CULTIVATING A LIFE OF PURPOSE: EMBRACING GOD'S GRACE THROUGH KINDNESS AND DISCIPLESHIP

Week of 6/16/2017 entry from Bible Promises for You Men’s Group: Discipleship

Scripture: John 15:8

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Thought:  Keep Jesus close to your heart.  (Share) Love and watch love happen all around you.

Application:  Put aside judgement of others and love.

Response:  Father, please help me push aside prejudices and judgement so I can love people for who they are.  Thank you for staying true to me when I have been not worthy.

Looking back Today (2025):  I am grateful to not feel as though I have been pruned with “trials and difficulties” as mentioned in item 4 below.  While life does not come without difficulties, it is comforting to know that everything in life passes.  Maybe not as quickly as we would like, but with Jesus we “WALK THROUGH” this valley of death called life (https://www.bible.com/bible/463/PSA.23.4).  We may have some detours along the way, but with him “WE WALK THROUGH.”  WE..., Jesus and me, Jesus and you, as a team WE WALK!  I am a work in progress and plenty of room for growth in items 1 - 3 below, but I am a better man today because of the men that have encouraged me along the way to be a better man tomorrow than the one that I am today.

Pruning

To Remove Hindrances for Greater Fruitfulness: Spiritually, "pruning" refers to God, the "gardener," removing things from a believer's life that hinder their spiritual growth and fruitfulness. This isn't about punishment, but about refinement. These "hindrances" can be:

1. Sinful habits or attitudes: Things that are clearly contrary to God's will.

2. Distractions or worldly attachments: Even good things that take up too much time or energy and detract from one's relationship with God or ability to serve Him.

3. Self-reliance or pride: Anything that prevents a person from fully depending on Christ for their strength and purpose.

4. Trials and difficulties: These can be used by God to strip away superficiality and draw a person closer to Him, leading to deeper character and more authentic spiritual fruit.

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.15.8