E111 - Hope’s Harbor Gritty Bible Devotions - Abiding / Looking Deeper - Part 2
Hope’s Harbor
Gritty Bible Devotions
Episode #111
Title: Abiding – A Deeper Look – Part 2
Date: June 19, 2023
Contact: info@hopesharbor.net
Key verse: John 15:2 – “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.”
Intro: In the last episode, E110, Jesus’s plan for us was looked at in the way that we as the branch and Jesus the vine, are cared for by Almighty GOD. As the creator, GOD put in place the means by which He cares for His creation.
The analogy Jesus gives in John chapter 15 reveals to us how GOD as a vineyard keeper watches over His vineyard, which symbolizes the relationship between Jesus and us.
In the natural world, GOD left the responsibility of producing life from the herbs of the field with Him. He must maintain all life, all the time, and for all time. That’s His job. Ours is to submit to this process by being willing to submit, and then make it known to Him.
Devotion focus: GOD restores the fallen Christian, and keeps the other Christians healthy –
I want to point out as a reminder that in GOD’s economy, there are things He must do for us, and there are things we must do for ourselves. This requires a balanced view of the application of Biblical teaching.
I’ve heard it said, “Let go and let GOD,” or, “GOD does for those who do for themselves.” Both can be true in the correct context of a given set of circumstances but are not to be followed slavishly. GOD is all about balance.
Now in the key verse of John 15:2, we can see this balance. When the Bible reads, ‘every branch in me,’ this is GOD’s part to provide a place for a believer within GOD’s very nature. We find this truth in Colossians 3:3, which reads in part, ‘… your life is hidden with Christ in God.’
The next part of John 15:2 reads, ‘that does not bear fruit He takes away’ or lifts up. Again, this is GOD’s part to do. Then we have a contrast when we get to our part and this verse goes on to read, ‘that does not bear fruit;’ and, ‘every branch that bears fruit…’ In this contrast we have two conditions at work within the body of Christians where one group is not producing the life of GOD and the other is not.
Even though our part is to live in a way that allows GOD to live through us and bring about good works, there are times when Christians fall into sin, or discouragement and depression. When this happens the Christian in that low state isn’t able to produce much in the way of Christian virtues. And GOD understands this. That is why He lifts up the downtrodden child of His and restores that person, whatever it takes. He does His part.
Then we come to the Christian in the latter part of John 15:2 in which the Christian is healthy enough to allow GOD to produce fruit, good works, to His Glory. And what does He do then? Listen to this carefully: He removes anything in the life of that believer that may, or is, hindering the life of GOD from flowing through His child. This removal is called purging or pruning.
In a vineyard, branches will have shoots growing off at wild angles, but these don’t produce anything. They do take nourishment from the branch and this hinders the branch from producing fully. When that shoot, hang on a second: let’s call it what it is: the shoot is made up of the things of the world. They involve busyness, mindless distractions, love of money, love of possessions, harmful in-pouring of bad news from news outlets, addictive social media apps, and so forth.
And so GOD has to cut these out of our lives. Or at least He tries to, but even the best of us have fallen victim to these and other trappings that come because of the wealth we have lavished on us.
Now, if a Christian doesn’t allow GOD His way in pruning us, this can become a vicious cycle that may very well lead to a Christian no longer bearing fruit and becoming one of those who fall, and yes, must be lifted up.
So how do we allow GOD to restore us if we’ve fallen, or allow GOD to prune things out of our lives that hinder our healthy growth? It’s simple to know, and difficult to practice consistently. Care to guess?
To be willing should go without saying. But if we’re willing there must be action. That action is first, Bible study. Hang on… not just studying the Bible, but sitting with pen and paper in hand and Bible before you and then the really important part. Prayer –
We must ask GOD to help us and bless our efforts to change. We tell Him we want to be restored if that’s what is needed. Or ask Him to remove any and all things hindering our usefulness as a servant.
Now, be honest with yourself here. How willing are you to give up things we’ve come to enjoy like social media? And maybe not give them up entirely, but cut back and use the extra time to focus on your relationship with GOD.
This is one of those times when we must make a choice to be either the branch not producing or a branch producing. It’s not a free ride.
Yes, salvation is free, but to draw closer to GOD is work.
Summary: GOD in love watches over us, tenderly, lovingly, protectively.
But think of this: if salvation is a guaranteed destination of our soul, why do we need to work on our relationship? Why does GOD expect results from our lives here?
Because it is to His Glory we do so. Listen to John 15:7 & 8:
VS 7 – “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
VS 8 - “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”
The promise of answered prayers here doesn’t apply to getting what you want unless what you want is the Holy Spirit. And being fully influenced by the Spirit of GOD brings forth the good works in our lives known as fruit.
Action to consider: Take time to sit with pen, paper, and a Bible and ask GOD to reveal Himself to you through His Word. What you’re after if to find out what things in your life are hindering the Holy Spirit from producing the fruit of good works in your life. It is easy to go to church, read a daily devotion, and miss the blessing of being used of GOD. Why? Because it is easy to just go through the motions of the Christian life and drift our way to heaven.
Next week’s devotion: Abiding through friendship with Jesus – John 15:14