Last night I came to John 15 in my daily reading. As I read verse 2, I stopped and looked it up in other translations. The Greek for “He takes away” means to raise, lift up, take away, and to remove. In my mind I envisioned Him picking up the branch and inspecting it.

Verse 2 clarifies that John was talking about believers. It says, “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.” Only a believer can be IN Christ.

Fast forward to Ephesians 1. I encourage you to circle the word ‘in’ or write it down. Here are two. Verse 3 says that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Verse 4 says, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world…”