Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Where's the Fruit?
My biggest challenge as a Christian is looking at my life and not seeing the fruit that I would like to see. I don't know about you, but when people look at my life, I want them to say, "I see fruit in Val's life." The question is, how do we get fruit in our lives? Our Verse of the day today is Philippians chapter 1, verse 11. It gives us great insight into this.
It says, "May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God."
The Fruit of Your Salvation
Let's unpack our verse a little bit—the fruit of your salvation. First of all, what happens at salvation? Before we were saved, we were spiritually dead. We had no desire for the things of God. Then, when we were awakened spiritually, God gave us new desires. Now there's actually a desire to pray, to read the Word, to be with the people of God.
There is fruit in our salvation. We're not just saved and going to heaven. No, there's fruit because we belong to Jesus Christ. You might be looking at your life and saying, well, you know, I don't see that much fruit in my life. So how do I get fruit?
What Do You Love?
Let me ask you a question, and I ask this to myself all the time. What do you love? That will reveal how spiritually mature you are, and if you're spiritually sick. Here's what I mean by that. If you and I don't crave the things of God—now, there are going to be seasons where we're just not as hungry for prayer and hungry for the Word. I get that. There are seasons where we're not as passionate for the Lord like we used to be. Those seasons come and go. But is there a desire for the things of God? Is there a desire to be with the people of God? Is there a desire to spend time in the presence of God, to spend time in His Word? If there's no desire for those things, then we are spiritually sick.
Paul is a shepherd, and he wants the Philippians to be healthy. He says, "May you always be filled—" this is a continual filling "—with the fruit of your salvation." Then it says, "the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ." Who produces the righteous character? How do we get this fruit? We can't muster it up in our own strength.
Stay Attached to the Source
It says it's produced by Jesus Christ. Does that mean we do nothing? Absolutely not. Our job is to stay attached to the Source, and the Source is Jesus Christ. Listen, if you and I are not attached to Jesus Christ, and if we don't make knowing Him a priority, you and I will not see fruit in our lives.
Christianity is not about behavior modification. It's not, I used to smoke, drink, and hang around bad crowds, and I don't do that anymore. That's not Christianity. Christianity is, I love Jesus, and because I love Jesus, you're going to see fruit in my life. Paul says this: "May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ."
Fruit Points People to God
Last point: "for this will bring much glory and praise to God." What's the point of all the fruit? It's to point people to God.
