Good morning, beloved,

The day yesterday was a whirlwind of activity at Rush for my husband. I seem to be the one always in the stands. Not that I’m complaining here. It’s hard to watch my loved ones go in and out of these activities. So I’ve chosen to use that time to study God’s word. Oh, I hope that doesn’t sound pompous but I want to redeem the time and I want to use my time for His glory. And if anything I do you can use and transmit into your life and bless you, then to God be the glory. Please…

Anyway, I looked back through what we studied at church on Saturday night and I kept going back to this verse.

John 15:3

¹I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.

I am the true vine: Jesus may have said this in view of, or as they passed by, the great golden vine on the front of the temple. This vine symbolized the nation Israel, because the vine is a familiar Old Testament symbol for Israel (Psalm 80:8-9) but is often used in a negative sense (Isaiah 5:1-2,7 and Jeremiah 2:21).

Some other thoughts, as I looked up the words in this first verse what I loved is that this is one of Jesus’ I AM statements. So even with this opening word, Jesus would have been ruffling some feathers. I AM would have stated unequivocally that He was God. People didn’t walk around saying stuff like that! Also, when Jesus stated that He was the true vine..yes, what I said above, but in a “cosier” sense for me, the greek word also mean “Christ infuses His divine strength and His life..”

²Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.

³You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].

I love this Word right here in verse three. This might just be my life verse. I would have to say that through His teaching, His word, He has cleansed me, pruned me, and in the process of changing me.

⁴Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.

⁵I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

We can do nothing..nothing..without Him. Nothing. So remain in Him. Abide in Him. 🙂 Pray on, friends…Pray on…