The Secret of the Vine

In the Book of Genesis it is said that God ‘breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life' and that ‘man became a living being'. Thus man's life began as a breath given by God. Genesis 2:7

A compilation SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

“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.”1

How do we produce much fruit? What is the Lord saying?

In the modern world, the work ethic is achieve and produce by working longer and harder! The focus is on getting results through human effort. … But God's way runs contrary to this approach—His way is much more oriented toward process and relationship rather than performance and production. He is interested in results which He calls “fruit”; but not by pushing or egging us on to work harder or longer.

The Lord's way is to work with and through us so that every result or product comes out of our abiding in Him, since without Him we can do nothing.

This is opposed to the culture we live in today, and to human nature in general. … God's way of success produces the results which He values; results which are not produced by self-effort, but which grow out of an intimate relationship with Him, in which we seek to constantly abide.

The only way we can become abundantly fruitful is to understand the Lord's fruit-bearing process. As we lay down self-effort, our natural human independence, and seek communion with Him, abiding in the Vine, then His power, His will, and His desires will be realized in our lives, which then will bear fruit that remains throughout eternity!—George Whitten

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The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.—1 John 2:6

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The branch cannot realize itself apart from the Vine. If the branch is to burst into bud and leaf and flower and fruit, its resources must be drawn from the Vine. It has no sap of its own creation. Its quickening and sustaining power can be obtained only by association.

[In the same way] man can only come to himself by an intimate alliance with Jesus. … If capabilities are to become abilities, if his possibilities are to ripen into actualities, if the human branch is to break into bud, and flower, and fruit, and life is to receive its appropriate crown, man must enter into profound and hearty fellowship with Jesus. —J. H. Jowett

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If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, whatever you ask , it will be done for you.—John 15:7

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Jesus talked about how to bear fruit in our lives, stating that if we abide in Him and He abides in us, we will produce fruit.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.”8
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It won’t necessarily be quick fruit. This time in your life may be like the first few years of the orchard, which will bear much future fruit after a period of preparation and growth. Or the Lord may lead you to a variety of things, some of which bear quick fruit and others that bear fruit for a season, and others that will bear fruit later—but for a long time. There may be some seasons that require all work with no fruit, followed by seasons of fruitfulness.

Some key elements in doing what God shows you to do are faith, trust, and patience.—Faith to follow where He leads; trust that when you do, He will come through; and patience to wait for the fruit-bearing season.

Abide in Him, and your fruit will come.—Peter Amsterdam

1 John 15:4–5 ESV.
8 John 15:5 ESV.
9 John 14:16–17, 20 KJV.


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