John 15:1-5(NKJV)- I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 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. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. Where are you in your relationship with Jesus? Is your relationship with Christ more vibrant, the same or less intimate than it was in January? Can you look back over these last 9 months and see change in your life or relationships for the better? Can you pinpoint some habits, attitudes or actions that are not Christlike which you eliminated this year? Are you able to look back over the last nine months and point out some fruit that is the result of your relationship with Christ? Have you led anyone to Christ over the last nine months? Or have you made an intentional effort to witness to a co-worker or friend? Have you become involved and given some time in a ministry that is making an impact in your church and community? Or have you ceased or pulled back doing the Lord s work because you have gotten busy with other things? --------
Be honest, over the last nine months, have you stretched your faith and stepped out of your comfort zone for Christ or do you continue to convince yourself that you will engage in what has been stirring in you, soon? Those who know you best and watch you continually- can they see more of Christ in you in September-than they did in January? ------ Does your life show evidence of spiritual growth; spiritual stagnation or spiritual decline over the last nine months? Are you stuck in life? Restless, unfulfilled, or seem to be spinning your wheels and not making any progress? ------ John 10:10(NKJV)- The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. ------ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy Jesus calls the devil a thief. The word thief comes from the Greek word to steal. ------ Jesus says the thief comes to kill. This word means to sacrifice. Literally it could mean to sacrifice, surrender or give up something that is dear.
Jesus says this thief comes to destroy. The word destroy carries the idea of ruining, wasting, trashing, devastating and destroying. What Satan cannot steal from us or make us surrender to him-he will try to ruin it-so we can t enjoy it! I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. The words that they might have literally means to have and to continually possess. The word life that Jesus offers to us-is the word zoe which means a life filled with vitality.
The word abundantly is from the Greek word which means to be above, beyond what is regular, extraordinary, or even exceeding. This not just abundance-jesus is referring to super abundance. The thief wants to get his hands into every good thing in your life. In fact, this pickpocket is looking for any opportunity to wiggle his way so deeply into your personal affairs that he can walk off with everything you hold precious and dear. He ll create conditions and situations so horrible that you ll see no way to solve your problem except to sacrifice, surrender and give up. His goal is to totally waste and devastate your life. If you don t stop him, he ll leave you insolvent, flat broke and cleaned out in every area of your life. Make no mistake-your enemies aim is to obliterate you. - But I came that you might have, keep and constantly retain a vitality, gusto, vigor and zest for living that springs up from deep down inside. I came that you might embrace this unrivaled, unequaled, matchless, incomparable, richly loaded and overflowing life to the ultimate maximum. - God plan for us is fruitfulness and fulfillment! -
John 15:8(NLT)- When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. Colossians 1:9-10(NLT)- So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. Matt. 7:15-20(NLT)- 15 Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions Are you able to look back over the last nine months and point out some fruit that is the result of your relationship with Christ?
I am stuck; I am spinning my wheels; my life seems without purpose; I can t get over this stuff; I am not walking in my destiny; I am not progressing in God or for God and I can t point to anything in my life over the last nine months that reveals growth or fruitfulness. 1). Fruit is never produced unless seed is planted Mark 4:1-3(NLT)- Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. 2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: 3 Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. Mark 4:14(NLT)- The farmer plants seed by taking God s word to others. Mark 4:23-28(NLT)- Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. 24 Then he added, Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given and you will receive even more. 25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 26 Jesus also said, The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, while he s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. 28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.
Find a Christian who is not fruit-bearing and I will show you a Christian who is not consistent in Bible devotions. Exodus 34:27-30(NKJV)- 7 Then the LORD said to Moses, Write these words, for according to the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel. 28 So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. 29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 2 Cor. 3:18(NKJV)- But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. When we focus on the word of God; plant it consistently in our hearts; the glory of the word of God will automatically be reflected in our life. 1). Fruit is never produced unless seed is planted 2). Fruit is never produced unless the branch is pruned
John 15:1-3(NKJV)- I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Pruning is the practice of removing diseased, non-productive or otherwise unwanted portions of the plant. The purpose of pruning is to shape or direct growth; maintain health and increase the yield. Pruning is cutting and cutting hurts. Pruning is when God asks you to let go of things that keep you from His Kingdom purposes and your ultimate good. Pruning is about rearranging our priorities, letting go of the possessions we hold so dear and surrendering our personal rights that we think give us our identity. The word of God is the shears that prunes us John 15:2-3(NKJV)- 2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.