"Real Substance"

 "All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled." (Ecclesiastes 6:7 KJV)

  ""Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money? Come, take your choice of wine or milk - it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food."" (Isaiah 55:1-2 NLT)

 If I could do things all over again, I would start by making sure that I put no faith in myself. Even if I get really good at being good; there is nothing I can do without Christ, He is the one that works within me! As I was thinking about this, most of the morning, I pictured the time when Jesus walked on the water. As He acknowledged who He was, and assured the disciples that they were safe, Peter asked Him to show him a sign, (which means, if that is You, prove it), saying: "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water." And then Jesus said, "Yes, come." (Matthew 14:27-29)

 We pretty much have heard what happened, as Peter began to sink, seeing the waves and feeling the might of the sea: as they put it, "He took his eyes off Jesus!" Yes, I will agree; but at the same time, I will add something to that, only because I feel it is important! More than taking his eyes off Jesus, he thought for a brief moment that he was given the power to walk on water, taking his faith off of what Christ was doing, and placing it upon himself. 

 When the Scripture says, "The just shall walk by faith," it literally means, without faith, you cannot just walk on your own! But how often do we try, only to find ourselves sinking and going under! We ask the Lord to give us the ability, and then expect that we are given the ability to do it on our own; as if Jesus has made our fleshly body able to control the winds and the waves. (Not going to happen!) 

 The Scriptures speak the truth: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts." (Zechariah 4:6 NKJV) What good is it to eat the finest foods, and walk away feeling accomplished? When we are told to abide in Christ, it means that is where we get our strength; without Jesus, we are just trying to do something we cannot do on our own. (Never going to turn out good!) 

 Yes, we are able to do things that are remarkable and may even seem supernatural; but it is Christ who is working in and through us! We ask Him to help us love others, but without Christ loving through us, we are going to fall short of loving as we could...

""I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."" (John 15:1-5 NLT)