Cannot

This is a pretty crazy title! However, it goes with the
verse for today.

Abide in me and I in you. As a branch cannot bear 
fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither 
can you unless you abide in me. John 15:4

The word 'abides' means 'to rest or dwell, to tarry or
stay, to continue permanently, to remain.'

A branch has to stay attached to the vine permanently
or else it withers because it has no life source within
itself. It is the same for the Christian. Unless we tarry
or remain in our Vine, our source of Life, we too
wither. However, unlike the branch we can draw on
our own resources and look pretty good--for awhile.
Jesus says plainly in this verse that the fruit we
produce out of our own efforts, is not real fruit! 'We
are not good if detached.' (Corrie Ten Boom)

Reader, I can so easily lose focus and find myself
generating all kinds of useless activity.