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Secrets of the Vine
Bruce H. Wilkinson
Multnomah Publishers
Hardcover. 126 pages.
ISBN: 1576739759
Review by Valerie Martinez (Read Valerie's bio)
The next edition in "The Breakthrough Series" covers a topic that is preached quite often from the pulpits of America. However, Bruce Wilkinson brings a fresh new look into the blessings that are received when we abide in the vine. We all know the verses in John the 15th chapter, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bares much fruit. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit." Dr. Wilkinson takes these verses and breaks them down into understandable, workable and usable language.
Wilkinson writes, "Inside the metaphor of the vineyard, Jesus introduced a picture to help us understand our role in bearing fruit for God. First, Jesus is the vine. If you didn't grow up in wine country, you might think that the vine is a long, trailing limb that sprawls along the trellis. Actually, it's the trunk of the plant that grows out of the ground. Vineyard keepers traditionally keep the vine at waist height - thirty-six to forty two inches. The vine ends in a large gnarl from which branches grow in either direction along the trellis. Second, The Father is the vinedresser. The vinedresser is the keeper of the vineyard-either the owner or the person hired to tend it. The vinedresser's task is simple, to coax from the plants the most pounds of grapes possible. A healthy and properly tended vineyard means a higher yield. And third, You and I are the branches. In the vineyard, the branches are the focus of the vinedresser's efforts because they produce the fruit. Branches are tied to a trellis or propped up with sticks to let air circulate, to provide the maximum amount of sunshine, and to allow full access for tending. The vinedresser lovingly cultivates each branch so that it will bear as much fruit as possible."
With these explanations, Bruce continues to talk about what constitutes fruit, the barren branch, love by degrees and pruning vs. discipline. In "Flourishing Under the Shears", he writes, "Did you know that growers prune their vineyards more as the vine ages? If you look at the future from a maturing plant's view, there's considerable cutting in store. But from the grower's point of view, the future holds something wonderful-grapes, grapes and more grapes!" Wouldn't it be fantastic to live your life in such a way as to be more fruitful each year? Bruce says. "I want to show you what God is doing to take you to that fuller basket of fruit in your life. While early pruning is mostly about your outward activities and priorities, mature pruning is about your values and personal identity. God moves in close for more intensive pruning because by now you are ready to really produce."
If you've read the first book in this BreakThrough Series you have met a man who took an extraordinary leap. His name was Jabez. This man knelt in the dust of an ordinary life and prayed a daring prayer for abundance. Of the more than five hundred names recorded in I Chronicles, only Jabez received this special kind of recognition. Why? Because in his little prayer he distills into a few words what it means to leap wholeheartedly into the life of fruitfulness God wants for His children. There is link between the Jabez prayer and the secrets of the vine: Your Jabez prayer invites God to use you to bear fruit; the secrets of the vine reveal how God changes you so you will become even more useful (fruitful) for His glory. The message of "The Secrets of the Vine" like "The Prayer of Jabez" before it, is grounded in a simple but profound assertion: that we unlock change in our lives and in our world when we choose to do God's will in God's way...and it all begins with asking.
Copyright 2001, Valerie Martinez. All Rights reserved.
| About Valerie Martinez: Valerie Martinez is a freelance writer and Publicist/Contributing Writer for Christian Songwriters Resource. She also writes a monthly column for the "Active Christian News" in Phoenix AZ. She has written one book and has appeared on National Television, Radio and Newspapers. She may be reached at 480-964-0710 or at valerie@crosshome.com |
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Secrets of the Vine Bruce H. Wilkinson Multnomah Publishers Buy Now! |
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Would you like your Christian book featured here? Send a copy of your book and presskit/bio to: Jason Mitchener 9155 N. 3rd St. #229-2 Phoenix, AZ 85020 Questions? Contact me |