By Andrew Williams – September 26, 2021
Good morning fellow disciples.
Today we continue to look at some choices that were made in the Bible. To choose means: “to select freely and after consideration, to have a preference for, or to take an alternative”. The question that we always have to answer is this, ” When I am faced with a choice, what will I choose to do?”
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.”
John 15:1-4 HCSB
Jesus is the vine. We are the branches. Father God is the vineyard keeper. Based on this statement and the rest of the passage we see that Jesus is the main source of what happens in the vineyard. He is the vine, the main stem from which all the branches derive their strength and their productivity. For those of us who believe in Jesus, we are the branches and we have two choices, to produce fruit or not to produce fruit.
It is Father God who keeps the vineyard. He decides how those who are attached to His son are treated. He has two choices to make:
1. Remove the branch that isn’t producing or,
2. Prune the branch that is producing so that it can produce more.
Father God will observe and see which applies to each branch that He sees.
My questions to you today are:
1. What will God see when he looks at you?
2. Are you producing fruit?
3. Do you want to be pruned or removed? God can do either but He is waiting on you to start producing. If you do He will prune you, if you don’t you will be removed.
In this case of being in God’s spiritual vineyard, there is only one source of nourishment, and that is Jesus. Once you’re removed from the Vine you will die, and you’ll never be able to produce or survive. Your only choice is to be pruned or to be removed. Your choice will determine your fate.
Prayer: Father God I see Your two choices, and I want You to prune me. From today onwards I will produce. I will spend time in Your word, I will fellowship with the saints, I will be led by Your Holy Spirit, and I will go out and make disciples while teaching, preaching and baptizing. I submit to Your will and to Your way and I will serve wherever You send me and whoever You send me to. I give myself wholeheartedly to You and Your kingdom. Make me even more fruitful I pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.