09/15/2024 – The Fruit That Is Our Character
Shaping our character through faith and prayer is the subject of our contemplation this morning. A person of good character is a delight to the Lord and His presence in their lives leads them towards that goal.
“Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord,
but those of blameless ways are his delight.”
Proverbs 11:20 ESV
As we think about improving our character there are two important ingredients to consider, these are prayer and scripture. In my morning reading Pastor E.M. Bounds presented his thoughts on this subject in this way...
"We cannot determine our spiritual growth if we have nothing to measure against. There must always be something definite before the mind's eye at which we are aiming and to which we are driving.
Neither can there be inspiration if there is nothing greater to stimulate us." – E. M. Bounds
The Word of God teaches us about how He wishes us to live our lives, and prayer allows for God's personal instruction and our practical application of faith and character. As we progress in our study and commitment to the Word of God, and our personal relationship with Him through prayer, the natural result is good and increased character.
We bear fruit in that we (the branches) are attached to Jesus (the vine). Through our prayerful relationship with the Lord, we remain attached to the vine and flourish in His ways. Our faith, and character (the fruit), is then allowed to form and mature.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:4-5 ESV
As individuals we exhibit character and when bound together as a church we exhibit certain characteristics as well. We can flourish in the strengths of our members, or allow ourselves to fall victim to those who are of a greater worldliness and lesser character. The advancement of our church's relationship with the Lord is just as important as our own personal advancement. The health and character of the church precludes the pruning that God employees to protect the health of the church and return it to the Word of God. Jesus spoke of this pruning..,
“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
John 15:2 KJV
Pastor Bounds wrote about the church as well...
"Much of the feebleness of religion results from the failure to have a scriptural standard in religion by which to shape character. This largely results from the omission of prayer or the failure to emphasize the importance of prayer." – E. M. Bounds
This morning I pray for the Church, and I pray for each individual branch that is attached to the vine. I pray that through scripture and prayer that each flourishes in faith and character while avoiding the pruning shears. I pray that the fruit of God's children is sweet, and that those soured fruit in the basket, which is the Church, are not allowed to spoil God's bounty and delight. May God go with each of us today and may we be tended by His Holy Word, and joined to the vine through our prayers.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for tending to us through the application of your Holy Word, and speaking with us through prayer. Thank you Lord for drawing us to you through your Son Jesus Christ, and teaching us how to live as he lives, and pray as He prays. Let our fruit be bountiful and pleasing to you Abba, but never withhold your pruning shears from us, but use them to increase us in our faith, and in advancing your character within us. Help us to be good as you are good, truthful as you are, and to reflect all the various attributes you embody… especially in love. Father, never let us mistake your pruning to be vindictive, nor done out of anger, or malice, but always with a tender and loving hand. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God, who removes from us all that is sin, or of an unsavory character or nature. Your daily judgement is perfect, and perfects us in all aspects of our lives, and faith, even before we stand at your throne with Jesus on our final day of judgement, and are deemed worthy of eternity in your presence… or not. Help us to praise you for every application of your shears, and for every branch you remove that would have done us harm, or produced no good fruit in our lives. You are merciful and full of grace Father, and in your care we are made perfect, and taught to love you, ourselves, and others, in amazing ways. Open our hearts to the gospel of Jesus, let your Holy Spirit give us remembrance of your Word, and how to understand it, then join with us in prayer as we confess our sins, ask your forgiveness, and give you all the glory for each lesson we are taught, and every cut of your pruning knife in our lives. Call us to you Father, and pronounce us worthy in Christ… washed clean by His blood, and perfected by your expert hand. You are the great arborist, and know us, and the vineyard or orchard in which we grow, seeing us intimately from alpha to omega… knowing the worth of every plant, and the health of every branch or vine. In this way we trust you and your care for us, and we truly fear not. In this way we know that you will only remove from us what is not righteous, and in this way we will stand before heaven and earth to give you all the glory for the fruit we bear.
Amen, Amen, Amen!
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”
John 15:4-6 ESV
“To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”
2 Thessalonians 2:14-17 ESV
Rich Forbes