“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Are you bearing good fruit? If not, you probably need to be pruned.
Pruning is the removal of damaged, diseased, and dead branches for the benefit of a plant. In John 15, we’re told to be like branches that bear good fruit, but it’s crucial to realize that we need the Trinity to do so. Jesus is the vine we grow from, and God is the gardener that prunes us. I’ll explain the importance of the Holy Spirit later.
Abiding in Christ is emphasized heavily in this passage. We are also told to connect and become dependent on Him in Psalms 1. But to be able to abide in Christ, we need to know Christ. We have to delight in the law of the Lord (His Word), which John tells us is Him.
This is why David tells us that we have to meditate in His Word. That means reading it, questioning it, and ultimately applying it to our lives. If we strive to live by God’s Word, we’ll be following His example. That’s being true Christ-ians.
As humans, we’re bound to sin. With God you can bear good fruit, but nothing good comes from being fed by a sinful world. To avoid bearing what we shouldn’t, we have to be pruned. And as trees are pruned with sharp tools, we should be pruned with a sharp Word.
To know what areas of your life are holding you back, take a look at what comes from your involvement in them. Pray for discernment and the help of the Holy Spirit to recognize right from wrong. Be honest with yourself, identify your problem areas, and surrender them to Him. How do you spend your time? What do you value? It may not always be other people stunting your growth, though it is important to be mindful of those close to you.
When the Holy Spirit is in you, so is His fruit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control all roll off the tongue, but they aren’t as easy to find. If it seems like you’re lacking any of the things God has promised you, you’re probably neglecting the gift of the Spirit that He’s given you.
As a branch, you need to stay connected to Jesus. As a tree, you have to be rooted in Him, in His Word. If you fill yourself with things of the world, you’ll bear the world’s fruit. There’s no way to get to God‘s goodness without God.
be blessed bbys ✨
Vessel in the Valley 
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