discipleship – to bear fruit.

Scripture To Meditate On: John 15:4, Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me” (NASB).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I need You. I need to be abiding in You. I need to be obeying Luke 9:23 everyday. Please Jesus, my Vine, please help me to be committed to cultivating these 5 disciplines above for Your glory and to build the kingdom of God. Lord, help me to have my own “D-Day” everyday. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly