Tuesday, July 03, 2007

-Fruits of the vine-

Below is something I read today that I think can inspire us for the bibletalk, look at it, read throught meditate on the verse. It inspire me today, if I remain in him, he will grant me much, if I'm just a useless branch that is not bearing any fruit, i will be prunce to make way for fruitful brunch. Amen. Glory be to Jesus

The Lord tells us many things about prayer. Let’s look briefly at three, as we prepare our hearts and minds for prayer.

Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. 20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. 21 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:18-22

Now, let’s look at the disciples’ response. They said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” And Jesus answered by telling them that if they have faith and do not doubt, they can do even more amazing things. Then He makes a very intriguing statement about prayer. He said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Does that statement hit you as it does me? So, all I have to do is believe and “poof,” I receive? Well, sort of, but there is a little more to it. Do you find it strange that Jesus so quickly goes from teaching us that He looks for fruit, to teaching us that God answers prayers offered in faith? Certainly these two thoughts are connected. What is the connection between fruitfulness and prayer? Let’s take a quick look at another passage.

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
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. 6 If 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:1-8)

This is likely a familiar passage to you. Here we learn that Jesus is the true vine (in the Old Testament, Israel was referred to as the vine). We are told that some branches are cut off and some are pruned so that they will become more fruitful. The only way to produce fruit is to remain in the vine. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. When we get to verse 7, we find a connection between remaining and receiving. We are told if we remain in Him, then we can ask whatever we wish and it will be given to us. So we learn that receiving whatever we wish requires faith, but also requires remaining in Christ.

Labels: Quiet Time

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