Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The three most common ways to dry fruit would be either in the oven, in an electric dehydrator, or in the air/sun. Each method has its pros and cons, taking different lengths of time; nevertheless all three will eventually get the job done. All three require that air be present and able to circulate around the fruit. All three require that the temperature applied to the fruit be low, yet steady, just hot enough to drain the fruit of its moisture. There are times when slowly, through the applying of just enough heat, while still being able to fully breathe air spiritually we are drained ever so carefully and slowing of our spiritual fruit.

Let me get personal for a moment. I recently went through something physical, which was out of my control and the result physically left me perplexed. Though intellectually I could understand what was wrong with me I knew there was a missing component. Whereas, I was sad over the physical problem and obviously sad over the cause, deep inside I felt the sadness much more intensely than seemed to be warranted physically. A second dynamic was that even though I continued to sense the still small voice of God on all kinds of matters, I could not get understanding on why this sadness seemed so profound. Then I realized a spiritual principle I had known for too many years to be hiding from at that point. You cannot hear God’s true guidance and His real Voice, inside yourself, if you are not truly willing to hear Him on and know His Will in the matter.

I immediately repented and sought to hear and understand God clearly on this matter. His still small voice came through as clear as ever inside my spirit. The deep sadness I felt was over the realization that while I simply journeyed on in my walk and service with the Lord I had allow fruit dryers to drain my joy. It was not a conscious choice but it was a choice by default and one that had consequences because when I needed my joy to combat a physical cause of sadness I was lacking – joy was in short supply.

Spiritual translation…

Having endured a tough couple of years, it climaxed in a very unpleasant event, which resulted in physical injury for me. I am fine now and getting back to better than normal with each passing day. This event thrust me into a sense of sadness over all those people who I deemed “ungrateful” in the world. My sadness caused me to begin to think very negatively about them all. Until God showed me clearly that my sadness was not because of an injury, it was not because of ungrateful people, it was not because I was physically uncomfortable for a while – my sadness was because I had allowed myself to be drained of my personal resources, energies, and spiritual fruit by unproductive ventures, also known as, dried fruit. The moment I made the realization and set to make things right through repentance, taking an active role with God’s leading to change those choices, my sadness lifted and I began to feel joy again – I began to feel like me.

Anyone is vulnerable to being drained by Dried Fruit if they are not mindful of their lives, their service, and their God-given purpose. Almost anything or anyone can be Dried Fruit in your life. It can be a job that is no longer God’s Will for you. It can be an event you agreed to be a part of but now you see you have made an error. It can be a family member who requires more than you have to give and more than they should receive. It can be a lifestyle trait that is no longer working [God] for you. It can be a resistance that has settled in your soul, which keeps you in one place and out of the place, God wants you to be. It can be a person you love but who is poison for you. It can be someone you minister to that drains your spiritual resources without any real signs of growth, tangible results or change. It can be a ministry your doing that God was done with ages ago. It can be your own desire to have, to do, to be, etc. anything beyond or outside of God’s Will for you.

I know I pursued my Dried Fruit relentlessly and by doing so dried my own fruit. How did I let this happen and why did I do this? I understand why, but why is no excuse for allowing it to happen. I love people. Once I love you, I love, and that is that. I am dedicated and loyal to that love and to you or the venture in which I am partaking. This is a godly trait and good spiritual fruit but when my own spiritual fruit becomes something that can be used against me, it becomes dangerous – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Did you get that? Your own spiritual fruit can be used against you by Dried Fruit who will in turn suck you dry if they are allowed. Whether it is a group or an individual, whether they realize it or not, whether it is done through innocence or malice – all is irrelevant, it is your responsibility to regularly check your fruit with God and allow Him to do the necessary pruning in your life to ensure your continued fruit bearing.

What would God desire to prune out of your life so you can bear more fruit?

John 15:2 (NKJV) Jesus speaking

Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

¹¹And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.