Imagine yourself gathering with Jesus and His closest followers for dinner—not just any dinner, but the meal that will be their last before the Messiah is led away and crucified.

That evening, Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples are recorded in John 14–16. He spells out what is coming: He will be leaving, but the Father will send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will teach all things to those who believe in Him.

John 15 gives a beautiful illustration of how we are to bear fruit in our lives by abiding in Jesus Christ. It begins: 

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. . . . 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. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:1-8 NKJV)

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches.

A branch in and of itself does not bear fruit. It must be connected to the vine to receive the nourishment it needs. Through Jesus Christ, we receive the spiritual nourishment needed to bear good godly fruit in our lives.

Notice the word abide—used 10 times in six verses of this section alone! It means to remain, continue, or live in union with. This connection—one that abides in the vine—denotes an ongoing relationship with Christ.

To reach the deeper levels of our faith—that of abiding—we must intentionally strengthen the quality of time spent with Him.

How often do we sit quietly and simply enjoy His presence?

Abiding is more than reading our Bible for 10 minutes in the morning and then leaving God on the table as we hurry to our next task.

Abiding grows our relationship with Him from being a morning-only appointment to an all-day awareness of His presence.

Abiding is not an emotion achieved, but an ongoing relationship enjoyed.

Abiding means Jesus is no longer simply someone we read about and can quote, but a living master and friend; one we are engaged with throughout the day.

Abiding is obeying Jesus’ words to us. We’re aware when He brings His word to our remembrance, and we do what it says.

Abiding in Christ, we learn to hear His voice. We begin to recognize the “still small voice” of His Spirit speaking to ours.

Abiding gives us the inner rest and refreshing we need to do the work He has called us to do. How often He supernaturally rewards the time spent in abiding, so we do less, but accomplish more for His glory!

Abiding in Christ we bear fruit. We experience His love, His joy, His peace, His patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The Spirit works to grow these Christlike qualities in us, as we learn to abide in Him. This beautiful, ongoing, intimate relationship with the Lord allows us to not only bear fruit, but much fruit, in our lives!

Copyright © 2019 Cheryl Elton

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Beautiful butterflies flitted all around me, silently gliding through the air and softly landing on nearby plants and flowers.

Not just a few butterflies, mind you, but more than 7,000 butterflies flying freely in a large five-story tropical conservatory.

This spring I visited the Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition,[1] featuring more than 40 different species imported from the Far East and Central America.

Seeing the kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, and patterns of these delicate creatures, and observing the various stages of their growth was truly breathtaking!                                           

Scientists continue to be amazed how one creature: a caterpillar, transforms into an entirely different one: the butterfly. 

Metamorphosis is the biological term describing this transformation, or complete change.

It comes from the Greek word metamorphóō, used in Romans 12:2:

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform (metamorphóō) you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” 

The process of metamorphosis wonderfully illustrates the life of a Christian learning to walk in the steps of Christ. 

This transformation doesn’t happen instantly, but through various stages. In the case of the butterfly, first there’s the egg, then the caterpillar (or larva). It begins to change and a hard shell, or chrysalis forms. From this, finally emerges the butterfly.

Similarly, as Christians submitting our lives to Him, the old sinful nature gradually dies as our new nature in Christ is being developed.

We literally move from a life of rebellion against God to living a Christlike life that glorifies God, and bears much fruit.

God does the transforming, as we yield ourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit—renewing our minds, and teaching us the ways of Christ. We start thinking, feeling, and viewing things as He does.

The progression of dying to self and becoming like Christ happens daily as we choose to spend time with Him—to meet Him in that secret place, to acknowledge His presence, to walk and talk with Him.

In this process we bear fruit in our lives—others see it, they are nourished, and seeds are planted in their lives. Ultimately some will go on to produce fruit of their own.

Through this wonderful progression of spiritual growth and bearing fruit, God is responding to the longings of our hearts . . . transforming us into being more like Him.

[1] At the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

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Imagine yourself gathering with Jesus and His closest followers for dinner—not just any dinner, but the meal that will be their last before the Messiah is led away and crucified.

That evening, Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples are recorded in John 14–16. He lays out what is coming: He will be leaving, but the Father will send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will teach all things to those who believe in Him.

John 15 gives a beautiful illustration of how we are to bear fruit in our lives by abiding in Jesus Christ. It begins: 

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. . . . 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. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” (John 15:1-8 NKJV) 

Here, in the first eight verses, fruit is mentioned six times!

It’s clear God doesn’t want us to simply bear some fruit, but much fruit.

Why? 

So our lives may glorify Him!

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches.

A branch in and of itself does not bear fruit. It must be connected to the vine. Through Jesus Christ (the vine) we receive the nourishment we need to bear fruit. Without Him, we bear no fruit and “can do nothing.”

Our Heavenly Father is the vinedresser, or gardener who tends to our fruit. Verse two uses the phrase “takes away”, or in some translations “cuts off.”

A clearer rendering from the Greek (airo) would be “take up” or “lift up.”

The branches of plants like grapevines have a natural tendency to trail down and grow along the ground. Here, they get muddy and don’t yield fruit. So a gardener often will lift the branches up, wash them off, and tie them to a trellis or pole, so again they can receive sunlight and flourish.

Likewise, God doesn’t cut off or throw us away when we fall into the dirt and stop producing fruit. Rather, He lifts us up, and helps us thrive again.

The gardener also prunes healthy branches so they remain strong and fruitful. Pruning doesn’t kill a plant, but rather reshapes it to come back stronger.

If we stay connected to Jesus Christ, taking our nourishment from Him, we will bear good godly fruit. We may experience seasons of lifting or pruning, but will come back stronger and more fruitful.

John 15 exhorts us toward an ongoing relationship with Christ—one that “abides in the vine.”

In six verses, the word “abide” is used ten times!

To abide means to stay closely connected, to continue, or remain.

How do we accomplish this abiding in Christ?

Surely reading and meditating on God’s word, and prayer are important parts of abiding.

But to reach the deep levels of abiding we must intentionally strengthen the quality of time spent with God.

Abiding is much more than reading our Bible for 10 minutes in the morning and then leaving God on the table as we hurry to our next activity.

Abiding grows your relationship with Him from a morning-only appointment to an all-day awareness of His presence.

Many Christians excel at doing activities for God, yet fail at simply enjoying His company.

How often do you sit quietly and simply enjoy His presence?

Abiding means Jesus is no longer a historical figure we can quote, but a living master and friend—one we are engaged with throughout the day.

Abiding in Christ, we hear His words, allow them to dwell within us, and obey what He tells us.

Abiding gives us the inner rest and refreshing we need to do the work He has called us to do. How often He supernaturally rewards the time spent in abiding, so we do less, but accomplish much more for His glory!

Abiding in Christ we experience His love, His joy, His peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, as the Spirit (gardener) works to grow these Christlike qualities, or fruit of the Spirit, in us.

This kind of ongoing, intimate relationship with Christ allows us to abide in Him.

Subsequently, we will bear much fruit in our lives!

Part 3 will look at how God transforms us to become more like Christ.

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

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One of the most exciting realities of the Christian life is that when we enter into relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit begins a divine work to produce Christ’s character within us.

In doing so, our whole outlook on life changes. His thoughts become our thoughts. His actions become our actions. His purposes become our own.

We become more Christ-like.

No longer living by the old sinful nature, we now live by the Spirit, and in doing so, we bear fruit.

Fruit is mentioned many times in the Bible, both literally and figuratively. The concept of bearing fruit is used often.

Fruit, as the result of work or activity, can be either good or bad. And just as with literal fruit, no fruit grows until seeds are planted.

Likewise for us: the fruit evidenced in our lives grows from what we allow to take root in our hearts.

Galatians 5:16-25 contrasts the fruit of our old sinful nature with the fruit of the Spirit—our new nature in Christ—and what it looks like to be directed by or live by each. The section concludes: 

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Interestingly, the Greek word for “fruit” (karpós) is in the singular, indicating there is one fruit with nine attributes, or characteristics.

Like a bowl filled with various kinds of fruit—strawberries, apples, pears, grapes, etc.—yet together referred to as a single bowl of fruit.

By definition, karpós[1], used figuratively, results from the joining of two life-streams—the Lord living His life through ours—to yield what is eternal. In this usage, it implies that everything is done in true partnership with Christ.

What an awesome reality!

As we learn to partner with Christ and live in His presence, the Spirit helps us practice the same love Jesus had when He laid down His life for us.

The joy Jesus experienced begins to fill our hearts.

The same peace that guarded Jesus’ heart, even as He endured the cross, protects ours.

The kind of patience Jesus showed to Peter works in us.

The kindness Jesus showed to the woman taken in adultery starts to soften our hearts toward others.

The Father’s goodness that Jesus showed others, the Spirit now works in us.

The same faithfulness that caused Jesus to always seek and obey the Father is built into our hearts.

The gentleness Jesus showed to children wells up within us.

The self-control Jesus exhibited by always doing the Father’s will, the Spirit now grows in us, so we may resist temptation and do what is right.

Like fruit ripening on the vine, all fruit of the Spirit is grown as we cultivate a close love relationship with the Master.

Throughout our lives, we grow in displaying Christ to the world around us through the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control God develops in us.

The Holy Spirit guides this process—growing this wonderful spiritual fruit in us—transforming us toward full maturation in Christ.

[1] See Strong’s 2590

Part 2 will explore more on how to grow spiritual fruit in our lives and its purpose.

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

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Why is it the busier we get, the less time we often devote to the one relationship that matters most—God?

It’s a phenomenon I call the “pace paradox.”

I recently read about studies which reveal that the pace of life worldwide is now 10% faster than it was twenty years ago. 

Consider this . . . 

Researchers for this “pace of life” project studied the correlation between time, money and walking in 32 major cities around the world. They clocked how long it took pedestrians to walk 60 feet. Singapore timed the fastest at 10.55 seconds, up 30% from two decades ago. Guangzhou, China placed fourth with 10.94 seconds, while New York, coined “the city that never sleeps,” ranked eighth, with a time of 12 seconds. 

Countries across Western Europe and Asia scored as fastest paced, while smaller, more economically undeveloped countries scored as slower. Walkers in the African city of Blantyre, Malawi came in last place at 31.60 seconds. 

One explanation suggests that economic factors might play a role in the relationship between city size and foot speed. The larger the city, the higher the wage rate and cost of living, and with that, more demands on a person’s time. Economizing on time becomes more and more urgent and life becomes more hurried. 

Interestingly, the study also revealed that people in fast-moving cities have higher rates of coronary heart disease, and are less likely to help others. 

In a world driven by text messages, email, mobile phones, and the perceived need to always be producing, concern is rising that increased speeds of living (and its deleterious consequences) will continue to affect people greater than ever before—especially since the majority of the world now lives in urban areas for the first time in history. 

What does all this mean for the Christian? 

Is the pace of life overwhelming you? 

Jesus often had crowds thronging Him, yet was never rushing when He was with people. When the demands became high, He often snuck away to a mountainside or a quiet place to pray. 

And there it is . . .

The Son of God Himself shows us our ongoing need for quiet time alone with God. 

It’s a daily challenge, a daily decision to slow down and make time for God. Starting the day with Bible reading and prayer (even if it’s only ten minutes), allows us to think about the things that really matter—to be quiet, acknowledge, and enjoy the presence of the One who goes with us all day long. 

Jesus reminds us that there will be trouble in the world, but in Him we find peace. 

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]   —John 16:33 (Amplified Bible) 

John 15 offers the beautiful illustration of Jesus as the vine and the Father as the gardener. Only through staying connected to the vine do we receive spiritual nourishment and bear spiritual fruit. 

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. —John 15:4 (NLT)                                                                                                        

God’s peace is not something we work to achieve or earn. It is the essence of God Himself, realized through an ongoing continuing relationship with the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

When the demands of life overwhelm us, His presence provides the key to finding all we need.

Copyright © 2014 Cheryl Elton 

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