PRODUCING FRUIT

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful… Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. 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.”  (John 15:1-5 NIV)

Two ways of staying connected to Christ involve (1) removing what is unnecessary in our lives, and (2) staying focused on the vine.

On one side we have the vine, our life source. On the other side we have fruit. Our effectiveness is determined by which one we focus on, and in our world it’s hard not to focus on the fruit. So much of our worth is measured by what we produce. …

We also measure ourselves by comparing our fruit to what others produce. We can feel fine until we look around. Focusing on the success, achievements, and appearance of others can undo us.

We can obsess over fruit. We start to believe that the fruit is up to us. But Jesus says that it’s not. … Our job is to be a branch and let God’s power flow through us. … We begin to think we are the vine and are our own source of strength. We have to ask ourselves, “Do I receive my identity from the things I produce or from the One who produces through me?” 

-- Rob Fuquay in “The God We Can Know: Exploring the ‘I Am’ Sayings of Jesus”

#6221

WHAT SPILLS OUT WHEN YOU’RE BUMPED?

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”  (Luke 6:45 NIV)

Imagine holding a cup of coffee. Someone jostles your arm, and the coffee spills. Not tea. Not water. Coffee. Why? Because that’s what was inside.

Life works the same way. When we’re bumped -- by stress, disappointment, criticism, or unexpected hardship -- what spills out reveals what’s been stored within. If we’ve been steeped in grace, patience, and truth, those will overflow. But if we’ve been harboring bitterness, pride, or fear, that’s what will leak out.

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about preparation. We can’t always control the bumps, but we can choose what fills our cup. Daily time in Scripture, prayer, and reflection pours in the Spirit’s fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). These aren’t just virtues -- they’re spiritual reserves for life’s inevitable spills. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™, compiled from a variety of sources 

#6195

THE GOOD AND FAITHFUL LIFE

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

GOODNESS and FAITHFULNESS -- we think of them as the supreme virtues of plain people. Yet they, too, are the fruits of the Spirit. In the long run we cannot really manage them without God. The good citizen, good employer, good artist, good worker -- the faithful husband or wife or [parent] -- in these, too, Divine Love, selfless charity, is bringing forth its fruits within the natural order and on the natural scale: proclaiming the dignity and possibilities of our human life on all levels, disclosing the full meaning of the Word made flesh. Another lesson in not being high-minded; another invitation to come off our self-chosen spiritual perch, whatever it may be, and face the facts of human life.

-- Evelyn Underhill in “The Fruits of the Spirit”

#6129

IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT

When God’s Spirit directs us, we actually “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). He is the drum major; we are the marching band. He is the sergeant; we are the platoon. He directs and leads; we obey and follow. Not always that easy, is it? We tend to go our own way…

Here is something that helps me stay in step with the Spirit. We know that the “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NASB). God’s Spirit creates and distributes these characteristics. They are indicators on my spiritual dashboard. So whenever I lack them, I know that I am out of step with the Spirit…

To walk in the Spirit, respond to the promptings God gives you. 

-- Max Lucado in “God’s Story, Your Story: When His Becomes Yours”

#5859

GOD USES HIS SPIRIT TO CHANGE US

“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to Him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.”  (Romans 8:9-10 NLT)

When we commit ourselves to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives to empower and direct us. The Spirit of God gives us new strength and vitality and the desire and power to do what is right. As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him…

God’s number one purpose in your life is to make you like Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make the child of God more like the Son of God. And what is Jesus like? His life on earth embodied the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

-- Rick Warren in “God’s Power to Change Your Life”

#5776

JOY IN THE DARKNESS

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,…”  (Galatians 5:22a)

Joy and peace come into our lives when we mind more about God than we do about ourselves, when we realize what the things that matter really are.  The Spirit clears up our problems about what we want or ought to be at, simplifies us and throw us back again and again on the deep and peaceful action of God.  Then, whether God speeds us up or slows us down, accepts our notions or sets them aside, gives us what we want or takes it away, gives us a useful job of work or puts us on the shelf, that serenity that is a fruit of the Spirit, a sign of God's secret support, does not fail us…

The point for us is that selfless joy has got to go on at times when we ourselves are in the dark, obsessed by the sorrow of life, so that we feel no joy because we cannot gaze at the beauty.  Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, not of our gratified emotions. "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:5b)

-- Adapted from “The Soul's Delight” by Evelyn Underhill

#5754

JOY IN CHRIST

The Apostle Paul reminds us that joy is at the center of the Christian's life… Writing from a Roman prison, a difficult circumstance that would cause most people to lose hope, Paul writes to the Christians in the church in Philippi, "REJOICE in the Lord always. I shall say it again: REJOICE!" (Philippians 4:4) Roman prisons were dark, dank places of death. Most prisoners died there. Yet, Paul found joy in his imprisonment.

In fact, in a letter from prison to the Philippians, rather than writing of his suffering and worries, Paul mentions his "joy in Christ" more than twelve times in just four chapters. That is worth hearing: Even in the most difficult times in your life, you can rely upon the deep, abiding joy that comes from Jesus Christ. The world and your circumstances may press in and seek to crush you, but a relationship with Jesus will grow a joy in you that cannot be squelched. 

-- Allen R. Hunt in “Nine Words”

#5751

THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them… . Peter… addressed the crowd… ‘This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “In the last days, God says,   I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on My servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”’”  (Excerpts from Acts 2:1-21 NIV)

The permanent, personal presence of the Holy Spirit with us is the unique blessing of the new covenant. The Israelites had seen the Spirit work amongst them from time to time, but even the most famous Israelites had not experienced the Spirit’s presence the same way as we do. Like everything else we must start from the gospel in order to understand the gift of the Spirit. Jesus has given the Spirit equally and fully to all His children….

Pentecost marked the creation of the new people of God. It confirmed the new covenant. From this perspective we gain fresh insight into the ministry of the Spirit. He directs the people’s attention to their covenant Lord. He makes the people into a new tabernacle/temple, God’s dwelling place. Through the Spirit the people are drawn together in unity and they receive gifts necessary for their life together and their role in the world.   

-- Mark Strom in “The Symphony of the Scriptures: Making Sense of the Bible’s Many Themes”

#5613

A DISCIPLE ABIDES IN CHRIST

“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.”  (John 15:5 NIV)

Jesus knows that His true followers desire to live productive, fulfilling, joy-filled lives. In John 15:1-17 (check it out) Jesus lays out four predominant characteristics of a growing disciple:

1. A Disciples Stays Close to the Master. Jesus encourages us to remain in Him (verses 4-5). Another way to translate “remain” is “to abide” in Him. The word abide signifies a permanent position. It means that you let your roots grow deep into your relationship with Jesus, allowing Him to fill every part of your life every day. If you maintain this unbroken fellowship with God, your lifestyle will change.

2. A Disciple Is Fruitful. Just as a branch can only be fruitful when attached to the vine, we can only be productive when we draw our strength from Jesus (verses 6, 16). The Bible describes this fruit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23).

3. A Disciple Obeys the Master. Another clear sign that you are Christ’s disciple is your obedience to the principles and guidelines found in the Bible (verse 10). Only then will you discover what it means to live in God’s love.

4. A Disciple Loves Others. Jesus gave us the ultimate example of love by laying down His life for us. He, in essence, is asking us to do nothing less. That may not mean actually dying, but it may mean placing someone else’s needs before your own.

In verse 11 we find Jesus’ reason of sharing these principles: He wants us to be filled with joy. If you try to find happiness through the pursuit of worldly things, it will elude you. The only way to find happiness is through the pursuit of God. If you prioritize your life as Jesus has laid out in these verses, then “your joy will overflow.” 

-- Adapted from “How to Find God New Testament: Living Water for Those Who Thirst” 

#5557

CONSECRATION IN OVERALLS

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, FAITHFULNESS, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

FAITHFULNESS is consecration in overalls. It is the steady acceptance and performance of the common duty and immediate task without any reference to personal preferences -- because it is there to be one and so is a manifestation of the Will of God. It is Elizabeth Leseur settling down each day to do the household accounts quite perfectly (when she would much rather have been in church) and saying, “The duties of my station come before everything else.” It is Brother Lawrence taking his turn in the kitchen, and Saint Francis de Sales taking the burden of a difficult diocese and saying, “I have now little time for prayer -- but I do what is the same.”

The fruits of the Spirit get less and less showy as they go on. Faithfulness means continuing quietly with the job we have been given, in the situation where we have been placed; not yielding to the restless desire for change. It means tending the lamp quietly for God without wondering how much longer it has got to go on. 

-- Evelyn Underhill in “The Fruits of the Spirit”

#5551

GIVING CHRISTMAS FRUIT

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

This season of gift-giving provides an opportune time to imagine how we might share the fruit of the Spirit during these often hectic days, when both people and packages fill our lives.

• Love — We can sift every thought, word, and action through the filter of “Is it demonstrating the love of Christ?”

• Joy — We can be the source of smiles, laughter, and appreciation because of the joy of Christ in us.

• Peace — We can fill the atmosphere with our own sense of the peace Christ, a calm amid the chaos, so that it brings peace to others.

• Patience — We can be more tolerant when things go awry knowing Christ is that way with us.

• Kindness — We can shower others with affirmation, encouraging the flickering light of Christ to burn more brightly in their lives.

• Goodness — We can focus on the positives, rather than the faults, on what is good and acceptable as Christ did.

• Faithfulness — We can be true to the blessed meaning of the Christmas season -- Emmanuel, God with us.

• Gentleness — We can give our full attention to each person, one at a time, not omitting even the most outcast.

• Self-control — We can commit ourselves to no outbursts, no over-indulgences, only Christ-centered behavior.

We can’t give away what we don’t possess; our connection to the Spirit is vital. As the fruit of the Spirit is grown within us, we can bestow blessings on those around us out of the abundant crop.

-- Generously adapted from “Rhythms of Growth: 365 Meditations to Nurture the Soul” by Linda Douty

#5497

OFFERING WARMTH AND LIGHT

Jesus said, “Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.”  (John 15:4 NIV))

We who want to witness to the presence of God's Spirit in the world need to tend to the fire within with utmost care. It is not so strange that many… have become burnt-out…, people in whom the fire of God's Spirit died and from whom not much more comes forth than their own… ideas and feelings. It is as if we are not sure that God's Spirit can touch the hearts of people; we have to help Him out, with many words, convince others of His power. But it is precisely that wordy unbelief that quenches the fire.

Our first and foremost task is faithfully to care for the inward fire so that when it is really needed it can offer warmth and light to lost travelers. 

-- Henri J.M. Nouwen in “The Way of the Heart”, adapted

#5388

DEPENDENT ON THE SPIRIT

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  (Galatians 5:22-23a NRSV)

We are responsible to clothe ourselves with Christlike character (Colossians 3:12), but we are dependent on God’s Spirit to produce within us His “fruit.” We cannot make one inch of progress in sanctification apart from the powerful working of the Spirit in us. And He does this, not because we have earned it with our commitment and discipline, but because of His grace. 

-- Jerry Bridges

#5293

LIFE’S PURPOSE

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  (Jeremiah 29:11)

This may be the best news you’ll hear all day: God has a wonderful purpose for your life!

Jesus described that purpose when He said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. This is My command: Love each other.”  (John 15:16-17)

God has chosen you to bear fruit. And that fruit is in your Holy Spirit-given character, which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s simply the character of Jesus coming out through you. It’s your service as you lead others to faith in Jesus Christ, as you help them grow into maturity so they’ll also bear fruit.

Your life has eternal significance. Don’t miss out on God’s plans for your future. 

-- Anne Graham Lotz in “Fixing My Eyes on Jesus”

#5205

REMAINING IN CHRIST

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5 NLT)

The purpose of an apple tree is to bear apples. The purpose of a cherry tree is to bear cherries. The purpose of a grapevine is to bear grapes. Christians are also expected to bear fruit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23), and to win souls (John 15:16). Here, Jesus says He is the vine and believers are the branches. Thus, the secret to our bearing fruit is staying attached to the vine. Jesus’ point is that we are totally dependent upon Him. Just as we could not become God’s children through our own efforts but only through faith in Christ (John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8) so, too, we cannot bear fruit by wishing and hoping for it or by working hard at it on our own. Instead, we must allow Christ to produce His fruit through us. The secret is in “remaining.”

We remain in Christ by communicating with Him, doing what He says, living by faith, and relating in love to the community of believers.

So stay close, be nourished, and bear fruit. 

-- Dave Veerman, quoted in “His Passion: Christ’s Journey to the Resurrection”

#5061

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT - Part 2

Paul writes to the Ephesians, “Do not get drunk with wine… Instead, be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Intoxication and spirituality seem like odd companions in a Bible verse. But Paul is saying it just right: don’t try to get inspiration out of a bottle. God wants to fill and inspire you through His Spirit. If you need comfort, don’t guzzle it. Find the real stuff in the one Jesus called the Comforter. Don’t try to work up courage by drinking. The Spirit is courageous! The disciples ran in fright when Jesus was arrested, but they boldly faced danger every day once the Spirit had come.

Do you drink just to loosen up and relax? The fruit of the Spirit includes peace from God. Not to mention love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

An old commercial used to tout two merits of the beer it was promoting: “tastes great” and “less filling.” At least the beer company got the second one right. Everything this world has to offer is less filling. And at the end of the day, none of it tastes great. But life in the Spirit is a different matter.          

-- Kyle Idleman in “The End of Me: Where Real Life in the Upside-Down Ways of Jesus Begins”

#4903

CONNECTED TO THE VINE

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5 NLT)

The branches of a vine live by just remaining connected to the vine. Permanently. Consistently. They simply rest in their position, allowing the sap of the vine to flow freely through them. There’s no effort. The fruit is produced by the life-giving sap inside.

When you’re completely connected to Christ, His Spirit flows through every part of you -- your mind, your will, your emotions, your words, and your deeds. The fruit that you bear is produced by His Spirit in you. [“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23a NRSV)] It’s not produced by any conscious effort on your own.

If you want to be fruitful, concentrate on your relationship with Jesus Christ! “Be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18)

-- Anne Graham Lotz in “Fixing My Eyes on Jesus”


#4812

THE SPIRIT’S FLOW

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

Try a thought experiment: Imagine not being afraid any more. Imagine facing financial difficulties or an irate boss with inner poise and resolve. Imagine receiving bad news and generating constructive ways to solve the problem rather than spiraling through the worst-case scenarios. Imagine facing rejection and obstacles without giving in to discouragement. Imagine acknowledging the mistakes you have made, moving confidently into the future. Imagine doing all of this with God as your partner and friend. Now imagine people around you coming to you when they are upset or discouraged because they find that your peace of mind is contagious.

The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace, and what you are imagining is your mind immersed in the Spirit’s flow.  There is a phrase that wonderfully describes the role the Spirit wants to play in our minds: The Spirit is a non-anxious presence.

-- John Ortberg in “The Me I Want To Be”

#4328

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

"The fruit of the Spirit," which is in those who live in Christ's Spirit, "is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). An old legend tells of people who came wanting to buy the fruit of the Spirit. They were told, "We don't sell the fruit; we sell the seeds." Indeed, these traits of the holy life are not forced, not strived for, certainly not bought. Rather, they grow out of the believer's heart. They grow out of the indwelling presence of Jesus, the promised Holy Spirit.

-- U.M. Bishop Richard Wilke in “DISCIPLE: Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study”


#4224

THE JOY OF THE LORD

"The joy of the Lord is your strength" is God's promise to His people (Nehemiah 8:10)... "The joy of the Lord" is an attribute we receive from heaven. It is both a gift and a choice. The Lord's joy doesn't provide constant happiness or shallow amusement. Rather, it is a deep awareness that we are His, and that eternal life is ours.

-- Stephen Arterburn in “The Power Book”

#4093