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Wednesday Devo

Scripture:

John 15
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

Commentary:

15:5 Apart from me you can do nothing does not mean “nothing at all,” for unbelievers of course carry on their ordinary activities of life apart from Christ. Rather, it means “nothing of eternal value,” or an inability to produce spiritual fruit.
15:6 The person who does not abide in me is an unbeliever who does not have a personal faith in Christ (see note on v. 4). The verse echoes Ezek. 15:1–8, where a vine failing to produce fruit is said to be good for nothing but the fire (see Heb. 6:7–8). Fire is a common Jewish and biblical symbol for divine judgment (e.g., Isa. 30:27; Matt. 3:12 par.; 5:22; 18:8; 25:41). Some take this “fire” to imply loss of reward for true believers, not eternal judgment for unbelievers, but this does not fit as well with the image of branches being entirely burned up by a fire. See also note on John 15:2.
15:7 Two conditions are given for answered prayer: abiding in Jesus, and his words abiding in believers (thus transforming their thinking). Elsewhere Jesus says that believers must ask in his name (i.e., in accord with his character and for his glory; see 14:13–14; 16:23–24). If God’s people truly abide in Jesus (see note on 15:4), they will desire what he desires and will pray according to his words, and those prayers will be pleasing to him.
15:8 God is glorified not by praise and worship alone but by his followers also bearing much fruit for the advancement of his kingdom on earth. Here again, fruit bearing is evidence of being true believers, or being Jesus’ disciples.

Questions:

  • In order for a plant to be healthy, it must be PRUNED! It must endure momentary pain and discomfort for life and fruit-bearing. In these moments of pruning, we must trust that anything God removes is for our ultimate good and His glory. Every cut is made to build us up, not tear us down. How important is it to trust the Gardener when He is pruning us? Do you ever find it difficult to trust God knows what is best for your life? Do you really believe His best is better than yours?

  • God prunes in a variety of ways. Scripture is an obvious one. A disciple SHOULD be reading it on a daily basis and letting it shape and mold their lives. But He also prunes through suffering. Pruning through suffering can involve loss, failure, fractured relationships, weakness, sickness... It’s a form of divine subtraction meant to lead to greater fruitfulness. We’re often left asking WHY DOES A GOOD GOD ALLOW BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO UNDESERVING PEOPLE??? BUT our GOOD GOD doesn’t simply watch over us in our suffering - HE WALKS WITH US IN THE MIDST OF IT! If you are in a season of suffering now, or have been recently, can you sense God walking with you through it? How do you learn to trust God and lean on Him in these kinds of seasons? 

Prayer Topics:

  • That you would learn to trust God's best.
  • That you would learn to walk with Him in the midst of suffering. 

This Week's City 7:

Try to commit to memory! 

2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)

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