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.
“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. 👌🏼
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. 🔥
💙 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
John 15:4-8 NLT
Jesus uses parables often in scripture when teaching. You may be wondering why that is, as did I. Here is what I found…
When the disciples asked him this very question in Matthew this was Jesus’ response:
He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.”
Matthew 13:11-13 NLT read on thru verses 14 and 15.
The reason Jesus uses parables are simply because he wants us to hunger and thirst for him. To better know him and understand him the closer we need to follow him. If you want understanding, keep listening to his word. Dive deeper into his word and teachings to better know his heart. He wants all of us. All of our hearts and surrenderance. Does this mean we will be perfect little Christian’s? Absolutely not! But what this does mean, is the more we grow closer to the heart of Jesus the more his desires become ours. He should be our greatest influencer.
Something the Lord has been reminding me is to show myself approved. Now this isnt to show myself “better than” anybody, this isn’t to show myself worthy of salvation, salvation is a free gift, no amount of our effort can take that away or change that. However the bible says this:
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith. –
(Can we just take a moment and read that last sentence again ☝🏻, we can turn some people away from the faith with our gossiping words)
– But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”
2 Timothy 2:15-19 NLT
We can’t do this turning away from evil on our own. The sooner we understand that the better. We have to ask the Lord to give us the strength to do so, we have to ask fellow believers for encouragement, prayer and accountability. We have to humble ourselves before the Lord and own our crap before him. Confessing our sins. Repenting to him. With a changed heart. A heart that no longer wants to serve ourselves over serving him. It won’t be easy and it isn’t about us trying harder. Its simply turning to Jesus and being real with him. And honestly being real with a friend helps a lot too.
Mary Smith Creative 