Abundant Fruit Producing a bumper crop!

He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."John 14:21 (NKJV)

I was working around the house this last Saturday, pulling some weeds, washing the cars, cleaning the garage, and just enjoying the day.  We have been experiencing some amazing weather here in Southern California of late.  Two days prior, we were having a spring snow flurry that laid down a few inches, and 48-hours later, it is 75-degrees and butterflies, and ladybugs are flying about.  

By days end, there had been a transformation, as the yard was groomed, the trucks were clean, and the garage was in order.  It's cool to see the fruit of our labor - knowing the hard work was well worthy of the effort put forth, and the change is for the better.

It's even sweeter when the labor is unto God (Col 3:17,23) and is done cheerfully and in joy (2Cor 9:7). We can find ourselves busy serving others, working in ministry, and fellowshipping with the Lord as we obey His commandments, and by days end, there is abundant fruit - spiritual transformation has taken place.

Jesus said it this way, He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

There is a consistency about those who truly know and love Jesus, as they will abide in His ways.  Their life shows the fruit of it!  They do things different than they did before knowing Him.  They can't help but do things different as their heart has been regenerated.  In fact if someone says they know Christ and they continue to do things in the same way - the same sinful patterns and ways as prior to their salvation - I would question if they really know Jesus in a personal way.  And Scripture confirms this as well.

He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1John 2:4 (NKJV)

The fruit within our life, along with the ability to keep the Lord's commandments come from our relationship with Him - it is when we abide in Him, and He in us.  This is how we are empowered to walk in obedience as the Holy Spirit now lives within us.  Without our abiding in Him, we are powerless to do anything.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.John 15:4-5 (NKJV)

After reading these verses, we must ask ourselves some direct questions. Not to be legalistic, but to simply be truthful.

Q:    Do I Love Jesus?
Q:    Is there fruit in my life as a result of my relationship with Christ?

God's grace is so amazing, and His forgiveness is more than abundant to erase any sinful act we do.  But having the knowledge of a love so great motivates me to want to allow Him to do all He wants on me, and through me.  And I pray this for any person reading this who says they "Know Jesus" as Lord and Savior.

Hey Christian, I want to encourage you today, to ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit - to empower you to do everything He's called you to do.  Continue to do what you know to be right, regardless of how it received.  Walk in obedience to His Word.  Let Him produce a bumper crop of fruit within your life.

STUDY QUESTION: What can we learn about what it means to love God according to the Scriptures contained within this devotional?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you abiding in the Lord?

APPLICATION: Make it a purpose within your heart to seek the Lord each day and to continue to read His Word and to talk to Him through prayer.

How to Forgive When You Can't

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, `Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, `I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times'" - (Matthew 18:21-22, NIV). 

A Daily Dose Devotional reader writes, "I currently have a very bad relationship with my half-sister who blames my mother for taking my father away from her. I know I should forgive her, but I cannot. My dad died many years ago and my mother (also no longer living) was all I had for so long. How do I forgive someone who has said such vile and unforgiving things about her? I want to improve my relationship with God and I know that this is preventing me from doing so. Please help me."

Dear beloved, no matter what others do to us and how bad and hurtful those things may be, in the long run failing to forgive hurts us more than it hurts the other person. It's like "drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."

Reconciliation with loved ones should be our goal but that isn't
always possible because that takes both parties. Forgiveness,
however, is only dependent on one party. Forgiving a person doesn't mean we allow him or her to continue to hurt us, and we may need to distance ourselves from them if they insist on being hurtful. But it is essential for our own well-being that we forgive any and all who have ever hurt us, and leave the door open should they ever desire reconciliation. This is much more likely to happen if we graciously forgive them for what they have done to us and ask for their forgiveness for any hurtful words or actions we may have said or done to them.

To forgive it is imperative that we resolve our hurt and angry
feelings first as these are the emotions that block our forgiving.
The resentment we carry in our heart is our problem—and that's always self-destructive. What your sister has done is her issue. What you have done and are still doing by failing to forgive—is your issue and that's what you need to resolve if you are going to regain a warm loving relationship with others and with God and—hopefully in time— with your sister.

Not easy, I know, but it is essential. If you don't know how to
resolve your resentment, I encourage you to seek the guidance of a
qualified Christian counselor who can guide you through the steps to resolution so you can truly forgive your sister and put your
relationship to God back in harmony.

Also, try not to beat yourself up because of your negative feelings … we all experience situations that hurt and make us mad ... but we can resolve our feelings.**