Dear Church Family,
Last month I wrote that my tomatoes were dying due to what we believe was herbicide drift. We had pruned them and were waiting to see the results. After I wrote that article, we pruned a couple even further, and the results have been very good. They are all coming back, a couple better than the others, but they have blooms, and it seems they are all going to produce fruit yet this year. We still have one plant that is struggling, but it looks much better. It has been a real example of what Jesus talks about in John 15.
In John 15, Jesus describes Himself as the true Vine, and we, as believers, are the branches. He states that any branch in Him [Jesus] that does not bear fruit [good works], the Father takes away, and any branch that bears fruit, He prunes so that it will bear more fruit. A couple of things to note: #1. The branch taken away was part of the body of Christ. This branch [believer] is then judged by fire, but as 1 Corinthians 3 describes, he will be saved, but as through the fire. Salvation isn’t the issue here. Our punishment for not producing fruit is. #2. The believer who does bear fruit will be pruned even more so that he can bear more fruit, which results in greater rewards.
Here’s what this looks like in life. Master gardeners tell you to snip off sucker leaves on a tomato plant so more energy goes to the production and growth of fruit. If a branch is infected, prune it, so the plant will produce more fruit. If the plant is dying/spreading infection, pull it (and burn it) so it won’t affect others around it. A master gardener watches his plants to see what needs to be done to keep them healthy. God is doing the same for us at a spiritual level.
Galatians 5:19-23 describes the fruit of the world and the Fruit of the Spirit. Is there something that needs to be pruned in your life so you can produce better fruit?
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
I love you all,
Pastor Daniel