Flourishing in Fruit – That God May Be Glorified!

    I would like you to consider a few verses today as we near the end of our Flourishing in Fruit study. These verses tell us one of the important reasons why we must be developing and bearing fruit – so that God will be glorified!

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:15 NKJV)

    As we studied earlier, our conduct is our fruit – this includes good works (which we were created to do, Ephesians 2:10) – and so, when others see, it will cause them to look to God, praise Him, and thank Him!

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser… 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… By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.” (excerpt from John 15:1-8 NKJV)

    Bearing good and proper fruit only happens when we abide in the True Vine and when His words abide in us (John 15:7). We need to hear God’s words (in His word, the Bible), take them into our heart, and purpose to do what He says (James 1:21-25). Hearing the word is the seed planted, thinking on it and allowing it to shape our thoughts and choices is the seed taking root, and then doing and saying what He has instructed through His word is bearing fruit. Consider the parable of the sower in Luke 8:4-8, 11-15. When we do this, God will be glorified!

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11 NKJV)

    We need to be practicing righteousness (1 John 3:7) – making a daily determination to know more of Jesus so we can walk as He walked (1 John 2:3-6). When we are filled with the fruits of righteousness God will be glorified!!

    What does glorifying God mean? It means that one is recognizing His wondrous value and awesome substance. They are valuing Him for who He really is, esteeming Him worthy of all praise.

    When we obey His commands – abide in His word, practice righteousness, do good works – we are declaring Him to be wise, we are proclaiming His word to be truth and worthy of attention and obedience. Read and consider Romans 12:1-2 – we prove to ourselves and the world that God’s will is good and acceptable and perfect when we let it transform us!  

    Are you bearing fruit that will glorify God?

You can do it! So can I!!