WE ARE PRUNED AND WASHED BY JESUS WORD

SCRIPTURE:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me?” (John 15:1—4)

OBSERVATION:

I am called to a fruitful life.  And for me to be fruitful, I am to be in a relationship with Jesus and the Father.  The heavenly Father is in charge of making sure I am set for fruitfulness.  He takes care of all that I need to bear fruits.  There are times that he will prune my life for greater fruitfulness and effectiveness.  Pruning is not an easy process.  It involves pain and cutting away of things in my life that the Father deems unfit and unnecessary.

Every branch that is under the loving care of the Heavenly Father must be willing to go through the process of pain and cutting away.  I sometimes work in my little garden and sometimes cut plants in my garden.  I have never once heard branch refuse or screamed out at me, don’t cut me.  I pruned away dead branches and twigs that are detrimental to the life of the plant.

Likewise, our heavenly Father wants to do so much by cutting away things that we think it’s good for us, but we often scream and refuse to go through the process of growth.  I am reminded that my heavenly Father lovingly prune my life for my good.  My heavenly Father knows what is good for me and what is not.  He prunes me to be more fruitful.  I must yield to him when he chooses the parts of me that need to be pruned.  It could be my schedule, it could be my attitude, it could be relationships, it could be everything that is against his purpose.  I must yield.

Things I have been reminded of today.

• My heavenly Father is pruning my life
• I am destined for more growth
• I am already washed by the words of Jesus spoken over me. It is the word of Jesus that the Father uses to prune me.
• The more I listen to the words of Jesus, the more I am being pruned by my Father
• I am to remain in him as he remained in me. This speaks about an active relationship.
• My fruitfulness comes as I remain in him, wash by his word and he remains in me.
• I cannot bear fruits by myself without remaining in Jesus’ words and allowing his word to prune me.

I cannot bear fruits that glorify the Father on my strength and with my righteousness.  All of my growth must come from the strength of my relationship with Jesus through his word.

APPLICATION:

I will continue to allow my heavenly Father to prune me and wash me with the power of his word.  I want to stay active and always connect to the source of my growth and usefulness.  I value the cleansing power of Jesus’ word in my life to wash away all my sins.

PRAYER:

Father, thank you for your word.  Thank you that you love me and looking out for my good.  Thank you for washing my sins by the power of your word.  Teach me to be sensitive to areas of my life that you want to prune.  I ask that you help me to grow and bear more fruits that honor you and bring joy to your heart.  Thank you for the relationship I have with you.  Amen!