Born to bloom

“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 15:5

It’s that time of year again when we see plants once dormant, coming back to life! Things are blooming and spring is in the air. As we are shedding off the old leaves, we should be just as quickly growing new ones, just like a tree. There is a season for everything, but Jesus called us to bear fruit. That means that we were born to bloom.

I realized something today as it’s the time of year that things are beginning to bloom. As I was driving down the road with my brother, I noticed and pointed out several really bright green trees amongst other darker green trees. He noted that the live oaks drop their old leaves about this time of year and gain new ones. The thought came to mind: “As we are shedding off the old, it should be because the new is pushing through.” There’s a season for everything. A season to plow, a season to plant and a season to harvest. There’s a season to be pruned and cut back, and as painful as it is, it’s to promote new growth. We should never shed without gaining something new. The same seasons apply to our lives and now, spring time, is the time to bloom. All of that is so that we might! Will you? 

It’s time to shed old beliefs, old ways, what no longer serves us and use it all to have a come back. 

Here’s the deal: Jesus compared us to the fruit tree. We see in Matthew and Mark where He had walked down the road and saw a fig tree that had leaves but no fruit. What did He do to that tree? He cursed it and told it to wither and die and so it did. We aren’t to curse one another or wish death on, how silly. But in the same manner, it’s that serious of a deal in the Kingdom realm. If we aren’t producing fruit in our lives or reflecting Christ and His love, then what good are we to the Kingdom if we aren’t producing His fruit? The fruit not only feeds our souls but those around us.

We are to do more than just talk about having fruit and only possessing the leaves (the talk), we are to bear fruit (the proof). We are all more interested in someone who can back up their claims. We can scream all day, “I’m an apple tree, I’m an apple tree.” But who will believe us if we bear no apples? In the same way, we say we are Christians but are we walking with Christ and like Him? Where’s the proof? 1 John 3:18 tells us not to love in words or speech, but in deeds (action) and truth. We need to bear proof and that’s in the fruit.

What good is a fruit tree if it doesn’t produce fruit? It’s no good, it’s just an unfruitful tree taking up space and good soil. The vine dressers job is to help fruit growth, to cut back for new growth, to harvest fruit, and cut off whatever doesn’t serve because He cares about the tree and it’s fruit. He wants to help promote growth; that’s His job. I don’t want this to sound harsh but the truth is, we weren’t just created and made to do nothing but to do something, and for good works. So three things that I want to point out. We must to tend to what’s been planted.

1- How do we bear this fruit? We first must learn to Abide. To abide is to remain, stay fixed, dwell or continue in a place. We must remain in Jesus; The Vine, in His presence and in His word. He said to abide in Me and I in you; HE IS THE SOURCE. No exceptions or we aren’t bearing fruit, not of Him anyway. Maybe of ourselves or of another source but we don’t advance His Kingdom in that way. Abiding in the vine, is the only way to bear the fruit of that type of tree. So again, abide, remain and walk in His Spirit in order to bear His fruits. We can’t get in and come back and expect to bear good fruit. We must remain and stay fixed. 

2- What is the fruits exactly? The fruit comes from the root. Whatever we abide in, we will produce. If we abide in and believe lies and dwell on them, then we will produce the fruit of the lies. Maybe it’s that we aren’t good enough and so we begin to bear the fruit and live like it. That’s just one example but if we believe truth, then we also start to live like it, and bear it’s fruit. We walk in it and talk in it and portray it. Well Galatians tells us about the fruit that comes from abiding in the Source of the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at them. We must first know what His fruit looks like in order to see if we are walking in them and abiding in Him. Then we can check off against them to see if whether or not if we are bearing His fruit or the opposite of. You will see where you’re at, what you’re remaining in, and where you need to be! 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

There was once a time not too long ago that I couldn’t check off any of His fruits but was walking contrary to every single one of them. And I’m a believer! I was struggling with His Truth. That checklist proved to me that no matter how much I wanted to rely on God or said I did, that I obviously wasn’t. I wanted things my way and I for sure wasn’t resting or relying on Him or His power to produce His fruits. I wanted what I wanted and now, but we all know that it takes time to bear full fruit. Most people can point out an area that they need to to work on, but I needed major help in all of them.

If you are walking in hate, despair, unrest, resistance, short-fusedness (new word), unkindness, meanness, unfaithfulness, harshness and just feel out of control, then it’s time to do a check up to see why you aren’t abiding and what you are trusting in more. Galatians also says that if you walk in the Spirit, you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh. That’s what gets us in trouble. You can’t do both at the same time, they are contradictory to one another. You must choose. You can’t run back and forth, that’s only confusing, for a double minded man is unstable in all His ways. That’s why we must decide and abide in order to bear these fruits. To not bear fruits is to do the opposite of what we are told to do. 

Just as James ask: Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. This is about the tongue, yet it’s the same concept for all areas. We must walk in accordance with The Spirit of God.

I realize now that it’s not about abiding by the law or trying to be good. That just don’t cut it, but as Zechariah 4:6 states, it’s not by my might or power but by His Spirit (in me)!!! Before Jesus, the law never worked, Jesus came not to void it but to fulfill it and so when we rely on Him, we can please Him.

So in other words, we must reside and abide in Him. Decide that’s where your going to stay. We must cultivate where we want growth, be more intentional with our time and thoughts, and keep our minds constantly stayed on Him. Relying on His power is no different than relying on the power source in your home. You must turn on the switch and let the power do it’s thing. We are led by Him or we try to lead. He died and got it right because I just couldn’t and wouldn’t and still can’t! I can’t do it on my own and was never meant to. It’s only by His grace. He will always be the same, steadfast and unmovable, that is why I must remain in Him. I must rely on the one true God and His spirit; He who was and is and is to Come. There is no other way! He is! The way, the truth and the life.

Last but not least: 

3- Jesus is the Vine and God is the vine dresser. This should have been number 1 but I wanted us to focus on how to abide. No branch bears fruit expect it abides in the vine. Since He is the vine, He is the source, and no one can A- live or B- be fruitful alone without Him, as I have already stated. Or at least not by the fruits of His Holy Spirit. He said if we loved Him to keep His commands and  also to be Holy for He is Holy. A branch that is no good, produces no fruit, is cut off. The Father loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us so that we didn’t have to die in our sin. He doesn’t want us cut off or separated from Him and so He warns us and draws us in so that we might abide in Him in order to live true life and bear His fruits. 

“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. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” John 15:1-8

No other way! 

He came that we might have life and life everlasting and bear fruit along the way! Other wise are we really living? Disciples bear fruit and lead others to Him so that they might have life too. Let me ask you today, where are you at? What are you abiding in, lies or truth? Are you trusting in and living for God? Is Jesus your personal Lord and Savior? I hope it matters to you. He is calling us all to bear fruit but we first must abide in Him. We weren’t born to be unfruitful so it’s time to shed the old and bloom the new.

Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man
And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
In a salt land which is not inhabited. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. Jeremiah 17:5-6

(But….)“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8

I pray that we will each look inward today and see what or who we are trusting in and what we aren’t so that we can get back to the source and the center; Jesus. I pray that we will realize that we can do or accomplish nothing on our own and that we were created for so much more. May we realize the seriousness of being unfruitful. May we be honest when we are trying to do it alone and rely more and more on Him. May we ask for His help and May we reflect Jesus today. May we feel His peace and presence and rely on His power to produce the necessary fruit In our lives. May we be fruitful in all seasons. I ask this all in Jesus Name, Amen. 🙏