Resources/Articles
Living A More Fruitful Life
As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine;
so neither can ye, except ye abide in Me.
John 15:4
No fruit tree ever grew without first being planted. No fruit ever produced unless it was connected to the vine or branch. No fruit ever remained on the vine. It was plucked so more fruit would come later.
Our personal production of fruit is only possible by the planting of God’s word in our hearts and our obedience to it. Personal fruit-bearing is more than putting off the old man. It is a production of a new life - a new life which will only bear excellent fruit, if it is united with Christ. Fruit-bearing is not only connected to what we do in the church, but in every part of life.
The value of fruit-bearing is not just in the fact we can produce goodness, kindness, and love. It is the production of those things in the way God has described in His word. Many people can say they are happy, but the true joy produced in our lives is in God’s way, not man’s. “Patience is a virtue,” people say, but how many know patience as the Lord has defined it? Do not allow your understanding of love, self-control, meekness, or virtue be inspired by the world. See these things as spoken and defined in the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus clearly said, “for apart from Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).
It is important to see that a more fruitful life is not a church attender, but a true worshipper. Anyone can attend a worship service, but a true worshipper is diligent not only in attendance, but his or her spirit is toward glory and honor of God and the edification of fellow Christians. Every Christian who comes before God “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24), will leave with the motivation toward purity, courage, and patience. It will be by these “good works” the Father will be glorified in the life of a Christian (Matthew 5:16). No job, TV program, family guest, or sleep that causes people to miss a worship service will produce the fruit that comes from truly worshipping God.
A more fruitful life is more than being a married couple. It is being an excellent set of companions, lovers, and partners. Many marriages are not fruitful. They are in a lukewarm stage of existence. Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Corinthians 7:1-5, and 1 Peter 3:1-7 gives far too many responsibilities for a marriage to be nothing more than an “existence.” If a child speaks in terms of marriage by saying they do not want to be like their parents, it sounds like their parents’ marriage is not fruitful. For the fruit of respect, appreciation, permanence, unity, and love to born in a marriage, each partner in marriage must be attached to the vine - JESUS.
A more fruitful life is not only a Bible reader, but a worker for the Lord. People who will read the whole Bible in a year are to be commended, but how many can “rightly divide the word of God” (2 Timothy 2:15)? How many put into practice the words they have read (James 1:22-25)? It is not right to expect truth and accuracy from God and not submission and application from us. Let’s be more fruitful in our lives.
