The Wise Woman Stays Connected

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word, which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. ‘I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.’” John 15:1-6 (NKJV)

The Wise Woman Stays Connected

Today, we are going to dig up Scriptures that are sure to affirm your growth in the Lord. Read John 15:1-6 above. Don’t forget your gardening tools! We are going to take a look at staying connected to the Vine, how to be planted to grow to bear fruit, and how to accept the pruning shears as a method of correction for our betterment.

Good News: God wants to create a beautiful garden through you! He desires for each of us to reap a flourishing life that leads to an extravagant, eternal harvest! Our Christian life, just like a summer garden, involves necessary pruning that is never enjoyable for the gardener or the plant but yields fruit. Spiritual pruning is a process that God uses in our lives to refine us. Just like the discipline that we introduce to our children for their good, God prunes us daily, molding us to be more like Him.

Let’s look at the garden of our souls. First, we need the essentials for growth:

  • Healthy, rich soil to grow in (the body of Christ)
  • The Living Water (Jesus) to nourish us with the truth daily
  • Time spent with the Son (the Word of God)
  • The Master Gardener (Jesus) to fight off the pestilence and cover us with His protection

As we read God’s Word, we store it up, listen to its instruction, repent, believe, and obey. This moldable heart is the rich soil that the Word roots itself in, subsequently producing growth and eventual fruit. This heart delights in the law of the Lord! Read Psalm 1:1-4. This Scripture tells us a blessed man or woman meditates on the Word and will be like a tree planted by rivers of water that will bring forth fruit in season! According to Galatians 5:22, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits are cultivated and matured as we stay connected. They take time to grow and bloom in our lives; they won’t just spring up overnight!

God’s Word is food for our souls! If you have difficulty loving the Word of God, humble yourself and ask God to illuminate His Word so that it penetrates your heart. Don’t be distracted. Repent that you haven’t taken His word seriously and affirm you want to do what is right! God wants to produce a harvest of righteousness in your life!

Romans 10:17 says, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Nurture the seeds of faith by listening to God’s Word, by doing personal reading and meditation, or by listening to sermons, podcasts and/or praise music.

When we receive God’s Word and understand it, it will produce fruit in our lives (Matthew 13:23). In fact, God says that He will know us by our fruits (Matthew 12:33)! Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV) says, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” The “doing” part is the fruitful part!

Blessings and Love,

Rae-Ellen

Go Deeper:

  • Read the parable of the Seed & The Sower in Luke 8:11-15 and pay special attention to verses 14-15. The thorns that choke our fruit are the cares of the world and our seeking after the pleasures of life. Be conscious of what vies for your attention or keeps you from staying connected to Jesus.
  • Seek the Lord and allow God’s Words to abide in you! Remember that you don’t grow fruit in isolation; surround yourself with other believers in Bible Study, prayer, and church! Bearing fruit is also about being a blessing to others in the name of Jesus. May you yield abundant fruit as you blossom and mature in the garden of the body of Christ.

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:8)

What’s Next?

How much time do you spend soaking up the strength of God’s presence? Will your leaves wither when storms come? Seeking God daily will grow you up and keep your eyes on Him! Are your branches bearing fruit? God wants to deal with the root of the problem, not the fruit of the problem. Surrender any toxic soil that you are rooted in. Ask the Lord to prune areas that need it. The Bible plainly states that if a tree is bad, it will bear bad fruit; but if it is good, it will bear good. God will cut down every bad tree and throw it in the fire (Matthew 7:16-20)! Matthew 3:10 states that even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees. Don’t allow the enemy to snatch your fruit! Stay connected to the Vine!

 

 

Rae-Ellen Sanders
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