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GOD’S PLAN FOR FRUITFULNESS
August 23, 2024I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5
1. WE THRIVE WHEN WE ARE CONNECTED TO OUR CREATOR. Jesus is using the imagery of us being the branches and Him being the vine to communicate the importance of our connection to Him. Next door to our church is a service station, and on the edge of their property is a big Bradford Pear tree that has a huge section split off from the rest of the tree. For whatever reason, the groundskeepers have not yet cleaned it up. As the weeks go by, I can see the glaring difference between the beautiful green portion of the tree and the severed part that has become dry and dead. Just as the broken branch of that tree withers and dies when separated from its source, so our lives become dry and unfruitful when we are disconnected from our Creator. But everything thrives when we walk with God and tap into His values and purposes.
2. GOD WANTS OUR PRAYERS TO BE FRUITFUL. Right before this chapter, Jesus taught about prayer and then continued that when He said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). When we stay connected to God, our prayers become more powerful and effective. We can take our requests before Him where we go to God with confidence, draw near with intention, express our thanks to Him, and acknowledge how good He is. God is glorified when we bear fruit and when we get results.
Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, while our vineyards are in blossom. Song of Solomon 2:15
3. GUARD AGAINST THE LITTLE FOXES. In vineyards, foxes can ruin the plants by burrowing in the ground, damaging the roots and vines, and eating the fruit. This imagery shows how sin can sneak in and mess with our flow of life. Yes, there are big overt things the devil tries to use to pull us off course. But we also need to be aware of the little foxes, the little bit of unforgiveness, or worry, or anything that God has told us not to do that can creep in and try to sever our connection to the vine. God is the vinedresser, which means He will help us by cultivating and pruning us. Still, we have a responsibility to stay connected to Him by renewing our minds in the Bible, standing on His promises, and crucifying our flesh with its bad habits. As we keep that connection healthy, we will bear good fruit!
DAILY CONFESSION:
Jesus is the vine, and I am the branch. As I abide in Jesus and let His words abide in me, I bear much fruit; I ask whatever I wish, and it will be done for me. I stay planted in the house of the Lord and flourish. I will still yield fruit in old age. I am full of sap and very green. (John 15:5,7; Psalm 92:12-14)
God bless you,
Pastor Jeff Perry
vine·dress·er, noun
One who dresses, trims, prunes and cultivates vines.
Copyright © 2024 St. Louis Family Church, All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. “Vine-dresser, N.” Webster’s Dictionary 1828, MasonSoft Technology Ltd., https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/Vine-dresser.
