JESUS SPEAKING
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” (John 15: 1-5.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
Wine was a very common commodity grown in Israel. Most had a working knowledge of vineyards. In a vineyard there are main vines that carry nutrients to the branches. There are two types of vine branches, just as there are two types of people. There are those who produce fruit, and those who produce nothing. A good branch produces fruit because it has a favorable connection with the main vine. Many branches are grafted in to the main vine; often they can come loose and fall out and die. Jesus Christ is the vine that connects every person to God’s power; he brings life to all those who remain in him; whenever a person chooses to disconnect from Jesus, they become unfruitful, and eventually they die.
Before I was plugged in to Christ, I was a taker; none of my behavior’s produced anything. I fed off of whoever was around me. One day, I remember bumping in to a person who was plugged in to Jesus Christ. I asked him about a possible work opportunity counseling people at a crisis ‘hot-line.’ He told me they didn’t have any openings for paid positions, but he encouraged me to volunteer. I remember thinking, “Why would I volunteer?” There was no advantage for me in volunteering. The very thought of doing something for nothing was crazy. Good works (the fruit of those connected with God) were foreign, because God was a stranger in my life. After being saved, and plugging in to Jesus Christ, I began to produce fruit. I began to give people rides and buy things for those in need. I started volunteering regularly. I was able to visit orphanages and tend to the sick. I reached out to those who needed help, and instead of taking, I began to give. A man dying of selfishness, began to live selflessly. An unfruitful branch began to produce much fruit.
Every human being has a function, and that function is to produce fruit. Unless a person is plugged in to Jesus Christ they will remain fruitless. Is your relationship with Jesus strong? Are you plugged in to the ‘true vine?’ Are you connected to the Lord today? How can you get connected? You can read his words, you can pray, you can obey, you can love others and make every effort to please God. When you are plugged in to Jesus Christ you will produce much fruit. Your life will be filled with good works, and the love of God will spill out of you and in to the lives of others.
“Lord Heavenly Father, we come before You and we lift You up and honor You Father. We ask to remain in Your Son Jesus Christ; help us to abide in Your true vine, that we would produce much fruit for You. Give us more of Your Spirit, and may Your words remain in our hearts. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name, amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 