PRUNE - Week 3

DOES ANYONE REMEMBER LAST WEEK?

WHAT DID WE TALK ABOUT?

GROWTH

THE NEXT THING THAT IS EXPECTED FROM A SEED THAT IS PLANTED IS....

GROWTH

WE LEARNED THAT GOD EXPECTS GROWTH. PERIOD.

NO MATTER WHAT SEASON YOUR IN

HE EXPECTS GROWTH...

BECAUSE OF & IN-SPITE OF.

HOW MANY OF YOU ARE MAKING A COMMITMENT THIS YEAR TO GROW IN EVERY SEASON?

BEING ABLE TO GROW IN EVERY SEASON

IS A SIGN OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY

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John 15:1–5 NIV

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

.......LETS PRAY........

AFTER SOMETHING IS PLANTED...

AND AFTER SOMETHING GROWS...

WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR GROWTH TO CONTINUE?

PRUNING

HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT PRUNING CAN BE A PAINFUL THING?

IT’S PAINFUL BUT IT’S NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR LIFE TO COME FORTH

DEATH HAS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER FOR LIFE TO BEGIN

WE SEE THIS ALL THROUGH SCRIPTURE

JESUS SAID, “I HAVE COME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE”....

AND THEN HE DIES

OH COME ON SOMEBODY...

I WANT TO TELL YOU TODAY THAT YOUR

BUSINESS MAY BE UNDER ATTACK

YOUR FAMILY MAY SEEM LIKE IT’S ABOUT TO FALL APART

YOUR MARRIAGE MAY SEEM DEAD

YOUR MAY BE AT THE END OF YOUR ROPE BECAUSE EVERYTHING AROUND YOU IS FALLING

BUT KNOW THIS.....

JESUS SAID.....

“I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND YOU ARE THE BRANCHES.”

IF YOU TRUST ME IN THE PROCESS

IF YOU REMAIN IN ME

YOU WILL BEAR MUCH FRUIT

HE SAID BUT APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.

THERE IS LIFE THROUGH THE PRUNING PROCESS.

I REMEMBER MY DAD GOING INTO THE HOSPITAL FOR THAT LAST TIME.

HE WAS 54 YEARS OLD

I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ANOTHER HOSPITAL VISIT

TURNS OUT IT WOULD BE THE LAST TIME I WOULD GET TO BE WITH HIM

HE PASSED AWAY FROM THE HIV VIRUS

HE CONTRACTED IT FROM A BLOOD TRANSFUSION

I WAS CONFUSED

I WAS ANGRY

I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO ME AND MY FAMILY

THEY JUST SPENT THE LAST 15 YEARS OF THEIR LIFE SACRIFICING AND LIVING ON THE ROAD TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL

I WANTED ANSWERS....AND I LEARNED SOMETHING.

YOU DON’T GET ANSWERS BECAUSE YOU WANT THEM.

OH COME ON SOMEBODY….

GOD DOESN’T EXPLAIN HIMSELF

HE DOESN’T HAVE TO

THE QUESTION IS THIS…..

CAN YOU TRUST GOD EVEN WHEN HE DOESN’T ANSWER?

CAN YOU REMAIN IN HIM

CHURCH WE HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE LIKE PAUL SAID....

TO WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT.

HIS WAYS AND THOUGHTS ARE HIGHER THAN OUR WAYS AND THOUGHTS...

…..which mean…..

HE WOULD HAVE TO COME DOWN TO OUR LEVEL TO EXPLAIN HIMSELF

GOD IS NOT INTERESTED IN US UNDERSTANDING WHY

HE IS ONLY INTERESTED IN OUR OBEDIENCE

OBEDIENCE IS PROVEN BEST WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING...

IF I TELL MY KIDS TO CLEAN THEIR ROOM

THEY DON’T NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY

I DON’T HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT WE HAVE COMPANY COMING OVER

THEY JUST NEED TO BE OBEDIENT

OBEDIENCE IS BETTING THAN UNDERSTANDING.....

GOD IS TRYING TO GET US TO OBEY HIM AND TRUST IN THE FACT THAT....

....WATCH THIS

PRUNING IS NOT PUNISHMENT

YOU ARE NOT CURSED BECAUSE YOU HAD A BAD DAY

YOUR SUFFERING IS NOT GOD’S WAY OF PUNISHING YOU.

PRUNING AND PUNISHMENT MAY FEEL THE SAME BUT...

THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT

PRUNING IS...

THE REWARD OF HAVING SOMETHING OF VALUE

IT’S HOW GOD LETS YOU KNOW YOUR VALUABLE

HE WOULDN’T PRUNE YOU IF YOU WERE A DYING BUSH

John 15:2 NIV

2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

GOD PRUNES YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE FRUITFUL.

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

GOD DOESN’T CUT TO KILL US

HE CUTS TO HEAL US

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER HAD A MAJOR SURGERY?

MAYBE BACK SURGERY

OR KNEE SURGERY

HEART SURGERY

THE WHOLE REASON YOU AGREE TO THE OPERATION IS TO BE HEALED

THE DOCTORS DON’T CUT YOU TO KILL YOU

THEY CUT YOU, TO HEAL YOU

IF THE DOCTORS CUT TO HEAL...

HOW MUCH MORE WILL THE GREAT PHYSICIAN CUT YOU TO HEAL AND RESTORE YOU.

Luke 11:11–13 NLT

11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

GOD KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED EVEN WHEN:

YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU NEED

________________________________

WHILE MY DAD WAS IN THE HOSPITAL

MYSELF, MY SIBLINGS JUST THOUGHT IT WAS HEALTH ISSUES AS USUAL

WE DIDN’T KNOW HE HAD HIV AND WAS ONLY GIVEN 3 YEARS TO LIVE (3 YEARS AGO)

WE BEGAN TO ASK MY MOM WHAT THE DOCTOR WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE HEARD THE TERM HIV

THATS WHEN MY MOM TOLD US THAT HE HAD CONTRACTED IT FROM A BLOOD TRANSFUSION

‘NOT GONNA LIE…..

I WAS SO ANGRY WITH HER FOR A WHILE

IF ONLY I HAD KNOWN

I COULD HAVE SPENT MORE TIME WITH HIM

I GOT THROUGH THE HURT AND THE PAIN.....BUT

I BEGAN TO ASK GOD

WHY??? WHY US??? WHY ME???

I FELT LIKE GOD SPOKE TO ME AND SAID

WHY NOT ME

WHAT EXEMPTED ME FROM SUFFERING?

IF JESUS WENT TO THE CROSS

IF PAUL GOT LOCKED UP IN JAIL

IF JOSEPH GOT THROWN INTO A PIT

IF THE WOMEN WAS THERE WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD

WHY NOT ME????

SOMETIMES WE EXPERIENCE THINGS IN OUR LIVES THAT SET US BACK

IT CAN BE CONFUSING AS TO WHY NOTHING IN OUR LIFE IS WORKING OUT

WHY IT IS THAT I’M DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT

AND EVERY SEEMS WRONG?

REMEMBER THIS...

A SET BACK....

IS A SET-UP

FOR A COMEBACK

GOD IS PRUNING YOU FOR GROWTH

HE’S CUTTING AWAY THE DEAD THINGS IN YOUR LIFE...

SO THAT LIFE CAN BEGAN TO TAKE PLACE AGAIN

ANOTHER REASON A PLANT IS PRUNED:

TO REDIRECT GROWTH OF THE PLANT

TO ENCOURAGE IT TO GROW IN A CHOSEN DIRECTION

OH MY LORD

SOMETIMES IN OUR LIVES WE CAN BECOME SO DISTRACTED AND CLUTTERED BY WORRIES, HURT, AND SIN THAT....

WE TEND TO MOVE IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

JUST SO WE CAN STOP THE PAIN

WHATEVER IT TAKES…I JUST DON’T WANT TO HURT ANYMORE.

PRUNING ISN’T ABOUT FORCING A TREE OR SHRUB INTO AN UNNATURAL SHAPE,

BUT RATHER GUIDING IT AS IT GROWS INTO A

STRONG,

HEALTHY,

MATURE PLANT.

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

THERE IS PURPOSE FOR YOUR PAIN

PRUNING IS NOT PUNISHMENT

IT’S PROMOTING YOUR POTENTIAL FOR HEALTHY GROWTH

ANOTHER REASON FOR PRUNING IS:

TO THINNING IT OUT

TO DECLUTTER IT…..WHY

SO THAT MORE LIGHT CAN GET TO THE CENTER OF THE PLANT

SOME OF YOU EXPERIENCE LOSS AND PAIN AS A RESULT OF GOD TRYING TO THIN OUT YOUR LIFE.

WE RELY TOO HEAVILY ON OUR OWN ABILITIES

AND NOT ENOUGH ON GOD’S STRENGTH

DON’T GET ME WRONG.....

GOD DESIRES THAT WE LIVE BLESSED AND PROSPEROUS LIVES BUT...

IF WERE NOT CAREFUL THAT BLESSING

CAN BECOME A CURSE THAT LEADS TO LOSS AND SUFFERING

WE HAVE TO ALLOW ROOM IN OUR LIVES FOR THE LIGHT TO SHINE.

EVERY DIRECTION YOU MOVE SHOULD BE WITH THE MIND SET…

“IS THIS GOING TO HELP ME GROW”

THE BIBLE TELLS US IN

Luke 12:48 NLT

48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED.

THE PROBLEM....

WE WANT TO BE GIVEN MUCH

BUT WE FORGET ABOUT

THE “MUCH IS REQUIRED” PART

oh come on….

TROUBLE COMES TO ALL OF US

BUT THANK GOD IT DOESN’T LAST ALWAYS…AMEN?

THERE IS A BOOK CALLED “CRUSHING” BY T.D. JAKES

IT SAYS THIS.....

THE ART OF LIFE IS THAT YOU DON’T GET OUT OF TROUBLE AND BE LEFT WITH TRAUMA.

TRAUMA....

IS A RESIDUE THAT HOLDS ONTO YOU

NOT ONLY THAT BUT IT THREATENS TO RUIN YOUR FUTURE WITH THE INCIDENCE FROM YOUR PAST.

PSYCHOLOGY TODAY SAYS....

An estimated 90 percent of adults in the United States have experienced a traumatic event at least once in their lives.

THEY SAY....

Eight million people have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at any given time.

CHURCH LISTEN TO ME….

TROUBLE HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE BUT

TRAUMA CAN LAST FOR 30 YEARS.

PEOPLE TAKE WHAT WAS ONLY MEANT AS A SEASON OF PRUNING

AND HANG ON TO IT AS THEIR IDENTITY

IM TALKING TO SOMEBODY THIS MORNING...

YOU HAVE ALLOWED WHAT WAS MEANT TO GROW YOU

TO POTENTIALLY DESTROY YOU

DAVID SAID.....IN PSALM 30:5

WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT:

BUT JOY COMES IN THE MORNING

.....WORSHIP TEAM COME.........

IN ACTS 27

WE SEE THAT PAUL BOARDS A SHIP WITH OTHER PRISONERS AND THEY SET SAIL TO ROME

IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE A STORM CAME

THE BIBLE SAYS

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WERE PRESENT

AND THE MEN WERE TERRIFIED

THEY JUST KNEW THEY WERE GONNA DIE

OUT OF FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES IT SAYS

THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE CLOSE LAND SO...

MANY OF THE MEN TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE BOAT INTO SOME LIFE BOATS

THEY HAD ALREADY THROWN EVERYTHING OVER BOARD JUST TO TRY AND KEEP THE SHIP FROM SINKING

WATCH WHAT PAUL SAYS....

Acts 27:31 NIV

31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”

WHEN LIFE GETS ROUGH...

WE ALL JUST WANT TO JUMP SHIP

WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH WE WANT OUT

WE JUST WANT THE PAIN TO STOP

WHAT THEY DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WAS...

THE SHIP WAS THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

WELL PASTOR CHRIS YOU MUST NOT KNOW YOUR BIBLE VERY WELL BECAUSE

THE SHIP FELL APART

YES THE SHIP FELL APART BUT....

THE PEOPLE DIDN’T

SOME OF THEM MADE IT ACROSS ON THE SHIP AND SOME ON BROKEN BOARDS

‘BUT HERES THE THING….

IF THEY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE LIFE BOATS

THEY WOULDN’T HAVE HAD A BROKEN BOARD TO HANG ON TO.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION EVERY DAY.

DO YOU JUMP SHIP FOR YOUR OWN COMFORT ONLY TO FALL INTO SOMETHING WORSE

OR

DO YOU STAY IN THE PROCESS AND SUBMIT TO THE PRUNING

.........STAND TO YOUR FEET.........

THE WORSHIP TEAM IS GOING TO PLAY

IF YOU NEED STRENGTH TO STAY IN THE PROCESS........COME TO THE ALTAR

IF YOUR SUFFERING AND HURTING

COME AND LET US PRAY FOR YOU TODAY.

YOU MIGHT BE HERE AND WHAT WAS MEANT FOR PRUNING AND GROWING YOU

CAUSED YOU A LOT OF PAIN AND HURT AND YOU JUDT CANT SEEM TO LET THAT GO

YOU'VE BEEN HOLDING ON TO IT FOR A LONG TIME

AND YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THIS BUT ITS KILLING YOU

YOU'LL NEVER GROW INTO WHST GOD MESNT FOR YOU TO BE UNTIL YOU LESRN TO

LET IT GO

TRUST GOD

REMAIN IN HIM

WOULD YOU COME

PRAY FOR FAMILIES

EVERYBODY FIND YOUR FAMILY AND COME TO THE FRONT....I WANT TO PRAY AND DECLARE LIFE THIS MORNING

I WANT TO BREAK STRONGHOLDS

I WANT TO DEMAND DARKNESS TO LEAVE YOUR FAMILY THIS MORNING

YOU NEED TO PRAY THIS WITH ME

MOMS AND DADS GET READY TO PRAY FOR YOUR FAMILY

REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW....FIGHT AND PRAY