Written by Katie Forbess, Board President of Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Missouri

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.(Jn 15:16 NIV)

Iron Rose Sister Ministries actively does things to help women by equipping and encouraging them to grow closer to God and one another, bearing fruit that will last, and hearing their prayers along the way.

Last year, the theme of “Practice like a Wise Woman” shook the ministry and blessed it in ways never imagined. Thankfully, we trusted and sought wisdom, and we truly moved in the ways we felt God calling us. Not perfectly, but faithfully. 

That Godly wisdom brought us this year’s theme of “Bear Fruit,” which will touch many parts of our lives and relationships. Personally, I have come to define bearing fruit as this: When I am living in such a way that I am connected to God, like a healthy vine to the branches, and I allow God to work through me, fruit is produced.

While remaining in the love of God, I believe part of bearing fruit is the fruit of the Spirit in me, and another part is the sharing of the truth of the gospel of Christ to someone in a way that they become capable of reproducing that gospel themselves. And all future fruit will go on to do the same. The fruit of more disciples will last long past my time here on earth, and long past the people who know me or will even know about me. This fruit is eternal, so it will last in heaven. In the end, I believe we will all feel connected to the same Vine and the same roots and truly be one in Christ. 

On a personal level, as I look at this year, I see there will be a lot of changes, such as a son who will be graduating and going to college, a daughter who could be engaged by the end of the year, and another daughter who plans to start driving by the end of the month. There are always changes. There will be ups and downs. Joys and sorrows. The real question is: Will I bear fruit that lasts during these times?

I’m reminded of Abraham, whom God told that his family would be as numerous as the stars. It took a few failed attempts on Abraham's part and a baby born many generations later to completely fulfill that promise. That baby grew up to make disciples, died for the sins of the world, and then arose, sending all His disciples to go out and make disciples.

The fruit that God is asking me to bear is only possible through this blessing of Abraham’s descendent, Jesus Christ. Abraham could never have known how eternal his fruit would be. The fruit we bear is under God’s control, as well. I may never truly understand what will happen with the fruit He has called me to bear. What a blessing to be part of something so much bigger!

How can we bear fruit that will last during this time in our lives?

How can we trust God with the eternal impact of the fruit we will bear in His name?

Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries

2 Timothy 2:2 reads: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (ESV).

Paul is reaching the end of his life, and he wants this precious message to continue to be passed on. 

“Entrust” indicates responsibility and stewardship. “Faithful” means those who will treasure what they have and handle it as God intended. 

We, as disciples of Jesus, are the only way others will learn about Jesus and why He came to earth. We have been given a mission, and in John 15, Jesus shares His plans with His disciples. 

Jesus paints a word picture of Himself as the Vine and His disciples as the branches that bear the fruit. Some of His statements are:

Verse 2: “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

Verse 4: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”

Verse 5: “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Verse 8: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

Verse 16: “You did not choose me, but 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.”

When a branch bears fruit, it provides the way by which other fruit can be produced. The branch that does not bear fruit is considered dead.

If you have ever grown a garden or fruit trees, you know an important part of having a healthy plant is to cut off dead or diseased limbs, so they do not weaken the healthy branches. Likewise, Jesus says He will remove those branches that are not bearing fruit.

Some of Jesus’ last words were, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Mt 28:19).

There is joy in seeing someone you have taught become a follower of Jesus. 

“Each one teach one” is a common saying among believers, indicating each of us is responsible for reaching someone who can then reach someone else, just as 2 Timothy 2:2 says. 

Teaching about Jesus should be a normal part of our lives. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 emphasizes the importance of teaching when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise.

Some ways to reach out to others are:

• Invite someone to VBS, gospel meetings, or a Bible study.
• Invite your friend for coffee and tell her you have good news you want to share… Then share your faith story and the path that led you to be a Christ follower (to discipleship).
• When you are with a friend, ask what she believes, then listen. Be ready to share your common beliefs, but if she mentions something not in Scripture, gently ask where she gets the authority for what she said.
• When you are asked a question, turn to Scripture instead of sharing your opinion.
• Stay “on target” in your study with others.

If you do not know how to teach someone, find a friend who does and ask them to help you learn.  It may be that you are like Andrew and can seek people out and invite them to a Bible class or worship services, leaving the more formal teaching to someone else. 

It is important to be alert and realize when a friend may be receptive. Life changes often create an interest that has not been present. When a new family moves into the neighborhood and is making new friends can be an excellent time to set up a study. 

For us, it is important to:

• know who our authority is.
• know what and why we believe.
• be willing to search if asked a question we don’t know.

Are you willing to put 2 Timothy 2:2 into practice in your life?

Written by Corinne Faneus, Ministry Coordinator at Iron Rose Sister Ministries

“Well, there is nothing left to do except pray.”
“Sorry, I can’t do anything else, but I’ll pray for you.”
“The least I can do is pray.”

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (Jas 5:15-16 NIV)

We read throughout the Scriptures multiple prayers that had incredible and powerful results—Hannah in 1 Samuel 2, Hezekiah in 2 Kings 19, and Elijah in 1 Kings 17 and 18. Prayer is shown countless times as the means by which we put our faith and trust in God as the means for God to fulfill His promises and plans in our lives. Yet, often unintentionally, with our own words, we take away the very power that prayer holds. Like the phrases above, we often minimize prayer as a last resort or as a small, almost insufficient service to those around us.

Prayer is one of the greatest gifts we have been given. That God allows and plans for our prayers to be how He is moved to action is amazing, confusing, wonderful, mysterious, and awe-inspiring. God’s hand is moved by the prayers of His creation.

If we know all this to be true about prayer, how can we be women who offer powerful and effective prayers? How can our prayers bear fruit?

It may sound cliché, but for our prayers to be powerful and effective, we must have faith in God— faith that our prayers serve a purpose, and faith that God is working through our prayers. We can often wonder, “What difference will our prayers make? If God is sovereign and has everything all planned out, what difference does it make to pray for a dear friend to be healed from sickness? Does it really matter if I pray for my unbelieving relative, if God’s will is going to be accomplished regardless?”

“Jesus replied, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.’” (Mt 21:21)

Our prayers of faith make all the difference, not because we can change God’s plans, but because part of God’s plan is that we pray! We pray to bring about what God has planned. Do you trust and believe that your prayer is part of God’s sovereign plan? Do you believe that God has planned to act because of your prayer?

In James 5:17, we see James give an example of a righteous person’s powerful and effective prayer, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth” (ESV). Being a spiritual superstar like Elijah is not what makes our prayers effective and powerful. James points out to us that Elijah was a man with a nature like ours; he was a normal human being who prayed. He was just a man who prayed fervently, and his prayers were answered. Normal average women like you and me have that same ability as Elijah because prayer is about God and not about us. Just like Elijah, we can be righteous by offering fervent, faith-filled prayers.

Ordinary women submitted to God can offer effective and powerful prayers because we pray to an extraordinary God.

Written by Caroline Prieto, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil

Adolescence was one of the phases of my life when I felt most disciplined by my parents. At 13 years old, I decided to give my life to the Lord and was baptized. Years later, I remember that my school friends lived things I had never experienced. Many of my classmates went to parties regularly, and my parents never let me go. You can imagine that for a teenager's mind, it wasn't the best feeling to be excluded by not doing what everyone else did, even though I had chosen to be a Christian. Several times I begged my parents to let me go to parties with my school friends, but the answer was always: no!

I remember once confiding in one of these classmates. I mentioned that I was very frustrated because I felt my parents wouldn't let me do everything I wanted – like going out to parties like everyone else. My classmate's response is still vivid in my mind. She said, "I wish my parents wouldn't let me go to all the parties either. They always let me do whatever I want… sometimes I feel like my parents don't even care about me."

I was speechless. I could be sure that my parents loved me. Look, I don't think my classmate's parents didn't love her, but maybe they believed they were doing the best for her, according to the context in which they lived. They weren't Christians, so they probably believed that the best way to be good parents was to never forbid anything.

At that moment, it was as if everything made sense to me. Today, years after that conversation, I can look back and feel even more the immense love my parents had for me. The prohibitions, in fact, were pure discipline. It was an attempt to keep me from losing myself. Today, I understand that my parents were looking out for my best interests and were affirming their love for me.

Similarly, but even more profoundly, God also does this with us. Take a look at what is written in Hebrews 12:10-11 (NIV).

They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

How can I accept being called a daughter of God and reject His discipline for me? Discipline is a gift to children!

Look at how great the love of our Father is: when God allows us to be disciplined, He is affirming that we are legitimate daughters, even when we are considered illegitimate by the world.

I want to invite you to reflect on some reasons to see God's discipline as something good for us, based on the verses in Hebrews chapter 12:

1. Discipline is a clear sign that we are children of God and that He loves us.

...because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?(Heb 12:6-7)

2. The purpose of discipline is our own well-being.
3. Through discipline, we can participate in God's holiness.

They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.(Heb 12:10)

Sharing in God's holiness is an inheritance, and only His children receive it!

It's as if God were telling us, “You are my beloved daughter. I want what's best for you, and I want you to share in holiness with me... that's why I'm disciplining you!”

But what does it actually mean to be disciplined by God?

It means we are required to go through corrections and processes that are permitted by Him, not as punishment for rejection, but as proof of love and care, with the goal of making us more like Christ.

In practice, this discipline can manifest in various ways, for example: through the Word of God, through our brothers and sisters in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, and even through the consequences of our wrong choices.

I would like to conclude this blog with a quote from Albert Barnes: "I have never known a Christian who was not benefited by afflictions."

However difficult it may be, everything we experience works together for the good of being transformed into the image and likeness of Christ. What a privilege!

I know that during my adolescence, it wasn't pleasant being disciplined by my parents, but today I can see the fruits I've reaped. Our God is also disciplining us today so that later we can produce fruit of righteousness and peace.

I encourage you to see God's daily care for you through discipline.

Have no doubt about the greatness of our Father's love.

How have you experienced the Lord's discipline in your life? Reflect on this!

Written by Jocelynn Goff, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas

 I planted a garden again this year and I am anticipating the harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, and peppers. I’m especially looking forward to one of my favorites: a crisp cucumber and fresh tomato sandwich. A fresh tomato on a BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato) sandwich may be your favorite, or a cucumber tomato salad, or canning fresh salsa. Whatever it is, if it comes fresh from the garden it’s always better than store-bought. But it’s often hard to know if this will be an abundant harvest with plenty to share or just a lot of hard work for a disappointing harvest.

However, we know that if God plants a garden or vineyard the harvest will be plentiful and it will not disappoint. As we read in Zecharaiah 8:12 (CSB) “For they will sow in peace: the vine will yield its fruit, the land will yield its produce, and the skies will yield their dew.  I will give the remnant of this people all these things as an inheritance.” This is a promise from God to the remnant of Israel. God is telling them that He will supply an abundance for them.

As we read further in Zecharaiah 8 we see that there are conditions requiring obedience that are a part of this promise. Zecharaiah 8:16 says, “These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, make true and sound decisions within your city gates.  Do not plot evil in your hearts against your neighbor, and do not love perjury for I hate all this – this is the LORD’s declaration.”And, get this, if they act in obedience to this, then the result as Zecharaiah 8:22-23 shares, “Many people and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Armies in Jerusalem and to plead for the Lord’s favor. The LORD of Armies says this: “In those days, ten men from nations of every language will grab the robe of a Jewish man tightly, urging: Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

So, God gives the remnant a fruitful harvest to enjoy if they obey His commands, and the result is another type of fruit. This is the fruit of someone who wants to know about the LORD. 

This is a pretty amazing progression of fruit, obedience, and bearing fruit.

However, I know you may be thinking this is an Old Testament situation and doesn’t apply to today and to me. Let’s look at some other New Testament scriptures. John 13:34 Jesus says, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”Applying the principle of following our Lord’s commands, if we love one another—and love is one of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22—then the result will be that everyone will know that we are His disciples.

This is that double fruit. Fruit within us and then fruit around us because they know we are His.

To carry this thought further we know that the fruit of love is not from our own effort. We need to die to ourselves much as a seed dies when it is planted in order to produce a harvest. As John 12:24 reminds us, “Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.”

In addition, in Romans 7:4b we also bear fruit through the body of Christas it says, “You belong to Him Who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.” If we belong to Him then we may bear fruit. This reminds me of the words of Jesus in John 15:5, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.”

Since I believe all Iron Rose Sisters want to bear fruit, then we must ask ourselves these questions:

• Am I obedient by practicing the fruit of the Spirit of love so others will know I am His?
• Have I become a seed and died to myself?
• Do I belong to the One who was raised from the dead?
• Am I remaining in Him because I can do nothing without Him?

Blessings to all my Iron Rose Sisters as we journey forward in obedience and bearing fruit.