“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and
every branch that
bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2)

Without the Vine Dresser, more fruitfulness in our lives can never be achieved.  No farmer will prune a vine for less fruit.  It is always meant to bear much fruit.  Otherwise, it will use up all its energy and nutrition to grow, but not to its full potential.

We may not comprehend how the vine hurts when it is being pruned, but we trust this season for its ordained reason.  It is the same way with us, it may cause pain and discomfort at the moment, but, for the joy that is set before us, seeing unceasing and increasing fruitfulness in our lives, we endure.  

You see, if the vine is left unpruned, the number of fruit clusters wouldn’t be much. The vine would be unable to ripen the large crop. The purpose of pruning is to obtain maximum yields of high quality fruit and to allow adequate vegetative growth for the following season and that is excessive fruitfulness.

We are being pruned in the place where we are fruitful to be more fruitful, all because the fruit of our lives  are meant to be eaten by those around us.  If we remain lushful and leafy, what good does it do?   This may only mean … “It’s all about us!”  We grow and grow, yet not achieving and living the real reason of our existence!  But fruitfulness is all about selfless living where people can taste and see how good God is in our lives, that they, too, can experience the same way.  Come to think of it, no plant eats its own fruit.  Someone else does, and when it is eaten, it becomes a seed planted in the ground of their hearts that will eventually grow and bear fruit. 

For some of us, 2023 may be our pruning season.  Not much of what we have expected to see we have seen with our physical eyes, but surely, a good thing is done in the unseen part of our hearts and minds to be ready for 2024, when no eye has seen nor ear heard what God has in store for us.  He is preparing us to be established, secure, rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, for He cannot bless us weightily when we are founded weakly.  Our character formation is being laid up for a better cause, and that is to carry the weight of His glory, His manifested goodness, where you and I would have no room to credit ourselves when that set time comes.  It is purely with our shouts of “Grace! Grace! Grace!”  It is not by our own might nor by our own power, but by the Spirit of God resident in us.

For some of us, 2023 may have been in abundance here, there and everywhere, but we always keep in mind that God does not run out of glorious surprises, as He takes us from glory to glory, from strength to strength, from favor to favor.   He is the God of more than enough, therefore, as we come to know Him more, we expect to see more of His glory, hear more of His voice and taste more of His goodness as we delight ourselves in Him, walking in intimacy as we continuously enthrone Him in our hearts as our Savior, our King, our Deliverer, our Healer, our Good Shepherd, our Provider and our Lord, Who loves us, Who owns us, Who watches over us and Who cares for us affectionately.  

WE HAVE SEEN THE GREATNESS OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS in 2023 and because the same power Who raised Jesus from the dead lives inside of us, there is a surety that He will take us into another year of unboxing more of Jesus than what we have ever experienced. The resurrection power of Christ in us will conquer what seems to be impossible before us in this current year we are on, for greater is He Who is in us than who is in this world.  He is
the Lord our God Who never changes.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever. 

GET READY FOR GOD’S GREATER GLORY!  He wants to showcase you and I as carriers of His presence, diffusing the fragrance of Who He is in our lives, as we walk as salt and light of the earth, just as He is.  We are His hands, His feet, His mouthpieces.  We are the Body of Christ and He is The Head.  Where Head goes, the Body goes.  What the Head intends to do, the Body executes.  What the Head speaks and declares within us, the Body open its mouth to proclaim the Word of the Lord and see its manifestation.

May we come to take purposeful time of intimacy with Him to commune with Him, mediate His Word day and night, to praise and worship Him daily and to fellowship with our brethren regularly.  

May we be intentional with our every deed, to glorify Him consistently.

May we be open to be pruned to be more fruitful and not resent when He cuts something or someone off from us, knowing that His intent is always for us to be fruitful. 

As I was meditating on my devotional book today, there was an emphasis that we are to be surrounded by people of faith who will agree with us, walk with us and believe with us!  That is very true because prevention from corruption in our minds is such a vital key to this faith walk we have.  This may be a kind of pruning in our part to restrain us from being influenced.  

Jesus surrounded Himself with a chosen few when He went to pray for the little girl who had died.

Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue came to Jesus, fell at His feet and begged Him to go to his house, lay His hands on her that she may be healed and will live.

While Jesus was still on His way, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid; only believe.”  After saying this, He permitted NO ONE to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  Hmmm … this reality indeed caught my attention. 

When Jesus arrived at the house, people were weeping and wailing. He told them that she wasn’t dead, that she was just asleep, and they began to laugh, scoff and ridiculed Him.   It’s not surprising that He only allowed Peter, James, John, and the girl’s parents to be with Him in the room and witness the child’s resurrection.  

Jesus could have done this miracle out in the open. But He kept the others out to show us the importance of surrounding ourselves with people who speak life and hope, people who agree with what we’re believing
for. 

But in the midst of my meditation, an unction arose from deep within me.  It was this revelation of Him being greater in me than he that is in the world and this verse suddenly was before me, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)  Hmmm … this may come as another type of pruning, by not disengaging or dissociating myself when He calls me to be an influencer.

What am I doing with the faith He gave me?  Yes, like muscles, we develop it by hearing and hearing by the Word of God and walking out what He has spoken to us.  With this unveiled revelation that is new to me, I believe, too, that with the faith He gifted us, we do not shut ourselves up from those who does not walk by faith yet.  We do
not distance ourselves from those who have not yet encountered His unconditional love that wooed us into an intimate relationship with Him.  We get to be the salt and light.  We get to speak life.  We get to infuse hope.  We get to comfort.  We get to share the good news of the finished work of Jesus Christ that other people’s faith whom the Lord called us to influence may be ignited.  Then, when Jesus comes, He will find more and more people with faith in Him. 

Just like Jesus, He came to seek the lost, the weary, the sick, the dying, the hopeless, the outcast, the needy.  In Mark 2:17, He said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  

How interesting it is to know that the Bible says, “Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin!” (Romans 14:23 ESV).  “Whatever is not of faith is sin.” (NKJV).  “Anything that we do that doesn’t spring from faith is, by definition, sinful”. (TPT).  “Whatever is not from faith is sin [whatever done in doubt is sinful]”.  (AMP).  ouchhhhh!!!!

Thank God that He is rich in mercy and abounding in love and He is not done with us yet!!!  He loves us so much for Him to leave us where we are, therefore, He sent us His only Son. 

”But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is
of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people
from their sins.”(Matthew 1:20–21 NKJV) 

JESUS SAVES!  You and I need Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Jesus Christ, our Savior, came to SAVE us because of His great love for us.  Many may not know this truth yet what the word SALVATION means, thus, many perish due to lack or even rejection of knowledge. But, the Holy Spirit unveiled our eyes to see Who Jesus is. He is the only One Who has the given ability and capacity to reveal to us this TRUTH.

 “Sozo” is the Greek word for salvation, yet it’s root meaning goes beyond just the forgiveness of sins.  It means
saved, made whole, restored, healed, delivered and preserved.

When we believe and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we open ourselves to walk in the truth of experiencing healing, wholeness, restoration, deliverance and preservation.  It is a SHALOM SHALOM LIFE, a nothing-missing, nothing-broken, nothing-lacking kind of life, for it is HE Who is the only ONE Who can make us WHOLE.  It is only HE Who can SATISFY us with long life and is surely the kind of life that is worth  living.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!  2024 is going to be a good, good year for our GOD IS GOOD.  He is not only good, but He is GOOD PERSONALLY TO YOU and GOOD PERSONALLY TO ME.  Expect to see His goodness in your life as I expect to see His goodness in mine. 

Always remember that our expectations are landing strips for His greatness and goodness to manifest and make visibly clear and seen in our everyday lives.  Let us fasten our seat belts!  We are on for a glorious ride!

”Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so
fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t
be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you
look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll
make everything right again for my people Israel: “They’ll rebuild their ruined
cities. They’ll plant vineyards and drink good wine. They’ll work their gardens
and eat fresh vegetables. And I’ll plant them, plant them on their own land.
They’ll never again be uprooted from the land I’ve given them.” God, your God,
says so.“  (Amos 9:13–15 MSG)