We are called to bear much fruit. “Bear much fruit” is a metaphor used by Jesus to describe living a life of goodness, righteousness, and faithfulness. When Christians produce good works, spiritual maturity, kindness, and disciples, they are seen as bearing fruit. The phrase “bear fruit” means to yield results or benefits from one’s work or efforts, and can refer to the literal bearing of fruit from plants or more figurative positive outcomes from actions and endeavors. In any application, to bear fruit is to realize some return for efforts put forth.
Considering our top priorities, what do you do to bear much fruit?
Ways to bear much fruit as a Christian?
- Abide in Christ: Remain in Christ, hold tight to Him, and refuse to depart.
- Prune: Allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify your life and make you holy by removing everything that is dead and doesn’t have life, Jesus, within it.
- Bear the fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
- Ask God for a new heart: Ask God to give you a new heart.
- Guard your heart: Guard your heart from evil.
- Incline your heart to understanding: Incline your heart to understanding.
- Prioritize the right things: Prioritize the right things in your life.
- Honor God with your heart: Honor God with your heart, not just your words.
- Pursue purity: Pursue purity in your life.
- Believe God: Believe God and His promises.
- Love God with your whole heart: Love God with your whole heart.
Ways to bear much fruit as a Husband?
- Spend quality time with your spouse: Make sure to spend time with your spouse and communicate with them regularly. This will help you understand their needs and desires better, and strengthen your relationship.
- Be supportive: Be supportive of your spouse’s goals and aspirations. Encourage them to pursue their dreams and help them achieve them.
- Be a good listener: Listen to your spouse when they talk to you. This will help you understand their perspective and show them that you care.
- Be affectionate: Show your spouse that you love them by being affectionate. This can be as simple as holding hands, hugging, or kissing.
- Be patient: Marriage is a journey, and it takes time to build a strong relationship. Be patient with your spouse and work together to overcome any challenges that come your way.
Ways to bear much fruit as a dad?
- Spend quality time with your children: Spending quality time with your children is one of the most important things you can do as a dad. It helps build a strong bond between you and your children, and it also helps them feel loved and valued.
- Be a good role model: Children learn by example, so it’s important to be a good role model for your children. This means being honest, respectful, and responsible.
- Encourage your children: Encouragement is key to helping your children grow and develop. Encourage them to try new things, and be there to support them when they need it.
- Be involved in your children’s lives: Being involved in your children’s lives is important for their development. Attend their school events, help them with their homework, and be there to listen when they need to talk.
- Teach your children life skills: Teaching your children life skills is important for their future success. Teach them how to cook, clean, and do laundry. These skills will help them become independent adults.
Remember, being a dad is one of the most important roles you will ever have. By following these tips, you can help your children grow and develop into happy, healthy, and successful adults.
Topic: WHAT DO YOU DO?
Verse: John 15:8
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Firstly, let’s be the dads who do what it takes to bring glory to God. Secondly, let’s be the dads who do what is necessary to bear much fruit. Finally, let’s be the dads who do what Jesus asks of us to be His disciples.
What to do to bring glory to God?
- Pray for your children: Pray for your children’s well-being, safety, and spiritual growth. You can also pray for their future spouses, friends, and teachers.
- Teach your children about God: Share your faith with your children and teach them about God’s love, grace, and mercy. You can read the Bible together, attend church services, and participate in faith-based activities.
- Lead by example: Be a role model for your children by living a life that reflects your faith. Show them how to love, forgive, and serve others. You can also demonstrate humility, patience, and self-control.
- Discipline your children: Discipline your children in a loving and consistent manner. Teach them right from wrong and help them develop a strong moral compass. You can also use discipline as an opportunity to teach them about God’s love and forgiveness.
- Spend quality time with your children: Spend time with your children and create meaningful memories together. You can play games, go on adventures, and have heart-to-heart conversations. These moments can help strengthen your relationship with your children and show them how much you care.
Remember, being a father is a great responsibility and a blessing. By raising your children with love, wisdom, and faith, you can bring glory to God and make a positive impact on their lives.
What to do to bear much fruit?
- Stay connected to Jesus: Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”. Therefore, it is important to stay connected to Jesus through prayer, reading the Bible, and attending church.
- Lead by example: Children learn by example, so it is important to model the behavior you want to see in your children. Galatians 5:22-23 states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law”. Therefore, strive to exhibit these qualities in your daily life.
- Discipline with love: Proverbs 13:24 says, “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them”. Discipline is an important part of parenting, but it should always be done with love and not anger.
- Spend quality time with your children: Spending quality time with your children is essential for building strong relationships. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”. Therefore, take the time to talk to your children, listen to them, and engage in activities together.
- Pray for your children: Prayer is a powerful tool for parents. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective”. Therefore, pray for your children’s health, safety, and spiritual growth.
What to do to show you are a disciple of Jesus?
- Pray with your children: Praying with your children is a great way to teach them about the importance of prayer and to model a life of faith. Jesus himself prayed often and taught his disciples to pray.
- Read the Bible together: Reading the Bible together as a family is a great way to learn more about God’s word and to grow in your faith. The Bible is full of stories and teachings that can help guide us in our daily lives.
- Serve others: Serving others is a great way to show the love of Christ to those around us. Jesus himself was a servant and taught his disciples to serve others.
- Be patient and kind: As a dad, it’s important to be patient and kind with your children, just as God is patient and kind with us. The Bible says that love is patient and kind.
- Forgive others: Forgiveness is an important part of being a disciple of Jesus. As a dad, it’s important to model forgiveness to your children and to teach them to forgive others.
- Attend church together: Attending church together as a family is a great way to grow in your faith and to connect with other believers. The Bible encourages us to not give up meeting together, but to encourage one another.
Remember, being a disciple of Jesus is not just about what we do, but about who we are. It’s about having a personal relationship with Jesus and following him with our whole heart.
Further More, it starts with a question
Today’s Devotional starts with a question about what question most-often gets asked when strangers meet at a social gathering. “So, what do you do?” It’s an icebreaker and can help get the conversation started and even extend if the question is reciprocated.
How do you answer? Does it relate to your priorities as a dad of God, Wife, Kids, everything else? Where would you start if you were to answer in alignment with your priorities? Today’s Devotional points out how “every Christian could answer the question with the exact same template:”
"I serve the Lord Jesus Christ by working as a (name your position)"
Consider what God’s Word tells us in Romans 1
1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
That’s right, our job is to serve God!
No matter what our title is, our job is to serve God, as husbands, dads, and whatever work we do as Today’s Devotional shares “no matter the venues of our vocations”.
John 6:38 explains how Jesus “came into the world to accomplish His Father’s will, so we go into the world to accomplish Jesus’ will”, check out Matthew 28:19-20 and John 20:21.
For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.John 6:38 NIV
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”Matthew 28:19-20 NIV
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”John 20:21 NIV
What do you do? What do you accomplish?
Today’s Devotional expresses it this way:
- “earning our daily bread through our labor”
- “extending the Kingdom of God by manifesting Christ’s love and values to others”
He who disregards his calling will never keep the straight path in the duties of his work.
JOHN CALVIN
