John 15-3

 Have you ever felt alone in a trial or test?  When was the last time you wanted to be lifted up, beamed out of a situation?  This times have been very difficult for me, but the outcomes have each brought me closer to our Lord. Those who have come along beside me were those I least expected. Walking with God in our journey leads us through mountains and valleys, green pastures and deep crevices. Staying connected to the vine shows our grasp when the storm arrives and the vine holds on to me. 

“Many people visualize a God who sits comfortably on a distant throne, remote, aloof, uninterested, and indifferent to the needs of mortals, until, it may be, they can badger him into taking action on their behalf. Such a view is wholly false. The Bible reveals a God who, long before it even occurs to man to turn to him, while man is still lost in darkness and sunk in sin, takes the initiative, rises from his throne, lays aside his glory, and stoops to seek until he finds him.” - John R.W. Stott, Basic Christianity

“We pray not to recharge our batteries for the business of getting back to the concerns of daily life, but rather to be transformed by God so that the myths and fictions of our life might fall like broken shackles from our wrists.” - Chuck DeGroat, Wholeheartedness

“Every branch that bears fruit He prunes: The Greek word for “prunes” is the same word translated “cleanse” in other places. This word could apply to either “pruning” or “cleansing” in ancient Greek. The vinedresser cleans up the fruit-bearing vine so it will bear more fruit. 

Leon Morris explains, “Left to itself, a vine will produce a good deal of unproductive growth. For maximum fruitfulness, extensive pruning is essential.” 

Merrill C. Tenney applies this to the Christian life: “Dead wood is worse than fruitlessness, for dead wood can harbor disease and decay…God removes the dead wood from His church and disciplines the life of the believer so that it is directed into fruitful activity.” - Based on The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik.