Devotional 6/9/16 - The Father is the Gardener

Tuesday 6th September 2016 The Father is the gardener

John 15:1 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

This is reference to the process of sanctification that God is working in us.

Sanctification is God adding and taking away elements of our character that don’t conform to the image of Christ.

Wayne Grudem summarised sanctification as,

‘Sanctification is a progressive work of God and man that makes us more and more free from sin and like Christ in our actual lives.’

Less is often more! The Father wants to take things out of our lives that are not helpful for fruitfulness.

i) Sinful things (Actions and attitudes)

ii) Unhelpful things (Some things, though not sinful, may be unhelpful)

iii) Simplicity of life – there are only so many things that we can juggle before we become bad at everything, feel bad, look bad, discourage and become discouraged.

Ask God to reveal any areas of your life that He would want to ‘prune’.

To meditate/pray upon

John 15:1 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

Philippians 2:12-13 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

You can catch up on all the messages in the John series at:

Audio Link