How To Stop A Tree From Bearing Fruit

I happened upon this from my Myspace Blog. It's amazing what a year can do...

The Healing Begins (How to Stop a Tree from Bearing Fruit)

I'm sharing this because I know a lot of us are feeling some of the same things. We all go through heartbreak, disappointment and trials that cause us to question even the very thing we stand for. But after all that rain, the clouds are breaking and the sun is beginning to shine through… So that afterwards you can see things with an even clearer, more experienced perspective.

There is a beautiful tree I pass every day on the way to work. During the fall season, it drops small fruit onto the sidewalk, causing everyone passing it a bit of an obstacle course (especially because when the fruit is stepped on, it produces an unpleasant odor.)

The thought came to my mind that maybe there was a way to stop that tree from producing that fruit, therefore reducing the annoyance to all passers-by.

God used that tree (of all things) to teach me a lesson. I researched the ways that one can stop a tree from bearing fruit. When I looked up this particular type of tree, I found that the only way to stop it from bearing fruit was to CUT IT DOWN and then RIP THE ROOTS OUT.

The past six months have brought many heartbreaking events. Listing them here would add to the weight on my heart – but for those who know us you have some idea.
Through those weeks, days and long hours the thought has crossed my mind that maybe I'm pointed in the wrong direction. Maybe serving people (and the Lord) is not all it's cracked up to be. (Note: Yes, this may sound sacrilegious coming from a 'Pastor's Wife', but let's be honest – We all go through trials, and if we could just be more genuine about our struggles maybe we could help each other out a little more. I am striving to be this candid for two purposes: To minimize the likelihood of getting stuck in a façade that makes it appear as if everything is perfect and that I have no problems; and to also help out anyone else who is feeling the same way.)

When I first started on this journey, the excitement and energy could barely be contained. And with anything that is worthwhile, there came a season where that excitement then develops into discipline – To grow in understanding and realize that faith is not a feeling.

Through those times, we've accomplished what many in our outside circle deem a success. But when so many challenges and heartbreaks come along, it is natural to question. It is natural to think about taking the easy way out. It's natural to think about fleeing and starting all over. But deep within I know unswervingly that I have been called to something different. I wouldn't be happy as Jane Smith with 2.5 kids, 3 car garage and a husband I never see but whom brings home a six-figure paycheck, because I wouldn't be fulfilling my true purpose.

Of all the possible things God could speak to me through, He used a tree.

The trials that have arrived as of late have been attempts to destroy the growth that has already occurred, and to prevent it from developing any further. Many of us have gone through the wringer lately, and it is not a coincidence. When people in our lives leave, we feel disconnected, as if our ROOTS have been RIPPED OUT. What we thought was a central part of our lives is now detached. When we go through personal struggle and disappointment, we can easily be CUT DOWN.

This revelation has helped me come to the conclusion that I will not let myself be CUT DOWN; my roots are firmly planted and will not be RIPPED OUT. I will NOT be defeated.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.- 1 Peter 5:8,9a

But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.- Psalm 71:14

Over The Hedge: Boundaries

What’s a hedge?
Hedges are boundaries.
Mark 12:1 Jesus said, “A man planted a vineyard… and set a hedge around it.”

First, the man planted a vineyard.

The Hebrew word for hedge means something which surrounds or encloses, whether it be a stone wall or a fence of other materials. The stone walls which surround the sheepfolds of modern Palestine are frequently topped with sharp thorns.


What do hedges do?
*Next, the man in the parable (Mark 12) placed a hedge around his vineyard. Why?

• To protect it from intrusion by animals and thieves
• to keep his vines inside his vineyard
• and to separate his territory from his neighbors.

A hedge makes the statement, “Private Property, No Trespassing.” The symbolic hedges around our lives serve the same purpose. The goal is to keep the good things in—and the bad things out.


Examples of Physical (Literal, Tangible) Hedges from the Bible
Proverbs 24:30-32 
Ezekiel 42:10 – A hedge is described in the vision of the temple.
Stone Walls, Fences, Shrubs, can all be considered hedges


Examples of Spiritual Hedges from the Bible
Job 1:10 Job 3:23


What do spiritual hedges do?
*Think of yourself as a vineyard.  In Ezekiel, a hedge surrounds the temple – (We are the temple of Christ)
1 Cor 3:16

• To protect us from intrusion by the enemy
• to provide us with structure and healthy boundaries (keep his vines inside his vineyard)
• and to set us apart (separate his territory)


What are the boundaries/hedges God has provided? Establishing boundaries under God’s direction...

Proper mental, emotional, and spiritual boundaries enable us to focus on God’s love for us, as well as the ways in which He can use us to better serve the Body of Christ.
Psalms 119:65-66 - Proverbs 3:5-6 - Colossians 1:9-12 - Psalms 32:8 - Proverbs 4:23

* Respecting the boundaries of others
Philippians 2:3-4

* Hedges are not a sign of God’s disapproval.
Just as the toddler ignores the dozens of toys at hand in order to reach for the item high on a shelf, we often desire the thing God has not allowed to us. In many cases, this is a form of rebellion against His will.


What if we disregard or ignore that hedge?

* It opens the door for the enemy
Example “poor security”. Open doors. Open windows. Unlocked areas of our lives.
Spend some time checking the “security”. Give the enemy no place. Our responsibility as a believer is to inventory our lives to check to see if it matches up with God’s desire for us to live.
Eph 4:25-27 (The Message version says Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.)

*The enemy has authority in our lives in direct proportion to the levels of submission and obedience we have to the Lord’s desires for our lives.
James 4:7

Fact is…Jesus gave His life for us. Our greatest thankfulness is to give our lives wholly to Him.  If we hold on to portions of our lives that harbor disobedience to the heart of God, we open the door for the enemy to traffic in and out of.

*Disobedience is any action or attitude that Scripture tells you NOT to do or have, or any action that Scripture instructs us to do and we refuse to do it. (Sins of commission & Sins of omission)
Romans 6:16-18

*Example - Have you known a child or been a child, who has stuck a paper clip in an electrical socket or a knife in the toaster even after being warned of the impending shock? Did YOU shock them? Did YOU cause the pain and the singed hairs? No. You warned them or impending danger but let them choose their course of action. Protection begins with the action of warning and instructing but must be followed through with obedience.

* What is God’s heart for my life? What would please Him? What might not please Him that needs to be forsaken?

* We risk gaining an inheritance from Christ
Ephesians 5:1-5

* Generational curses repeat themselves (you’re going to be just like your father; like mother, like daughter)
Ezekiel 16:44-48

*Can even worsen – worse than what our families did before us.

*Families don’t always talk about their problems and addictions, etc (hidden, skeletons in closet)

*You may be in the process of repeating a generational curse that you aren’t even aware of! History can repeat itself!


Maintaining our hedge

*God will keep helping us grow.
Philippians 1:6 - Ephesians 2:10 - Psalms 27:13-14

*Even when trials weaken us, we still can maintain boundaries and grow
Romans 5:3-5

A Time For Everything: Focus

Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.

When we spread ourselves too thin, we get swept up in the midst of things that really don’t deserve our priority attention.

1. Focus on the task ahead of you (Keep the main thing the main thing)

*There may be many ‘good’ things for us to do or take part in, but what is the appropriate thing to do at that particular time, in that particular place?
Luke 10:38-42

Giving Priority to Secondary Matters - Martha was more concerned with her duties in the home, that even when Christ physically came to her home, she didn’t recognize the importance and opportunity. Sometimes, our duties will always be there, and there are times where we have to take a moment to just take a moment to soak it all in / to enjoy the things that God is doing around us, etc.

*God does not expect us to achieve a lifetime of tasks for every season at once.
Psalm 92:12-14
Tree advice I came across on a gardening site: “Your trees are still relatively young, where they bear nicely and then the following year very few will form; and I feel that they will progressively bear larger and better quality fruit as they age.”

2 . Remove the distraction
Media – computers, cell phones, im, etc
Jesus went away and prayed - After ministering, healing sick and afflicted in Capernaum:
Mark 1:35 - Luke 4:42
Solitude is important for prayer and refreshment, but will only be possible if we make it a priority. Jesus had to get up very early just to get some time alone. If Jesus needed solitude for prayer and refreshment, how much more is this true for us? Don’t become so busy that life turns into a flurry of activity leaving no room for quiet fellowship alone with God. No matter how much you have to do, you should always have time for prayer. Turn off all the electronics, all the ‘white noise’ that we say we cannot sleep without, etc.

3. The myth of multi-tasking
Do one thing and do it well. We are not called to do ALL THINGS all AT ONCE!
Psalm 90:12
People who multitask are less efficient than those who focus on one project at a time, says a study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology... Managing two mental tasks at once reduces the brainpower available for either task, according to a study published in the journal NeuroImage. Sue Shellenberger ( from the Wall Street Journal), Star Telegram: "Multitasking Makes You Stupid, Studies Say"; 12/2/2003

4. Give yourself wholeheartedly (Be fully committed)
Philippians 3:14

- EMF Women's Month message

Minister To 'Your' People...?

‘Minister to Your People.’ That is what my husband was told back in the late 1990’s, on his journey to follow the path God had placed in his heart. Since he is a man of Hispanic heritage, for most, it would make sense that he would lead a solely Hispanic congregation. But who exactly are ‘our people’ to a Puerto Rican man and a Polish/Bulgarian/Who Knows What Else woman with African-American foster children?

Starting out, my husband was told by leaders flat out that a diverse church ‘Won’t happen. We’ve tried it before, and it didn’t work.’ Thankfully God soon opened many doors and also led us to connect with others with a vision that expanded beyond those boundaries. For over ten years now, we’ve served and gotten to know such a breadth of people from many cultures and walks of life. So what do you call that church?

And now, over ten years later, I am still confounded by the fact that churches are still referred to as ‘Hispanic’ or ‘Asian’, etc. I can’t help but feel misunderstood when we get pigeonholed as a ‘Hispanic’ church. All of the reporting forms and surveys we fill in typically only allow you to check one box regarding church culture. So which box? The people we serve span several cultural groups: African-American, Hispanic (and within that group there are sub-groups represented: Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, etc), Asian (Hmong, Vietnamese), and White, or a combination of any of the above. And our youth group is even more diverse, if you can believe that’s possible. So, please, again, tell me, what do you call that church?

While we are a ‘small’ church, I believe God has begun a great work. I recall early discussions as our ministry was just beginning, where there was such hyper-sensitivity among leaders regarding race. ‘Do you prefer to be called Anglo, or European, or White?’ That was a time in our country where there was a strong push for ‘political correctness’, which in many ways put a wall up. People were hesitant to ask real questions for fear of offending someone by saying the wrong thing. Over the years, a sense of familiarity has developed as we’ve found connections beyond ‘race’ – in our life experiences, in our shared beliefs, struggles and triumphs. There is great beauty in hearing someone say they felt welcome because everyone is genuine. That did not happen unintentionally; it has taken years to develop. I believe that getting out of our comfort zones as it relates to race creates a much richer, fuller experience in life as well as ministry.

Now, consider the growing use of technology. The subsequent generations have much more easily embraced diversity. Social networking sites allow us to connect with friends spanning from Dubai to Duluth. Beyond that, even families are increasingly multi-cultural. The days of ‘Black, White and Brown’ have become a beautiful mosaic of shades that cannot be so easily labeled. Take a look at diversity statistics – Slightly more than one-third of the population of the United States – 34 percent – claims “minority” racial or ethnic heritage, a jump of 11 percent from 2000. The 2000 census was the first time people could identify themselves as having more than one race or ethnicity. In 2000, 6.8 million people reported more than one race.

How will we (as a church body) be ready to serve the coming generations, whose focus will not be based primarily upon cultural identity?