Tag Archives: remain in me

Bear Much Fruit

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 244 - John 15:5 - Bear Much Fruit - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 244 – John 15:5 – Bear Much Fruit – 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 

I know that you want to bear an abundance of fruit for my kingdom and my glory. How do you know that? I have heard you pray that prayer many times. That was you wasn’t it? You’re kidding me. What do you think? Yes, you are kidding me. It was me. That has been a frequent prayer of mine. Yes, I know. I hear all your prayers. 

Let’s talk about fruit bearing. I will start by asking you some questions. Go right ahead. When have you worked really hard and seen absolutely no fruit from your labor? I’m not sure. Go ahead, make a guess.  Sometimes I have dreamed up a project all by myself. I didn’t really consult with you about it. The project just seemed like a good idea to me. But, after a lot of hard work I knew that it was not bearing fruit. Your hand was not on it. It was just a lot of self-effort on my part. It was my good idea. It was not your good idea. It was not what you were calling me to do for you. Let’s take a step back for a minute. I have another question for you. What is it?

What is fruit? That’s a good question. It’s important to know. Yes, it is. The fruit that I want to bear is fruit that will last for all eternity. There is a lot of activity in life that might look like it is accomplishing something important. If that activity doesn’t stand the test of time and last forever it isn’t the fruit that you are calling me to bear for you. No, it is not. Apart from me you will never be able to bear this kind of fruit. Do you know why we took a step back to consider this question? My good ideas will never be able to bear fruit for you. No, they will not. You must listen to me. You must hear my call. You must go where I guide you to do what I ask of you. Then and only then will you be able to bear fruit that will glorify me. This kind of fruit will last for all eternity. 

Let me clarify something for you. What’s that? The amount of fruit you will bear for me will correspond to how you abide in your relationship with me. Do you want to abide in me? Yes, I do. Will you spend time with me? Yes, I will. Will you spend time meeting with me in my word? Yes, I will. Will you listen to all that I have to say to you? Yes, I will. Will spend time talking with and listening to me in prayer? Yes, I will. Will you bow yourself down to worship me? Yes, to all your questions. My life is fully devoted to loving, following and serving you. Yes, I can see that it is.

As you abide in me and my word abides in you I want to know what I will be doing. What’s that? My word will be purifying and cleansing your life. My word will work in you, with you and for you. My word will prune from your life what is not pleasing me to me. As you remain in me and I prune your life you will be able to bear an abundance of fruit for my kingdom and my glory. Then people that look at you will see me. Then they will know that you are one of my disciples. Is that what you want? Yes Lord, I want that more than anything in all of life. Then that is what you will have.

Lord, I will remain in you. Apart from you I can do nothing. Use your word to change my heart, transform my mind, and purify my life. Help me to live a life that bears an abundance of fruit for your glory. Help me to show that I truly am one of your disciples. Amen

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

Promises – Day 244 – John 15-5 – Bear Much Fruit – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Showing Yourselves

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - John 15:5-8 - Show Yourselves - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – John 15:5-8 – Show Yourselves – 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)

Connected

Do you want to bear fruit for my kingdom? Do you want to bring glory to my name? Would you like to shine brightly for me in the world? Would like to pray prayers that I will hear and answer? Do you want to think my thoughts, speak my words and do my deeds? Would you like your life to demonstrate that you truly are one of my disciples? You have described the desires of my heart, the thoughts of my mind and the goal of my life. I will give you an emphatic yes to each one of your questions. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. I want to shine brightly as one of your witnesses in the world. I want to pray prayers that you will hear and answer. I do want to think and speak and act like you. In every way, I want to become like you. To top all this off, I would like my life to demonstrate that I am truly one of your disciples. Why are all these things the desires of your heart, thoughts of your mind and goals of your life? I have these desires because I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I want to live in an intimate relationship with you. I want to remain vitally connected to you. That is very good.

If you remain vitally connected to me you will live out all these desires of your heart. You will bear fruit for me. Your prayers will be heard and answered. You will be a bright witness in the world for me. You will bear an abundance of fruit for my kingdom. You will bring glory to name. My hand will be on you. I will bless and use your life. I will certainly remain vitally connected to you. How will you remain vitally connected to me? I will come to you. I will meet with you. I will be still before you. I will bow down to worship you. I will give thanks and praise and honor and glory to you. I will listen to your instruction. I will follow your guidance. I will meditate on your word. I will put into practice all that you are teaching me. In every way, I will live in an intimate relationship with you. I will follow you to where you lead me. I will do whatever you ask of me. That will be very good.

Lord, I will remain in you. I will draw near to you as you draw near to me. I will meet with you in prayer. I will meet with you in your word. I will meet with you in worship. Use my life to bear abundant fruit. Help me to show that I really am one of your disciples. Amen

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

Discipleship – John 15-5-8 – Showing Yourselves – 4 Page Discipleship 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                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Remain In Me

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - John 15:7 - Remain In Me - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – John 15:7 – Remain In Me – Growing As Disciples

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. John 15:7 (NIV)

Hear And Answer

Would you like to pray prayers that are according to my will and ways? Would you like to pray prayers that I will hear and answer? Yes, I want to pray prayers that are according to your will and ways. Yes, I want to pray prayers that you will hear and answer. How can I know that I am praying prayers that are according to your will and your ways? How will I know if I am praying prayers that you will hear and answer? Those are very good questions. If you remain in me and my words remain in you then you will be able to pray prayers that are according to my will, that I will hear and answer.

Your answer leads me to two more questions. How can I remain in you? How can your words remain in me? I think you know the answer to both of your questions. Tell me what you think. If I want to remain in you I will live in an intimate, vital and connected relationship with you. I will walk with you throughout my life. I will live in constant fellowship with you. My life of prayer will consist of one long dialogue with you. I will listen to your voice. I will treasure your words. I will put into practice all that you teach me. I will follow you to where you lead me. I will do whatever you ask of me. I will live my life fully and completely with and for you. That’s right.

How will you make sure that my words are abiding in you? How will you make sure that you are living in an intimate and vital relationship with me? I will set aside a time and a place to meet with you every day so that I can hear from you. I will withdraw from the busyness and noise of life so that I can meet with you in your word. I will hide your word in my heart. I will allow your word to change the thoughts of my mind and the prayers of my heart. In every way, I will allow your word to guide and guide my life. I know that you will give me your thoughts to think. I know that you will give me prayers to pray. You will teach me to pray according to your will and ways. You will guide me to pray prayers that you will hear and answer. Yes, I will.

Lord, I will remain in you and allow your words to remain in me. Use your word to guide the thoughts of my mind and the prayers of my heart. Help me to pray prayers that are according to your will so that they can be heard and answered. Amen 

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

Prayer – John 15-7 – Remain In Me – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Fruitful

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Be - John 15:4 - Fruitful - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide- Be – John 15:4 – Fruitful – Growing As Disciples

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. John 15:4 (NLT)  

With And For Me

Do you want to be able to bear fruit for my kingdom? Do you want to bring glory to my name? Yes, I want to bear fruit for your kingdom. Yes, I want to bring glory to your name. Who would say no to such questions? Who wouldn’t have those desires foremost in their heart and mind? You would be surprised. Many do not want to know me. Many have no desire to live in a relationship with me. Many will never come to rely on me. They will never know my will. They will never accomplish my purposes or fulfill my plans. They will live their live by themselves and for themselves. They will have no larger perspective or greater purpose than what they can dream up on their own. They will live lives that will accomplish nothing that will last. By last, do you mean, last for all eternity? Yes, that is exactly what I mean. Do you want to bear fruit that will last for all eternity? Yes, I do. You don’t even have to ask me, I desperately want to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. In every way and on every day, I want to live my life with and for you. That will be very good. I’m sure of that.

How can I be certain to bear fruit for eternity and bring glory to your name? That is a very good question. Do what you want to do. Do what I want to do? Yes, you have already told me that you want to live your life with and for me. That is what you want to do, isn’t it? Yes, it is. How will you live your life with and for me? I will come to you. I will draw near to you. I will listen to all that you want to say to me. I will listen to your instructions. I will follow you to wherever you lead me. I will do whatever you ask of me. Then you will certainly bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. I will do in and through you, what you could never do by yourself, with your own strength. You will know that I am with you to help you. You will know that my hand is on your life. You will know that I am working in and through your life. You will shine brightly in the world for me. I am so excited about living my life with and for you. Loving, following and serving you is a like the best of dreams coming true for me. Thank you for all you have done, are doing and will do in and through my life for your kingdom and glory. I am your servant. Use my life for according to your purposes and plans. Yes, that is exactly what I will do. 

Lord, I will abide in you. I will remain in your presence. I will rely on you. You are my source. You are my sustenance. Fill and refresh my life. Make me fruitful in your service. Help me to fulfill your purposes and accomplish your plans. I want to bear fruit for you. Amen

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

Be – John 15-4 – Fruitful – 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 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

Remain In Me And I Will Remain In You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Rhythms - John 15:4-5 - Remain In Me And I Will Remain In You- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Rhythms – John 15:4-5 – Remain In Me And I Will Remain In You- Growing As Disciples

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. “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 15:4-5 (NIV)

Nothing

I don’t want to live a fruitless life. I don’t want my life to be filled with lots of activity that will amount to absolutely nothing. I want my life to be filled with meaning and purpose. I want my life to have mattered in light of all eternity. When I come before you, I don’t want to look back on a life that is filled with regret of what I could have accomplished for you. I want to accomplish every purpose and plan that you had in mind when you created me. I don’t want to have missed any opportunity or left anything undone. One day I would like to hear you say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Where do you think all these desires of yours have come from? I think these desires in my heart come from you. You are right about that. You and I both want the same thing. I want you to bear an abundance of fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name.

What must you do if you want to bear an abundance of fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name? I must remain in a vital and intimate and connected relationship with you. That’s right. What would living in a vital, intimate and connected relationship with me look like? That kind of life is observable? Yes, it is. I’m not sure what you mean. What has helped you to remain vitally and intimately connected to me? Meeting you in your word has helped me to remain intimately and vitally connected to you. What else? Talking to you in prayer, meeting with you in worship, and serving you in ministry have all helped me to remain intimately and vitally connected to you. That’s right. Has anything or anyone else encouraged you to live in an intimate relationship with me? Fellow believers have spurred me on and helped me to live in an intimate and connected relationship with you. Receiving encouragement from fellow believers, in a small group, has both challenged and encouraged me to remain vitally connected to you. I have desperately needed encouragement to remain vitally and intimately connected to you. You have encouraged me. You have placed others in my life to encourage me. Yes, I have. Keep on living in an intimate, vital and connected relationship with me. Yes, Lord, I will. Then you will bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name. 

Lord, I have been distant. I have been independent. I have been isolated. I want no more of that kind of life. Help me to remain in a vital, intimate and connected relationship with you. I want to bear an abundance of fruit for your kingdom. Amen

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

Rhythms – John 15-4-5 – Remain In Me – Remain In You – 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                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com