John 15:1

'I am the true vine and.....'

The Heavenly Father as the Husbandman watching over our abiding in the vine, over our growth and fruit bearing. It is not left to our faith or to our faithfulness to maintain our union with Christ.

God the Father Himself will see that the branch is what it should be and will enable us to bring forth fruit we are appointed to bear.

'every branch that beareth fruit He.....' More fruit is what the Father seeks. More fruit is what the Father Himself will provide. That is why the vinedresser cleanses the branches.

Of all  fruit bearing plants on earth there is none that produces fruit so full of the spirit from which spirit can be distilled. Of all fruit bearing plants there is none that is so ready to run to wild wood and for which pruning and cleansing are indispensable.

The one great work that a vinedresser has to do for the branch every year is to prune it. Other plants can go for a time, dispense with it and yet bear fruit. The vine must have it. One thing that the branch which desires to abide in Christ, bring forth much fruit, be able to ask whatsoever it will must do is to trust in and yield itself to this Divine cleansing.

What is it that the Divine vinedresser cuts away with the pruning knife? Nothing but wood with the true vine nature in it. This must be cut away. Why? Because it draws away the strength and the life of the vine and hinders the flow of the juice to the grape. The wood of the branch must decrease that the fruit for the vine may increase in obedience to the laws of nature that death is the way  to life, that gain comes through sacrifice.

The rich luxurious growth of wood must be cut off and cast away, that the life more abundant may be seen in the cluster.

What in us appears perfectly innocent and legitimate and which yet draws out our interest and strength that must be pruned and cleansed away. It is only as our will and strength and effort and pleasure, even where these appear perfectly natural and sinless, are cut down so that the whole energies of our being are free and open to receive the sap of the Heavenly vine, the H.S. that we shall bear much fruit.

It is through the surrender of what nature holds fast, through the full and willing submission to God's Holy pruning knife that we shall come to what Christ  has chosen and appointed us for, to bear fruit that whatsoever we ask the Father in Christ's Name He may give it to us.

What is the pruning knife? Jesus said, 'You are clean through the Word.....' The Word of God is sharper than....'  'Sanctify them through thy Truth....'  What heart searching words Christ had spoken to His disciples in love and humility, on being the least and, like Himself, the servant of all. On denying  self, taking up the Cross and loosing the life.

Through His Word the Father cut away all confidence in themselves or the world and prepared them for the inflowing  and filling of the Spirit of the Heavenly vine. It is not we who can cleanse ourselves. God is the vinedresser. We may confidently entrust ourselves to His care.