Good Morning Products of God's Pruning! We are the branches of THE Vine--Jesus. God is the pruner and the Holy Spirit helps us to become what God created us to be and to do the things we are created to do. As we abide or dwell in the Vine and the Living Word, we are refreshed, informed, and prepared to go produce great fruit in Christ. AMEN!
I had all kinds of things planned for and then our arborist showed up to take down a huge tree beside our house. (Now I gotta go watch!) But the Holy Spirit brought to mind the old teaching from Pastor Al on the stump and the green shoot. There is new life being put out from the stump of St. Matts. We all still have a part to play whether part of the stump or part of the new shoots. We need to be praying, abiding, preparing, and going in Jesus' name to live and love like Him and lead others to His love and to be grafted into The Vine and be pruned and grow with is. There is much life in the stump yet and it is producing new shoots and can produce more as we seek and follow the Holy Spirit's lead. Amen!
There is a season for everything. No matter your season there can be life and life giving. There is Living Water flowing from us to others and the life giving sap of salvation in Christ. Sometimes we need some pruning. God takes care of that. It is always helpful if we receive that as a blessing and keep focused on Jesus and allow God to transform us to good fruit producers again. Like my tree, we were one way (dying) transformed to another (life giving fruit producers). My tree already has a vast root system that keeps putting up green shoots all over the yard. We can do the same. Pray into that and welcome God's pruning that will produce the fruit He desires, if we allow it and keep connected to THE Vine and following Him. Amen!
The other thing about being part pf THE Vine is that we are all connected as well. We need each other and can produce a great crop together. Who are your teammates? Do they need some help recovering from a pruning? They for sure need your life-giving prayers and encouragement! Abide in the Vine and receive life and then bring that life to others as you allow God to work through you. I'm praying for you all! Watch for the Harvester to be at work and join Him in bringing it in and helping it to be grafted into our Vine. Shalom shalom!
