Remain

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardner. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers;  such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciple". -John 15:1-8

"Follow Me" by David Platt is what we are currently discussing on Wednesday nights at my church. Before you go thinking I'm some Bible study junkie let me add that both studies I'm doing at church we are spending 2-3 weeks on each lesson. I'm not cramming them all in each week. I try to spread them out almost use them a little more like a devotional- each one separate yet waiting to see how is God weaving it all together. I also am currently reading "7-an experimental mutiny against excess" by Jen Hatmaker. I am only halfway through chapter 1 but I guarantee there will be more posts to come about this. I have only recently began to read Jen's blog and now this book but I already feel like she is personally challenging me.

But back to the vine. This passage is the "root" of week 2's study in "Follow Me". I've read this passage many times. Unfortunately a lot of my Bible reading often times amount to just that-Bible reading- very little reflection. (Which is what have begun doing much more of after reading "Definding the faith" by Mary Jo Sharp and can't wait to do her study "Why do you helieve that?" with my women's group.) I read a lot, but I don't always read the Bible a lot and when I do read it's generally not to see what truth I find in it. It's alongside someone else's truth. I often don't question, I just take it and accept it. Well, no longer, and these verses are precisely why. I must remain in Him. Not on David Platt who remains in Him. Not in Beth Moore who remains in Him. Not in my pastor who remains in Him. I must remain in Him. Me. Don't get me wrong I LOVE hearing others thoughts. I love their questions to get me thinking. Their faithfulness encourages me!

What I do realize is I must start plugging my name into passages and making them personal. What does this mean to Mandy? Not just people in general. How can I apply this passage right now? Look back at the passage from John 15, what does He say will happen to me if I don't remain in Him? I can't bear fruit. I will be thrown away, wither, picked up, thrown into the fire and burned! Me. If I don't remain in Him, this will happen.

I want to be a healthy fruit bearing vine. This passage makes it clear there is only one way for this to happen. Be with Jesus as much as possible. Allow Him to prune, it's healthy. Think of those Bible studies, their authors, our pastors, and  other mentors as gardening tools. Allow Him to use them in your life as pruning tools but don't remain solely in them.  Remain in Jesus. I must not move away from the only source of pure nourishment or I will wither,  fall away, be picked up and burned.

Lord,
Thank you for loving me enough to continually care for me. For the nourishment you freely give so long as I come to the source. Thank you for the tools you give us in people like BethMoore, David Platt, Jen Hatmaker, Mary Jo Sharp, Angela Thomas, Priscilla Shirer and local pastors such as my own, Pastor Todd. Continue to nourish them as they remain in you and seek to proclaim your name. In John 15 you tell us that you will give us our wishes if we ask. Help me remain in you , because as surely as I remain in you, your will will become my wish. The desires of my heart will be the desires you have placed there. As I go through this day with you, nourish me, prune me where necessary and encourage my budding faith to become a vine that bears fruit continually. I love you and I thank you for everything. -Amen!