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Written by Rayne Paz, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

My mother was always growing plants, and when I moved into my new house, I decided to bring that practice to my home. I confess that at first I wasn't very used to all the proper care, and some died. However, interestingly enough, one of them, which seemed dead, after a few days of pruning and watering, began to grow again like a new plant, restored and transformed. It was interesting to observe that its dry branches began to sprout new shoots. A true renewal.

This is the example used by Isaiah in chapter 11, verse 1, and chapter 53, verse 2. That which seemed to be dead and broken burst forth to create something new, and we could not be speaking of anyone other than the Messiah. The Messiah, Christ, came to renew and bear fruit in wisdom, justice, and faithfulness for a people already considered "dead." This renewal extends beyond the original recipients and reaches us. "And again, Isaiah says, ’The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope'" (Ro 15:12 NIV).

In John 15, Jesus states that His disciples are also branches sprouting from a true vine: Himself. We are the fruit of Christ's work on the cross; we are the branches that sprout from His sacrifice. Now, if we are connected to a living tree, nothing is more inevitable than growth and the bearing of fruit. However, this growth and fruitfulness require some considerations:

• Pruning: “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (Jn 15:2) - Growth only occurs on a clean branch, and we are cleansed by pruning with the Word. We must read it, put it into practice in our lives— for it is like a sword that pierces us to transform us (Heb 4:12).

• Permanence and Dependence: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (Jn 15:4). - No branch produces fruit on its own— it is necessary to depend on the Vine. Bearing fruit implies understanding that we cannot do it alone; we need to abandon the idea of ​​independence and submit our lives to Christ.

• Attributing glory to the truly worthy: “This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (Jn 15:8). - It is common for humans to observe their results and attribute the achievement to themselves or their own efforts. This is not how it works in the Kingdom of God. God is glorified when we produce fruit, and we should attribute such an accomplishment to Him.

As a result of sprouting, we too must continue producing. God invites us, through the example of Christ, to submit to Him, to be established in Him, to depend on Him, and to produce for Him.

In what ways can you bear fruit today? In service in the congregation? Loving in your home? Evangelizing the lost? Praying for someone? I am sure there are many ways to manifest these fruits. And don't forget, God is glorified in our lives when we bear fruit. So: bear fruit!

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Written by Abby Baumgartner, an Iron Rose Sister Ministries volunteer in Texas

 In school, did you ever try to grow a plant in a wet paper towel? My elementary school teacher gave each student a small seed, a wet paper towel, and a Ziploc bag. We placed the seed inside the folded towel, the towel inside the bag, and the bag by a window. Over the course of a week, we watched the seeds sprout, but the plants did not last long. A seedling cannot survive in a wet paper towel forever — in fact, the stem snaps if the plant is not rooted in a source of strength and sustenance. A plant cannot live and grow without affixing its roots to something stronger than itself.

This seemingly trivial science lesson rings true in life, too. When we rely on our own abilities to grow, we are successful for a time, but without being rooted in a deeper source of strength, we continually fall short. Scripture reflects this idea, too. When the LORD led the Israelites out of Egypt, they committed to following the living God who performed miracles, brought them out of captivity, and parted the Red Sea. Yet their growth in trusting God had not taken root — they still questioned how He would provide food and water, doubted His protection, and consistently chose their own desires over closeness to God.

But, before I judge the Israelites of old, I must remember that I struggle with the very same things. Scripture says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Ro 3:23 ESV). If I were able to fix my own flaws, I would not be in need of a Savior. I see areas of life where I want to grow, but making positive, lasting change is hard work! For example, I struggled mightily with gossip in the past. I wanted to honor Christ and the others by ending my sinful habits, but my willpower was not enough. The good news that I was “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Ro 3:24). This was not lost on me, but I wanted to grow in my ability to honor Him fully… What could I do?

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” (Col 2:6-7 NKJV).

A core temptation of life is to say I can be the source of my own growth, that within me I contain all that is needed to become a better person. While each person must play a part in creating healthy change in their lives, growth only takes root when we are “rooted” in Christ. This passage in Colossians has become a personal favorite because it highlights my humility, Christ’s sufficiency, and our consistency.

First, my humility: Paul says we should “walk” in Christ the same way we “received” Christ (Col 2:6). I received Christ in the humblest of situations. I was aware of my insufficiency and my need for a Savior, and I approached Christ with childlike dependence. In cutting gossip from my relationships, I recognized that my strength could only go so far — I needed to let go of my pride and turn to Christ for help.

Second, Christ’s sufficiency: Christ is more than capable of meeting my needs because when I am “rooted” in Him, I am also “built up” and “established” (Col 2:7). When I focus more on all that Christ gives me, I learn to trust Him to sustain my need for connection that I tried to fill through gossip. Only then could I let go of the fear that drove me to seek connection in unhealthy ways.

Finally, our consistency: Over time, we develop consistency in our relationship with Christ. As I see His work in my life, my roots run deep, and I grow toward “abounding in [Christ and faith] with thanksgiving” (Col 2:7). Now, my life yields the fruit of joy and thanksgiving because my roots are in Christ.

As you go forth today, think: How can you remember your root in Christ, and how can you look for the fruit of that rootedness?

I want to leave you with the words of the song “Grace by Which I Stand” by Keith Green. I absolutely love this contemporary Christian song because it reminds me that any need met, any decision made, any modification of my character can only “stand” and last by the grace of God. Here is how the song goes:

Lord, the feelings are not the same
I guess I'm older
I guess I've changed
And how I wish it had been explained
That as you're growing
You must remember
That nothing lasts
Except the grace of God
By which I stand in Jesus
I know that I would surely fall away
Except for grace
By which I am saved
Lord, I remember that special way
I vowed to serve You
When it was brand new
But like Peter, I can't even watch and pray
One hour with You
And I bet I could deny You, too
And nothing lasts
Except the grace of God
By which I stand in Jesus
I'm sure that my whole life would waste away
Except for grace
By which I'm saved
Well, nothing lasts
Except the grace of God
By which I stand in Jesus
I know that I would surely fall away
Except for grace
By which I am saved