John 15: 1 - 8 (Amp) I Am the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser,
2) Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit (that stops bearing) He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.
3) You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the Word which I have given you (the teachings I have discussed with you).
4) Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. (Live in Me, and I will live in you.) Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.
5) I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me (cut off from vital union with Me) you can do nothing.
6) If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a (broken off) branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and burned.
7) If you live in Me (abide vitally united to Me) and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
8) When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.
9) I have loved you, (just) as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love (continue in His love with Me).
10) If you keep My commandments (if you continue to obey My instructions), you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love.
11) I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.
12) This is My commandment: that you love one another (just) as I have loved you.
13) No one has greater love (no one has shown stronger affection) than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.
14) You are My friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do.
15) I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what the master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. (I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him).
16) You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you (I have planted you), that you may go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, that your fruit may be lasting (that it may remain, abide), so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name (as presenting all that I Am), He may give it to you.
17) This is what I command you: that you love one another.
18) If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you.
19) If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as it’s own. But because you are not of the world (no longer one with it), but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you.
20) Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master (is not superior to him). If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours.
21) But they will do all of this to you (inflict all this suffering on you) because of (you bearing ) My name and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me.
22) If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin (would be blameless); But now they have no excuse for their sin.
23) Whoever hates Me also hates My Father.
24) If I had not done (accomplished) among them the works which no one else ever did, they would not be guilty of sin. But (the fact is) now they have both seen (these works) and have hated both Me and My Father.
25) But (this is so) that the word written in the Law might be fulfilled, They hated Me without cause.
26) But when the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, Whom I will send to you from The Father, the Spirit of Truth Who comes (proceeds) from the Father, He (Himself) will testify regarding Me.
27) But you will also testify and be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

I have to take the opportunity here to say this. In regards to the little word IF that is used so many times in any of the translations of the above witneses in John. Many, many will argue till Kingdom come that Abba doesn't know this little word IF. These misguided brethren will also very strongly make the same case that we have no free will. They say that God will always overide our own will. Universalism is a spinoff from Calvinism. I had to say this here but I have another subject on free will and whether we have it or not.

I love the way our Father teaches. He always uses something simple like a garden or a tree to liken the Kingdom unto. I refer to it as the common sense of God. In verse 7 of John 15, notice what Jesus says ~ If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. This witness ties right in to the Garden Principle in the Sower in Mark 4: 3 - 9. I have a subject up on my home page, if you would care to click on it, that I would hope by His grace would clarify this principle of sowing God’s Word and reaping Faith. But He is saying His words must abide or be growing in your heart. Jesus explains this garden principle of His words living or being planted in the good soil of our heart and what happens if they are. Lk. 6: 43 - 45 His Word says ~ For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44) For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
45) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
46) And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Notice what He says, Out of the good soil of an obedient heart comes good fruit or Faith.

It's not enough brethren to just hear His words, we must obey His words. This is what God’s Word was designed for, to be obeyed. What other reason would His Word be for???? And thereby doing so will cause a harvest of faith in a child of God’s life. Faith is what we are to cultivate. Faith is He Who brings forth that which is good. My paraphrase of John 15: 7 goes, If a persons life is in Me and My teaching is sown in his heart, he can ask anything of Me and it shall be given him. Because much Faith is produced by My Words sown in the good soil of his heart. What our Lord is basically saying is what He has always said, If a person obeys my commands, to the letter, in their entirety, He will dwell with us. It definitely is complicated when you leave out the part about completely obeying all of our Lord’s commands. This is what is happening now in the Church. We’re skipping the obeying part and going to the asking for blessings part. What is so profound about this way of operating, if a person asks in faith, sometimes God will give him his request. Sometimes God will honor your faith regardless if it’s His will or not.

But One Special kind of Faith really gets His attention the same way it got Jesus's attention when the woman with the blood problem thought she was secretly touching His garment. Notice Matthew 7: 20 - 27 ~ Wherefore by their fruits (faith) ye shall know them.
21) Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.
22) Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?
23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.
24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26) And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Notice the above witnesses, by faith, some will be able to prophesy in Jesus's name. By faith, some will be able to cast out demons in Jesus's name. By faith, some will be able to do many wonderful works in Jesus's name, the catch is while doing all these works in Jesus's name they have to obey all His teachings and precepts so they will produce fruit or they will be cast into outer darkness. God's Spirit will abide in some of these but will be removed. Jesus calls them workers of iniquity. This is strong language by our Lord to a people that obviously use faith to work signs and wonders. Romans 12: 3 says, ~ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. This witness in Romans says God gives us a measure of faith. Nowhere in God's Word does it say He continues to dole out faith to us. It's up to us to plant this seed and cultivate our own. It's called growing in the Spirit.

Many in todays church now believe because they heal, in Jesus's name and cast out demons, in Jesus's name and do marvelous works, in Jesus's name will qualify them a place in the Kingdom. Not necessarily as our Lord just said. In fact by not obeying His teachings in their entirety, will qualify them a place in perdition. By usurping the very person they have sworn to follow. His words, not mine, brethren. Complete obedience to all His teachings, not consciously or willfully neglecting a single one, is the key to the close walk with Jesus. As the prior witnesses attest, some will do great things, in Christ's name, but will fail to secure them a place in heaven because of the willfull disobedience to His teachings, in their entirety. As I said, this is the power of faith.

As I said above our Father will honor faith. He has promised to. This all comes back to asking in God’s perfect will or in His permissive will. There are things that He permits, by faith, but aren't necessarily what is the shortest route for us. Or even the route at all. God will permit things in these last days that many will lose their salvation in. All because of rebellion. If one does ask in faith and you receive, but out of God's perfect will, be prepared for much a longer trip and much extra baggage you hadn't counted on that you will have to carry around in the wilderness. The Israelites found this to be true. They spent 40 years on a two week trip because of disobedience, mumbling and complaining.

Notice what Jesus says about pruning and cutting away the dead and cutting back the producing branches in order to produce a better fruit or more excellent faith. In verse 4 He proves what I’ve said here about Faith, Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without abiding in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. My paraphrase for this goes, Just as no branch can bear fruit without being vitally united to the tree, neither can a believer have faith unless he is vitally united to Jesus. I hope by God's grace in the future to show how all the parables Jesus taught on are only about faith and the production thereof in a believers walk. It's a simple concept, this Kingdom Principle! The common sense of God! Praise You Father!

Luke 13: 6 - 9 (Amp) ~ And He told them this parable: A certain Man had a fig tree, planted in His vineyard, and He came looking for fruit on it, but did not find any.
7) So He said to the Vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground (to deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room)?
8) But He replied to Him, Leave it alone, Sir, (just) one more year, till I dig around it and put manure on the soil. (9) Then perhaps it will bear fruit after this; but if not you can cut it down and out.

The parable of the unproductive fig tree in Luke 13 can be looked at this way. Jesus is the man who comes along to His vineyard, that God has planted as the Vinedresser, to look for fruit or faith. Notice He says, for these three years. Jesus was in His earthly ministry for three years. When He finds no faith, He tells the Vinedresser to send His angels to cut it down and out and throw it into the fire. God as the Vinedresser in His mercy and grace decides to ask for another chance for the tree. He says He will prune it back with trial and tribulation and feed it with His Word of Truth and if it still doesn’t bear Faith or fruit, Then it can be cut down as worthless.

Luke 18: 8 ~ Says that when Jesus returns He will be specifically looking for something or namely Someone in the believer. The Holy Spirit in Who our Faith abides as He abides in us.

1 Cor. 3: 9 (amp) For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God’s garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, (you are) God’s building. Isaiah 61: 1 - 3 ~ The Holy Spirit is confirming here in Isaiah what Paul just said to the church at Corinth. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3) To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. This is just three of the many examples of God using a garden or vineyard to exemplify us as believers. There are many more.

As I said above ~ Jesus will only be looking for one thing when He comes. That attribute In US that has to be nurtured is Faith. He won’t be looking for a pious look, a self ascribed righteousness, dead works or a churchy attitude. Only Faith. Luke 18: 1 - 8 Notice how the persitence in the widow’s faith pays off. And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;(or doubt)
2) Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man
3) And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
5) Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
6) And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7) And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
(8) I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?

Mark 11: 12 - 23 is another instance of Jesus using a garden or a fig tree to exemplify Faith ~ And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, He was hungry
13) And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, He came, if happily He might find any thing thereon: and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14) And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And His disciples heard it.
15) And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

By the way, an important point I have to make here is the reason why Jesus was so upset at these money changers is because this is where Faith as far as New Covenant believers are concerned was born; on Mt. Moriah ~ Gen. 22: 2 16) And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
17) And He taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? But ye have made it a den of thieves.
18) And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy Him: for they feared Him, because all the people was astonished at His doctrine.
19) And when even was come, He went out of the city.
20) And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21) And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto Him, Master, behold, the fig tree which Thou cursedst is withered away.
22) And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23) For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

It is vital that we understand that in order for us as children of God to have Faith to operate in the parameters of God's perfect will, the Vinedresser has to prune and cut back the branches. Because not just any kind of branches will do. So not justany kind of faith will do. It has to be Holy Spirit Faith. There is a difference. This pruning back is a very uncomfortable process but a vital one for the branch to bear a more richer and a more excellent fruit or Faith. This pruning is done by the Father through trial and tribulation, as there's no other way to build and stengthen Faith or grow up Spiritually.

Jesus spoke of this new and more excellent fruit several times. Mark 14: 25 ~ Solemnly and surely I tell you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine till that day when I drink it of a new and higher quality in God's Kingdom. Matthew 26: 29 says word for word the same. This new and higher quality of wine is the wine of the New Covenant that Jesus drinks through all New Covenant believers as we are His Body. As we are His Body. His Spirit has to dwell in this Body for this Body to be alive. Without His Spirit---we are dead. This newer and higher quality of Faith could only be produced by His suffering. This is Holy Spirit Faith or the Faith of Jesus. This IS the newer and better Wine.

Notice how Jesus prayed in Luke 22: 42 Saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done. He prayed the Father's permissive willfirst, but changed His mind only to agree with Abba's perfect will. God would have saved Him from this thing if Jesus would have prayed that prayer. Jesus could have called down 10,000 angels to destroy the earth if He wanted. But He knew why He was sent to earth in the first place. This newer and higher quality of Faith had to planted in good soil also to produce. This act occured when Jesus was put into a new tomb. John12. 24(amp) I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains (just one grain; it never becomes more but lives) by itself alone, but if It dies, It produces many others and yields a rich harvest. Jesus told the desciples unless He left, this new Faith couldn't come back to dwell with them forever.

John 14:12 (Amp)~ I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do these things that I do; and he will even do greater things than these, because I go to the Father. Everything produces after it's own seed, Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his own kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth; and it was so. It's not an accident brethren, that our Lord uses a mustard seed to repesent faith. These greater things are that He speaks of is our ability to preach and prophesy to others the secrets or mysteries of the Kingdom of God by His Holy Spirit. Or plant this newer, higher quality of Faith into others.

I’ll finish this with the final example of a fig tree and it’s the most important one.Matthew 24: 31 - 33 ~ And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32) Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh
And the branches had better start to bud.33) So likewise ye, when ye shall hear all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Matt. 13:49 (amp) ~ So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked (unbelieving or faithless) from the just (believers or faithful). As the Amplified translation says, From the fig tree learn this lesson, when the Master comes walking through His vineyard those of us attached to the Vine had better have this Fruit ~ Faith ~ Holy Spirit abiding in and on us.

I BID YOU HEART PEACE AND ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSING UNTO YOU FROM HIS THRONE OF GRACE!