Flourishing in Fruit – A Summary

    Over the past several weeks we have looked at the Bible verses that tell us the importance of flourishing in fruit. 

God has provided all we need and expects us to bear good fruit (read and consider Isaiah 5:1-4)

    God wants us to produce good fruit. We, as Christians and members of the kingdom of God, are to be bearing the good fruit of God’s kingdom (consider Matthew 21:43). Jesus said that a tree is known by its fruits (Matthew 12:33), and we have within us (as humans with free will) the potential to bear either the fruit of sin (which leads to death) or the fruit to holiness (which leads to everlasting life, Romans 6:21-23); we can choose to be either a tree lost in the darkness of the devil’s decaying orchard or we can be planted and flourishing in the courts of our God (Psalm 92:13-14).

“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 7:19 NKJV)

We must be mindful of what buds in our hearts/minds 

    Just as the farmer is watchful of the bud formation knowing it leads to fruit, we also need to be very attentive to what buds in our hearts/minds and determine whether a bud ought to be nipped immediately or nurtured to blossom and develop fruit. We need to be using God’s word (hearing it and doing it, James 1:21-27) so that our senses are exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:13-14).

    Examine the buds developed (and developing) in your mind; nip the bad ones to allow room for the good ones to flourish! The health of your soul is worth the daily, if not the moment to moment, efforts needed to keep yourself pure (1 John 3:3) and holy (1 Peter 1:15-16) so you can flourish even more in good fruit!!

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV)

Our conduct is our fruit

• repentance (Matthew 3:8) – making the changes that prove that we have turned our backs to ungodliness and worldly lusts (Titus 2:11-12, 2 Timothy 2:22) while clinging to what is good (Romans 12, John 14:6)
• righteousness (Philippians 1:9-11, 2 Corinthians 9:9-11) – doing what is right in God’s sight, according to His commands and instructions (James 1:21-25, 1 John 3:7)
• good works (Colossians 1:9-11) – doing good for others, generously sharing our blessings with them (Psalm 68:19, 2 Corinthians 9:7-8)

Our words are our fruit

    Jesus said that our words come from the storehouses of our hearts (Matthew 12:34-35). Those who love Him should always be working to have good storehouses that are well-curated (and carefully guarded), guided by God’s good and perfect will, and full of the treasures of wisdom, knowledge, and righteousness (Colossians 2:2-3, Ephesians 5:17, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 12:3-11) so that the words we draw from our hearts are good and beneficial (Ephesians 4:29, Colossians 4:6).

“I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue…” (Psalm 39:1a NKJV)

When we walk in the Spirit, the Spirit can bear His fruit in our lives (read and consider Galatians 5:16-26)

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth) finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8-10 NKJV)

When we live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit (allowing God’s word to transform us, Romans 12:2, James 1:21-25, 1 John 2:15-17), and when we work continually to identify and remove the debris of selfishness/selfish ambitions/lusts (Hebrews 5:14), then our hearts will be a good soil (Matthew 13:23) in which the Spirit can develop and bear His fruit.

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV)  

When we flourish in bearing good fruit God will be glorified!

    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!

“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)

    It will always be an excellent use of our time to read and study God’s word. Learning more about Him and His way is the best – and only – way to transform our hearts (Romans 12:1-2) so that they become storehouses of good things that we can share with others through our words and actions. When we purify our hearts (1 John 3:1-3) we clear the debris from the soil of our hearts and make it a good receptacle for the Spirit to bear His fruit. And we can flourish in good fruit that will bring glory to our wondrous Father in heaven!!

From wherever you are right now, determine that you will 

flourish even more in 2024 in bearing good fruit!!

You can do it! So can I!!

Flourishing In Fruit – We Must First Be Mindful of the Bud

    This post began as what would have been a small side note in this series, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt that this matter is worth our whole attention. It is vital that we develop honest and reliable eyes that will carefully examine the buds that develop through our habits (as we work to replace the bad ones with good, Colossians 3:1-17, Ephesians 4:21-24) and those buds that can crop up unexpectedly.  

    Jesus gave instruction throughout his teaching to be watchful of our hearts – hatred and murder begin there with angry thoughts and lack of mercy (Matthew 5:21-26, 44-48), and adultery begins there with lustful thoughts and lack of self-control (Matthew 5:28, Ephesians 5:2-7, Romans 13:14). God through the apostle Paul gave warning to the Ephesians, and to us, to resolve anger within the day of its very budding so that you do give not place (foothold) to the devil (Ephesians 4:26-27, and consider Genesis 4:7, and we are to help others in this matter, Hebrews 3:12-13).

“Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on.” (Proverbs 4:14-15 NKJV)

    We need to be always watchful and nip bad/wrong thoughts in the bud to keep them from blossoming because if we don’t, all too quickly an opportunity will present itself and if we have allowed corrupt thoughts to flourish, our energies will be used to produce the outcome we are nurturing and that fruit is sin (James 1:14-15 and consider Romans 6:15-21).

Irritated with your husband? Nip that bud by praying to God about it; give it all to Him, and ask Him for wisdom (James 1:5). Then talk to your husband with love and respect (Ephesians 5:33), and work on a resolution together; always remembering that you also have tendencies and habits that can irritate him!

Angry with a family member, friend, neighbour, coworker, ‘that stranger who cut you off,’ etc.? Nip that bud and take your troubles to God, ask Him for wisdom. Talk to your family member, friend, neighbour, or coworker, peacefully (consider Romans 12:17-18 and James 3:17-18). Whether it is someone you know, or a stranger, someone you talk with regularly or someone you are unable to talk with, always be sure to read and apply Jesus’ instruction in Matthew 5:44-48, His example in 1 Peter 2:20-24, and Paul’s instruction in Romans 12:19-21.   

Immoral thoughts toward a male friend, neighbour, coworker, celebrity, etc.? Nip that bud by praying to God about it and asking His forgiveness, ask His help to find better ways to spend your free time (read your Bible, visit the widows, the sick, etc.). Don’t think that just because it’s budding privately* in your mind that it is okay to keep it – the fruit it can develop is deadly and will decay, if not destroy, more than you can imagine. *You may think your thoughts are hidden but God is aware of your thoughts (consider Genesis 6:5, 1 Chronicles 28:9, and 1 Corinthians 3:18-20) and He wants you to acknowledge them so you can remove what is certain to become bad fruit while it is in its beginning stages of development.

• If you are married, recall to your mind Matthew 5:28 (it applies to women looking at men, too!). Don’t let that bud develop into the blossom of flirtation (if it is a celebrity, don’t feed your fantasy with more movies/shows), think on the fact that you are a Christian, a child of God (Ephesians 5:1-7)! Recall your wedding vows (your promise before God) to your husband and consider Proverbs 31:10-11 – let the heart of your husband safely trust you to be faithful with your whole heart and with your whole mind! Read and consider Hebrews 13:4-5.
• If you are unmarried, recall to your mind Matthew 5:28 (it applies to women looking at men, too!). You are doing yourself no favours by nurturing the improper thoughts that can bud in your mind. Take heed of the advice, given three times, by the Shulamite in the Song of Solomon: “Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.” (2:7, 3:5, and 8:4) – Until a man is rightfully yours (in marriage), do not allow improper thoughts to blossom because they can all too easily become actions! Read and consider 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Hebrews 12:14-17, and Hebrews 13:4-5.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24 NKJV)

    Just as the farmer is watchful of bud formation knowing it leads to fruit, we also need to be very attentive to what 'buds' in our hearts/minds and determine whether that bud ought to be nipped immediately or nurtured to blossom and develop fruit. We need to be using God’s word (hearing it and doing it, James 1:21-27) so that our senses are exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:13-14).

    From wherever you are right now, begin to examine the buds developed (and developing) in your mind; nip the bad ones to allow room for the good ones to flourish! The health of your soul is worth the daily, if not the moment to moment, efforts needed to keep yourself pure (1 John 3:3) and holy (1 Peter 1:15-16) so you flourish even more in 2024 in good fruit!!

You can do it! So can I!! 

Faith + Hope + Love = Fruit Bearing

    Paul opened his letter to the brethren in Colossae with a prayer.

“We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and the grace of God in truth…” (Colossians 1:3-6 NKJV)

    He was thankful to God for their faith in Christ Jesus, their love for all the saints, and for the hope that was reserved in heaven for them.

    The lovely thing was that Paul had heard of their faith and their love for their fellow Christians. Both their faith and their love had become known and evident to others – consider Paul’s instructions to Timothy:  “…be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity… Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all…” (1 Timothy 4:12, 15 NKJV). They were living their faith (James 1:21-27) and putting their love into action (1 John 3:18), because of these, Paul knew they were assured of the hope laid up in heaven for them.

    Their faith, love, and hope, from the day they heard the gospel, was bearing fruit; they were flourishing in their development to maturity and their growth became obvious to others! Read and consider Galatians 5:16-26 and the awesome power of the gospel in Hebrews 4:12 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

    Do you want to bear fruit? Anchor your hope in God’s promise of eternity with Him, build up your faith through study and obedience, and let your love for God fuel your love for fellow Christians who are walking the narrow path alongside you! Do what you can to help and encourage them, remind them of God’s grace, and show them by your humble example how to live in faith, hope, and love!

You can do it! So can I!!