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As we teach the Life that is Christ (for to me to live IS Christ), we get asked by a lot of folks, “So which is it–Jesus or me?” The immediate answer is always, “yes!” They are usually asking, “When it comes to living the Christian life, I have to do something right?It’s not just Jesus”. We have heard our mentor, Charles Culpepper, say for 25 years, “It’s just Jesus”. To us that makes lots of sense. He is the Life. He is the Vine. We are the tangible expression of His life, the branches. He produces; We display.

Our mentor, Darrell Feemster, says often that “our responsibility is to respond to His ability.” That’s a good way of saying it. We simply respond to what He wants to do. He is the Source, and Energy behind what needs to be done. We stay in a dependent mode. Totally and deliberately saying to Him, “You are my Source”, on a moment by moment basis.

Jesus lived this way too. He is the prototype of how we live. Listen to His words, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” John 14:10.  And Acts 2:22 says, “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.”

So when Jesus was on earth in His own body He did the things He did as a man fully dependent on God. And that is what He is offering to us. He is offering a “no longer I, but Christ” life. It will be hard to separate which is you and which is Him because it is Him working through you, in you, as you. He is always the Vine; you are always the branch. He is the Water, you are the water hose. And out of your innermost being will flow rivers of Living Water.

One of the Walkit interns was talking about this the other day. They said, “I’ve been wanting to learn some new electric guitar licks lately. Do you think that’s Jesus or me?” The reply, “yes.”  That’s the way Jesus works. He might want to do something big, perhaps even miraculous, but most of the time He just wants to do the next thing that will lead us into the plans He has for us. Nothing flashy, just obedient. Being sensitive to what He is up to throughout the day is responding to His ability.

So our prayer has become something like this, “Lord, I want to see everything that you want to be about today. What do you have in mind?” Whispering that all throughout the day is a sweet way to live.