Seasons

John 15New Life Version (NLV)

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true Vine. My Father is the One Who cares for the Vine. 2 He takes away any branch in Me that does not give fruit. Any branch that gives fruit, He cuts it back so it will give more fruit. 3 You are made clean by the words I have spoken to you. 4 Get your life from Me and I will live in you. No branch can give fruit by itself. It has to get life from the vine. You are able to give fruit only when you have life from Me. 5 I am the Vine and you are the branches. Get your life from Me. Then I will live in you and you will give much fruit. You can do nothing without Me.

6 “If anyone does not get his life from Me, he is cut off like a branch and dries up. Such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire and they are burned. 7 If you get your life from Me and My Words live in you, ask whatever you want. It will be done for you.

8 “When you give much fruit, My Father is honored. This shows you are My followers. 9 I have loved you just as My Father has loved Me. Stay in My love. 10 If you obey My teaching, you will live in My love. In this way, I have obeyed My Father’s teaching and live in His love. 11 I have told you these things so My joy may be in you and your joy may be full.

We all go through pruning seasons.  These seasons can be dark and stagnant.  In the midst of those seasons, we usually don’t see what HE is doing to mold our hearts.  We ask, “Why?”  The truth is, His vision for us is beyond our imagination.  “He cuts back so that it will give more fruit.”  

During those seasons, our survival tool is getting in the word and surrounding yourself with Him however you can.  “Get your life from me.”  He will “live in you”.  I listen to KLove and Way FM whenever I am in the car.  These are the songs that fill my heart.  You have to fuel your heart and mind with the good stuff.  Weed out the things that are not from Him.  

In time, you will be through that pruning season and you will “give much fruit”, in which He will be honored.  “STAY IN MY LOVE” and LISTEN TO WHAT HE IS TELLING YOU.  If you remember last week’s devotional, my phrases have changed from “have faith” to “holdfast” to “be faithful”.  What you can’t see on this screen is the pruning season I went through and the fruit that has come from that.  I will go through another pruning season in the future, that is inevitable.  However, I’m embracing this fruitful season.

What season are you in right now?  How are you living in that moment?  Reflect on those questions and truly ask HIM what HE wants you to hear and live during this time.  

Be blessed!