All over Tulsa right now there are broken tree limbs everywhere. We had an ice storm a couple of days ago and it left quite a wake. Last night Stephen and I could hear limbs breaking off while sitting in our neighborhood. Earlier this year in April, we had strong wind gusts that had the same effect of ice and trees were destroyed everywhere.

These incidents made me think about the scriptures in the book of John Chapter 15 where Jesus talked about abiding in the Word. Let’s take a look at this passage and keep in mind today’s question.

“I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.

⁴ “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

^5-8 “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

^9-10 “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.

His desire for us abiding in His word is that we might know Him and remain in Him. Let’s cut off those things that don’t produce fruit for our Savior and let’s make room for His word in our lives.

APPLICATION:

1. Have you found a way to best draw life from scriptures? Do you find that you prefer devotionals or a Bible reading plan? Do commentaries help you? Whatever works best for you, stick to that and make sure that the word of God is before you.
2. Have you memorized scriptures? It is critical that we know and speak the word. What we are filled with will come out when we are in need of an answer. Begin by picking out a scripture that applies to your current situation. Maybe it is from today’s question and you want to abide more. John 15:9 is a great start.
3. Are we waiting for someone else to feed us the Word or are we diligently feeding ourselves?