John 15:1-11--NIV

I am the true vine and my Father is the gardner. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; Apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my deciples.

As the Father has loved me, so have I lived you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

THE GOD-DEPENDENT LIFE
Several years have passed since the publication of my book, Finding the God-Dependent Life. It's the story of how I learned to depend on God through the gradual breakdown of my self-sufficiency. My inadequacies forced me to depend on Him. In time, it became clear that the same principles that helped me in a crisis could help me all the time. So God-dependence became my chosen way of life. The result was greater wholeness and fruitfulness. A churchgoer who read my book commented to a friend, "If you ask me, Joanie Yoder depends on God too much!" To help me explain the God-dependent life, I've turned that comment into a question: Is it possible to depend on God too much?

Let's answer that question by asking another: Is it possible to depend too much on the vine? Catherine Marshall wrote, "The point is not that the branches will do better when they are attached to the vine. Unless attached, the branches will wither and die." Jesus taught that unless the branches(you and I) abide in the vine (remain dependent on Him), it"s impossible for us to bear fruit. Is it possible to depend on God too much? Not if we are to be fruitful branches. What kind of branch are you?

FRUITFULNESS FOR CHRIST DEPENDS ON FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST.

Written by Joanie Yoder, from Discovery House Publishers