Are You Really Attached To The Vine?

John 15: 1,15 "I AM the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser...I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him. he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing."

The verses in John 15: 1-6 basically describe the "pruning" process of a Christian man or woman. Jesus is the "trunk" and we are its branches. You all know the process of pruning plants. It becomes necessary to "cut off" the old dead branches from the vine in order for it to grow stronger. A lot of us explain going through trials as the "pruning" process with God.

This does not mean, of course, that God cuts us off from Jesus, but rather the pruning stage is a process of the "cutting away" of things in our life that get in he way of His will for us. And this process is, for the most part, painful. Over the years I have experienced my share of "being pruned" and it is not always a pleasant event in life. But it becomes necessary for our spiritual growth. I am a different man today than before I was given the news about the cancer. Any family can attest to the difficulty of that kind of pruning, but it has literally changed my attitude, my spirit, my walk, my family relationship and my desire for God.

So I can truly say that some of the pruning process that God has taken me through over the years has not only helped to create more fruit in my life, but it has brought me much, much closer to God.

Most of you are experiencing trials of some nature today. And so as to NOT sugar coat it, those trials could get much worse. He says in verse 2 that every branch that does not bear fruit is taken away but "...every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit."

So as we go through some of these trials it is important that we remember that God is walking through the garden, cleaning out the "clutter" in our lives and creating healthy "branches" in order for us to be fruitful.

Is it your hearts desire to share Christ with someone today. It's a brand new work week. Why not get started off on the right foot. He is waiting for you to brag about His Son. Not absolutely sure where to start. Click here!

Dave