Text: Genesis 1:24-26
Memory verse:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When God wanted to create the plants, He directed His creative speech to the earth; the fishes, to the water; the birds, to the sky; and the animals, to the earth. However, for man, He directed His creative speech to Himself. “Then God said, let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness …” Gen 1:26).
The life of a creature is sustained as long as it remains connected to its source. This is a spiritual law. When you pull out a plant from the earth, it naturally withers and dies simply because you have disconnected it from its source, that is, the earth. The same thing happens when a fish is removed from the water and birds removed from the air. What about man? Since man was made from God, He is our Source. Thus, man dies, not as a punishment, but as a natural consequence of being separated from his Source. Therefore, to continue to live and to fulfill purpose, man must maintain connection with his Maker.
The fruit of the tree of life was God’s provision to sustain the life of man. So, God prevented Adam and Eve from returning to partake in it and to live forever after being separated by sin ‭‭(Gen 3‬:‭24‬).
Being alone with God is seeking to renew and to sustain the life of God in you. Just as the fruit of the tree of life in the garden was to sustain Adam and Eves’ lives, so also is life force released in God’s presence. It is this life that gives light which marks out the believers; and gives strength to sustain the believers in the world (John 1:5; Rev 22:1-3). When communion is broken, spiritual life begins to degenerate.
Satan’s target is still to attack our communion with God through sin and the natural consequences will follow if he succeeds. Sin keeps a man from God’s presence and God’s presence keeps a man from sin.
Friends, God has opened the way of intimacy with Him through our Lord Jesus Christ and the fruit of the tree of life is available in Jesus as you stay in His presence.

Prayer points
1. Father, please, keep me from anything that can impede my communion with You in Jesus name.
2. Father, please, renew life, strength and health in me as I commune with You in Jesus name.

Today’s declarations
1. As a plant can’t survive when disconnected from its source, neither can I survive when I disconnect from my Source.
2. Satan’s goal is to keep me out of communion through sin but I stay in communion to keep away from sin.

Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng