John 15:4

Verse of the Day: John 15:4

“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.” – John 15:4 

If we have a branch on an apple tree, healthy and vibrant, during the right time we will see fruit on it.  However, if we cut the branch off the tree and take it home because we want to grow fresh apples, we will be disappointed.  You see, the branch does not, on its own, have what it takes to produce fruit.

It is the same with us.  We must abide in Christ and let Him work through us, and then we bear fruit.  It is not what we do, but what we allow God to do through us.  Paul said basically the same thing to the Philippians.  “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13.

God will never leave us alone.  He has a work for each one of us to do.  However, what we need is to submit to Him and He will do it through us.  He will take us where He wants us, give us the words to say and the strength to fulfill it.  We must be in a constant attitude of prayer, always ready to hear what He has to say and follow His lead.  Then we will bear much fruit and glorify God in the process.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.

Habakkuk 3:17

Verse of the Day Devotion Habakkuk 3:17 

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail, And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold, And there be no cattle in the stalls,” – Habakkuk 3:17 

This will be our last verse of the day for Thanksgiving 2021.  This will focus on why we can be thankful during difficult times, as we also see today.

This prophecy of Habakkuk is concerned with the rise of the Chaldeans to power. Habakkuk had seen this mighty people used in inflicting judgment upon Nineveh, and they appeared to be the very instrument of God. But a problem arose when they were seen to be as the Assyrians whom they had destroyed. How could God use for any purpose a heartless, cruel nation, bent wholly upon evil? The prophet’s answer is that God will make all His dealings clear if we but wait for Him. “The just shall live by faith.” Habakkuk 2:4. When the issues appear confused, the righteous can still remain steadfast and loyal to God.

Now, our focus verse, along with verse 18 form one long sentence in Hebrew and also in most English translations. Verse 17 contains a series of six clauses introduced by ‘Though’ which address various problems regarding lack of food, while verse 18 gives two clauses introduced by ‘yet’ which professes their loyalty and trust in God.  The basic idea expressed here in these two verses can be seen like this.  Even if there are no figs on the fig trees and no grapes on the vines, yet I will be joyful because of the Lord. Even if there are no olives on the olive trees, and no grain grows in the fields, yet I will be joyful because of the Lord. Even if there are no sheep in the sheep pens and no cattle in the cattle stalls, yet I will be joyful because of the Lord.

Note the wording in our focus verse.  Though the fig true “should not” blossom, and there be no fruit on the vine.  Though the yield of the olive “should fail”, and the fields produce no fruit.  Though the flocks “should be” cut off from the fold, and their be no cattle in the stall.  All of these situations had not happened. The prophet Habakkuk is saying ”should these things happen”. He was saying if these things come to pass, “Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:18.  No matter what happens, no matter how bad things get, or whatever God allows, we will continue to exalt the Lord and rejoice in Him who is their salvation.

The Israelites were hated by many of the nations of that time period. And as stated above, there was a very good possibility that the Chaldeans were looking to conquer them and take their land.  Today, we have many things that are happening in our world.  We have, as back then, countries and peoples who want to take over other countries. Americans are afraid of what the future could be like if the United States continue down the path we are currently on.  It is evident that fear is taking hold of so many people in this world.  However, as followers of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, we must place our hope and everything we are into His hands.  We may, and I want to accentuate may, lose a lot of what we have.  As costs go up faster than incomes, life could very well get difficult.  But, He has promised we will be taken care of no matter what.

And here are some verses where God has promised to care for us.

“And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Philippians 4:19-20. 

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, ‘He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’” 2 Corinthians 9:8-9 where Paul refers to Psalm 112:9.

“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.” Psalm 37:25-26.

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5-7.

So, I want to encourage us all to give all thanks and glory to our God.  And do it no matter what we may be going through.  For as God spoke through the prophet Habakkuk, “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.” Habakkuk 3”17-19.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.

John 15:1

Verse of the Day Devotion:  John 15:1 

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” – John 15:1 

Over the next few weekdays, we will be looking at seven verses where Jesus declares “I AM”, and then gives a metaphor regarding what He is.  Today, we will look at the seventh and last of these, “I am the true vine.”

Jesus is now preparing the disciples for their work they are to do after He ascends into heaven,  Judas has already left to betray Him.  They were sitting in a room together when Jesus told them one would betray Him, and He showed it would be Judas. “Jesus therefore answered, that is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So, when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. And after the morsel, Satan then entered him. Jesus therefore said to him, what you do, do quickly.” John 13:26-27. And then further down, “And so after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.” John 13:30.

Jesus wanted His friends, not only those eleven, but those of all time, to know that He was not going to desert them, even though they would no longer enjoy His physical presence. His living energy—His spiritual reality—would continue to nourish and sustain them just as the roots and trunk of a grape vine produce the energy that nourishes and sustains its branches while they develop their fruit. Jesus wanted us to know that, even though we cannot see Him, we are as intricately connected to Him as the branches of a vine are connected to its stem. Our desire to know and love Him and the energy to serve Him will keep flowing into and through us as long as we “abide” in Him.

Jesus then goes further in verse four. “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.” John 15:4.  He is saying that no branch can even live, let alone produce fruit by itself.  Cut off from the trunk, a branch is dead. Just as a vine’s branches rely on being connected to the trunk from which they receive their energy to bear fruit, Jesus’ disciples depend on being connected to Him for their spiritual life and the ability to serve Him effectively. And the fruit we produce is from the Holy Spirit, not of ourselves.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23.  What we do for Jesus, what fruit we produce is purely through Him, and the only way we can truly serve Him is to be rightly connect to Him in a faith and love relationship. 

Then looking one verse further, we read, “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6. No believer can achieve anything of spiritual value independently of Christ Jesus. He also reminds us that there are some who are “in” Him who bear no fruit. But these are not, as some would suppose, true branches that just happen to be fruitless. All true branches bear fruit. Just as we know a healthy, living tree by the good fruit it produces, so do we recognize fruitless branches as having no connection to the True Vine. And therefore, we read in Matthew, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:15-20.

In closing, Jesus was telling the disciples the only way they can bare fruit is if they rely on Him and be connected to Him after He goes.  And the same is to be said of us.  If we try to do the work of Christ through our own strength, we will not be successful, for no fruit can be produced if we are not connected to Him, just as no branch can produce fruit if it is not connected to the vine.  And He, as our focus verse says, is the true vine. He is our source of all things good. So, we depend on Jesus for everything, starting with our very life—“For in Him we live and move and have our being.” Romans 5:10.  And this includes reconciliation with God through Him by which no one can serve God effectively until he relates to Jesus Christ by faith. Jesus is our only connection with the God who gave life and who produces in us a fruitful life of righteousness and service. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

John 15:5

Verse of the Day Devotion: John 15:5 

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

Jesus uses the idea of the vine and the branch to describe how we are to do the work God has for us.  First, he describes which is which.  “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1.  First, lets look at what the vine is.  The vine is the main part of the plant, which supports the branches and provides what they need.  All the nourishment of each branch passes through the main stalk, or the vine, that springs from the earth.  The vinedresser is the one who cares for the vineyard.  They are responsible to nurture, trim, and defend the vine, and who of course feels a deep interest in its growth and welfare.  We, as Christians, are the branches that sprout from the vine.  And in our focus verse, we see we are the branches, the ones through whom the vine produces the fruit.

Therefore, we see the three roles laid out in this picture.  Jesus is the vine, the one from whom all His branches, those being us, are nourished and strengthened.  He is the real source of our strength and nourishment, blessings and joy.  And the Father is the one who has the care, maintenance, and defense of the vineyard.  And He also is the one who plants the vine.  “We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” 1 John 4:14

Now, again in our focus verse we read,  “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5.  Jesus is the vine and we are the branches; therefore He is the one that provides us with what we need to do His work.  He nourishes us with His Word, which helps us do what He calls us to do and strengthens us such that we will continue on when it gets difficult.  But the only way we can receive what He provides is if we abide in the vine.  We must be united with Him, living such that He is the provider of all we need.  We must be, as the branch is connected to the vine, be connected to Jesus.  For only then will we be able to produce the fruit He intends us to produce.  “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Colossians 1:9-10. 

However, if we are not united with Christ, if we do not look to Him as the means to do the work He has called us to, then we truly cannot do anything.  We cannot do anything for Him if we are separated from Him.  As the branches, if separated from the vine cannot produce fruit but would wither and die, so Christians, who are separated from Christ, cannot produce fruit.  This shows we are totally dependent on Christ to do what He desires us to do. 

In closing, let us understand our dependence on Him in everything we are called to do.  If we try to accomplish His will without being united with Him; not receiving all we need from Him, in effect, doing it our way, we will accomplish nothing.  It is only when God, working through us, opening their hearts for the work we are doing, that fruit is produced.   If we are here to produce fruit, we need the vine to make it happen.  Without the vine, we will simply dry up and wither.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.