I Am the Vine
Date: May 2, 2023
I use the BLESS method every morning for my devotional.
B - Bible Verse
L - Listen for God's Word and pray
E - Explore the History and meaning
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
S - Summarize and Share
You can read more about it by going to: What is a Faith Journal?
B - Bible Verse - John 15:5 (NIV) "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
L - Listen for God's Word and Pray
Heavenly Father, help me to remain in You and bear fruit that honors You. I confess that without You, I can do nothing. I pray that You would abide in me and that Your Word would guide me as I seek to walk in Your ways. Amen.
E - Explore the History and Meaning
The Gospel of John was written by the Apostle John, one of Jesus' closest disciples, in the late 1st century AD. In John 15, Jesus uses the metaphor of a vine and its branches to explain the importance of abiding in Him. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit unless it remains connected to the vine, we cannot bear spiritual fruit unless we remain connected to Jesus. The ultimate goal of bearing fruit is to bring glory to God and advance His Kingdom.
S - Study the Key Words or Phrases
Vine - Jesus uses this image to represent Himself as the source of spiritual life and nourishment.
Branches - We are the branches that must remain connected to Jesus to bear fruit.
Remain - This word emphasizes the importance of continually abiding in Jesus.
Fruit - This refers to the spiritual results of our connection to Jesus, which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
S - Summarize and Share
I absolutely love this verse because it reminds me that I am not in control, and that's okay. It's so easy to get caught up in trying to be self-sufficient and thinking that we can do everything on our own, but the truth is that we need Jesus. We need to be connected to Him in order to bear fruit and fulfill our purpose.
When we try to go through life without Jesus, it's like trying to be a branch that's been cut off from a tree - we wither away and die. But when we remain in Jesus, when we stay connected to Him through prayer, reading His Word, and being in community with other believers, we can flourish and bear fruit that will impact the world for His glory.
I don't know about you, but I want to live a life that bears fruit for Jesus. I want to make a difference in the lives of others and leave a lasting impact. And the beautiful thing about this verse is that it's not just a command to bear fruit - it's an invitation to remain in Jesus and experience the abundant life that He has for us.
So today, let's take a moment to reflect on whether we're truly remaining in Jesus. Are we spending time with Him daily, seeking His will for our lives, and allowing His Spirit to guide us? Let's make sure we're connected to the vine, so that we can bear fruit and fulfill the purpose that God has for us.
Bible Cross References:
Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."
Matthew 7:17-18 - "Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit."
Colossians 1:10 - "so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,"
Psalm 1:3 – “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”