I think I've Been Pruned

I think I’ve been pruned, and the process might not be finished for this season.

In John fifteen we find the story of the Vineyard. In the second verse it reads, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit."

We each have experienced God’s working in our lives. We have all experienced change. Sometimes we feel that we take three steps forward and two steps back. Sometimes we may need to be taken back even further.

Paul wrote in Philippians 2:13, "It is God who works in you both to will and to do according to His good pleasure." Also in Ephesians 3:20 we are promised that "He is able to do exceedingly abundantly all that we ask or think, according to His power that works within us." The pruning process is the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit that continues to prune our thoughts, attitudes, commitment, behavior, service, passion and willingness as we are further and further conformed to the likeness of Jesus. If this is the case I say, “Amen.” I am trying to take advantage of this time to learn, grow and commit myself further into the service of Christ.

I am constantly reminding myself that God is in control. This is a very important detail. HE is not only the Potter to the Clay, molding and making me. But HE is also the MASTER GARDENER. Managing HIS family tree. HIS desire is that as a branch I will produce fruit and in pruning to produce more. In all honesty I feel like the last few years have been non-productive. That I had done all I could do with what was given to me. And I think this is why this season of pruning is upon me.

Pruning is necessary to remove any dead wood, which can harbor disease and decay. The pruning of live wood improves the vines potential for fruit-bearing. Untrimmed vines develop unproductive growth--long, rambling branches that produce few grapes because the strength of the vine is given to growing wood. (And we all know that there is a lot of old wood out there that just doesn’t want to budge from its old way of growing.) Fruit contains the seed for more fruit, so the process continues on and on. I think it was time for me to move on to the next great planting season that the Lord has in store.

But no matter how you put it or for whatever reason(s), it hurts when pruned. Amidst the pain of the wounds it may inflict, I must remember the root! It is easy to find myself in a state of self pity when I hit a wall in life’s pathways. But I have got to keep to the root, to keep my focus upon the Lord, and draw strength from HIM.

Romans 8:28 reminds me, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Something I read is that the gardener prunes the branches to protect itself from self-destruction and to produce aggressive growth. The Father does this for us. The Greek word for ‘pruned’ here is kathairo and is similar to the word ‘clean’ in verse 3: John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. The Greek word for ‘clean’ is katharos. There seems to be a relationship with being clean and being pruned.

Okay, so what’s going to be my goal: comfort or to bear fruit? Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” Without a doubt, God is more interested in me producing fruit, than my comfort. That is why He prunes! And pruning hurts!! It’s not comfortable! The goal of my life should be bringing glory to the Father by bearing fruit.

To close this long thought out I’ll just share with you: John 15:16-17 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. We are chosen by God to go and bear fruit. That’s all of our purpose!

What Are The Odds?

I’ve been dreaming a lot lately. Dreaming of what God has in store for the family and me. I keep playing out every possible scenario with every possible Church that I have sent a resume. The more I hear back from them, the more scenarios I see happening. With that the more I keep praying that God will just make this a simple thing and let me (us) get going into ministry. But …

In the Scriptures I’ve come to appreciate a blueprint of sorts to God’s way of doing things. I think it is easier to see in the Old Testament, but it is everywhere. This is it: God loves impossible odds. Here I am waiting on His will in my life. Trying to do whatever I can on my end of things to make it happen. Or help Him out since things seem to be moving to slow. Obviously with the economy the way it is, God is busier than normal. So, I must help and when He is ready, all He has to do is make it happen.

I tend to pray and plan out for the easier things to happen. I pray for something that would be in my comfort zone. A prayer, which for all intensive purposes, will put all the odds in my favor. Maybe God wants to stack the odds against me? Maybe He wants me to experience His work in my life and not my own. So that when He does move, I’ll know it is Him doing the work and not through my own devices. Perhaps that is what faith is, trusting God no matter how impossible the odds are.

God did this with Gideon and the army that was dwindled down to 300 soldiers. And then he had them use trumpets and jars. Couldn’t it be a little easier with the 32,000 men he started out with? Sure would! And God may have gotten partial credit for the victory.

• God told them, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.”

God deserved better, so the odds kept going against them. God deserves all the glory, simply because a victory like that defies the odds.

Here is a crazy idea: Maybe the impossible situations are actually opportunities to experience a new way of God working in my life. A way in which, He will receive all the Glory. Maybe I ought to be praying bigger than I have before and dream bigger than I ever have before? To dream dreams and have a vision of what God can do in and through my life.

I do believe that the size of our dreams is one of the best barometers of spiritual maturity. People with a big God have big dreams! I’ll keep dreaming but just a little differently. I’ll keep doing the things I can to do on my end, but rest assured the dreams are going to be so big, that without God, I’m doomed to failure.

In His Grip,

-Jon

Why, "In His Grip?"

The key to the golf swing always starts in the grip. If you go to a swing doctor the first thing they look at is to see if your grip is in the right position. Making sure it is not to loose or to tight. To loose and your swing becomes hazardous, not only to your fellow players, but even to your self. To tight of a grip on the golf club creates less potential for power and control. The Grip is the key. The Grip is what will help you get the maximum benefit in your golf swing.

In life we need to let go and let God grab a hold of us. When I try to grab the club of life, eventually I hold on to tight or let loose. Either way, my own grip never gets me to where God wants me to go. He has a vision of what He can do in and through my life. He knows exactly the right grip to have on my life to get the maximum benefit. Therefore, I want to always strive to be, "In His Grip" and not my own.

And that is where I shall begin this Journey into the blogosphere.

In His Grip,
-Jon