We're in the midst of a tremendous blizzard here in Colorado today; it's hard to believe that just a couple of weeks ago a brother and I were out in the sunshine pruning back my grape vines! I am still meditating on that process. We had to cut the vines a long way back, close to the thick, massive root that supports the branches. As we worked, we noticed quite a few dead branches. No matter how far back we cut on those branches, there was no sign of life, no tender green shoots anywhere. These branches would not bear fruit - so we literally cut them off and tossed them into the pile for the fire. I recalled what our Lord said in John 15:5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
If a man remains in Yahshua, he will bear much fruit; apart from Him we can do nothing. If we do not remain in Him we are like those dead, withered branches that I threw into the pile to be burned. But if we do remain in Him, we will bear much fruit for His Kingdom, giving glory to God.
As I meditated upon all this, I realized that in these verses of John 15 our Messiah has given us the literal key to surviving the difficult days ahead. We are to remain, or abide, in Him. The word abide means literally to dwell in, to endure, or two stay in a place or a state. We are to literally dwell in Messiah, as He dwells in us, becoming one with Him in our thoughts, our actions, and our hearts. What place are we to stay in? That place of listening for His Voice, discerning His thoughts on a matter, with willingness to do only what we see and hear HIM doing. What state are we to abide in? That state of oneness with Him - learning to know His heart and His voice. That is abiding! When we abide with Him in these ways, we learn what Voice to listen to and what other voices to reject and shut off. We begin to correctly discern who is a false prophet and who is a true prophet of God. We glean wisdom and direction, and our spirits are filled with shalom even in the darkest hours.
Abiding in Him, we are tender, green, life-giving vines that begin to produce fruit and make disciples of others! But the only way we will reach the state of producing fruit is to submit to the Master's pruning. As He tells us in John 15:
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
Yes, we cut those grape branches clear back to the root, and it seemed harsh, even painful to the vines. But I did it last year and the year before, and the lush crop of grapes that burst forth produced 56 pounds of fruit! Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. When we humble ourselves and submit to the Master's pruning - cutting off everything that distracts us from Him, every sin that separates us from Him - we will be even more fruitful. The pruning is painful. It is flesh-death. It is surrender of my life to my King. But it causes Spirit-life to burst forth within us, and produces an abundance for the Kingdom!
I stared at the pile of dead, brittle branches we had cut off, waiting to be thrown into the fire. I shivered. They would never have an opportunity to produce fruit again. Prune me, Master Yahshua, that I may live to bear more fruit!
