Grow Up; Branch Out; Bear Fruit!

Look at the CROSS.  It has two parts:  A vertical beam and a horizontal beam.  The VERTICAL part of the cross represents our relationship with the Lord.  We 1st must develop a deep, abiding, personal relationship with Him before we can know how to lovingly relate to others(represented by the HORIZONTAL part of the cross).

First we must GROW UP in Him before we can BRANCH OUT and have healthy relationships with others.  Then we'll be able to BEAR FRUIT (good, godly character).

First we must learn to DEPEND on God.  We're not to put our DEPENDENCE in people....but we're to become INTERDEPENDENT with other people.  By that I mean we should always put God 1st in our lives, go to Him 1st before going to others for guidance, assistance, or fellowship.  However, He delights in placing others in our lives to help us, fellowship with us, and love us.

From time-to-time He will have to PRUNE us.  There are two kinds of pruning:  (1)  Cutting off and (2) cutting back branches.  Fruitful branches are cut back to promote growth.  But branches that don't bear fruit are cut off because they infect the rest of the tree.  People who don't bear fruit for God or who try to block the efforts of God's followers will be cut off from His life-giving power.

Therefore, let us be "grounded and rooted in His love" so we can grow up, branch out, and bear fruit--"fruit that will remain."