[Real Life] The True VineSample

Blossom with Jesus

God might not start picking at the leaves, He might start picking at the petals. When He does that, we really get upset. Sometimes, God prunes the whole thing. And in those moments you say, “Lord, why?! Do you even love me?” There have been times in my ministry that felt like I was holding stalks, stems, and I have to go back and remember that He prunes because He loves. And every branch that is fruitful He prunes so we can become more fruitful. He is not pruning because He is upset with us. He is perfecting us. He has a trade coming for you. Your stem is about to become a bouquet that is a pruned heart that begins to blossom with Jesus. When He allows you to blossom with Him, God is able to do His work in ways that you never expected, you never knew.

The Gardener is doing His work. He is not a peasant. Do you see Him as a peasant, do you see Him as mean, or do you see Him as a Gardener of your soul? Pray, “God, my heart is Your field and I give You everything I have, I lay it down before You so that You can do your work in me.” If that is true for you, it will hurt when today’s leaves are gone, but you will love tomorrow’s fruit more. Choose the fruit.

Are you bearing fruit? If you are not, would you allow the gardener to lift you up and put you back on the trellis? If you are bearing fruit, would you stand firm in the pruning? Allow God to prune your heart and your life. It is painful but purposeful. Which group are you in, correcting storms or perfecting storms? Either one has the same Gardener. Allow Him to do His work in your life. 

Jesus, we give You great thanks. God, make our hearts into a garden. Tend our souls. Speak to us, Lord. To those who are not bearing fruit, who are in the muck, speak to them and work in them so that they would let You lift them up. For those who are bearing fruit, let Your discipline be a perfecting storm. May our faith grow even though it hurts. Do things in us, Lord, that we do not want You to do in our flesh but that we trust You to do in our spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Please look for the next plan of the Real Life Series called: Abide to Achieve

This reading plan is based on The Real Life series preached by Pastor Gregg Matte. To watch the whole sermon this plan was taken from please follow this link: https://houstonsfirst.org/message/part-1-the-true-vine