bearing fruit

fruits of the Spirit.
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self control.
think about whether or not you see these qualities in your life?  what about when you're with your parents and siblings, do you still see them?

when i look back, i find that i'm not bearing His fruit very well.  i am often thinking way too much about 'me' that i have no time to love, and show kindness to my family.  i am too impatient to do what is right.  and i don't have enough self-control to stay away from the things that keep me from being faithful to the right thing - God.

i suppose that, like me, you would love to see these fruits blooming and taking shape in your life.
how? well not by trying. i can tell you that much.  we've all tried. and then we've all failed.

John 15:4-6 says:  "abide in me, and i in you. as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. i am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abides in me, and i in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

so Jesus said that when we abide in him, we will bear much fruit.

 
abiging in Christ:
  1. get into God's Word
not just every once in a while, but every single day.  read a short passage, or a longer one, it doesn't really matter. but while you read, ponder upon it and take notes. learn about the character of God/Jesus.  
    
   2. pray without ceasing
from personal experience, i can't have a relationship with Christ unless i talk to him. you may learn all you can about a person, but the relationship isn't going to get very far unless you converse with them. 
  
   3. do what God asks
He wants us to sacrifice our lives to Him.  to open our hands and allow Him to take control.  the only way to do that is to die to yourself daily...hourly. every hour my flesh wants to rule my life, but you and i can't let it. 

it's a struggle, but when you obey Him in every aspect, living a humble servants life for Him, you will bring forth His fruit.
now you know how to abide in Christ and bear his fruit. but are going to take these steps, or keep on living in the flesh?


you can know how to bake a cake, but if you don't actually get all the ingredients out and mix them together, you aren't going to get the cake.  in the same way, you can know how to abide in Christ, but if you don't actually do it, you aren't going to bear His fruit.

*all photos via pinterest.com.

i should be posting more of

my photos soon.