For This Cause

John 15:16 “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”

John 15:1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.” In yesterday’s devotional, Jesus showed us everything about our walk with God from this verse. Jesus says, He is dependent on The Father and we are dependent on Him. Anyone that thinks they are not dependent on Jesus, anyone that thinks they can stand on their own will wither, it is just a function of time. Not only is the grapevine dependent on the vinedresser for propping, the grapevine is also dependent on the vinedresser for pruning. Pruning is a process whereby a fruitful branch is trimmed so that it can be more fruitful. The grapevine also needs the vinedresser for cutting.

The vine has some branches that will not be fruitful. Such vines will typically clog up space and affect the yield. So, the vinedresser takes His time to examine every branch and cut off the branches that are not fruitful. John 15:5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches…”. In the inserted diagram we see that Jesus is the Vine, believers are the branches, and the fruit that the believers produce is by the power of the Holy Spirit. However, the fruits do not grow on the Vine. The fruits only grow on the branches. The Vine needs the vinedresser, the branches need the vine and the fruit by inference needs the branches.

John 15:1-2 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunesthe branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” (emphasis added). When a life is not fruitful, that life is at risk, even with God. The same shears used for cutting is the same shears used for pruning. Everybody will experience the clipping; some so that they can produce much more, and some so that God can take them out of the way. I pray that for everybody reading this it will be so that that we produce much more, in Jesus Name. Fruitfulness is a big deal with God. With God, it is not enough that you are saved, you have to bear fruit. Jesus says we have to bear fruit, that is how we can be His disciples indeed.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, even as You have appointed me, I will produce lasting fruit, fruit with seed in itself, fruit that will endure until the day of Your return, in Jesus Name. Amen!