Sticky Note:  Father, prune me!!

God disciplines those He loves, and although it may not FEEL good, it IS good.  He is making us into who we already ARE, righteous and holy in Jesus Christ.

Will we ever be totally cut off?  Of course not...Jesus was cut off in our place when he went to the cross.  So although we are pruned, we will NEVER be cut off.


More if you want it:
    -Someone came up to me after worship and said that they had been going through a particularly hard time this week, but they found themselves saying, "Father, prune me through this."  They had never prayed that before.  Then they came to worship on Sunday and heard that this was exactly what the sermon was about.

    -Pruning/Discipline is not punishment in the way we usually think about it.  Its not a penalty for doing something wrong (another word for that is 'retribution').  It is God correcting and changing his children, always for our good and our true joy, that we may share in His holiness.