DEVO: June 5 - How much fruit are you really producing?

[God, the Father, the Vinedresser]

removes every branch … that bears no fruit.

Every branch that bears [some] fruit he prunes

to make it bear more fruit.

John 15:2

 

Take a close look at today’s verse. Do you see the progression of fruit?

 

Jesus tells us that fruitfulness in life grows from “no fruit” … to “[some] fruit”  … to more fruit. In fact, if we look forward to verse 5, we’ll see the final goal of “much fruit.”

 

My goal this week is to help you go more and more and more fruit. And there are some steps we are each invited to take.

 

We introduced step one yesterday. It’s realizing that God’s greatest desire is to lift you up, clean you off, forgive your sins, and set you on the road to greater joy and fruitfulness.

 

This is the step of faith.

 

And here’s your first question on that road to fruitfulness:

 

·         Do you believe, really believe, that God’s greatest desire is to lift you up and make your life fruitful? A glorious testimony to his grace!

·         Do you believe, really believe, that loves you – indeed, loves you enough to forgive you of your greatest sins.

·         Do you believe, really believe, that God is patient enough to work with you, step-by-step, until the best blossoms within you?

 

That’s step one.

 

Step two is being honest with ourselves. It requires determining how much fruit you really and truly bear.

 

Now it’s critical to understand that this has nothing to do with the world’s standards of success! Kingdom fruit is determined …

 

·         By selflessness and service.

·         By worship and devotion.

·         By humbleness and integrity.

·         By forgiveness and love.

 

If you’ve taken the first step of faith, then this is today’s practical application. In kingdom terms, how fruitful are you?

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who at different times has

produced various levels of fruit

(through Christ, of course)

but wants to do what it takes

to be ever more fruitful