I Chose You, and Appointed You, That Ye Should Go and Bear Fruit, and That Your Fruit Should Abide--John 15:16
There are some fruits that will
not keep. One sort of pears or apples must be used at once; another
sort can be kept over till next year. So there is in Christian
work some fruit that does not last. There may be much that pleases
and edified, and yet there is no permanent impression made on
the power of the world or the state of the Church. On the other
hand, there is work that leaves its mark for generations or for
eternity. In it the power of God makes itself lastingly felt.
It is the fruit of which Paul speaks when he describes the two
styles of ministry: "My preaching was not in persuasive words
of wisdom, but in demonstrations of the Spirit and of power; that
your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power
of God." The more of man with his wisdom and power, the less
of stability; the more of God's Spirit, the more of a faith standing
in God's power.
Fruit reveals the nature of the
tree from which it comes. What is the secret of bearing fruit
that abides? The answer is simple. It is as our life abides in
Christ, as we abide in Him, that the fruit we bear will abide.
The more we allow all that is of human will and effort to be cut
down short and cleansed away by the divine Husbandman, the more
intensely our being withdraws itself from the outward that God
may work in us by His Spirit; that is, the more wholly we abide
in Christ, the more will our fruit abide.
What a blessed thought! He chose
you, and appointed you to bear fruit, and that your fruit should
abide. He never meant one of His branches to bring forth fruit
that should not abide. The deeper I enter into the purpose of
this His electing grace, the surer my confidence will become that
I can bring forth fruit to eternal life, for myself and others.
The deeper I enter into this purpose of His electing love, the
more I will realize what the link is between the purpose from
eternity, and the fruit to eternity: the abiding in Him. The purpose
is His, He will carry it out; the fruit is His, He will bring
it forth; the abiding is His, He will maintain it.
Let everyone who professes to be
a Christian worker, pause. Ask whether you are leaving your mark
for eternity on those around you. It is not your preaching or
teaching, your strength of will or power to influence, that will
secure this. All depends on having your life full of God and
His power. And that again depends upon your living the truly
branchlike life of abiding--very close and unbroken fellowship
with Christ. It is the branch, that abides in Him, that brings
forth much fruit, fruit that will abide.
Blessed Lord, reveal to my soul,
I pray Thee, that Thou hast chosen me to bear much fruit. Let
this be my confidence, that Thy purpose can be realized--Thou
didst choose me. Let this be my power to forsake everything and
give myself to Thee. Thou wilt Thyself perfect what Thou hast
begun. Draw me so to dwell in the love and the certainty of that
eternal purpose, that the power of eternity may posses me, and
the fruit I bear may abide.
That ye may bear fruit. O
my heavenly Vine, it is beginning to dawn upon my soul that fruit,
more fruit--much fruit--abiding fruit is the one thing Thou hast
to give me, and the one thing as branch I have to give Thee! Here
I am. Blessed Lord, work out Thy purpose in me; let me bear much
fruit, abiding fruit, to thy glory.
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