John 15:5
"I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing."
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2590
Fruit: deed, action, result, profit, gain
From the Greek word 'karpos' (pronounced kar-pos'). Extended definition: everything done in true partnership with Christ, i.e. a believer (a branch) lives in union with Christ (the Vine). By definition, fruit results from two life-streams – the Lord living His life through ours – to yield what is eternal.
Our fruitfulness in the kingdom of God depends on our inclination, our leaning, into Christ. Can the branch of a fruit tree bring forth fresh fruit unless it is attached to the tree? No. Neither then can a born again believer produce fruit alone. We need Jesus Christ living in us to "bear fruit".
Just what kind of fruit does a Christian bear when Christ (the vine) lives in us and the Spirit (the sap) flows through us?
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
I liken the fruit of the Spirit to a single fruit, like citrus, which has many segments yet remains an individual fruit.
Galatians 5:22, 23
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
When these things are evident in a person's life, when you can see them, then you know that there stands a fruitful Christian. From the inside (where the Spirit works on us) to the outside.
Sometimes though the Master Gardener (our heavenly Father) sees the need for our trees, or vines, can be made more fruitful, so He prunes us. Does this hurt? Briefly. But then after a season our branches grow heavy with even more fruit than we think we can bear. Unless the Master Gardener sees there is no fruit, then He removes a branch or two from the tree or the vine.
FRUITFUL FAITH
The fruit in the Father's garden is not for physical consumption, it is the result of a single Seed: the Seed of Righteousness: Jesus Christ, The LORD My Righteousness. This seed is the result of Faith in God which Abram had when God called him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. (Genesis 22:1-19 and Hebrews 11:17 "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son). It is only by Faith in the promises of God that we are able to spread the gospel of God's plan of salvation, the Seed of righteousness, in His fields. Sometimes, this seed does not take root, as told in the Parable of The Sower. Only when the Seed reaches the heart does it take root and begin to grow.
It wasn't just one person telling me about God and Jesus Christ, it was many. The Word says "some plant, some water, some harvest". At some point in my life, someone planted the Seed in my heart where it took root. Others watered my heart with their tears, when they prayed for me. Now the Word grows in me and I'm growing in the Word. When I am perfect, I'll be harvested by the Master Gardener.
FRUITFULNESS
Every time I tell you about my Jesus and what He's done for me, I'm planting the Seed. It's up to you whether or not you receive it into your hearts. The tears of my prayers water not just my plantings, but the plantings of others when I pray for their gardens/fields.
I grew up singing classic hymns in church, like Bringing In The Sheaves which speaks of the harvest of grain sheaves as compared to the souls which are being saved through the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Bringing In The Sheaves
~Knowles Shaw~1874~Psalm 126:6
He that goes forth and weeps, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
1. Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
2. Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by, the harvest and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
3. Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Tho’, the loss sustained, our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
(Refrain)
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves;
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
And so we pray. We pray for the Lord's perfect will to be done, not what we want or how we want it. We pray for our families, our friends; for our spouses, our children, and our children's children. We pray for the people our children associate themselves with and for their families.
First and foremost, we pray for their salvation. We pray that they be filled with the Holy Spirit, that they all may walk empowered in the strength of the Lord. We pray that their hearts would be filled to overflowing with the joy of the Lord; that their fruit would be evident and sweet.
Lastly, we pray that they would remain strong in the Lord and in the power of His might all the days of their life. That they would be a blessing not only to their Lord but to everyone they meet. That's our prayer for fruitfulness in the kingdom of God.
So Will I
Gratitude
When I Pray
No Other Name
Graves Into Gardens
Give Me Faith
Build My Life
