John 15:1-8.
"Remain in Me" and I'll remain in you.
Jesus saw a vine that was prepared and dressed. He knows what's coming (His crucifixion and resurrection).
We are control freaks.
Earliest word often is "mine."
But all things belong to God.
The fruit we bear is not from ourr efforts. It's from God.
We should constantly be seeking to be better fruit bearers.
There are times we try to force the fruit. This is not possible (for us to truly bear fruit).
Galatians 5.
Self-control.
Rarely do we say, "I want self control."
Love one another.
In loving someone we often have to forgive -- especially the people who have wronged us.
Let it go. Let the Spirit lead.
Pruning. Pruning is aggressive. There's not much left after pruning.
If it's not bearing fruit it goes.
Prune --
A sucker root -- gotta pinch it off.
All this excess take a lot of energy. What may look good on the outside is often unnecessary.
Tie up the branches. More air and more sunshine.
We need things cut out out of our lives that are hindering production. Sometimes good things gotta go.
We can't do it on our own.
New movement is a personal trainer in fitness coach.
1. We have to be connected to the Vine. The branch doesn't have a root system.
2. We have to allow the pruning. "Prune me, Lord." When a branch is pruned there is trauma to the branch. It will heal. The vine heals the branch. Don't put your mind on what you've lost.
3. We need to stay in the light. The world is living in the dirt. We must seek the light. Fill one hearts and minds with the Word and the things of God. What we fill ourselves up with is what will come through.
The fruit of the World is rotten (money, fame, accolades, success.). Bad fruit can kill the plant. Fertilize our minds, hearts and spirit. If you aren't full of the Word you'll be full of the world.
God wants us to be in constant communion with Him. If it's a daily interruption something probably needs to go.
Focus early and often on God.
Another job of the vinedresser is to guard the fruit. If we don't guard the fruit it will be stolen. Being attacked by a loved one is devastating. God will help us.
We don't have to fix a broken branch. God will heal it.
Scars often remind us of some stupid things we did. We have to actively cut out the rotten spots.
Joh 15:15-17.