Are you transparent?

February 11th

More on Grace and Spiritual Fruit

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. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5)

Although these verses do not mention grace, they are a classic biblical explanation of grace bringing forth fruit in lives. The language depicts an actual vineyard, where fruit grows on branches that are properly related to a vine. Then, this physical reality is applied figuratively to spiritual fruit developing in our lives, if we are relating correctly to Jesus.

In this teaching, our Lord reminds us that literal branches are not able to produce fruit themselves. "The branch cannot bear fruit of itself." We are spiritual branches, so we will not be able to produce fruit either. "Neither can you, unless you abide in Me." In fact, our potential for manufacturing genuine spiritual fruit is zero. "Without Me you can do nothing." The best we could ever hope to produce would be religious, wax fruit. Such would come from our fleshly attempts to appear godly or effective. People may be fooled by this, but God never will be. Furthermore, people cannot be edified by partaking of such, and God cannot be glorified.

True fruit results from the ongoing development of life. Life is only innate to vines, not branches. For a grape to develop on any grape branch, the life of the vine must flow into, and work within, the branch. So it is with us. "I am the vine, you are the branches." This distinction is vital. We must never forget the difference, if we desire to bear fruit. The life we need for fruitfulness is in Him, not in us.

How do we avail ourselves of that life which is essential for fruit? "Abide in Me, and I in you." We are to look to Jesus for life, counting on Him to live in and through us. Then, His life, working in us, brings forth Christlike fruit. How do we know if we are abiding? If we are willing to depend upon Jesus for spiritual fruit as a grape branch relies upon its vine for grapes, then we are truly abiding in Christ. Such dependency brings valid expectation for great measures of Christlikeness to be developing in and through our lives. "He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit."

This is clearly grace at work, as seen in the relational realities of humility and faith. Humility is operating as we acknowledge "without Me you can do nothing." Faith is exercised as we believe "that He who abides in Me…bears much fruit."

Lord Jesus, my true vine, I humbly agree with You that I cannot produce spiritual fruit on my own. I admit that apart from You at work in me, I could never manifest any genuine godliness. So, with great expectation I look to You to provide the life I need for much fruitfulness, Amen.

“And they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

Acts 4:13

A Christian should be a striking likeness of Jesus Christ. You have read lives of Christ, beautifully and eloquently written, but the best life of Christ is his living biography, written out in the words and actions of his people. If we were what we profess to be, and what we should be, we should be pictures of Christ; yea, such striking likenesses of him, that the world would not have to hold us up by the hour together, and say, “Well, it seems somewhat of a likeness;” but they would, when they once beheld us, exclaim, “He has been with Jesus; he has been taught of him; he is like him; he has caught the very idea of the holy Man of Nazareth, and he works it out in his life and every-day actions.” A Christian should be like Christ in his boldness. Never blush to own your religion; your profession will never disgrace you: take care you never disgrace that. Be like Jesus, very valiant for your God. Imitate him in your loving spirit; think kindly, speak kindly, and do kindly, that men may say of you, “He has been with Jesus.” Imitate Jesus in his holiness. Was he zealous for his Master? So be you; ever go about doing good. Let not time be wasted: it is too precious. Was he self-denying, never looking to his own interest? Be the same. Was he devout? Be you fervent in your prayers. Had he deference to his Father’s will? So submit yourselves to him. Was he patient? So learn to endure. And best of all, as the highest portraiture of Jesus, try to forgive your enemies, as he did; and let those sublime words of your Master, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” always ring in your ears. Forgive, as you hope to be forgiven. Heap coals of fire on the head of your foe by your kindness to him. Good for evil, recollect, is godlike. Be godlike, then; and in all ways and by all means, so live that all may say of you, “He has been with Jesus.”

What do people see in you? How are your actions/words looked at? Can those whom watch you tell who lives in you?

 These are all questions we all ask when we meet someone new or when someone makes a stand about what they believe in. We watch ,we listen, we keep track. because we are human and because we always try to figure out Why? also we look harder on someone who radically changes their way of life because we want to see if their are true or real to the "New" way of life that they are proclaiming.

The only way for any change to become real in our lives is to have Jesus and to have a indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

We can do nothing w/o Jesus in our lives we bear no fruit in this life w/o Jesus.Yes we all can walk in this world and be famous,rich,poor,and live w/much excesses but what are you doing for the Kingdom of God and I don't mean just talking about it I mean what do you do each day in a way that when the time comes when we all stand before God and He asks us "What did you do to get people to know my Son Jesus?" And all the things,jobs,money and worldly ideas and thoughts will matter not then. How will you or I answer? We could say we gave to the church or that we did good deeds or we lived a quiet and uneventful life. That will not cut it as God sees it. 

1st have you accepted Jesus as your Saviour 2nd What did you do with that knowledge? 3rd How did you live/act/treat others after getting Jesus in you.

Now yes you can be assured a place in Heaven just by being saved but a greater life is to be lived when you give your all to the King of Kings and live for Him all the rest of your days of your life. THAT way you give God the Glory and give Him your Praises.

YOU MUST LIVE AS IF YOU ARE TRANSPARENT and that everyone can see everything,thoughts,deeds,feelings,actions,words that are in you. LIVE FOR JESUS! Pax Carl