Live to Love Scripture Encouragement John 15.2-3

John 15:2 “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.” The vine dresser, the Father, knows what is necessary for His vine to bear fruit for His glory. Branches (people) who do not bear fruit for His glory must be removed. The branches who bear fruit must be pruned so that the life received from the vine may explode in fruit-bearing. Everything that hinders the branch from bearing fruit will be removed. Such is the love and determination of the vinedresser. The vine exists for one purpose: to bear fruit for the vinedresser. The branches are only of value to the degree that they channel the life within the vine into fruit production. What is the fruit of His life? It is the love of Jesus for the Father and for other fruit-bearing branches. Let’s not forget what Jesus has told them. He and the Father are one. They work together. The illustration of the vinedresser and the vine working toward the same end, namely, fruit-bearing, aptly illustrates what Jesus wanted His disciples and us to grasp. They and we are the branches who produce fruit for the glory of God as the Father and Son work in and through us. This is one of the many reasons I hope you’ll grasp the vision of living to love with Jesus, namely, bearing the fruit of the Spirit of God, which is the love of Jesus. Jesus said that if we are to be fruit-bearing branches, we must be pruned so we can bear more fruit. We will continue with that wonderful thought in tomorrow’s live to love scripture encouragement. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com