Jesus Devotional - Day 7
Day Seven
Jesus: Real, Relevant, and Radical!
It’s an Abiding Thing
Jesus is beginning to give the disciples His final instructions. These are His last moments with them alone. He is about to face betrayal, arrest, a kangaroo court, and death on the Cross. So, it would be safe to say He is not wasting any time or chatting idly. He is giving the disciples the very key to success in their lives and ministries. Just earlier in the week, He used the fig tree as a vivid illustration, and now He emphasizes how fruit is produced in God’s Kingdom.
Notice that Jesus talks about abiding ten times in ten verses. John 15:4-10 (NKJV)” Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
Do you think Jesus is trying to tell them something? He is about to leave the disciples and He is giving them final instructions. It is clear, absolutely clear, that abiding in Christ is the key; the key to sustaining our spiritual journey and producing fruit for God’s Kingdom. Abiding in Christ also enables us to live as more than conquerors.
Abiding doesn’t mean I lock myself away in a monastery, separated from the world, and act all pious and religious. It also doesn’t mean I spend all my time sitting at home, reading the Bible nonstop, and praying all day. Abiding simply means: Living my everyday life with a constant awareness of God’s Presence. Understanding my privilege as a child of God and my responsibility as a servant of God!
If you lean too heavily toward either of these two positions, you will become imbalanced in your faith and may lose perspective. Some people only want to talk about their inheritance—their spiritual birthright, the blessings they are entitled to, and what they can and will receive. That’s great, but it’s only one part of the story. We also have responsibilities as servants of God. Abiding means to remain, continue, stay, have your dwelling place, reside, or persist in a particular condition, attitude, or relationship; it also means to put up with, tolerate, stand, endure, or sustain.
Fruitfulness is not optional in God’s Kingdom; it is essential. If we claim to belong to Him and that He lives in us, then there is an expectation from God: that we produce fruit. According to Jesus, fruit naturally flows from a supernatural relationship! If I confess that I abide, then Jesus said, if you are “in Me,” then something must come out of you. ”What comes out of you should benefit others and My Kingdom!”
Jesus clearly states that an abiding relationship means the Father is always involved in the process. John 15:1-2(NKJV) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” Jesus is the Vine, the Father is the Vinedresser, and Jesus said that true abiding produces fruit; even if it’s not a lot, it’s something!
John 15:2b(NKJV) “And every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” Whether we are bearing fruit or not, the Father is actively involved in our lives. One of the greatest principles of living an abiding life is that our Father calls the shots. He is involved in every part of our lives. If you bear fruit or do not bear fruit, the Father notices and responds. The result of living a fruitless life is removal, and the result of living a fruitful life is discipline! When you live an abiding life, you press into the things of God. When you press into this relationship, there are blessings, but there is also discipline. Let me share a secret. Discipline is actually a blessing. Yes, you read that right. Because discipline is an indication of great love!
Hebrews 12:6-11(CEV) “The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own. 7 Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don’t all parents correct their children? 8 God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn’t correct you, then you don’t really belong to him. 9 Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn’t it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us? 10 Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. 11 It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.”
Our Heavenly Father, our Heavenly Vinedresser, asks us to abide in the Vine (Jesus). Abiding in Jesus means we resemble and act like Jesus. We are the branches, and the branches take on the same character as the vine they are connected to. So, the vinedresser comes and inspects the branches. The more connected to the vine, the greater the fruitfulness. When the branches are connected, the sap flows from the vine, and the result is fruit. The less the connection, the drier the branches, and the greater the need for pruning.
When you are being pruned (disciplined), consider yourself blessed because God’s discipline is a proof of His love, just as a parent’s discipline proves their love! The fact that we are being disciplined should bring great comfort because it shows we belong to our Father. It’s evidence of our relationship. God disciplines His own, just as we don’t discipline someone else’s children (I have been tempted). We only discipline our own. The writer of Hebrews echoes Jesus’ words. Discipline (pruning) will happen as the Father (Vinedresser) sees fit. But discipline is not something to fear; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. We must practice patience during discipline. Why? Because when the Father corrects us, it’s to bless us and shape us to have the character of Jesus (The Vine).
The ultimate goal of discipline is to foster obedience that brings peace. So, instead of getting impatient with what’s happening around us, maybe, just maybe, we need to focus more on abiding. Ask the Father to do the discipline within us. We know it’s not fun, but we all need it. We all want and seek peace. But peace belongs to those who stay in the Father’s presence and allow Him to discipline them when needed. Maybe at the end of this season we’re in, we will abide a little deeper, a little longer, a little stronger, and become more like Jesus.
Prayer:
Jesus: Real, Relevant, and Radical!
It’s an Abiding Thing
Jesus is beginning to give the disciples His final instructions. These are His last moments with them alone. He is about to face betrayal, arrest, a kangaroo court, and death on the Cross. So, it would be safe to say He is not wasting any time or chatting idly. He is giving the disciples the very key to success in their lives and ministries. Just earlier in the week, He used the fig tree as a vivid illustration, and now He emphasizes how fruit is produced in God’s Kingdom.
Notice that Jesus talks about abiding ten times in ten verses. John 15:4-10 (NKJV)” Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
Do you think Jesus is trying to tell them something? He is about to leave the disciples and He is giving them final instructions. It is clear, absolutely clear, that abiding in Christ is the key; the key to sustaining our spiritual journey and producing fruit for God’s Kingdom. Abiding in Christ also enables us to live as more than conquerors.
Abiding doesn’t mean I lock myself away in a monastery, separated from the world, and act all pious and religious. It also doesn’t mean I spend all my time sitting at home, reading the Bible nonstop, and praying all day. Abiding simply means: Living my everyday life with a constant awareness of God’s Presence. Understanding my privilege as a child of God and my responsibility as a servant of God!
If you lean too heavily toward either of these two positions, you will become imbalanced in your faith and may lose perspective. Some people only want to talk about their inheritance—their spiritual birthright, the blessings they are entitled to, and what they can and will receive. That’s great, but it’s only one part of the story. We also have responsibilities as servants of God. Abiding means to remain, continue, stay, have your dwelling place, reside, or persist in a particular condition, attitude, or relationship; it also means to put up with, tolerate, stand, endure, or sustain.
Fruitfulness is not optional in God’s Kingdom; it is essential. If we claim to belong to Him and that He lives in us, then there is an expectation from God: that we produce fruit. According to Jesus, fruit naturally flows from a supernatural relationship! If I confess that I abide, then Jesus said, if you are “in Me,” then something must come out of you. ”What comes out of you should benefit others and My Kingdom!”
Jesus clearly states that an abiding relationship means the Father is always involved in the process. John 15:1-2(NKJV) “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” Jesus is the Vine, the Father is the Vinedresser, and Jesus said that true abiding produces fruit; even if it’s not a lot, it’s something!
John 15:2b(NKJV) “And every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” Whether we are bearing fruit or not, the Father is actively involved in our lives. One of the greatest principles of living an abiding life is that our Father calls the shots. He is involved in every part of our lives. If you bear fruit or do not bear fruit, the Father notices and responds. The result of living a fruitless life is removal, and the result of living a fruitful life is discipline! When you live an abiding life, you press into the things of God. When you press into this relationship, there are blessings, but there is also discipline. Let me share a secret. Discipline is actually a blessing. Yes, you read that right. Because discipline is an indication of great love!
Hebrews 12:6-11(CEV) “The Lord corrects the people he loves and disciplines those he calls his own. 7 Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don’t all parents correct their children? 8 God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn’t correct you, then you don’t really belong to him. 9 Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn’t it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us? 10 Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. 11 It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.”
Our Heavenly Father, our Heavenly Vinedresser, asks us to abide in the Vine (Jesus). Abiding in Jesus means we resemble and act like Jesus. We are the branches, and the branches take on the same character as the vine they are connected to. So, the vinedresser comes and inspects the branches. The more connected to the vine, the greater the fruitfulness. When the branches are connected, the sap flows from the vine, and the result is fruit. The less the connection, the drier the branches, and the greater the need for pruning.
When you are being pruned (disciplined), consider yourself blessed because God’s discipline is a proof of His love, just as a parent’s discipline proves their love! The fact that we are being disciplined should bring great comfort because it shows we belong to our Father. It’s evidence of our relationship. God disciplines His own, just as we don’t discipline someone else’s children (I have been tempted). We only discipline our own. The writer of Hebrews echoes Jesus’ words. Discipline (pruning) will happen as the Father (Vinedresser) sees fit. But discipline is not something to fear; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. We must practice patience during discipline. Why? Because when the Father corrects us, it’s to bless us and shape us to have the character of Jesus (The Vine).
The ultimate goal of discipline is to foster obedience that brings peace. So, instead of getting impatient with what’s happening around us, maybe, just maybe, we need to focus more on abiding. Ask the Father to do the discipline within us. We know it’s not fun, but we all need it. We all want and seek peace. But peace belongs to those who stay in the Father’s presence and allow Him to discipline them when needed. Maybe at the end of this season we’re in, we will abide a little deeper, a little longer, a little stronger, and become more like Jesus.
Prayer:
- Ask the Holy Spirit to build awareness in you of His presence.
- Pray for an abiding heart and ask the Lord to help you eliminate distractions.
- Ask the Father for patience to endure His discipline and to repent of any wrongs.
- Thank the Lord for His discipline that yields fruit and ultimately His peace.
- Pray for the Body of Christ that we all learn the lesson the Father is teaching us.
Posted in Jesus Devotional