Key Thought

Today's Prayer

Holy and righteous God, my heavenly Father, please fashion me into a true disciple—one of your children who brings you glory because of the quality of my character and because of my commitment to bring others to know your grace. Help me to live like Jesus. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Today's Verses in Context

{Jesus said,} "I am the true vine; my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that does not make fruit. And he trims and cleans every branch that makes fruit, so that it will make even more fruit. You are already clean because of the teaching I have told you. Continue in me and I will continue in you. No branch can make fruit alone. It must continue in the vine. It is the same with you. You cannot make fruit alone. You must continue in me. "I am the vine and you are the branches. If a person continues in me and I continue in that person, then that person will make much fruit. But without me that person can do nothing. If a person does not continue in me, then he is like a branch that is thrown away. That branch dies. People pick up dead branches, throw them into the fire, and burn them. "Continue in me and follow my teachings. If you do this, then you can ask for anything you want, and it will be given to you. You should make much fruit and show that you are my followers. This brings glory to my Father. I loved you like the Father loved me. Now continue in my love. I have obeyed my Father's commands, and I continue in his love. In the same way, if you obey my commands, you will continue in my love. I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy. This is what I command you: Love each other like I have loved you. The greatest love a person can show is to die for his friends. You are my friends if you do the things I tell you to do. I don't call you servants now. A servant does not know what his master is doing. But now I call you friends because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and make fruit. I want this fruit to continue {in your life}. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. This is my command: Love each other.

Related Scripture Readings

Many Pharisees and Sadducees came to the place where John was baptizing people. When John saw them he said to them: "You are all snakes! Who warned you to run away from God's anger that is coming? You must do the things that show that you have really changed your hearts and lives. And don't think that you can boast and say to yourselves, 'Abraham is our father.' I tell you that God could make children for Abraham from these rocks here. The ax is now ready to cut down the trees. Every tree that does not make good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

"Be careful of false prophets. They come to you and look {gentle} like sheep. But they are really dangerous {like} wolves. You will know these people because of the things they do. Good things don't come from bad people, the same as grapes don't come from thorn bushes. And figs don't come from thorny weeds. In the same way, every good tree makes good fruit. And bad trees make bad fruit. A good tree cannot make bad fruit. And a bad tree cannot make good fruit. Every tree that does not make good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. You will know these false people by the fruit they make (things they do).

Jesus said, "My food is to do what the One (God) who sent me wants me to do. My food is to finish the work that he gave me to do. {When you plant} you always say, 'Four more months to wait before we gather the grain.' But I tell you, open your eyes. Look at the {people. They are like} fields ready for harvesting now. Even now, the person that harvests the crop is being paid. He is gathering crops for eternal life. So now the person that plants can be happy together with the person that harvests. It is true when we say, 'One person plants, but another person harvests the crop.' I sent you to harvest a crop that you did not work for. Other people did the work, and you get the profit from their work."