John 15:1-8
““I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
Bearing fruit:
Am I bearing fruit in my life? When Jesus spoke about believers bearing fruit, He wasn’t talking about earthly fruits. (earthly chores or accomplishments, like finishing the laundry or getting a business degree.) He was talking about spiritual fruits, like showing love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy, and so on. The fruits of the spirit are more than a list of do's for us, they are the food that nourishes our souls. Just as the old saying goes, “you are what you eat,“ we as believers are what we fill our lives with. What goes in is what comes out. If I want things that please the Lord to fill my life and bear the right kinds of fruit, I need to be putting those things into my life to feed my soul.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
Abide:
When I looked up the word abide, the definition was not as I thought. It means to except or act in accordance with, a rule, decision, or recommendation. Do I accept Jesus as my savior? Do I act in accordance with the plan he has set out for my life? The Bible is not a book full of rules but if I don’t follow the examples laid out in it, how can I say I have decided to follow Christ?
“Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.”
“The idols of the nations are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; Nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.”
If I am truly dedicating my life to him, I must truly abide in his word, his plan, his promises, and that all comes down to faith and obedience. By choosing to abide in him, I am stating that I want His life, forgiveness and direction. I am choosing to serve Him and no other. Whether or not we realize it, we all have a master that we serve in our lives. Psalms 111:48 and Psalms 135:15-18 tell us what idols are. They can be anything in our lives that we serve, anything that fills our time in our minds, and we become just like them. I cannot bear the fruits of Jesus if I am feeding my soul the foods of this world.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
My desire:
Many mistakenly believe that asking for something from God means you will receive it (no matter what it is). What this verse is saying is that once you abide in Christ, and He abides in you, your desires will change. If you are seeking His will in your life, your desire will be spiritual not tangible. That does not mean God doesn’t grant request for tangible things, only that if we pray in accordance with His will, whatever the answer will be, we know that it is right and perfect.
Prayer:
Lord, my desire today is to abide in you and serve you as my Savior. I humbly ask forgiveness of my sins and mercy over my life. Help me only to see your direction in my life and help me to follow your instructions daily. Keep me safe from the temptations and idols of this world that I may keep my eyes only on You. Amen
I hope that you will adjust this prayer to be personal to you. Let God direct your path and follow in His footsteps. Have a Blessed day Little Sparrows
-ScriptureSparrow
Crafty time:
What you will need:
A printer
Sour Apple Fine Point Cricut pen
Raspberry Fine Point Cricut pen
Black Fine Point Cricut pen
Green Cardstock
White or Cream Cardstock (8.5 * 11) for standard printer
Glue Stick
8 inches of preferred Ribbon
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