Great and Precious Promises

"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.

The methods of the Lord’s prunings should be understood by all the branches, otherwise they may be discouraged and droop and fail to bring forth the proper fruitage. It would appear that the great Husbandman prunes the branches of the Christ sometimes by taking away earthly wealth or property, or sometimes by hindering cherished schemes and plans. Sometimes he prunes us by permitting persecution and the loss of name and fame, and sometimes . . . by permitting the loss of earthly friendships toward which the tendrils of our hearts extended too strongly. . . . Many others of the Lord’s dear people have found some of their most valuable lessons on the bed of affliction. . . . Such prunings, instead of causing discouragement, should be to us, rightly understood, sources of encouragement. We realize . . . that when we have these special prunings it is an evidence that the Father himself loveth us and is caring for our best interests.—R3545

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"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."—John 15:7

If your hearts and energies are thus absorbed in the Father’s Plan, you may ask all the desires of your heart—’ye may ask what ye will.’ I make you this liberal promise, not . . . that the Father would change his plans to yours and do your will, but you can come so fully into sympathy with the Father and the Plan of the Ages which he is working out, that you will never be dissatisfied, but always able to see your wishes being accomplished, because your will and wish, your pleasure and satisfaction, will be to see God’s will and plan progressing in God’s own way and time. Thus your every prayer and wish will be accomplished—the very reverse of the experience of those who seek to do their own wills . . . and pray for their own desires.—R1999

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"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love."—John 15:9

What a wonderful thought this is, that our Master has toward us the same kind of love that the Father has toward him! Could our faith always grasp this thought and maintain this hold, we should indeed have nothing to wish or to fear —our summer would last all the year. The next thought suggested is that having reached, having attained this high position in the Lord’s favor, if we are his disciples and truly appreciate what he has done for us in this respect, we will desire to continue in his love. Next in order come the terms and conditions upon which we may continue in that love, namely, that we keep his commandments. By way of showing us that this is not an unreasonable proposition, our Lord declared that these are the same terms on which the Father deals with him, namely, ‘Even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love.’ We cannot expect to abide in the Lord’s love and be careless of his injunctions.—R3546

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"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you."—John 15:16

The world does not like these chosen ones because, confessing their own weaknesses and striving against them, they call them by their proper names—sins, meannesses, filthiness of the flesh and spirit. Every effort made by these to cleanse themselves is a reproof to others who are not striving to cleanse themselves, and who hate to be reminded that the things in which they take their greatest pleasure are greed, selfishness, inordinate affections, strife, pride, vainglory. Whoever is fully satisfactory to the world may be sure that he is not satisfactory to the Lord. Whoever is satisfactory to the Lord need not expect to be satisfactory to the world; for the fellowship of this world is enmity to God, and therefore, the world is not subject to the divine standard, neither indeed can be. . . . Its heart is in the other direction.—R5737