The Vine & The Vine Dresser

~ Visiting the Vine Dresser ~

One day, a girl felt all hope was lost. She thought her life was pointless. No one cared about her, and she did not matter. She felt anger with God. Anger that God would allow her to go through all the bad things she had gone through in her life.

The good, happy, wonderful things in her life seemed so far away. The pain of life, not just pain of physical sickness, but also the pain of suffering through the toils of life seemed overwhelming. God seemed so distant.


~ Let's ready her story as only she can tell it ~

In anger I began to pray to God. "Lord, Why me? If You love me as they say You do, then why me? Why do I suffer and why am I in pain so often? If You love me so, why did You let such bad things happen to me? Please, tell me why God? Please take all this pain away Lord, I can handle it no more!" With a flash of lightning I was suddenly no longer on my knees in my bedroom.

All around me were clouds; soft, fluffy, billowy clouds reaching out into an endless horizon. The light danced off in rainbows, and in the distance, raindrops glistened like glorious glitter. The most beautiful flowers I had ever seen were dusted across the tops, and little angel children frolicked and played through the cloudy fields of flowers.

White doves flew overhead, their song easing all my anxieties away. Everything around me was working together in a mysterious and wonderful harmony. It was all in praise and worship of the Lord Almighty.

The angels came and took me by the hand. Together, we danced and sang. All of my stress and pain left my body. I was consumed by an awesome and overwhelming sense of love. It was a love I had not let myself feel before. It was always there, knocking on my heart and waiting for me to realize this was one visitor I needed to let in.

I let go of my fears, my inhibitions, my doubt, and my self-loathing. I grasped on to HOPE, FAITH, LOVE, and the most welcoming feeling of all, ACCEPTANCE. Tears came to my eyes as I realized this place had been here all my life, I just needed to open my heart, my mind, and have faith in God.

As much excitement I felt for this new discovery, there was also a deep bittersweet awareness. This HAS been here for me all along, waiting for me to unlock and receive.

Confusion passed over me as I realized that I did not understand from where my sudden realizations had come. Why, now, was God's love for me so clear? Then, I slowly began to realize that the thoughts in my head that had revealed this place and God's love had not been from my own inner voice, but yet another voice.

The voice was soothing and instilled instant comfort. As I realized this voice was not my own, I saw a man walking toward me. I don't know how I knew He was God, but somehow I did. I realized He was speaking to me, beckoning me to come closer. I ran to Him and He welcomed me into His loving arms.

It was the best hug I had ever felt. In relief of all the pain and sadness of my life, I wept in His strong, comforting arms. He held me as I sobbed, rubbing my back and whispering soothingly to me, offering words of encouragement and love. Finally, after I cried out all the pain I had held inside for years, I was calm.

God began to speak. "My child, you are like so many of My children. You have allowed the trials and tribulations of life to block My love from you. This is the work of Satan. He takes my pruning and distorts it, confuses it, and uses it to his advantage. I tell you the truth. I never promised your life would be easy. The path to heaven is twisted and only by faith can you complete your journey."

God placed His finger under my chin and directed my gaze into His glorious eyes. "Remember when you went to church, back to the years when you spent time reading and studying the bible. Do you remember Joseph, Jacob's son?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Joseph felt fear when he was sold by his brothers into slavery, but it was through this act that his family and all of Egypt was saved from famine. It did not seem fair at the time, but through this change in Joseph's life, many people were saved.

There will be things in your life that will happen that you will not understand. Things that will be hurtful and unpleasant, but you must always remember that I have a plan. If you have faith, you can overcome all things.

You are like a grapevine, my sweet child. Left unattended a grapevine will flourish with large, beautiful leaves. From a distance one would admire the beauty of the grapevine, and anticipate a wealth of fruit to enjoy. But when one looks closer, one would notice that there are no grapes, for the wealth of beautiful woody vines full of big luscious leaves has prevented light to come in and nourish growth of grapes.

Without a vine keeper to come and prune the grape vines, no grapes can be harvested. I am the Vine Keeper, and though you may not understand my pruning at times, you must always remember that through pruning the harvest is reaped. Have faith in Me, my child, and remember that your true harvest will come to you when you join Me in heaven."

With a flash of lightning I was again in my bedroom. In repentance I fell to my knees and began to pray:

Dear Lord, Forgive us for doubting Your love. Forgive us for hating Your prunings. Let us always remember the love we feel for You during the good times so that we might carry that feeling into the days that aren't so great. Please continue to prune us individually and collectively so that we can go out and find others find their way into the light of Your marvelous love. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

Does this feel like you sometimes?

We read that as her understanding of "pruning" matured then her life became richer, fuller, more satisfying. Instead of hating these times she came to look foward to them.

Learn from her. She's on the right track!

I AM the True Vine

John 15:1-7 AMP
"I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vine dresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit;that stops bearing; He cuts 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.

You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you; the teachings I have discussed with you. 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 the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. 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.

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 they are burned. 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".


Sometimes it really helps to read a children’s bible. I don't know why people think that once the reach a certain age that only a more advanced, grown up Bible will do them any good. Every now and again I think it's an excellent idea to just pick up a children's Bible and begin to read.

Today, for example, I read Jesus’ teaching about The Vine and the Branches and the message was so simple. Simple because it was told from a children's Bible and geared towards the way a child thinks at that age. It was wonderful! and I greatly enjoyed my time spent reading it. But more importantly it awakened my heart to understand some fundimental truths about "pruning". 

The author explained things this way:  “You, as branches of my vine, are pruned by hearing my teachings.  Stay close to me and I will stay close to you.  Remember that a branch cannot grow fruit if it is cut off from the vine that provides it food and water.  In the same way, you can’t be fruitful if you are not connected to me.  Without me you can do nothing.  So, if you cut off your relationship to me, you will end up being thrown away because you are useless.  Stay close to me, study my words, know me, and your prayers will be answered.  My followers produce good fruit and that brings my Father joy!”

In order to produce good fruit and please God, the Father, we must stay connected  to Jesus.  We must abide in Him and in His Words. We must be doers and not just hearers of His Word.  We must be like the wise man who built his house on the rock and not like the foolish man who built his on the sand.  Jesus is our Source – our lifeline.  Without Him we are like chaff.

Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13).  Unless we stay connected to Jesus we will lose our flavor and be useless.

Stay connected to Jesus, the Light so that “…your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).  Stay connected to the Vine.  There is life in the Vine.

Are we abiding in the Vine fully?
In the Word and in prayer and in His presence daily?

God takes out things in us that are not necessary, they are pruned away.
Why do you think that is?
To produce better fruit of course.

We are never to stay in the same place,we're always to be moving on in God. More fervency, more fire released through His Body; always moving further in God. Then, we will not become religious or stale in the Spirit. We are to be strong in our union with Him in Word and in prayer.

Ephesians 6:10 (AMP) says, "In conclusion, be strong in the Lord; be empowered through your union with Him; draw your strength from Him ;that strength which His boundless might provides."