“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 prunesso 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.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:1-8 NIV
When God asked if I was ready for his will – and I said yes, and I forgot that meant things would change – I am being pruned. I am seeing unfruitful areas of my life fall away. Or as described in Isaiah ‘the spreading branches’. He is focusing me, pulling me in. Less of me and more of him.
In reference to my sweetman – I did pray that God would remove anything standing in His way of doing His work in him. I should not be surprised that God told me to back out. I still pray. The Holy Spirit is still present on this earth doing a MIGHTY work. And today is still the day of Salvation! So I pray for others to go in and lead my sweetman. I pray for the workers to get to him, while we are in a social distancing pandemic – because only God can make that happen!
I do understand that I have probably lost him. There is a cost to saying yes to God – but have faith, because the heavenly rewards are greater than you can imagine. I cry for my loss – but if I was honest it was already lost to me. And his soul is all that truly matters. And my sorrow shows us that my branches spread in directions that were not God’s.
While he is safe in the hands of God, I am still being pruned and disciplined in love. I want to be known as faithful to God bearing good fruit in season. Lord help me be who you want me to be.
My past and difficult life has made me strong willed, insensitive, determined and a little bid edgy. But God has made me sensitive and soft. God has made me for his glory and I want to be clothed in glory!
I know that if I keep my mind on God, then he keeps me in perfect peace.
”You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You” Isaiah 26:3 NKJV
I assume if I keep my mind on him I might not even notice the wayward parts of me being pruned, or at least it might be easier?
Either way, when God calls, I want to be ready and prepared. I say yes Lord, prune me and I thank him because this pruning is validation of me being attached to the vine! Hallelujah!
And then let us look closely at verses 7 & 8 of John chapter 5:
“7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you!
Well, Lord, I wish for my needs to be met and you are faithful and always meet my needs.
So I wish for my unsaved loved ones and my sweet man to be transformed – old things passed away and made new in Christ. I wish for extra grace and love upon them with your Holy Spirit anointing their heads with oil so that their minds are protected. I wish for more warrior angels to come in and aid in the fight as described in Daniel when the word of the Lord was delayed because of a spiritual battle that required more angels to assist. I wish “today is the day of salvation”. I wish I really could hold you, Lord, captive by your own word! I wish for a miracle! I wish to see the verses I have prayed be fulfilled or exceeding abundantly above all that I have asked or thought. I wish to see the mountains moved. I wish to see the miracles happen! I wish to see and show others the MIGHTY God I serve.
So prune me, that I might have my wishes. Not my will, but thy will, oh Lord! Here I am send me. Bring salvation to my land – bring revival to the church as well.
Renew a right spirit in me and let’s get to work! In the name of Jesus.
~Grace be with you ~Thank you for reading ~ be healthy and blessed ~ Pray for our nation ~ pray Psalm 91 ~
If Not For Grace 