God Running

They Will Hate You–John 15:18-25

Jesus Christ crown of thorns and nail

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’”

John 15:18-25

The Difference In Jesus Read More

How Jesus Chose Andy The Lyft Driver–John 15:16-17

Hand of God Cloud by Jack - CC

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

John 15:16-17

Andy The Lyft Driver Read More

What Jesus Feels Toward You–John 15:15

Jesus_loves_you via wiki commons

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

John 15:15

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The Secret Of Life–John 15:12-13

Spartan Race

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

John 15:12-13

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How To Live The Big Abundant Life Jesus Wants For You–John 15:7-11

Person human joy, people via picryl - no attribution required

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 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. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

John 15:7-11

“Ask Whatever You Wish . . .” Read More

What Happens To Unfruitful Branches–John 15:6

Large_bonfire

If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

John 15:6

The Meaning Of Fire

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Connecting with Jesus (on Kurt and Kathy’s wedding anniversary)–John 15:4-5

Grapes on Vine via Pixabay -- No Attribution Required

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:4-5

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“Already you are clean…”–John 15:3

Bible Reading“Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.”

John 15:3

In the last few posts from the book of John we talked about how every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. That word “prune” from last post’s text, in the original Greek, is the same word that’s used in today’s verse for the word “clean.”

I think cleaning is another way God can help us to become more fruitful. But I don’t think it’s an either or situation. To me it seems apparent that God uses both pruning, or taking things away from us (as we discussed in the last post from the book of John) to help us become more fruitful, and, He uses cleaning too. Read More

“Where this controversy is concerned, I only know that I don’t want to find out the hard way which interpretation is correct.”

Vineyard Workers“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away . . .”

John 15:1-2

I’ve been researching these few verses today.

That Jesus is the true vine is irrefutable.

What Jesus means when he says that those branches which don’t bear fruit are “taken away” is debated among Bible teachers and scholars. The two English words “taken away”are communicated with one Greek word in the original, and that Greek word is airo. It usually means “to lift up”. Some scholars say Jesus means that if you don’t bear fruit you’ll be taken away. Others say if you don’t bear fruit you’ll be lifted up in a way that will help you to connect with the vine better, so you can begin to bear fruit. Read More