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God Prunes Us to Make Us More Fruitful, October 9
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every
branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth
more fruit.
John 15:2
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Those who will walk closely in the footsteps of their self-sacrificing,
self-denying Redeemer will have the mind of Christ reflected in their
minds. Purity and the love of Christ will shine forth in their daily lives and
characters, while meekness and truth will guide their way. Every fruitful
branch is pruned, that it may bring forth more fruit. Even fruitful branches
may display too much foliage and appear what they really are not. The
followers of Christ may be doing some work for the Master and yet not be
doing half what they might do. He then prunes them, because worldliness,
self-indulgence, and pride are cropping out in their lives. Husbandmen
clip off the surplus tendrils of the vines ..., thus making them more fruitful.
These hindering causes must be removed and the defective outgrowth cut
away, to give room for the healing beams of the Sun of Righteousness....
Many misunderstand the object for which they were created. It was to
bless humanity and glorify God, rather than to enjoy and glorify self. God
is constantly pruning His people, cutting off profuse, spreading branches,
that they may bear fruit to His glory and not produce leaves only. God
prunes us with sorrow, with disappointment and affliction, that the out-
growth of strong, perverse traits of character may be weakened and that
the better traits may have a chance to develop. Idols must be given up, the
conscience must become more tender, the meditations of the heart must
be spiritual, and the entire character must become symmetrical
By abiding in Christ, we may have His sweetness, His fragrance, His
light.... He shines in our hearts. His light in our hearts shines forth from
our faces. By beholding the beauty and the glory of Christ, we become
changed into the same image
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Testimonies for the Church 4:354
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22
Manuscript 85, 1901
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300