Fruitfulness…

 Fruitfulness….

Part of my growing up years were spent in central California…my grandparents had a ranch in the foothills out of Visalia…their first house set further back in the foothills…

One of the crops they enjoyed was figs…the sweet black figs…my grandmother made fig jam every year…the smell and the taste of figs is still a favorite of mine and when I can get fresh ones once in awhile I luxuriate in their flavor…and one of my dad’s favorite cookies were Fig Newtons, probably because of his love for figs as well and his memories of growing up…I even have a fake fig tree in my home to remind me of those bygone days…

I was visiting an acquaintance near here in Homedale and in front of their home was a whole row of fig trees with figs…ohhh…what a treat…

I didn’t realize that they have two crops of figs, an early one and a later one…if there is not a first crop, which are hard and small, there will not be a later one…so even though the trees may look lush and green, they may be unfruitful or barren…

It reminded me of the sower and his seeds…one kind grew up quick and lush, but had no roots and it withered and died because it had no roots…

Both fig tree and the seeds didn’t have a firm foundation…

We can be the same…I can be the same…if my foundation isn’t rooted and strong in Christ, I wither and die…I can look good to those around, but no lasting fruitfulness, barrenness….

Thank YOU…

 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. 

In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” 

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Mark.11.12-14, Mark.11.20-25

Faithful…..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSy4zC2_ztg

Fruitful Vineyard…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzBBWBQQesU