Day #33

Begin this time in prayer.

Read John 15:5-8

If we abide in Christ, the True Vine, we cannot help but produce fruit.

Read John 15:2 once more…

God, which is the Father and the Vinedresser, does two things to make sure there is maximum fruit production.  Can you remember what the two things are?

1.

2.

Of course this whole section of the Bible is an allegory.  An allegory is a story about one thing that helps us understand something else.

In this situation, the allegory is about a vineyard and what a vinedresser does in his vineyard.  It will help us understand how God handles those who say they are believers.

Now let’s get back to John 15:2… The Father does two things to bring forth fruit in His vineyard.  He…

1.     …removes unfruitful branches…

2.    … and prunes all the others. 

Do you understand what pruning is?  This is when a vinedresser will cut back on a branch to allow new fresh vines to grow from it.  This cutting is never enough to kill or damage the branch.

For us, pruning is a painful removal of what is not pleasing to God.  It is NEVER enough to kill or damage us, but in the end it will produce fruit that is useful and pleasing to God and His purpose.  Because, after all…

THIS LIFE WE LIVE WITH CHRIST IS NOT ABOUT US!  It is about God’s greater purpose in bringing His children home to live with Him throughout all eternity.  He does not want to let one of His creation go, but in the end, it is that person’s choice to receive Christ and walk in obedience or to reject it for something else.

In John 15:2 when Jesus says the words “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away,” He is referring to people who are not true believers.  They may have done any number of things, but it all boils down to a corny saying…

THEY TALKED THE TALK, BUT DID NOT WALK THE WALK!  And John 15:6-8 is the result.  Read that once more too.

NO FRUIT.  If you think about it for a second… many people claim to be Christians.  But, if there is no fruit, they never had a life-changing relationship with God to begin with.  Pray for these people in your life regularly and wait for God to use you in that person’s life to talk TRUTH to them.

For some of us, this is making us think.  Well, I hope all of us are forced to think.  But, please remember what God says about those branches that produce some fruit… not a bunch… but some.  He prunes them until they produce an abundance of it. 

TARGET of the DAY

Begin praying for the people that are in your DAILY lives that claim they are Christians.  This includes yourself, friend!  Pray for pruning.  Sounds crazy, huh?  But it is not.  You say, “Well that is scary because it may be uncomfortable!”

Remember that this life we live in Christ, is not about us and our comfort.  Jesus Christ CHOSE to live out His Father’s plan to die on a cross.  Can you imagine if He had climbed down off that cross that day and said, “I can’t do this.  It's not comfortable?"le?”