April 6, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Lent 2025 – Day 17 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.34 through 5.35 (pages 163-165)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
*If you do not have a copy of the book please contact the church at (401)667-0775 and we can get you a copy.
One of my favorite of Jesus’ teachings is this one of abiding in God taught through the vine. “They will know you by your fruits” but we know that good fruit doesn’t just happen. A garden requires daily tending in order to have a good harvest. It is not just feeding it with good soil, water, and food; it is cutting away what is not producing and even knowing the good parts that need to be cut in order to strengthen the whole plant. As we abide in Him, our vine and source of life, we need to receive both teaching and instruction from His word and hear His voice as we spend time with Him in worship and prayer. We also need to be prepared for the trials and the tough times that prune us to be stronger and it may be uncomfortable but necessary. We are His branches and in order to produce the best fruit that will bring Him glory we need daily tending!
Lent Day 17
You must stay joined with Jesus (the vine) for us to produce good fruit.we cannot do it without him! We are the branches.it brings honor to God. If you do this you can ask for anything you want.
Jesus said the world hated him before it hated us. We do not belong in the world. I have said this to myself many times. I do not belong in this world anymore! I do not fit in.
Not only connected to the vine, but God is glorified as we bear much fruit. Loving each other as Jesus loved us. Probably won’t have to die for someone. But Listening, giving. encouraging, spending time. Need to love each other as the world hates us. Why we do much coming together as often as we can at church. Of like mind. We’ve seen the anti-semitism getting so much worse. Take a guess who and what the next target is? Our constitution and Christians
Lent Day 17
As long as we are connected to the vine for nourishment, we will grow in Him. He is the vine, and we are the branches. If we fail to spend time with Him, we will dry up and will be useless. We would still be saved but as a believer, we would be carnal. Jesus warns us that because the world hates Him, they will hate us. The world loves darkness and hates the light because it reveals sin, and people would rather stay in their sins. John 3:19,20 {And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.} Jesus is the Light and we as believers carry the light in us to bring forth the gospel. The light in us is the Holy Spirit once we came to Christ. As believers lets not quench the Spirit but boldly proclaim Christ. Jesus tells us not to hide our light. God bless you all.
”You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.“
John 15:3-4 NKJV
This reminded me of when Jesus was washing the disciples feet and Peter wanted Him to wash his head and all of him! Jesus said, they were already clean because of His words. Only their feet needed cleaning. Here, they/we are already “clean” but must stay connected to the vine to produce fruit. I think of my plants that wither if I don’t water them or if a branch on my vegetables gets broken, they wither or are actually dead. Thankful for the salvation we have through faith, but our walk doesn’t end there. A good way to stay connected is, obviously be in the word, but also pray for fruit. Have had some fruit bearing opportunities lately.