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Written by Ayane Nayara, Brazil Assistant for Iron Rose Sister Ministries

In the northeast region of Brazil, where I live, we are in the time of year when the fruit trees are full of their fruit. It's a beautiful sight to see; our eyes are filled with the beauty of each fruit, with its different shape and color. After this season, the farmers who care for these trees have the job of cleaning them, removing dead branches and leaves, and adding fertilizer, preparing them for the following seasons so that, in due time, they will bear fruit again.

I once lived in a house with a huge mango tree in the yard. It was beautiful. When I first moved in, I thought, "I'll eat plenty of mangoes when the time is right." The time for that mango tree to bloom came, and it did, just like all the others in the region, but when the time came for the flowers to turn into fruit, they began to fall. While all the mango trees I saw around the city were laden with fruit, the one in my yard was empty. I found out that my tree hadn't borne fruit for years.

Jesus often used illustrations from agriculture and fishing to teach people about the message of the Kingdom and the Gospel, and I particularly enjoy these illustrations because I appreciate this way of life. On two occasions (Jn 15:1-6 and Lk 13:6-9), He tells His disciples two parables. The first is about the true vine, and the second about a fig tree that did not bear fruit. Reading them allowed me to reflect on some points that I want to share with you.

1. If you or I are not bearing fruit, we should repent (Lk 13:6-9)!

We were called to be part of a Kingdom where each one plays their role, and that is a privilege. We were dying, useless branches that by ourselves were incapable of producing anything, and we were connected to a tree that made us capable of producing fruit. So, let's bear fruit! God has given us, through Christ, a new chance, and we cannot waste it. We cannot occupy a space that could be filled by someone who would bear fruit, without bearing any fruit at all. We must be fruitful! Or we will be like that mango tree in my yard, blossoming – pretending that we will bear fruit, but that fruit never comes to be (Col 1:21-23).

2. We need to be pruned of our old habits so that we can bear more fruit, and better fruit (Jn 15:2).

And that is exactly what God wants to do with each of us who are in Christ--To prune us so that we may be more fruitful. But what would this pruning entail?

The Greek term for pruning is also used for cleansing. God, our Father, wants to cleanse us. The reason a farmer prunes trees, removing dead branches and leaves, is so that the plant doesn't waste its energy and nutrients on things that are not worth cultivating and that hinder the growth of the fruit. God wants to cleanse us of what can hinder our fruitfulness. Surely there are some twigs of sin in our hearts that drain our energy and hinder our growth, and that is exactly what God wants to remove from our hearts.

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1Pe 1:23 NIV)

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. (1Pe 2:1-2)

3. There is no other way to bear fruit except by remaining in Jesus Christ (Jn 15:5).

We can observe that while Jesus speaks to His disciples in John 15:1-6, He repeats the word "remain" at least six times. Clearly, He wanted to convey to them the importance of this attitude. To bear fruit and continue to be cleansed by our great Gardener, we need to remain in Christ. There is no other way to grow. We are incapable of producing anything or even sustaining ourselves alone. Without Christ, we are nothing more than dry and dead branches.

Finally, sisters, God expects from us what we were called to do – bear fruit. This work is a two-way street: our surrender in allowing ourselves to be cleansed and used by our Gardener, and His work in us, pruning and cleansing our hearts of all that hinders our development.

Reflect:
What is hindering the growth of your fruit and needs pruning? Are you willing for this pruning to happen?

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Written by Ann Thiede, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Searcy, Arkansas

Jesus the Vine (Jn 15) desires that we who are attached to Him bear fruit that will last, beginning with planting seeds of God’s Word. In His day, unlikely people hungered for the righteousness He freely offered: sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors. Only God knows if a heart is hard or fertile to receive His Word.

The disciples of Jesus set the example for us, learning to plant seeds of the Word and continuing to do so after Jesus ascended into Heaven. Listen to this account in the book of Acts:

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles…Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. (Ac 8:1b,4 NKJV)

 Disciples scattered seeds everywhere! What a beautiful picture! And of all things, persecution motivated them. Saul, the driven persecutor of Christians, became Paul the master sower, overwhelmed by the truth of Jesus’s grace and mercy. He explains one technique to the church in Corinth: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1Co 3:6).

Today, many souls are weary, parched, and starving, in great need of spiritual nourishment, just as in the time of Christ. Consider these words:

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Mt 9:36-38)

Have you ever been moved like Jesus? You see a crowd of people somewhere, maybe an airport or some type of gathering, and realize that many of them, hurrying on their way with who-knows-what going on in their lives, need Jesus. You might feel overwhelmed and think, “What can I do? I’m just one person!” Perhaps Jesus would say, “Just share the Good News -- one soul at a time. Plant or water what others may have planted, and I will give the increase into My Kingdom.”

But you might think, “I don’t know the Bible well enough,” or ”What would I say?“, “That’s not my gift,” or ”I’m afraid of rejection.”

Here are a few things that can help in planting and watering God’s beautiful seeds:

1. Above all else, draw close to Jesus daily in His Word and prayer, and let His Spirit fill you with love, mercy, and grace. Here’s an encouraging scripture: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Ac 4:13).

2. Since you know how much you’ve been given, plant seeds of Christ’s love to soften hearts (2Co 5:14 NIV). The Christian singer, Olivia Lane, shared on the Sirius XM station The Message that it wasn’t going to church or reading the Bible that brought her to Christ. It was two believers loving on her and sharing the healing Christ wanted to give that produced lasting fruit.

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to let love overcome fear and begin a conversation. Here are some suggestions: Start simple. “Are you a person of faith?” (without assuming anything). Let them share. Listen. Ask questions. Direct them to Jesus and what He’s done in your life. Share His love for them and the price He paid. “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2Co 5:21). Ask if they’d like to read one of the Gospels, like Luke or John, with you, whether familiar or unfamiliar with the Bible.

4. Keep praying for the person in whom you plant or water that God’s Spirit would powerfully work, whether you see them again or not.

Love. Share Jesus. Keep planting and watering. Pray! May you witness God giving the increase here on earth! We may not see some of the results in this life, but how wonderful to meet souls in Heaven in whom we planted Jesus’s Word!

Will you share with another Christian the suggestions above and encourage one another? God will work in you!