BEAR MUCH FRUIT

We arrived at Iglesia El Refugio and as we all do when coming home we toured the grounds. Looking to see what has changed, looking to see what needs to be done and looking at the improvements. Puerto Rico is tropical and we seem to always have something in bloom. In the churchyard there is a banana tree, plantain tree, mango tree, guava tree, avocado tree, lemon tree, and starfruit tree.
 
The verse John 15:5,8 has been dear to my heart since the Lord gave us this property in 2017 that says,

“Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” By this is my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."

It is as if He had provided continual reminders in the yard of this verse coming alive. The ground has produced fruit, yet the church through storms and circumstances has had moments we were not sure it would survive. Then, on this mission, I looked at the lemon tree that was pruned in 2018. After all these years it was bearing the first fruits. 

This was the personal God that I serve talking to me. I love lemons. I love anything flavored lemon. I love yellow. It's my favorite color. So to see this tree bearing fruit was a message for me to not grow weary in well doing, but in due season this church will reap a harvest. Mark and I were told by Holy Spirit in 2017, “Do not despise small beginnings.” How loving is our Father to send a reassuring message that He is the God of the Harvest. We can do nothing without Him. 

As we continue to Abide in Christ, our heart’s prayer is for the nations to bear much fruit. Ask me, and I'll give you the nations,(Psalm 2). This we are asking of God. He said in John 15:16, I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another (verse17).


We are continuing to pray for pastors in Puerto Rico that are desiring to see more fruit. Our hearts are called to do all we can for the manifested presence of Jesus to transform lives and make disciples. He is worthy of it all. May the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the seas, (Habakkuk 2:14).
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Angela East
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