Happy August!
We are journaling through the Bible this year to learn about God’s promises. Over 200 of God’s Promises have already been engraved if you started working with us in January. We’ll learn about 31 more of God’s promises in Scripture this month.
This month one of the passages we will be journaling is from John 15. Let’s look at these verses together.
John 15:1-2 – 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.
THE TRUE VINE
Jesus frequently used the vine as a symbol of his people. Most likely because there were vineyards everywhere in ancient Israel. The vine and branches picture represent complete dependence and the need for constant connection. Even more than children depend upon their parents, branches depend on vines. This was important encouragement as Jesus prepared to ascend to Heaven. In the same way branches are joined to the main vine, Jesus would continue to be connected with them.
This passage gives us the secret to navigating this life as His disciple. As followers of Jesus, we must remain rooted to the true vine if we hope to produce healthy fruit. We need to be rooted in Jesus, the True Vine.
If we abide in Him, and He in us we can bear much fruit for without Him we can do nothing (John 5:5).
It’s a mutual relationship. The relationship cannot flourish if it is only one sided. Just as a marriage relationship must be worked on daily to have a lasting fulfilling relationship, we must constantly abide in Christ.
Abiding in Christ refers to our will, choices, and decisions exposing ourselves to God and maintaining contact with Him.
There’s a precious promise in this passage of John 5:1-8 which tells us that regardless of our actions one way or another we will be pruned. If we don’t bear fruit, we will be cut off and taken away. If we bear fruit, we will be pruned in order to produce more fruit and remove anything that is useless or keeping you from being more fruitful.
WHOSE FRUIT AM I PRODUCING?
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tell us “by their fruits ye shall know them.”
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:17-20
It matters what kind of fruit you produce! It is either good or bad. Is it useful or unusable?
Are you producing love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Matthew 5:22-23)?
Or are you producing bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking (Ephesians 4:31)?
If it’s the latter, consider to which vine you have connected.
To produce His fruit, you must abide in the True Vine—Jesus. If you are connected to any other vine, your life will be full of unusable, bad fruit.
_________________________________________________________
Friends, the question we must ask ourselves as we navigate life is not whether or not we will be pruned, whether or not things in our lives need to be removed, or whether it will hurt. Both ways will result in pruning for you.
We should ask ourselves “What fruit am I producing?” According to Jesus, we will be known by our fruits.
Check if your life produces bitter, jealous, envy, selfish fruit unusable for the Kingdom of God. Avoid spending too much time on social media, ruminating over past hurts, hoarding talents, resentment, anger, and pride.
Connect with Jesus, ask for forgiveness, and engage in Scripture. Spend time in quietness and prayer, and allow His Holy Spirit to work in your life. This will lead to bearing His fruit, which is usable for the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5).
You can download a copy of the Scripture Journaling Plan here:
https://charitymaeprosper.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/JS-August.pdf
