Bearing Fruit

Bearing Fruit
Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard… —Mark 12: 2
God loves to walk in His vineyard. Why? He is looking for fruit. In John 15: 8, Jesus says, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.” Paul goes on, in Galatians 5: 22-23, to explain the fruit of the Spirit as being “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” This is the fruit God sought from the nation of Israel, and this is what the Lord is seeking from us.
**What fruit is coming forth from your life?
In contrast to fruit is work. Fruit develops naturally as a result of relationship, whereas works are those things that are produced by effort, by organization and by coordination. The Lord is not interested in coming to a factory and hearing the noisy roar of the motors and the clanging of the steel, and seeing the grime that is usually found in such busy places.
The Lord wants to come to His garden, that He might partake of and enjoy the fruit He finds there. What fruit is coming forth from your life? Is it the works of the flesh, or the fruit of the Spirit? If you want to bear fruit for God—easily and naturally—then you need to attend to your relationship with Him. You need to seek Him, think about Him, and study His character. Fruit will never come by will or determination. It comes by simply walking with the Gardener, and abiding in His love.
That’s why my ole Pastor Viv would so very often counsel me (during trials) to meditate on Matthew 6:33…get your priorities correct and seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness….He’s going to give you what you are so worried about – it’s His good pleasure to give to His children. Remember the main gift is the Father and your relationship with His son Jesus. Truly the mark of maturity is to defer to Him in all situations. Even fruit bearing.
Father, let us know and experience Your love on a daily basis and share it with those with whom we come into contact. May they see that love and realize that we are Your disciples. Amen.