第十五章

1「我是真葡萄樹，我父是栽培的人。 2 凡屬我不結果子的枝子，他就剪去；凡結果子的，他就修理乾淨，使枝子結果子更多。 3 現在你們因我講給你們的道，已經乾淨了。 4 你們要常在我裏面，我也常在你們裏面。枝子若不常在葡萄樹上，自己就不能結果子；你們若不常在我裏面，也是這樣。 5 我是葡萄樹，你們是枝子。常在我裏面的，我也常在他裏面，這人就多結果子；因為離了我，你們就不能做甚麼。 6 人若不常在我裏面，就像枝子丟在外面枯乾，人拾起來，扔在火裏燒了。 7 你們若常在我裏面，我的話也常在你們裏面，凡你們所願意的，祈求，就給你們成就。 8 你們多結果子，我父就因此得榮耀，你們也就是我的門徒了。 9 我愛你們，正如父愛我一樣；你們要常在我的愛裏。

默想：

1. 耶穌的門徒是枝子，祂是葡萄樹，只要我們在主的愛中，我們就能結果子。枝子從連接的樹上吸取所需要的營養汁液。同樣的，我們從耶穌那裡汲取屬靈的生命力，使我們能開花結果。因此耶穌清楚地說：「離了我，你們就不能做甚麼」。
2. 枝子要能結果，園主需要經常修剪枝葉。我們的園主——天父，小心翼翼、殷勤地在園中工作，照料祂的葡萄園，為的是要幫助我們結出更多更好的果實來。神在我們生命中的修剪，是為我們的好處，並不是要威脅我們。
3. 活在主的裡面，並感謝祂必須作的修剪，使我能夠結果更多。

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

 

Chapter 15

¹“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He 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. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain 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.  ⁵“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. ⁶If 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. ⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.  ⁹“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.

Meditation

1. Jesus’ disciples are branches, He is the Vine.  As we remain in His love, we produce fruit.  A branch draws its nutrients from the vine.  In the same way we draw the spiritual vitality from Jesus in order for us to produce fruit.  Thus Jesus says clearly, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
2. For the branches to bear more fruits, the gardener needs to prune his vine regularly.  The great Gardener, our heavenly Father, works with extreme care to prune His vines.  We’re assured that God, the gardener, actively tending His vineyard, is fully committed to bring us to maximum fruitfulness.  God’s pruning work benefits us, it doesn’t threaten us.
3. Remain in the Lord and thank Him for the necessary pruning in order for me to be fruitful.

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.