Good Morning Sunshine! The Vinedresser Did It! 

John 15:1,3-5 AMP ~ “I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. [3] You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. [4] Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. [5] I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.”

Does your life feel like God has been doing some repositioning in your life? Does it feel like painful pruning is taking place? Remember you are in the loving hands of your Father. Don’t lose sight of the end because the beginning is painful! It’s all rooted and done out of the love He has for you! It was the Vine and Vinedresser that is doing it to you and for you! 

Do you want to know what a Vinedresser actually does? Let me tell you. Strong’s Concordance defines it as: “a worker of the soil, husbandman, farmer, farm-laborer.” “The Vinedresser takes hold of the vine and entwine it on a trellis or wires, to keep air flowing underneath it so it can bear healthy fruit.” Unlike fruit trees, a grapevine cannot stand up straight on its own. Grapevines grow downward and because of their nature, the weight of the grapes, it makes them lay on the ground and this causes them to get wet and when they get wet, they wither or produce little fruit. 

One of the most important responsibilities of the vinedresser is to take a hold of the vine and entwine it on a trellis to keep air flowing underneath it so it can bear healthy fruit. Have you ever been really comfortable and then out of the blue you started to feel like you were out of place? It’s God! God in His Wisdom has decided that you need a life adjustment, a change to take place, a position change so that you can continue bearing fruit, spiritual fruit that is! And guess what your Father has the right to adjust whatever He wants in you, after all He is your Creator! He knows when it’s time for you to move! 

The problem with a lot of us, is that we are trying to build permanent dwellings in places where you should have had a fold and go tent! Let me get back on track, that’s a devotional for another day! Getting back to the Vinedresser, He knows when you need an adjustment, to help you bear more fruit! So, whether you physically move or change locations, He’s moving you from a place of comfort to a place of uncertainty to help you, to teach you that you need Him! Or He could just change your circumstances to prepare you for greater productivity for His Kingdom?

The Vinedresser prunes you because He wants your life to be a reflection of His character, plain and simple! Don’t think of His pruning as painful, see it as purpose and this is pertinent to your growth and development! Remember our God is Sovereign and He knows exactly what situations to place you in to produce better fruit for His Harvest. All you have to do is remain in Jesus and He will remain in you, that’s what His Word promises!!! 

Outside of being connected with Jesus Christ, The Vine, you cannot be connected to the Vine Dresser, your Father, (John 15:5 NIV, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”) In order to walk the way, you ought to, you need Him, you need His Word to be perfected in you, so that you can Abide with Him, because without the source, you can’t do anything, not even breathe! God is repositioning you for greater productivity, your Father is pruning you on purpose, He wants you to bear more fruit! 

The want to be gardener in me loves this story in John 15, (spend some time studying this chapter) Jesus is the Root and the Stems of the Vine, and me and you are the branches that grow out of His roots.  You see when grapevines are left untended, they will stretch out of place and produce leafy canopies (overhanging leaves). I know sometimes it looks healthy from the outside, (just like us, we know how to make our physical look good, but the inside is hollow). So, while the green leaves look healthy, they are not producing as much fruit as they can. You do know that the purpose is to produce fruit, and in order to get all of your nutrients from Him so that you might live, bloom, branch out, and produce more fruit you need pruning! 

Don’t let your service into God be only lip service, no word, no faith, no works and no fruit! Matthew 7:16,19-20 NKJV, “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” So, now you should truly understand the purpose of a The Vine (Jesus), The Vinedresser (The Father) and grapevine (you) is to produce grapes, and pruning is necessary, and only the Master Gardener can do this job! He can cut it out of you without cutting you! It’s for His Glory! 

Let’s Pray: 

Father, Master Gardener, I’m praising You, all the honor and glory belongs to You. Father, You knew me before I was ever a seed in my mother’s womb, and You know the plans that You made me for. You are the only One that can cut me without cutting me, thank You God for being relentless and never giving up on me. Father, forgive me for the times that I pushed back and turned away from this pruning process and went my own way, please forgive me. Father Thank You for one more day to walk and talk with You, I will not take this day for granted! Teach me how to love as You do, as we walk and talk, so that I may live and love as I ought to because I am connected to Your Vine and I want to produce fruit that is good for sustenance and that can only come from You! Thank You for pruning me, cutting the branches off my life that were hindering me from living and producing lasting fruit that brings You total Glory. In Jesus Christ Mighty Name, Amen! 

Blessings…

Minister Jean