Sometimes appliance battery terminals start to corrode and no long can make contact with batteries. Nothing wrong with the batteries, but corroded terminals make the appliance useless. Either clean the terminals or throw out the appliance. This Sunday I'll be preaching from Colossians where we are told Christians are unique people because of this truth: “Christ in you.” Think about that for a minute. The everlasting, supreme, never fading, most powerful, always present Christ lives in every believer. With Christ in us, we believers should never stop fulfilling the purpose God has for us.

The problem comes when our connection with Jesus becomes “corroded.” Jesus put it plainly: “5 I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up...” (John 15:5-6). Are you feeling “dried up” in your Christian life? Maybe it's because your “spiritual terminals” are corroding. Maybe it's because your connection with Jesus is not what it should be. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life (1 John 2:16) are what corrode our connection with “Christ in you”...our source of never-ending spiritual power.

Today's My Utmost for His Highest is both a warning and an encouragement:

“We are all capable of being spiritual sluggards. There are times when our sole objective is to secure peace and comfort for ourselves. Preventing “sluggardness” will require a special kind of initiative—the initiative of Christ-realization, not self-realization. To live a remote, retired, secluded life is the antithesis of the spirituality Jesus Christ taught.
This can turn us into spiritual sluggards; this can cause us to retreat from the world and to use prayer and Bible reading merely to soothe ourselves. We might start going to God for the sole purpose of getting enjoyment; we might lose interest in manifesting the life of Jesus Christ in our own lives. If we are behaving like this, we can be sure we've taken a step in the wrong direction. Enjoyment, peace, and relaxation are effects of the spiritual life, but we try to make them causes.
Peter wanted to rouse Christians to action by reminding them of what Christ had done. “I think it meet,” he said, “to stir you up by putting you in remembrance” (2 Peter 1:13 kjv). The danger of spiritual sluggishness is that we do not want to be stirred up. All we want is repose. Jesus Christ never encouraged the idea of spiritual repose. His instructions were clear: “Go and tell . . .” (Matthew 28:10).”

Christians become “sluggards”...useless for the kingdom...when they allow their “terminals” to become corroded. We are reminded of the admonition given to the church: “15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have no need of anything,” and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (your “terminals are corroded) (Revelation 3:15-17). Corrosion cleaning - “7 If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” (John 15).

My prayer for you and me today is this: Lord, show us the corrosion in our lives that keep us from our power source “Christ in you.” Once You have done that, we will confess our lack of maintenance, repent, clean our “terminals” and receive Your power. To this end we pray. Amen

Walk with the King today and be a blessing.