Good morning. I am the true vine,
and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit,
He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may
bear more fruit. First note that the branch He’s talking about is in Him. He is
not talking about an unbeliever. If it does not bear fruit, then the Father
takes it away. It does not say that they will lose their salvation, but it is
kind of scary. Even if it does bear fruit, it gets pruned - ouch. But it is not
because He’s being mean; it is in order that it may bear more fruit. This is
true with natural branches. When my neighbor has someone trim her crêpe myrtles
that are on the boundary of our property, they are next to nothing but stumps.
When spring comes, they explode to new heights. That is what God wants with us.
Instead of using pruning shears, He uses the word of God. You are already clean
because of the word which I have spoken to you. I believe I have talked to you
before about the two different kinds of “cleans” that are used in the Bible. If
pure water is mixed with pure wine, then you have the first kind of clean. This
is the second kind, which is stronger. You cannot mix two items, even if they
are both pure in themselves. The verse reminds us of what Jesus said when He
washed the disciples’ feet. He told them that if they had bathed, they were
clean and only needed to wash their feet. The word “clean“ used there is the
same one that is used here. What else is needed? Abide in Me, and I in you. As
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither
can you unless you abide in Me. Father thank You that we are branches in Jesus
and abide in Him.Help us to stay pure as we go about in our daily lives.
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
Good morning. While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. It doesn’t say, but I assume it is still during this time of the Passover. This man came to Jesus by night. Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with him. It just said that the people believed in His name because of the signs He was doing; yet it does not say what those signs were. Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is why unbelievers cannot tell what is of the kingdom of God and what is not – they’re not born again. Nicodemus doesn’t have a clue. How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he? Unless one is born of water and the Spirit ...
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