Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

THE SECRET OF FRUITFULNESS

This entry was posted on 10-10-2008 and is filed under uncategorized.

"He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit..." (John 15:5 NKJV). I have been told that with proper care a vine can produce fruit for as long as 100 years, bearing 15 to 80 pounds of fruit a year. This depends upon the climate, cultivation, cutting back (pruning), and cutting off (non-producing, dead branches). God, who is the gardener (see v. 1) has always been interested in fruitfulness. His very first words to man in the garden? "Be fruitful!" (Gen. 1:28).

In this daily Bible study ("Juice for Jesus") we have already learned that while there is only one vine (the True Vine, v. 1) there are two kinds of branches (v. 2). Barren branches become fuel for the fire. They are cut off. Bearing branches are cut back (pruned) in order that they may bear more fruit. God wants fruit, more fruit, much fruit from us. Now, for the second time (see v. 4) our Lord lets us in on an important lesson: "the secret of fruitfulness." By now it should be no secret. Those who abide in Him, and He in them, will bear much fruit. This is not so much a demand as it is a promise. He will not abide with the one who does not choose to abide in Him. That is obvious because three times Jesus puts the "abide in Me" before He mentions the "I in you" (see vs. 4, 5, 7).

Here are six quick reasons why you and I should abide in the vine:
1. Because the vine is our only source of spiritual nutrients.
2. Because if we don't we will be cut off and cast out (v. 2, 6).
3. Because we need pruning (cutting back) in order to be more fruitful.
4. Because a branch cannot bear fruit by itself (v. 4).
5. Because it is how we glorify God (v. 8).
6. Because it is how we verify our discipleship (v. 8).

Abiding in faithfulness will cause us to abound in fruitfulness.

Hymn: "Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord; Abide in Him always, and feed on His word. Make friends with God's children, help those who are weak, forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek" (William D. Longstaff).