15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Hard as we try, we cannot bear fruit apart from Christ. It all begins with a personal relationship with him. We may be able to "fake" it for awhile. And by that I mean put up a good front for a short time, through good intentions of our own combined with our own effort and strength. However, it will not last...eventually we will burn out.
We must first put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and then rely on him daily to fill us up, making us more and more like himself until we get to heaven, at which point we will be made whole, perfect, just like he is.
So as you and your family work together Making the Fruit of the Spirit Come Alive in Your Home, remember that we cannot truly bear fruit apart from Christ and that we will never actually be perfect until we get to heaven. So try not to be too hard on your precious kiddos (talking to myself here).
The other day my 4 year old said "Mom, I really do WANT to be good," after getting himself into trouble yet again. I just had to laugh out loud as I was reminded of Paul's words in Romans 7:14-25...
14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Can I get an AMEN?!
And if you have not trusted Christ as your personal savior, please take the time to read this. You never know how much time you have left to make the most important decision of your life.
This is the final post in our Making the Fruit of the Spirit Come Alive in Your Home series. I hope you enjoyed the series, it was definitely a joy for me to learn along with you each week. Please share it with your friends!
Happy Wednesday, friends!
And if you have not trusted Christ as your personal savior, please take the time to read this. You never know how much time you have left to make the most important decision of your life.
This is the final post in our Making the Fruit of the Spirit Come Alive in Your Home series. I hope you enjoyed the series, it was definitely a joy for me to learn along with you each week. Please share it with your friends!
Happy Wednesday, friends!
 About the Author: Erin Vick Franklin is the founder and director of Worthy of the Prize. Erin has a BBA in Marketing and Management from TCU and a Masters of Christian Education in Church Recreation from Southwestern Seminary. She is a published, award-winning author and poet. Purchase her book Worthy of the Prize Sports Camps: A Church's Guide to Implementing an Effective, Community-Reaching Christian Sports Camp to be used as an outreach tool for your church or mission organization. Erin is the wife of A, a Worship Pastor, and a work-at-home-momma to 2 crazy little boys, a and e. |
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