Written By Jordan Hopkins

           When reading God's word, we discover that God is all knowing and powerful.  We read of his plan as it is laid out in the scriptures and realize that we, as mortal man, are very small in the grand scheme of things.  It's also apparent that without God, we couldn't have existed and without him we can do nothing.  As John wrote in John 15:4-7, "Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing..."  These passages show us that without God, we are nothing and can accomplish nothing.

            We are also warned in these same passages of what will come of us if we choose to not abide in God.  Verse 6 tells us, "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."

            These are humbling words to remind us that without God, we are nothing and that we should constantly strive to better ourselves as Christians and study his word.  If we do strive to learn more and to grow in his word and abide in him, then verse 8 says, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  

- Jordan Hopkins