November 30 - Looking Ahead to Pruning Time

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 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. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” John 15:1-8 

We live in wine country in the Northwest—there are 40,000 acres of vineyards with over 140 wineries here in Washington State. With that many acres of grapes there is a lot of pruning that happens in late winter, just before spring. Some of the vines die off in the winter and others are just not in the optimum growth pattern for producing lots of fruit, so the grape growers or their workers prune the vines. The growers look for the best balance between vegetative growth and fruit. The pruner selects the best vertical branch and ties it up, training it, while he removes the weaker, lateral and dead branches. Lateral branches tend to just grow leaves, not much fruit. That pruning is just what God does with us. Those that aren’t seeking Him or growing upright would be cut off from a relationship with Jesus. Once the branches are cut off they are discarded—Jesus tells us they are thrown into the fire and burned up. That would be casting them into Hell. Hmm. What do you want to be? Pruned to produce more fruit or cut off completely and sent to Hell?  

Once again—ASK! Jesus is telling His disciples to ask for whatever they want. There are at least 44 times that the word “ask” is used in the gospels (NASB version). Here are a couple of those verses. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.” Luke 11:9-10 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 18:19 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13 Ask away—that your needs may be met and that you would be closer to Jesus—to know Him more deeply. 

Jesus is always pointing us to glorifying God. That is His aim and focus. How do we glorify God?  …and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, "THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME." - Romans 15:9 I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever. Psalm 86:12 These verses tell us that we glorify God by praising Him, by giving thanks, by singing…in addition I think that we glorify Him in our obedience, by the way we live, act and speak that gives Him honor. When we study (not just read) His word, meditate on it and pray, we also glorify God.

How do you personally glorify God? 

Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. (Matthew 6:9-13) May You be glorified in all that we do, say and think—for You are worthy of all glory and honor. Amen.    

Happy Birthday  - to my Heavenly niece, Vicki—who would have been 37 years old today.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).