Tag Archives: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him

Remains In Me

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - John 15:5 - Remains In Me - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – John 15:5 – Remains In Me – Growing As Disciples

“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. John 15:5 (NIV) 

Bearing Fruit

Do you want to bear an abundance of fruit for me? Yes Lord, I want to bear an abundance of fruit for you. Bearing an abundance of fruit for me will not come through your hard efforts. On your own you could work tirelessly and never bear lasting fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. I do not want to see you live a futile and fruitless life. Your own efforts give me no pleasure no matter how hard you work.

What does give you pleasure? You tell me. I know that apart from you I can do nothing. How do you know that? Both your word and my experience tell me that I can do nothing apart from you. Many times I have worked myself ragged with my own efforts and bore no lasting fruit that would bring glory to your name. That’s right.

Do you believe my word? Do you trust what I am saying to you? Yes Lord, I believe in you and trust your word. What does my word say about how I have designed you? You have made me to live in a close and intimate relationship with you. That’s right. You are my source. I need to remain connected to you. Every good and perfect thing that I have received comes from you. You are the one who will give me power and strength to serve you. You are the one that will enable me to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Yes, I will.

How will you remain connected to me? How will you live in a close and intimate relationship with me? I will set aside a special place and a specific time to meet with you. I will meet with you in your word. I will talk with you in prayer. I will give thanks and praise and worship to you for all that you have done, are doing and will do in my life. I will follow you to where you lead me. I will do what you ask of me. I will listen to your voice as you speak to me. I will sit quietly with you in your presence. In every way, I will draw near to you as you draw near to me. I will live in total dependence on you. I will rely on you to help me to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. I will allow you to work in and through me as I love, follow and serve you. I will live in close fellowship with others in your body.  I will give and receive encouragement from them as I live my life with and for you. In all these ways I will remain vitally connected in an intimate relationship with you. That will be very good.

Lord, thank you that you are the vine and I am one of your branches. You made me to be vitally connected to you. You sustain and strengthen and empower me to bear an abundance of fruit as I remain in you. That is what I will continue to do. Amen

Key Question…  When can you make time every day to meet with the Lord so you can remain in Him?

Living It Out…  Make time and choose a special place to meet with the Lord everyday so that you will continue to remain in Him.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that you will bear an abundance of fruit as you continue to remain in the Lord.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how remaining in the Lord has caused you to bear fruit for Him.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you remain in Christ so that you will bear an abundance of fruit for Him.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

If – John 15-5 – Remains in Me – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Apart From Me

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The Sacramental Life - Day 333 - John 15-5-8 - Apart From Me - Growing As Disciples

The Sacramental Life – Day 333 – John 15-5-8 – Apart From Me – Growing As Disciples

“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.  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.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5-8 (NIV)

Nothing

That is what I can do apart from you. What can you do apart from me? I can do nothing apart from you. It took you quite a while to come to that realization. You proudly protested and pointed to achievements you accomplished by yourself, without my help. Yes, I did. Let me ask you a few questions. I’m listening, ask away. What will your accomplishments, done without my help look like in light of eternity? Will they stand the test of time? Will they have value that will last forever? Forever is a very long time. No, I would say that it would be impossible for me to accomplish something of eternal significance without your help. The best trophies and highest accolades I have secured will amount to nothing, in light of eternity. Already in my short life my best trophies have quickly made their way to the dumpster. Most of my highest accolades are already mostly a distant and forgotten memory. It is very good that you have this understanding.

I have many more questions to ask you. You have my full attention. Will you be satisfied with living a life that accomplishes nothing of eternal value? Will you feel good about living a life that did not store up any treasure in heaven with me? One day, from heaven, wouldn’t you like to be able to look back over your life, with me, knowing that you remained vitally connected to me, so that you could bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name? Won’t you be exceedingly glad to know that there will be people in heaven because you allowed me to work in and through your life? Won’t you be filled with joy knowing that you stored up treasure in heaven with me? By treasure, do you mean people who have come to know and love and follow and serve you because you spoke to them through my life and ministry? That is exactly what I mean. I want nothing more than to live a life that is vitally connected to you. I want nothing more than to be powerfully used by you. I will rely on you to work in and though my life so I can bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. And so, you shall and that will be very good.

Lord, for years I lived a life that was self-sufficient and self-reliant. I pridefully relied on myself rather than on you. I lived separated and apart from you. What a dry and barren that life was. Now, I will remain vitally connected to you. Bear fruit through my life. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Devotional Study Guide click here

The Sacramental Life – Day 333 – John 15-5-8 – Apart From Me – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                                                                                    http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com