Today’s Reading, John 13-15
Focal Scripture: John 15:2 “Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit.”
Growth often comes at a cost. Growth means that an examination must take place. The things that are not working must be removed. Then the things that are working have to be tweaked. This can often be painful because growth requires death one way or another.
In today’s verse Jesus tells his listeners that he is the true vine. Believers must be in him. If they are true believers they will be pruned to produce more fruit. If they claim to be his and have no evidence of fruit they will be cut off and thrown out. Our fruit tells the story about who we are in Christ.
So what does your fruit tell you? Do you have any fruit at all? Or do you just go through what is expected? If you think you have fruit does it match up with what the Bible teaches? That is the fruit of the spirit and evidence of salvation.
If you don’t have any fruit you need to commit your life to Christ. Submit your will and desire to the king of the universe. Follow him and go where he leads you. If you don’t you will face eternal judgement.
If you have fruit prepare to be pruned. You will need to lose parts of yourself that are like the world. It will be painful. It will be a shock when it happens. However, if we want to produce more fruit we have to get rid of the areas in our life that hinder growth.
Pruning is necessary. The unbeliever must face who they really are in their walk. The believer must be willing to grow even when difficult.
Following Jesus is worth every being pruned. He is making us better, we just need to trust the process.
Tomorrow I plan on reading John 16-18
