Is God Pruning You?

John 15:2 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.

Take a look at the definition of prune:

PRU'NE, v.t.
1. To lop or cut off the superfluous branches of trees, to make them bear better fruit or grow higher, or to give them a more handsome and regular appearance.

2. To clear from any thing superfluous; to dress; to trim.

Clearly Jesus is indicating the two works the Father will do to the two groups of people. Let's look at the second group first. The second group mentioned are those that are “in” Jesus, “abiding in” Jesus, “remaining in” Jesus, “loving” Jesus, “serving” Jesus, “surrendered to” Jesus. Was this group perfect when they have given their life to Jesus? Absolutely NOT! But look at what the Father is doing with them that trust and acknowledge Him in all their ways (as indicated in Proverbs 3); He prunes them. He prunes them because He loves them. Many times the pruning hurts, but as shown in the definition of pruning it is so we can bear better fruit and grow “higher” in Him. Not in status, but in knowledge, service and love. This begs the question, are you being pruned? Do you see the same old garbage falling away with a foul taste for it developing in your mouth? If so, Praise God, He is doing a work in your life!

If not....

Take a look at the first group. Every branch that does not bear fruit He takes away. What? What does that mean? If you look to verse 6 you can clearly see what He means:

John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

This is very scary! A branch lying on the ground doesn't think twice about its condition or consider that something is wrong, it just simply exists and slowly withers. Brutal reality will set in for that branch the day it is picked up and tossed in the fire. The same is true for those not abiding in Jesus. They are moving through life with out much of a thought of their actual eternal destination until that day and they are thrown in the fire.

Many people will hear or read of this reality and say, “that doesn't sound like a loving God, I am not going to worship a God like that.” This reality is what moved God to leave His place on high, humble Himself and provide for us a way to be redeemed. Our rejection of this Way doesn't make it any less true.

This reality is either ignored or considered. If we consider this Truth and God moves us to desire a relationship with Jesus and be saved, what does He want next? He wants to be glorified in you. We can look to verse 8 to see what this looks like:

John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

If you choose to ignore this:
John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Is He Your Lord, or do you just want Him to be your Savior?

John 14:11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

I had a conversation with someone a couple weeks ago that calls themself a Christian, but with further discussion they confessed that they are not really born-again and the study of The Bible is more of an intellectual excercise; however, they really want to have faith and be saved.

This clearly demonstrates what we've talked about before: "The Bible is logical and reasonable; but cannot be received through logic and reason"

John 14:11 seems to give hope to those on the intellectual journey. Jesus is giving instruction to Thomas. Thomas, howevr, seems to be the "intellectual skeptic" of the group (remember "Doubting Thomas'" reaction to the empty tomb?). So Jesus told him, if you don't beleive, atleast believe in the works. It seems like Jesus is saying, "use your head man, use simple logic and look at the miracles!" I don't think there is any doubt that Jesus will use simple logic to draw you closer to Him, but we must not stay there. Simple logic will move you to want Him to be your Savior, but absolute surrender is what is needed for Him to be your Lord.

It Only Qualifies You To Be A Demon

John 12:42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;
43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

WOW! This is the epitome of pride. They believed Jesus was The Son of God and they still did not want to "confess" Him. Remember Romans 10:9?

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

These men were so worried about their status in this world that they were willing to lose their eternal life.

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

To only believe who Jesus is, only qualifies you to be a prideful pharisee or a demon. Belief without surrender is nothing. Look what Jesus said in John 12:26:

John 12:26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

If mere "belief" in who Jesus was saved us, why would John 12 make it so clear that we are to serve Him, and reference those that believed who He was, but loved the world more?

Our service to Jesus doesn't save us, but it is evidence that we are saved.

Glorify God in all you say, think and do

John 11:6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

Things happen in God's timing and most of the time, God's timing doesn't match up with our time. Jesus could have spoke it and Lazarus would have been made well, He could have went directly to Lazarus and handle it that way; but Jesus does neither.....He waits 2 days to leave and by the time He gets there Lazarus had been dead 4 days......Why?.....He answered that question in verse 4:

John 11:4 When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

That God would be Glorified.....WE ARE HERE TO GLORIFY GOD.....that's it! We don't need a book to tell us our purpose, our purpose is to bring glory to our King!

"What about..?" will not help you on the Day of Judgment

John 9:2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

Apparently tradition in the Jewish culture had it that if you had some type of physical disability it was because there was a history of sin in you or your family. It is interesting that they would presume that they were without sin, after all, they didn't have a physical disability. We see this type of confusion in the story of Job , and we certainly see it today. There are preachers in the word of faith movement today that will tell you that you are not rich, or you are not healed because you don't have enough faith. Of course, if you send them more money then your faith will increase to the level needed to be rich, or be healed.

Jesus makes it clear that this is not the issue:

John 9:3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

Talk about being predestined! This man was predestined to bring Glory to God through Jesus healing him. Jesus wasn't suggesting that the family was sinless, He was saying that their sin had nothing to do with his ailment. But, like everyone else in the world, he was created to bring God Glory. Not everyone will bring God Glory in this life, but whether it be in this life when people see what God has done in your life, or in eternity when God pours out His wrath on the non-believers; either way God will be glorified.

John 9:8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"

As I read this today I couldn't help but draw a parallel between this man who was physically blind his entire life and begged for help, and those that are spiritually blind and seeking The Truth. Until they encounter Jesus, they will not see The Truth; but if they really are thirsting for The Truth and continue to beg for It, there spiritually blind eyes will be open.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

John 9:11 He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight."

It is interesting to note that Jesus could have opened his blind eyes right on the spot; but instead He calls him to an act of obedience. The man could have ignored Jesus' command and thought how silly it was that He had put mud on his eyes; or he could have obeyed. Over and over again, The Word gives illustrations, examples and commands of obedience and surrender to Jesus Christ.

John 9:16a Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." ….

Much like today, these men were so wrapped up in their religion that they were blinded to the things of God.

After the religious leaders intimidate and cross-examine him and his parents, this man raps it all up with one of the greatest statements any believer could ever make:
John 9:25 He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."

Many times you hear people say they pray, but they do not have a relationship with the only one that can answer prayer. Many times you see people on Facebook and other venues that may be going through a trial in their life and call on others to pray with them, yet they are clearly of the world. This is a very hard thing for people to hear, but the Word of God makes it clear, God does not hear the prayers of non-believers:
John 9:30-31 The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!
31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.

The verses following this are an amazing demonstration of a person being born-again and given the Godly wisdom needed. It is also interesting to see how the “brightest minds of religion” receive his rebuke:
John 9:33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."
34 They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out

Later in the chapter Jesus has another encounter with “the religious”:

John 9:41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains.

Verse 41 reminds me of those that, when faced with The Gospel, say, “what about those that have never heard?” We know that God is Just, and He makes a clear statement about this. If they are blind to The Gospel, indicating that they have never heard it, or don't have the ability to comprehend it, they are without sin. However, the question should not be what about those that have never heard, or can't comprehend; the better question is, what are you going to do with what you have heard. There are two things I know for sure: One; if you are reading this, you do not qualify as one never having heard. Two: The question, “what about those that have never heard” will not help you on the day of Judgment if you reject Jesus Christ in this life.

Are you of the devil?....Are you sure?

John 8:21-24 Then Jesus said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come."
22 So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot come'?"
23 And He said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins."

Why will people die in their sin?
Because they are of this world

Why are they of this world?
Because they don't believe that Jesus is The Son of God, The Savior of the world, The Messiah

These people were waiting for The Messiah and although He was standing in front of them they did not believe.
Because they did not believe, they were not from above, they were NOT born again.
Because they were not born again, they could not go where Jesus was going.
Where was He going?
Back to The Father, To Heaven

Jesus said, they will die in their sin, why?
Unless you believe in Him your sin cannot be redeemed, so if you do not believe in Jesus you are still in your sin. People are only in one of two places, either they are still in their sin or they are redeemed from the consequences of their sin. In short, people are either slaves to sin, or dead to sin.

What are the consequences of dying in your sin?
You don't go to Heaven

If you don't go to Heaven, where do you go?
There are only two eternal destinations, Heaven or hell; so, if you die in your sin, you go to hell, a place of complete seperation from God, a place of eternal punishment

When Jesus pronounces you saved, what does He want from you?
Leave your life of sin, repentance
John 8:10-11 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

On our own we will fall hopeless short of leaving a life of sin, so how do we do that?
John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

Abide
ABI'DE, v. i. pert. and part. abode.
abada, to be, or exist, to continue; W. bod, to be; to dwell, rest, continue, stand firm, or be stationary for anytime indefinitely. Class Bd. No 7.]
1. To rest, or dwell.
3. To continue permanently or in the same state; to be firm and immovable.
4. To remain, to continue.

Who is a slave to sin?
John 8:34 Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

That covers all of us, so how do we get out of the bondage of sin?
John 8:36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

If the Son makes you free you will desire to abide in Him, this is how you know that you are born again, born of God, why is this crucial?
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Clearly, Nicodemus was confused, like many people today, look what Jesus follows up with in verse 7:
John 3:7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

Why don't people understand this?
John 8:47 He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."

So, if somebody is not born again they are not of God, who are they of?
John 8:42-44 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Got Humility?

Humilty....the place of entire dependance on God, is, from the very nature of things, the first duty and the highest virtue of man. It is the very root of every virtue. And so pride, or the loss of humilty, is the root of every sin and evil.

In all heaven and earth, pride and self-exaltation are the gate and curse of hell.

The truth is this: pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you.

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.