Pruning
vs Purging
By Penny Williams
It seems that I have developed a love hate relationship
with my roses. I have been pricked so many times I’ve lost counting. I have one
lone yellow fellow whom I call the yellow monster who climbs up on his trellis
as if to see “his kingdom” every year. His followers are all the red roses that
are planted in front of our home. I am not big on roses because of their
thorns. Like that of some people, they don’t want to be touched! Too bad! Off
with their heads I say!
Pruning them shortly after their blooms are quite
finished and with good structure a deeper prune is given before winter comes, keeps
us happy and humble. It is the process of pruning they do not like. When
I feed and water them, they appear to forget their looks and hardship for a
while.
So, it is within the Body of Christ, the predicaments we
find ourselves going through; we continue to ask, “What and why are we going
through such things? What did I do wrong?” As a Christian we know our sins are
forgiven. And why at times do we still wrestle with the memories of the past?
Things that have been forgiven, yet replayed in our hearts?
Pruning is
something like a haircut, it aerates the plant and causes it to grow better and
gives off at least twice the number of flowers.
Websters Dictionary says about pruning:
To reduce by
eliminating superfluous matter
To remove as
superfluous ~ away all ornamentation
To cut off
or cut back parts of for better shape or more fruitful growth~
To cut away
from what is unwanted or superfluous.
Is it not true, as a
believer we are representing King Jesus? Our words and our behaviors should
reflect His Love. As God is our Creator, doesn’t He have the
right to take away our dross? What has become overwhelming or crass in our character
and flaws our witness?
Purging turns up the heat a
bit.
To clear of guilt
To free from moral or
ceremonial defilement
The removal of elements or
members is regarded as undesirable and esp. as treacherous or disloyal.
Those tears that you have
cried, were saved into a bottle. Everything that happens to us is for our good.
We cannot see or understand it, nor can we feel it. But we can sense it in our spirits.
We have a good God who always wins. Although,
we may not understand the whole picture, it is time to begin to us the faith
given to us and trust Him in your heart.
John 15:1-17 niv states:
THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES
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 and I will 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 a man remains in me and I in him; he will
bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.
6. If
anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and
withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7. If
you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will
be given you.
8. This
is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9. As
the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10. If
you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my
Father’s commands and remain in His love.
11. I
have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be
complete.
12. My
command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13. Greater
love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14. You
are my friends if you do what I command.
15. I
no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s
business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned
from my Father I have made known to you.
16. You
did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-
fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my
name.
17. This
is my command: Love each other.
Once you have given your life to Jesus, what in the world
could ever compare to His love? The whole Bible is about His love. We have been
privileged to have His word.
The KJV says
purging and in the NIV it says pruning and in the AMP, it says takes away or
pruning. Either way, pruning and purging are different forms and levels of
chastisement. If you are a child of God, you will be either pruned or purged. We
learn through the Word and our experiences. We do not like to be
corrected, but isn’t it better now than to miss the boat later? Read about our
Heavenly Fathers love: De.8:5, Ps.94:12, Pr.3:11, 3:12 Re.3:19 Our Heavenly Father cares enough to put a
stop to us when we become too independent, self-confident and head-strong in
the wrong direction. We belong to HIM, not to the world. Since that is the case,
why is it that we give so much credit and homage to the world?
Love is
shown in so many ways and usually by action. Jesus spoke many loving and
teaching words to us and through them we become cleansed. Vs 3. His word is
holy. Everything He spoke was pure. When Jesus went to the cross and suffered
for our sins, He paid the complete and final price for us! He was victoriously
resurrected on the 3rd day blasting away any sting of death! All
those who believe in Jesus and know Him, who have repented from their sins have
eternal life. Jesus was sent by God to be the ultimate sacrifice and fulfill
prophecy for us! He is alive! He lives! He is our Messiah! When eyes are opened
and become born-again, it is not of themselves. God says He has foreordained
you and picked you before the very foundation of the world. Can you wrap your
head around those verses? The Bible continues to say, He knew you and loved you
before you knew Him. He was sent to heal the sick. If you have sinned, you are sick.
The Bible says we have all sinned, therefor we are all sick. Think about this:
When we are born again through Christ and our eyes are opened, not only does
God give us a new heart, but we are healed from the slavery of sins of the
world! We are set free from captivity!
No one ever
said that when you become a believer, you’ll live in a rose garden! Even if you
do, there are still thorns. We live on planet earth that is still cursed.
The world
gives you comforting lies, illusions about yourself and will place a
self-righteous attitude of justification in your heart that feeds your ego. We
listen to the news all the time.
The other
night I was watching a program about Celine Dion. She is from Quebec, Canada
and the world was truly her oyster. She adored her fans. Throughout the whole
time she performed, she was plagued with hindrances. Completely shattered, her
husband passed from throat cancer and Celine contacted a very rare disease
called, “Stiff person syndrome” involving unbearable symptoms of seizures,
tremors and much pain. She is quoted as saying, “It is possible that a person
can have a career and raise children at the same time.” She was the youngest of
14 children and raised in a devout Roman Catholic family.
Welcome into
the family of God: Everything that you have placed in your heart will be pruned
and purged at every turn. As you grow, you will begin to see the stains of jealousies,
pride and selfishness that are still in your heart with a magnifying glass.
The closer we get to eternal life, the clearer our shortcomings are seen and
the humbler we become. You know what? This is exactly where our Father wants us
to be!
I know of a
man who is well known for his wisdom and has spent his entire life studying
about God’s wisdom. He has written: “There is one thing I am fearful about
and that is that I do not have enough love for others.” All his many hours of studies, countless books
written, have not given him the peace or consolation of knowing how to love.
This tells me that one can have great amounts of knowledge and wisdom, yet no
peace. Only God’s love will give a person peace.
Can we be
honest with ourselves and examine our hearts to see how much of the world we
are still holding on to?
Here are a
few superfluous things that we need to think about and deal with:
Too selfish?
Why do we
think so much of ourselves? God created us below Him, not above Him. Selfishness is the number one reason why marriages
get divorced. One person retains a hard heart while the other’s heart is soft
and pliable wanting to work it out. The world says that you are number one, not
God. He says for us to forgive and honor one another above ourselves. Unselfishness will allow the branch to bend
like that of a willow, that says, “How can I help you?” Selfishness stiffens and rots until it breaks
off the vine.
Too much
pride?
Pride blinds,
argues, paralyzes and says, “it is all about me.” God hates pride. All
arrogance will fail. You will be humbled. Either you will get rid of it or God will. Pride
is a camouflage of weakness that is bred through lies.
Too vain?
What made
you give into a lying spirit? With all our studies, isn’t it time to see our
hearts the way God sees it, through His word? Ask yourself, “What am I vain
about?” My knowledge? Looks? God has His way, even gently to tell you. “Do not
think yourself higher than others.” Wake
up! Get your eyes off yourself and onto
God.
Perhaps you
are a gossip?
The book of
James says that Your mouth either speaks life or death, builds up or tears down.
Gossiping destroys another’s character
and your integrity. What you say will boomerang right back to you. Too many times,
we give a self-fulfilled prophecy when we judge another. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus said, we will
be judged by every idle word we speak!
Greed or
Lust?
Greed only
thinks about more and is never satisfied. Overnight we could lose everything. There
is very little peace when the gods of greed and lust silently and slyly seduce
you back into friendship with the world. Ask yourself where have I been greedy?
Is it overeating? We love those second or third helpings. Is it through your
eyes when you are in church? Do you blameshift your sins upon another? In Christ you have the authority to put cast
them away. Get away from those thorns in
your rose garden.
Unthankful?
If you have
an unthankful heart, cheer up; things will happen to make you thankful.
Listening to one of my sons talk about our meager beginnings and the various
problems that arose while they were growing up and the thankful hearts that
were formed, is music to this single mother’s ears. Not one of us had an easy
life. Nothing was handed to us. I knew they had to be strong in all areas to
face the world. I am thankful that I could not afford to give them everything
they wanted, but taught them to work for what they desired. Do your children a
favor and do not give them all that you missed out when you were growing
up. As they grow, they will see what you were doing and call you blessed.
Impatient?
The world is
proud of being impatient and boldly brags about it. While the believer is
stumbling over toys left out, the baby is crying and needs to be fed, the
dinner is burnt, the dog has chewed up one of the legs of the table and your
sweet cat has played with the toilet paper all over the bathroom! How do you
respond? Can you see how God’s spirit is working in your life to produce more
fruit? Use what God has given to you, the eyes of your heart to discern what is
going on. You are in the middle of being a giant fruit producer! Always remember, there are those who are going
through much worse things. Stop, and ask God for help in the faith He has given
to you. Believe it! Stand upon it!
Not enough
empathy?
Take the
time to think what it would be like to be in another’s shoes. Think about those
nations whose leaders have tortured and killed Christians for their faith.
Think about those who are still blind and cannot see or hear the truth. Think
about those who are being raised in abusive conditions. Those who have lost a
son or daughter on the street, with drugs, disease or in war. Some of us have so much empathy that it drips
over the glass. There are times when all you can do is pray for them.
Not loving
enough?
We circle
right back around to His love. Jesus said in verses 9-11
“As the
Father loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey
my commands, you will remain in my love just as I have obeyed my
Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my
joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
We are somewhat like the roses that we grow
and need continued pruning and purging. No, it is not always fun or an easy
life, but isn’t it worth being obedient and having His total and complete joy
in our hearts knowing we are in His will?
When we are
pruned, our faith is tested. Our Father begins to remove what needs to be gone
and replaces it with His love.
As
Christians our walk is a PROCESS. There are no shortcuts. The living hope that
He has given us through His grace is our lifeline. We learn by every single word that we read,
study and through the experiences we walk through. Only our Father can process
our need for pruning or purging singly, customized and little by little,
molding and remolding us into the likeness of His son’s image as we go.
Are we
listening to Him teach us as we go through the pruning?
Can we hear
Him say, “Love one another” as we read those red letters?
Our Father
God does not waste anything. If we do
not learn it, some other experience will come along to teach us what He desires
for us to learn. He is in the business
of transformations.
He requires
us to abide in Him and love Him through our obedience from our hearts.
When we do, His joy is coupled within our hearts and we are fulfilled. Through
every pruning or purging we become just a little bit more toughened in His love
and restrengthened. Then, we are called
His friends. We now know that we have been appointed and chosen by our Father
to bear good fruit. If we are bearing the good fruit of unselfish love, the
world will see and know we are His.
Our walk
will forever be about God’s love.
Think about
it: We are a branch! A branch that must stay connected to the vine for us to
live and produce fruit. We are dependent
upon Him and in need of His help, this is why we call upon Him to bring us
through the pruning we receive. Perhaps this is one reason why Paul said, pray
over everything. A branch upon the vine
can do nothing without the vine! We get everything from Jesus. And our Heavenly
Father sees that it is done.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly
Father,
We thank You
for being our teacher, drawing us closer through Your Son’s words. Thank You
for Your love, and for drawing us closer and teaching us how to love through
Your Son’s obedience. Thank You for revealing your thick dividing line here on
earth between the world, flesh and the devil. Thank You for revealing this
connection. Forgive us for not loving in the way You have shown to us. Take
over our hearts, our minds, our souls and our flesh to resist anything that
would displease You. We choose to build upon Your love and trust in You and have
our joy complete in You. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
For those
who have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior, pray:
Heavenly
Father,
I ask that
you would forgive my sinful heart. [name your sins]_____. I repent Father. I ask that You take over my life and purpose
to be all that I can be in You. Re-arrange my life to put you first above all
and teach me Your ways. Open my eyes that I would read of the greatness of Your
mercies and grace. Fil up my heart with Your love and lead me in Your path and
Your ways instead of mine. Guide me and direct me through the tough times and
never leave me. In Jesus name I ask, amen.
If you have
prayed this prayer from your heart, the Bible says that you have been born –
again. Find a good Bible believing church, buy a good Bible and join a study
group. They will pray with you when you go through pruning. Jesus will never
leave you or forsake you. Welcome into the family of God!
