I planted a couple of orange trees in my back yard recently. I anticipate that some day they will be large enough to provide some shade, but that's not the main reason I planted them. Since they are called orange trees, I fully expect them to one day bear oranges. I selected and planted them for this express purpose: that they would bear fruit.
"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another." (John 15:16-17)
Every believer who has made the choice to become a follower of Christ has been selected by the Master gardener to be planted and cultivated so as to bear good fruit. That is His express purpose for us: that we bear fruit.
It won't be difficult for me to know when my orange trees are bearing fruit, because I know what oranges look like. Similarly, it's not difficult to know when we are bearing fruit, because we are given a detailed description of the fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Again, it is for this purpose that we have been selected.
"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples" (John 15:8). Disciples bear fruit, and disciples are some of that fruit. We are spiritually enabled to reproduce after our own kind. Orange trees produce oranges, humans reproduce and bear humans (babies), and disciples produce additional disciples (Acts 6:7).
We are privileged people; we have been chosen and appointed for the purpose of bearing fruit. The burden is not placed upon us to bear fruit of our own initiative and resources; we are instead selected to be the "conduit" through which Christ, through Holy Spirit power, produces that fruit through us. We are fruit-bearing trees nourished in and through Him.
The task before each of us this day is not to roll up our sleeves and try harder, but rather to be in step with the fruit-bearing direction our Savior leads us through the Spirit. We are not called to initiate, but rather to participate.
It's not possible to hear and see fruit grow, but if we are sensitive and cooperative today, I suspect that we can sense that fruit growing through us and His people.
May this be a day rich with produce for the King and the Kingdom.
Steve
"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another." (John 15:16-17)
Every believer who has made the choice to become a follower of Christ has been selected by the Master gardener to be planted and cultivated so as to bear good fruit. That is His express purpose for us: that we bear fruit.
It won't be difficult for me to know when my orange trees are bearing fruit, because I know what oranges look like. Similarly, it's not difficult to know when we are bearing fruit, because we are given a detailed description of the fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Again, it is for this purpose that we have been selected.
"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples" (John 15:8). Disciples bear fruit, and disciples are some of that fruit. We are spiritually enabled to reproduce after our own kind. Orange trees produce oranges, humans reproduce and bear humans (babies), and disciples produce additional disciples (Acts 6:7).
We are privileged people; we have been chosen and appointed for the purpose of bearing fruit. The burden is not placed upon us to bear fruit of our own initiative and resources; we are instead selected to be the "conduit" through which Christ, through Holy Spirit power, produces that fruit through us. We are fruit-bearing trees nourished in and through Him.
The task before each of us this day is not to roll up our sleeves and try harder, but rather to be in step with the fruit-bearing direction our Savior leads us through the Spirit. We are not called to initiate, but rather to participate.
It's not possible to hear and see fruit grow, but if we are sensitive and cooperative today, I suspect that we can sense that fruit growing through us and His people.
May this be a day rich with produce for the King and the Kingdom.
Steve
posted by steve @ 8:55 AM
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