Thursday Devotional - Jesus is Truth – Enabling Fruit Production (2/22/24)

For Valentine’s Day, the school sold roses and messages that could be delivered to kids in their classrooms. We ordered one for each of the kids, but a couple of them came home broken or wilted. Without the roses remaining on the vine, they didn’t last long!

The same goes for us. If we don’t remain attached to our spiritual vine, we won’t last long either and will certainly not accomplish anything glorifying to God.

 

John 15:5-8  ⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

 

We can’t bear fruit by trying hard enough. We must remain connected to Jesus, His words and His commands. Then, He will grow the fruit through us. As we remain in Jesus, we will also desire things that are in line with His will and purpose.

 

What part of your and my day is spent with Jesus? Where could you and I spend more time with Him and His Word so our work is truly fruitful for Him?  

Thursday Devotional - God is With Us to Produce Fruit 3/10/22

Are you quick to say “yes” or quick to say “no?” How about when it comes to doing God’s work? 

Matthew 21:28-31 & 43   ²⁸ “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

²⁹ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

³⁰ “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

³¹ “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you…

⁴³ “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

We can’t produce fruit in our own strength by trying harder. We can submit to God and willingly let Him change us and work through us to produce fruit (to do the good works He has planned for us).

The Pharisees appeared to follow God, but it was all in their own way and strength. The tax collectors and prostitutes humbly followed and surrendered to Jesus and then He enabled them to influence others for His kingdom in mighty ways!

Let’s be quick to say “yes” to Jesus’s work and obediently follow through with what He asks of us. He will be with us each step of the way!   

Alice