No/Lost Connection

Ok...we all know that I'm addicted to my "Crackberry"...it's like my other half...I can't do anything with out it...no moves or decisions without consulting my blackberry. And heaven forbid that I get to an area with no signal...or bad connections. How many of us are like that? How many of us feel disconnected without our cellphones? Like how many times have you stood in a corner upside down with one leg at a 45 degree angle and your mouth turned a certain way just to get one bar so you can get that one call, text, email or facebook notification on your phone? We all do it...sad but true. A few days ago I was sitting in the cafe eating alone and an older gentleman came and asked if he could sit at my table because the cafe was full. "Of course" I said and we preceeded to eat our lunch. After about 30 minutes of silence the gentleman picked up his coat and said "Do you have a church home? If not I would like you to come and fellowship at my church". Well I never miss the opportunity to praise the Lord so I took down the name and number of the church and told him i would be there. He told me to make sure to make it to the 7:45am service because that's when "Dr. Steele really gives the word"...whateva that means LOL. But I told him that I would def try and make it to the 7:45. Well when I woke up today at 7:30 I know that wasn't going to happen. But I told God that maybe it's something at the 10:45 message that I needed to hear...so I would still get up and go. So I get there and what do I hear...the Senior Choir...I wanted to run LOL. But I made it through and was ready for the Word. It was then that God told me to pay attention because he needed me to hear something. The guest speaker gets up (darn it I came to hear Dr. Steele!) and presents his text St. John 15:1-7. He spoke about us staying connected to the vine (God). So Cell Phone addicts I have a question? How many of us are truely connected and what will we do to get and maintain this connection. Everyday we get the "Lost Connection/No Connection" message on our phones and freak out and twitch until we get in an area to where we are connected again...but do we do the same with God? Do we hunt for better areas to hear His Word, do we change position, do we change our plans the same that we do with our cell phones. Like some of you...I can't answer yes to all these questions. Most cell phones come with 5 bars for full connection to the service. So lets look at our connection to God the same way:1 bar: Being born into this world2 bars: Hearing about Jesus Christ3 bars: Wanting to know who Jesus Christ is4 bars: Accepting Jesus Christ into our lives which then connects us to God5 bars: Maintaining our relationship with God the Father and His Son and the Holy SpiritHow hard do we fight to get the BEST connection to God? Just like with a cellphone, 1 bar is a weak connection. At anytime you can lose your signal and be lost. Two bars you will be able to hear what the other person is saying...but you know after about 5 minutes you start the "Can you hear me? Hold on...let me move by the window". It's not until you get that 4th bar that you're truely secured and connected to the network and this is the same way God works. And that fifth bar is liking paying that bill...you have to spend time with God in order to keep that FULL connection. You have to be connected to Him FULLY before you reap the benefits of his connection. John 15 states "1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain 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. 5"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. 6If 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. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.My God...look at the great benefits from Jesus Christ if we stay connected to Him!!! What if we had that same passion to stay connected to Jesus Christ as we did our cellphones? What a fruitful life we would live. If we would go in seek the best area, best position, and stand there firmly in God...just to keep that connection...what a blessing our fruit would be! Everyday we turn on the TV and see how these companies are offering the best plans and the best networks...and how many times have you heard Jesus call out to you. Telling you that he has the best and ONLY connection you need? How many times have we ignored Him...sometimes searching for something better, cheaper, or easier? How many of us are still satisfied with that 1,2, or 3 bars? How many of us thing that we still have time to decide?God wants us to have the best connection possible. He wants us to learn who His son is...and why he died for us. God wants us to be the best that we can be...and he knows that we can't do that without Him. If you THINK that you're reaping the benefits of the WORLD without Him...how much more love, security and protection do you think you will have with Him? And why do often times "we" think that we have time? Like we know when God is coming back? We don't have time to say "Well let me do me...and then after that I'll get saved". What does that really mean? Does someone have a magic ball telling us when God is coming...and please dont send me a copy of the latest National Equire talking bout God is in Hawaii LOL. The time is now to make that FULL connection with God. What are you waiting for? Whatever problems you're trying to fix without God you'll never be able to do so until you seek and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. It is only then that you get to reap the benefits of being connected to God's vine. I don't know why God told me to write this note...but trust when I say that I pray before doing these things...and only write when God leads me. As I was sitting in church God laid it out so plain and told me to write it...so here it is. I don't know who this is ministering to...but I know the subject touched me because in someways I've dropped down to 4 bars and I feel it in my spirit and my actions. I have not been maintaining the connection that God wants me to have with Him. Such a simple thing to do but I've failed at it. But the one thing I love about my God is the fact that once I get my 4 bars he NEVER drops my call. He's always waiting for me...pulling for me...wanting for me to get that full connection back. So I say to someone who may not know Jesus Christ/God...do you want to become connected to a network bigger and better than the WORLD that you live in now? Do you want to serve a God that will NEVER drop your connection? Right now I invite you into His kingdom...this is not an invitation that you have to take running down the church aisle screaming and crying...it's a connection that's made personally between you and God. And with that I ask that you find yourself a church and get grounded and rooted in His Word and fellowship with others that will help you. If you wanna call me the number is on my page and I will gladly point you to someone in your area...no matter where you are. And for those of US that may have dropped down to that 4th bar I ask that we all pick up the Bible, get back in the church and reconnect with that relationship we once had with God. He's never left us...never dropped the call...he'spolitely waiting on the other line from when THE WORLD called. Go back to Him. Love you guys. And I couldn't tag everyone...but I'm sure this will reach the ones that need to hear/read it. And Matt and Carlson..yes I did tag you...you told me to never forget to tag you to the inspirational notes...even though you are probably listening to God front row and center.