I LOVE Spring! Everywhere you look new life is evident. The branches on the trees have buds in bloom, the barren fields now have bluebonnets, dandelions and indian paint brushes creating a colorful display of His handiwork. The sunrise and sunset is picture worthy as you see them as if for the very first time. Butterflies have found their wings as they flutterby so aimlessly. The smell of fresh cut grass enters the home as the windows are raised and the spring cleaning begins. We can visibly see the changes all around us. Can we visibly see any changes in us? What do you say we prepare our own hearts and minds for a renewal? Our God is busy at work making us beautiful too.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will 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.” John 15:1-4

Jesus’s words in John 15 are some of my very favorite. It’s a very practical analogy for me to understand. Christ is our lifeline that gives us the nutrients we need in order for us to bear fruit. We MUST REMAIN in Him. We need Him. We need His Holy word daily to pour into our lives so we can receive His nourishment for our souls. Our Heavenly Father is the gardener that does the pruning. If we are not receiving the nutrients for our soul from the vine, Christ, then we are going to be pruned and cut back. We will not bear His fruit. Are you bearing fruit? Here are the fruits in which we should bear:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL.” Galatians 5:22

Why is it important as believers to bear these fruits? This is how others will know we belong to HIM. It’s for His glory, not for our own. We are in a time where people claim to belong to Him. They call themselves Christians, but they look nothing like Him. We should know a true follower when we SEE them.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by THEIR FRUITS. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.”
Matthew 7:15-20

We can turn on the news real quick and see the lies being told to us. Some believe them to be true, but God’s word helps us have eyes to SEE!  We have to open our eyes and be willing to look for the fruits. We have to be willing to look into the mirror ourselves and really ask Him if we look like Him. When He answers be ready. He may be doing some pruning. It may hurt a bit, but the fruit is coming! You can’t help but bloom when He is the gardener and the vine giving you the growth.

Friends, our God IS LOVE (1 John 4:8)! It is the very best characteristic that He IS and He GIVES. The famous love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 says this:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 

Practice putting in God’s name every where LOVE and IT is. God is patient…God is kind…God does not envy… God NEVER fails! Now practice putting in your name. Are the statements still true? If you are like me, you will realize there is still work that needs to be done. I can honestly say that I fall short of these statements being true for me, but I can also say that I am seeking Him to help me through it. Let’s let Him do some pruning so we can bear more fruit. Let’s let Him do what He does best and make the ones created in His image look more like Him everyday. We can do this. Let’s stay connected to the VINE! Let’s bear some fruit for the world to SEE! He’s not finished with us yet, but He promises to complete the good work in us that He has started. TRUST HIM! #truth #gloryup