John 15:1-17
October Memory Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (NIV)
John 15:1-17
This section of verses really uplifted me when I was going through a rough patch spiritually a couple of months back. So I want to share with you what was really helpful to me:
1. Keep abiding in Christ.
We have the chance to know the God who is majestic, all-powerful, life-sustaining, wonderful, and the creator of the world! And quite frankly, we take that for granted sometimes. We should be people who wake up every day and are excited to know and live for a God who loves us and wants a relationship with us. A God who sent His own Son to die on the cross to pay our debt! Robby Gallaty said, “Stop reading the Bible for devotional duty and start reading it for relational intimacy.”
2. Continue to bear fruit.
Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing (v. 4-5). But if we are bearing fruit, we are glorifying God, and proving to be His disciples (v. 8). So we need to continue bearing fruit. Keep making disciples. Take every evangelism meeting you can get. Live as a follower of Christ and show His love to the world.
3. Embrace the pruning process.
I never understood the whole pruning process till I helped Ally in her flower garden. But I remember, there was this beautiful flower growing one day, and she told me to cut it off. And being in shock, I asked, “Why would you want me to cut this off?”. And she said, “If you don’t prune it then the flowers after it will not grow well. But if you prune it, more beautiful flowers will follow.” God may have you in a difficult season right now. But there is a reason for it. Verse 2 says, “every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” God may be pruning you right now, so that you may bear more fruit. Embrace the pruning process.
In your life, which of these three do you need to work on?
By: Brice Stockton
John 15:1-17
This section of verses really uplifted me when I was going through a rough patch spiritually a couple of months back. So I want to share with you what was really helpful to me:
1. Keep abiding in Christ.
We have the chance to know the God who is majestic, all-powerful, life-sustaining, wonderful, and the creator of the world! And quite frankly, we take that for granted sometimes. We should be people who wake up every day and are excited to know and live for a God who loves us and wants a relationship with us. A God who sent His own Son to die on the cross to pay our debt! Robby Gallaty said, “Stop reading the Bible for devotional duty and start reading it for relational intimacy.”
2. Continue to bear fruit.
Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing (v. 4-5). But if we are bearing fruit, we are glorifying God, and proving to be His disciples (v. 8). So we need to continue bearing fruit. Keep making disciples. Take every evangelism meeting you can get. Live as a follower of Christ and show His love to the world.
3. Embrace the pruning process.
I never understood the whole pruning process till I helped Ally in her flower garden. But I remember, there was this beautiful flower growing one day, and she told me to cut it off. And being in shock, I asked, “Why would you want me to cut this off?”. And she said, “If you don’t prune it then the flowers after it will not grow well. But if you prune it, more beautiful flowers will follow.” God may have you in a difficult season right now. But there is a reason for it. Verse 2 says, “every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” God may be pruning you right now, so that you may bear more fruit. Embrace the pruning process.
In your life, which of these three do you need to work on?
By: Brice Stockton
6 Comments
Thanks Brice!
The way I am remembering this is ACE. Abide, Continue, Embrace.
All 3 of these areas could use some work, and they're getting worked during this season. I'm trying to allow God to turn my grief into action, and allow it to make me better, not bitter.
ACE - a great way to remember this! I think I need to abide more-trust more! Thanks Brice!
These past couple months have been a whirlwind and lately I hadn't really felt a true love for God. Through all the questions and doubts, I know that everything He does and has done in the past couple months is for a purpose and ultimately for His glory!
I love verse v.13: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
The creator of the universe is my friend and has a personal relationship with me! It's mind blowing the more and more I think about it. I need to truly abide in His word and in His love and not only reciprocate that love back but show it to others!
I need to work on all of these.....every day! Thanks for the great word today, Brice.
Spot on, Brice! Everything, from abiding to pruning, is SO true!
Incidentally, making the leap from reading for devotional duty to reading for intimacy has been one of the best decisions I ever made for my life. When I began reading large chunks at a sitting everything changed! I realized that (in my Bible) 10 pages a day could get me through the whole Bible in 90 days-and I could easily read 10 pages of a regular book before bed! So began the most transformative habit I have ever practiced. If I can't quite swing it one day for whatever reason, my regular reading of the Five Psalms App and Jumpstart tide me over to the next day, and I gratefully dive back in to my 10 pages/day. I wish everyone would try it and see what happens!
For instance, in my one-year plan, reading the book of Job used to take 19 days and I would get discouraged by all his miserable friends. Ha! Reading it in three days, suddenly the picture of God's righteous justice and his heart behind his law stood out like it never had before-I am seeing far MORE in the Word, not less, by reading more broadly. It's beautiful!
Thanks for a great word today, Brice.
"God may have you in a difficult season right now. But there is a reason for it. Verse 2 says, "every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." God may be pruning you right now, so that you may bear more fruit. Embrace the pruning process."
I needed to hear this today. Thanks Brice for the great JumpStart!