Much Fruit

Hello and good morning! My anticipation for what the Lord will do in and through us on retreat is growing. I have the privilege of seeing some of the behind the scenes activity, some of what He is doing in our hearts as you send in your prayer requests, and report His answers. I sense He is zealous for all of us as individuals. He wants our whole heart. May this meditation on John 15 continue to unveil the promise of His joy in you, His joy complete in you. This is a promise you can rest in as you rest in Him.
 
The reading today is entitled Much Fruit, and is from John 15:5
 
…he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit…. John 15:5
 
Here are some highlights: 
 
…the fruit is not a demand, but the simple promise of what must come to the branch that lives in the double abiding – he in Chrsit, and Christ in him.
…only life can bear fruit. A law can compel work: only love can spontaneously bring forth fruit.
…the essential idea of fruit is that it is the silent natural restful produce of our inner life…
 
The fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, joy.// It is only when good works come as the fruit of the indwelling Spirit that they are acceptable to God. Under the compulsion of law and conscience, or the influence of inclination and zeal, men (and women) may be most diligent in good works, and yet find that they have but little spiritual result. There can be no reason but this – their works are man’s effort, instead of being the fruit of the Spirit, the restful, natural outcome of the Spirit’s operation within us.
 
Let all workers come and listen to our holy Vine as He reveals the law of sure and abundant fruitfulness. “He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.” The gardener cares for one thing – the strength and healthy life of his tree:  the fruit follows of itself. If you would bear fruit, see that the inner life is perfectly right, that your relation to Christ Jesus is clear and close. //It is not your willing and running, it is not by your might or strength, but – “by my Spirit saith the Lord.” See you to the abiding: He will see to the fruit, for He will give it in you and through you.
 
…Christ must do all! The Vine provides the sap, and the life, and the strength; the branch waits, and rests, and receives, and bears the fruit. //I pray you, take time and ask the Holy Spirit to give you to realize the unspeakably solemn place you occupy in the mind of God. He has planted you into His Son with the calling and the power to bear much fruit. Accept that place. Look much to God, and to Christ, and expect joyfully to be what God has planned to make you, a fruitful branch.
 
So be it, blessed Lord Jesus. It can be, for Thou art the Vine. It shall be, for I am abiding in Thee. It must be, for Thy Father is the Husbandman that cleanses the branch. Yea, much fruit, out of the abundance of Thy grace.
 
Abba, we want Jesus to be our most treasured possession on the horizon of our future. We want to see Jesus, and find in Him all Your promises of being fully known, and fully loved. We cannot do this on our own. We are too easily distracted, willingly distracted. Oh may Your Spirit continue to form in us a longing and desire to see You as our hearts desire. We believe that You alone can bear fruit through us, by Your Spirit. And we are beginning to understand our own frustration in ministry… we have been trying to produce the fruit on our own. We want to produce Spirit led lives in the sphere in which you have planted us, and yet only Life begets Life. So we lay down doing what we think we know to do, and by faith, believe the promise that You desire not just fruit in and through our lives, but much fruit...and You will do it! Oh what a promise Lord! Let us see You as our hearts desire. Show us again Your glory. We want to be with You Jesus where You are, that we may see Your glory. And let this fuel our rest, let this fuel our faith and belief that You will bear much fruit as we walk closely with You. As we rest in relationship with You, being filled by Your Spirit, the natural result will be fruit, more fruit, abundant fruit. May we cease striving to produce fruit, and may You fill our hearts and vision today. Jesus, You are truly the joy of our desiring. We love You. In Your name we pray, amen.