Clinging to the True Vine

It is so very easy to get distracted these days.  We are so very busy running here and there and everywhere that we fail to accomplish has for us to accomplish for Him.  Many people are so very stressed out and they are on the very verge of giving up or throwing in the towel sort of speak.  There are many Pastors and Ministers and even lay leaders that are feeling burned out and they feel like giving up ministry and do something else.

It is so very easy for anyone of us to feel discouraged.  There seems to be a lot of people who are angry and complain a lot about everybody and everything.  Sometimes we end up trying to please people instead of pleasing God.  We shouldn't be trying to please people because that is nearly impossible anyway most of the time.  We can be pleasing to God by being reconciled back to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ.  We must have our faith in Him because we know that it is impossible to please God without faith.

John 15:1-8

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
                                                                            

2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

4 Remain in me, as I also 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.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

In order for we believers in Christ Jesus to produce fruit we must remain connected to the true vine, Jesus Christ.  We are saved by grace through faith in His finished work on the Cross on our behalf.  Once we come to faith in Christ we are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption.  Once we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and in His finished work on the Cross we are saved forever.  That is we can't be lost again, but we can become fruitless if we aren't careful to stay close to the Lord Jesus.  

If we want to bear fruit we must remain in fellowship with Him.  That means we need to talk to Him in prayer and read the Bible to learn more about the Lord and allow Him to speak to us through His Word and the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes I can get so very spiritually dry because I fail to draw near to the Lord for one reason or another.  We all get distracted at times and at times we fail.  We sometimes allow our worries and fears run our lives instead of allowing the Lord to lead us and direct our steps.

I want to bear fruit for the Lord, but I know that I am good enough to do that in my own power or strength for I know I need the Lord to do it through me, but in order for that to happen I must submit to His leading and His direction.  God knows what He is doing we just need to trust Him more.

Sometimes the Lord will ask us to do something really big and outside of our comfort zone.  We can be assured that if the Lord has called us to a certain task He will provide for us to accomplish that task for His Glory and His praise.  We just need to cling to the True Vine, Jesus.

Lord,

I am small and weak.

I am not that talented in doing things, but I will trust You to lead me in the direction You would have me to go.

Lead us and equip us O Lord for the work You have called us to do.

We cling to You Lord Jesus.

In Jesus Name we pray,

Amen.