The Vine

John 15:1-2 (KJV) In this passage of scripture Jesus says "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." John 15:5-7 (KJV) In this passage of scripture Jesus says "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

In the above scripture Jesus is speaking in a parable. In this parable God is the gardener of the vineyard, Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. No branch can grow, produce fruit, or be productive in any way when it is separated from the vine. Once separated from the vine a branch withers, dries up, and dies. In the above passage of scripture God makes it clear, that just like the branch separated from the vine can do nothing but wither, we can do nothing apart from Him.

Just as a branch on a grapevine cannot flourish and bear fruit apart from that grapevine, we cannot mature and produce fruit apart from Christ. A grapevine produces little shoots that grow along the ground, and they eventually mature into branches. This can only occur if the gardener lifts these shoots up from the dirt onto a trellis preventing them from being buried in the dirt, and allowing them to receive the sunlight necessary to grow and produce fruit.

Unlike the branches of a grapevine, we are born with a freewill, and therefore it is up to us as to whether or not we will have a close personal relationship with God. We can choose a close relationship with God, be lifted up, nourished, and bear fruit in abundance, or we can neglect God, and become like a new shoot from a grapevine growing along the ground allowing ourselves to be covered by the dirt of the world, and remain fruitless.

When we abide in Christ, we bear fruit in many forms. For example, God is glorified when we abide in him, through our behavior. When others see something different in our behavior, and discover it is Christ, we have witnessed to them via the way we live our everyday lives. We have shown ourselves to be disciples of Christ by our behavior, and those around us who notice may decide they want to surrender their lives to the Lord. That is great fruit my friends. We bear fruit by glorifying God, doing good deeds, praising and worshiping God, caring for the poor and needy, and all other Christ like behavior and actions. Without a close relationship with God we cannot live a life worthy of witness because it is His light shining through us that is the true witness, and when we neglect Him we tend to fall prey to worldly behavior which dims our light with a quickness.

I urge you to make time for God everyday. If you say you can't because you're too busy, then you need to rework your schedule because nothing is more important than your personal relationship with God. Set aside time for God, pray, read and study his word, and listen to him. Allow God to lead, guide, and direct your path. I urge you to live your life in a manner that witnesses to those around you, and leads them to Christ. When you walk in Gods ways and have a close personal relationship with Him, you will become more fruitful, God will be glorified, and you will be blessed. God tells us in the above scripture that if we abide in Him, and His Word abides in us, we can ask what we want, and it will be done. The choice is ours we can keep God first in our lives being fruitful and blessed, or we can be separate from Him and be as the branch separated from the vine, withered and fruitless. For me the best choice is obvious, what about you?

If you have prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.