Fruit that Remains
I've been pondering this topic a lot lately; praying, reading, and talking with the Brouwers and my soul-winning partners, Justa and Mariamu.
How does one produce genuine fruit? Yes, God alone produces fruit but He uses human vessels. Are there areas I can grow in so that I may produce more genuine fruit and bring more glory to my Lord?
I don't think John 15:16, "that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain," is referring primarily to leading others to Christ, but I don't think it excludes it either. And bringing others to Christ is the fruit that I'm longing for!
Heading into the new year, I've done some looking back on the old and realized with considerable grief that, of all the people we've led to Christ, I can only count 2 people, a husband and wife, that are faithfully coming to church. Church attendance is by no means a proof of salvation, but it does show some kind of change in the person's life. True conversion means a person has become a "new creature, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new."
I don't want to focus on numbers. I don't want to focus on the fruit. But it is cause for reevaluating.
So far, in the midst of this reevaluating process, the Lord has shown me 4 things:
*I need to spend more time "following-up," visiting again those with questions and those who made a profession to teach and encourage.
*When witnessing, I need to spend focus on being Spirit-led in how to make the message clear and if/when to draw in the net.
*Pray, pray, pray.
*In my prayers and when I witness, my focus should not be fruit, or more power to bear more fruit, rather my focus should simply be knowing Christ! (We Would See Jesus by Hession)