He PRUNES...
My verse today was inspired by a song that a friend sent me. It is about new wine. I looked at all the verses concerning wine/new wine… nothing really caught my eye (although there are MANY great verses for me to share about). Then I looked at verses about pressing and crushing, which brought up the verse about pruning.
John 15:2
Every branch which is part of me but fails to bear fruit, he cuts off; and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. (CJB)
Friends, it is NOT fun to be pruned, pressed, crushed… However, we all KNOW that in order to bear MORE fruit we have to have it happen.
The branches on me that are not bearing fruit HE actually CUTS OFF!!!
The branches that are bearing fruit, HE cuts it properly and prunes it so that it will bear MORE FRUIT!
According to The Passion Translation the Greek word for pruning can also mean, “cleansing.”
This is The Passion Translation:
He cares for the branches connected to me by lifting and propping up the fruitless branches[a] and pruning[b] every fruitful branch to yield a greater harvest. (TPT)
I like this version because it says from the beginning that, “HE CARES.” HE is taking CARE of me by lifting me, propping my branches up, pruning me…
He does this BECAUSE He wants me to “YIELD a GREATER HARVEST.”
What happens when we bear fruit? The fruit is crushed and made into something wonderful.
Do you BELIEVE that HE wants you to bear fruit? Do you BELIEVE that HE wants you to have “new wine?” (Click the purple phrase "new wine" to go to the YouTube song I was blessed with today)
ENJOY the fact that HE is caring for you by pruning you. IF you are listening to HIM, HE will help you bear the fruit that will be wonderful. HE will crush and press you to bring forth HIS blessings.
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