“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.” (John 15:5 NKJV) After every big storm, my husband goes out and picks up branches that have fallen from the trees in our backyard. Perhaps the wind was terribly strong, and perhaps the branches were already losing their connection. These branches that once produced green leaves can now do nothing because they are no longer connected with their tree. In the vineyard, the branch, along with its leaves, converts sunlight into energy that is used by the vine for growth and fruit-bearing. The branch must stay securely connected to the vine with a clear path for nutrients to flow freely from the vine into the branch. Just like the fallen branches in my yard, branches that are no longer attached to the vine can’t do anything but dry up – there’s no life in them. I could duct-tape them back on the vine, but they would still dry up. Jesus calls us branches because He knows that unless we stay connected to Him (the Vine), we can do nothing – absolutely nothing! We can’t “branch out” on our own and survive. We must stay connected with our Vine. Jesus calls this “abiding.” In fact, in John 15:1-7, He uses the term SEVEN times – an obvious indication that He considers “abiding” very important. The term abide means to remain or to stay closely connected. Jesus knows that we cannot bear fruit, if we aren’t abiding in Him. And remember this: hanging around close to the Vine is not the same as being connected to the Vine. Abiding may also mean where you’re living, where you’re making your home – in this case, abiding with our Lord. Sometimes we branches think we need to do more and more for Him – when maybe what He really wants the most is for us to be at home with Him – abiding in His Presence. Why do you think Jesus, in this teaching moment with His disciples, stressed the importance of abiding? Do you think maybe with all the confusing events that would soon occur, this was something they really needed to know? Like the disciples, we don’t know what challenges lie ahead for us; but Jesus is telling us that no matter what the challenge, if we abide in Him, He will be all we need. My dear branch friend, will you abide with Him during the ups and downs of YOUR life? By Judy Shrout

What About Those Branches That Don’t Bear Fruit? “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes…” (John 15:1-2) In the past, I have been disturbed by the last part of this passage – where Jesus says that every unproductive branch He removes, takes away, or cuts off. Jesus states that the branch is “in me” (or in Christ) – so I take that to mean the branch represents a believer. I could not imagine Jesus tossing out or cutting off a true believer – even one that wasn’t bearing fruit. Most believers have experienced a day – or even a season – when they weren’t bearing fruit – for any number of reasons. So, I investigated the actual Greek word used in this verse: airo or airei – which is better translated “to raise,” “to take up,” or “to lift up” and was also the word used when the disciples “took up” the baskets of food after feeding the five thousand. Then an account by a modern-day vineyard owner further enlightened my understanding in a way that reflected my belief about the character of God. He said that the owner or the person tending the vineyard (the “vinedresser”) walks up and down the rows of the vineyard checking to be sure all the branches are healthy. Sometimes new branches start trailing along the ground where they get muddy and dusty, where the sun doesn’t get to the leaves, and where they can’t bear fruit. When someone asked the vineyard owner if he tossed out those unfruitful branches, the owner said, “No, every branch is important to me!” So, when the vinedresser comes across one of those branches, he takes a bucket of water, leans down, “lifts up” that dirty branch off the ground, gently and thoroughly cleans the dirt and mud off its leaves, then lifts it up higher and attaches it to a trellis where the light of the sun can reach it and where it can bear fruit. I can almost picture my Vinedresser walking down my row, finding me on the ground with the dust and mud of sin blocking the Son from my life, stooping down, then tenderly cleaning me up and restoring me to the light so that fruit can freely come from my life (my branch). If you think you just might be that unfruitful branch coated with the mud of sin and the dust of distractions, would you right this minute ask God to come into your life, clean you up, and let the Son shine on you? And if you know of someone else in that situation, would you sit with them and give them the hope of the Vinedresser’s tender touch?  By Judy Shrout

An author often creates a story board to keep track of the characters in a novel – with additional notes so no detail gets mixed up in the writing of the book. If Jesus pulled out a story board for John 15, here would be His cast of characters and their faith counterpart: The Vinedresser represents God The Vine represents Jesus The Branch represents believers The Fruit represents… fruit Today let’s meet with the vinedresser and see how he tends his vineyard. His task is clear-cut: to make sure the vineyard is productive. For this to happen, he positions the branches where they will produce the most fruit. Sometimes he cleans up those branches, sometimes he prunes them a little bit, sometimes he prunes them a lot. Some vinedressers prune back as much as 90% so that the next season will be abundantly fruitful! Tomorrow we’ll find out what the vinedresser does with those branches that do not bear fruit -- but right now let’s think about what the vinedresser does with those that do bear fruit, whether it’s a little or a lot; because God, our vinedresser, created us to bear much fruit! “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8) But what if we’re not bearing much fruit? What does our vinedresser do? Like the vineyard owner, God prunes us – sometimes painfully, to get rid of the distractions that keep us from bearing more fruit. It could be frenzied activity (even in the church) that looks good but isn’t fruitful – just like a beautiful green leafy branch that looks good but never produces fruit because all the energy goes into the leaves. It could be that your own (or someone else’s) plan for your life has taken precedence over God’s plan for your life. Sometimes He prunes back some relationships that are unnecessarily consuming all your energy or taking up too much space in your heart. And just as a side note: branches don’t prune other branches. Think about that for a minute. If you sense the pain of pruning right now, it’s because God loves you more than you can imagine and wants you to be even more fruitful. As we submit ourselves to God’s painful pruning, let’s trust Him with the shears and look forward to our best and most fruitful season ever! By Judy Shrout

Our focal passage this week is Jesus’ teaching in John 15. Since not too many of us have a vineyard out back, Jesus probably would not have used the illustration in today’s Scripture to best connect with us. For people in Kentucky, He might have used illustrations from the tobacco or thoroughbred industries – or maybe even from U.K. basketball traditions. Walking in the dusty footprints of their Rabbi, the disciples of Jesus were no doubt quite accustomed to His method of teaching them important truths – in ways that resonated in their culture – ways they understood and could relate to – and often visual. They didn’t have fill-in-the-blank notebooks. In fact, Matthew and John may have been the only disciples who took notes! This teaching occurs sometime between the Last Supper (the Passover meal) and Jesus’ prayer in the place called Gethsemane – where He would soon be praying so earnestly that His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). Even with the weight of the world’s sin about to be placed on His shoulders, Jesus continued to share vital lessons with His disciples. Perhaps as they were walking toward Gethsemane, they passed a vineyard or two along the way – and may even have been walking through one as He taught. Can you just imagine Him placing his hand on a thick gnarled vine and asking, “Brothers, what is this?” To which they would eye each other knowingly and respond, “Rabbi, that’s a vine!” Now that He had their attention focused on that gnarled vine, He looked them at them intently and spoke these words, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1). You and I need to brush up on life in the vineyard to fully understand this teaching of Jesus, but the disciples were right there with Him – they knew about vineyards. Before we move on into the vineyard, let’s think about something. If we want to reflect Jesus and effectively relate with our fellow travelers on life’s journey, we need to get to know them where they are – not where we assume they might be. When you are eager to share Bible truths with someone, are you taking time to discover the culture of that person before trying to relate with them according to YOUR culture? And will you acknowledge with me that a different culture might be one that could teach US a few things? By Judy Shrout

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. (Romans 12:11 NIV) Zeal. How often do you hear this word in everyday conversation? How would you define this word, and how can you apply this word to your spiritual walk? To be zealous for God could be interpreted as having a deep passion, eagerness, and devotion to Him and His work. It is an intense love that fuels our faith and drives us to live in obedience, serve wholeheartedly, and share His truth boldly. Scripture is filled with many examples of godly zeal. One striking figure is Elijah, who stood alone against the prophets of Baal, declaring, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty” (1 Kings 19:10). His unwavering commitment to God in a time of spiritual compromise shows the power of godly zeal. However, zeal must be guided by knowledge and wisdom. Apostle Paul speaks of the Israelites, saying, For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge (Romans 10:2). Passion without truth can lead to misguided actions. True zeal aligns with God’s Word, leading to righteousness and love rather than self-righteousness or destruction. Jesus himself demonstrated perfect zeal when He cleansed the temple, declaring, “Zeal for your house will consume me” (John 2:17). His passion was rooted in a deep love for the Father’s holiness. Likewise, our zeal should come from a heart that desires to glorify God, not for selfish ambition or personal gain. How do we keep our zeal for God alive? 1. Stay in God’s Word – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) 2. Pray Continually – “Never stop praying.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT) 3. Serve with joy – “Serve the Lord with gladness!” (Psalm 100:2) 4. Surround yourself with passionate believers – “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17) It is the season for college basketball tournaments, horse racing and all things spring. While we may enjoy these activities, let us be mindful of our zeal for them; and instead, channel our primary passion toward God and our spiritual growth. Brethren, let us be on fire for God, not just in moments of excitement but in steadfast, enduring faith. May our lives reflect a zeal that glorifies Him in all we do. Pray: Lord, ignite a passion in my heart to serve You faithfully. Let my zeal be rooted in Your truth and love. Amen. By George Donkor George and his wife, Christiana, are proud parents of Annajoy and Elijah. They love serving Jesus together and showing Him to the world around them.

I love just about everything that Jesus said. But I must admit there are some things that can make me uncomfortable, if I’m honest. Perhaps you feel that way too. One of those truths is found in John 14:6: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Don’t get me wrong; I find great comfort in knowing that Jesus is the Way to come to the Father. It’s just that the reality that NO ONE can come to the Father except through Jesus makes me sad. There are millions and millions of people who have never heard of Jesus. There are thousands of unreached people groups. There are billions of people who believe in false religions. If I take Jesus at His word, then I am confronted with the terrible reality that most of the world is not going to spend eternity with the Father. On the contrary, they will be eternally separated from Him. This truth makes me cringe when I allow myself to be confronted by it. Jesus told us to make disciples of all people as we are going about our lives. We were commissioned by Jesus to go to all the nations “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). It’s been 2000 years since that small band of Jesus’ first followers heard those words; and yet, the world is lost. We have technology capable of sharing breaking news live throughout the world; and yet, billions are without Jesus. Today, dwell in the uncomfortable truth that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus. Ask God to show you who needs to know about Him. And share. By LaRaine Rice

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life , and that life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4) The Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life , and the man became a living creature. (Genesis 2:7) Sin came into the world because of what one man [Adam] did. And with sin came death. So, this is why all people must die—because all people have sinned. (Romans 5:12) God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life . (John 3:16) Jesus, the Son, said: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life . (John 8:12) “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life . He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life . (John 5:24) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life . No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true… He is the true God and eternal life . (1 John 5:20) I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life ! (Deuteronomy 30:19)  By LaRaine Rice

We are fortunate; there is a lot of truth floating around out there these days. In fact, it seems that we live in a time when everyone has their own truth, and we are to respect that truth. Even if it makes no sense or is partially based on lies. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just know what the truth is about a matter? Once again, we are fortunate. We can know the Truth. Jesus calls Himself the Truth. Jesus did not claim to know truth. He didn’t state that He speaks truth. He said He is the Truth. 1 John 1:5 (Amplified) defines it like this: This is the message [of God’s promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness], and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection] . When we are confused and uncertain of the truth, we can ask God. As Jesus promised the disciples, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13 ESV). Are there situations you face today that seem murky? Rely on the holy, pure light that is found in God alone. Are you confused by half-truths and what others consider their truth? Seek the Spirit of Truth. You are promised that “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 ESV). Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. (Ephesians 6:14 ESV) By LaRaine Rice

Sounds like a great idea. People don’t want to miss God. If there are multiple ways to God, then everyone who wants to find Him can follow whatever path they choose and get to Him. All paths lead to God. Sounds like a good idea to a lot of people. But it doesn’t sound like a good idea to God. God wants to be found. He didn’t want to make it hard to find Him. So, He became a human, invited everyone to follow Him and instructed His followers to tell everyone else how to find Him. Problem solved. By God. God made a way. Jesus. He is the Way. So, why does this lie that there are multiple paths to God still exist? Simple. The Enemy of God does not want people to be reconciled to God. He confuses people just like he confused Eve. He pretends that there are ways to God. He distracts Christians and convinces them that they will sound judgmental if they say that there is only one Way to God. So, they remain silent in the world even while praising God with lifted hands at church. The very earliest followers of Jesus identified themselves as belonging to the Way (Acts 9:2; 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22). Perhaps if we intentionally remembered that we are followers of the Way, we would remember Jesus’ instructions to point everyone to Him. Today, ask God to remind you that He is the Way and to give you the opportunity to tell other people that God made a Way to Him. By LaRaine Rice