“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:5-8 NKJ
Have you ever applied for a position in a company and anticipated being the chosen candidate out of all the applicants? When the call came that informed you that you had been selected to fill the position what emotions flooded your heart? On the job did you do all you could to successfully accomplish the assignment given to you on the day of your hiring? What did it feel like when you completed the assignment and were given a paycheck for your labor? And what kept that fire burning in your heart to keep you going back day after day to do what you had been hired on to do?
Now for a similar line of questions in regards to what it means to be a fruit bearing disciple. When you accepted Christ as your Savior did you realize you had been chosen and appointed to the position of a kingdom disciple? (“You did not choose Me, but I chose you”) Did you realize that the One who chose you, gave you an assignment on the day you accepted your position in the kingdom? (“and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit,”)
Did you realize that His desire was for you to have a passion in your heart to show up each day to fulfill your assignment? (“and that your fruit should remain,) And did you realize that there is a reward for your labor? (“that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”) (John 15:16) And did you realize it is in accomplishing that assignment God is glorified? (By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”) (John 15:8)
Sometimes I think we put more value on the positions we hold in earthly companies than we do in the position we have been assigned as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Think about it for a minute. If you have a job how many days do you get out of bed and say you don’t have the time or energy to go to work so you decide to skip it? How many times have you ever gone into the office and told your boss you think their plan is okay but you have decided there is a better way and you are going to go with that plan instead? Would you ever expect to receive a paycheck if you willfully chose not to fulfill the assignment you had been given?
The answer to all of these questions is no, and yet that is exactly how many people treat their position as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Many vines (disciples) in the body of Christ are not bearing fruit because they are not showing up each day to fulfill their assignment. Some have devised their own plan for their life and are executing it without regarding the plan God has set in place for them. And many disciples report that they are not seeing kingdom rewards manifest in their daily lives. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) If each New Covenant believer wrapped their minds around the great honor and prestige that comes with the title of being a chosen disciple of Jesus Christ, we would see an incredible change take place in the church of Jesus Christ!
Do you realize the greatest honor a person can ever have on earth is to be a chosen disciple of Jesus Christ? There is no greater honor on earth! It is the highest position in the earthly realm. It is more prestigious than being appointed as the president of the United States. It is more prestigious than being Donald Trump’s chosen apprentice. It is more prestigious than being appointed as the president and CEO of Harpo Productions by Oprah Winfrey herself. And the rewards of being a disciple of Jesus Christ are far greater than any reward that comes with these positions. And yet we do not place the same value on our position of being a chosen and appointed disciple of Jesus Christ as we do on these positions.
For the next seven days I want us to really begin to embrace our appointed positions as disciples of Jesus Christ so we can begin to comprehend what Jesus meant when He said, “you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” And “that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” In order to begin this journey of understanding we must get an image of how an earthly company operates and that is what we will look at in tomorrow’s devotion. Those of us who are willing to expand our concept of God will see fruit begin to manifest on the vine of our Christian lives. Fruit that will last! Every successful company has a vision and mission statement that is given to its employees at the time of their hiring so they know what the company stands for and what they want to accomplish. Before reading tomorrow’s devotion spend time writing out what you believe would be God’s vision and mission statements for His company (body).
Prayer: Lord I have a desire to understand the position you have appointed me to as Your disciple. I believe by faith that it is the highest position of honor a person can have on earth and I believe by faith that there are rewards for the person who faithfully fulfills the assignment of this position. Open the eyes of my understanding so I can see an even greater image of You and comprehend what Your desire is for Your kingdom on earth and for my life as Your disciple. Amen
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