Stay Connected to Jesus Like a Power Source

Hey, carpool crew, whether you're riding to school, chilling in the backseat, or crunching on some toast at the kitchen table. I'm Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you're here. Let me ask you something. Have you ever had your tablet or your phone run outta battery at the worst time, right in the middle of your favorite game or your favorite song? The little red battery icon is the worst, right? Why does it happen? Well, because it's not connected. A phone with no charger eventually runs out of power. And guess what? Our hearts are the same way. In John 15 verse four, Jesus said, remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. That means we can't grow in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, or anything good unless we stay close to Jesus. He's the vine. We are the branches. The branch doesn't grow fruit all by itself. It needs the vine. See, Jesus was walking with his disciples through a vineyard, an area of grape vines, when he said this. Back then, everyone knew what he meant. If a branch breaks off the vine, it dries up and stops growing grapes. Jesus was giving his friends a word picture they'd never forget. Stay connected to me if you want to grow strong. If Jesus were sitting right next to you in the car or at the table, I think he'd smile and say, you don't have to do it all by yourself. Stay connected to me. Talk to me. Think about me. Listen to my words and apply them. When you're close to me, your heart stays strong and full. That's not just for Sundays. It's not just for prayers at bedtime. It's for every day at school, on your sports teams, with your family. Jesus wants to walk with you through every hallway, every lunch break, every hangout time at home with your family, and a movie night. He wants to be there at homework time, and he wants to be there when things are at their best and when things aren't going so well. So how can we stay connected to Jesus? Well, first of all, talk to him. You don't have to wait for bedtime to pray. Say something like, Jesus, help me be kind right now. A simple prayer can go a long way. Read or remember his words. A short Bible verse on a sticky note, or listening to a podcast like this one can help you remember what matters. And worship and thank him. Sing a worship song, hum a praise tune, or just say, thanks Jesus, in your head. That's staying connected. And Jesus wants to stay close to you. When you're connected to Jesus, you'll notice something amazing. You'll have more patience than usual. You'll have more peace in tough situations. You'll show more love to the people around you, even the ones who annoy you. We all have people like that. That's because he's your power source. So today, plug in. Stay close, keep growing. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Parents, if you love this podcast, share about it in a Facebook group so other parents can discover the podcast too. And before you go answer this question together, what helps you feel most connected to Jesus during the day? I'll see you tomorrow on carpooling with Jesus.