Day 1 - Fresh Start

 CONNECTING TO JESUS

We are beginning a journey of connecting with Jesus that will eventually make us whole and healed! Don’t you want to be whole and healed both emotionally and physically? I’m sure your answer is, “Absolutely, yes! I want everything God has for me!”

Good news for every single one of us today is found in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 NLT: This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.

You have stepped into a brand new life in Jesus! How amazing is that? Jesus Himself tells us how to begin living this life of health, healing, wholeness and fulfillment in John 15:4-8 NIV.

“Remain in me, as I also 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 you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are 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 done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” - John 1:4-8 NIV

What Jesus is saying is that all of life comes back to our connection to Him. Like a branch on a tree can only live if it’s connected to the tree, we can only truly live if we’re connected to the source of life, Jesus Christ. If we are connected to Him we’ll be healthy, and if we’re not connected to Him then we won’t be healthy. Connecting to Jesus happens in many ways that we’ll talk about over the next few days, but staying connected to Jesus is always an intentional action. That means it’s not just going to happen. Connection is going to take some work, some time, some devotion and some prioritization.

We’d really encourage you to take the best portion of your day, when you’re most awake and most alive, and give it to God. For most people this is in the morning, while for others it’s during lunch or even in the evening. Take 10-15 minutes to read each day’s message in this series and watch that day’s video. Prioritize the “Challenge” at the end of each message. Do it that day or the next. Ask God how it would change your life if you actually implemented the message into your life. Remember, this walk with God isn’t just about information, but transformation! Keep Jesus on your mind as you go through your day. Simply pray, “Jesus, I want to know you more,” while in the car, at work, during your commute, doing laundry, etc.

The reason Jesus gave His life is so that we may have a close relationship with Him! Can you imagine how your life would change if you actually, authentically connected to God? The very fact that you are reading this means that something amazing has sparked in your life, and God is drawing you closer to Him! You may not know for sure how your life is going to change, but you can be assured that it will change if you connect, and remain connected, to Jesus.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Write out some things that you hope, pray and expect to change as a result of your new connection to Jesus. Put that list somewhere that you will see it daily. What’s possible for the God of creation to accomplish in you over the next 7 days?