FRUITFUL LIVES
II Peter 1:8
"For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The list of character traits Peter wrote about (vss. 5-7) resembles the list of the fruit of the Spirit that Paul identified, such as love, longsuffering or perseverance, self-control, goodness or virtue, and kindness (Galatians 5:22-23), and that fruit is a result of relationship with the Lord Jesus. Jesus said that to bear fruit, I have to abide in Him. Otherwise the branch withers (John 10:4-6). My relationship with the Lord Jesus is the key to bearing fruit. (The knowledge of our Lord Jesus is heart-knowledge (epignosis) as opposed to head knowledge (eido).) From my limited agricultural experience, I know that my fruit trees have to be nourished by watering, fertilizing, and pruning or they will die and produce no fruit. Every year, I clean out the dead branches in my citrus trees that do not bear fruit. They die because the sap quits flowing to the limb. My relationship with the Lord Jesus has to be nourished so the sap keeps flowing. I do not want to be barren and unfruitful.
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The secret of a fruitful life is continuing relationship with the Lord Jesus.
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Have a fruitful day. Love you.
II Peter 1:8
"For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The list of character traits Peter wrote about (vss. 5-7) resembles the list of the fruit of the Spirit that Paul identified, such as love, longsuffering or perseverance, self-control, goodness or virtue, and kindness (Galatians 5:22-23), and that fruit is a result of relationship with the Lord Jesus. Jesus said that to bear fruit, I have to abide in Him. Otherwise the branch withers (John 10:4-6). My relationship with the Lord Jesus is the key to bearing fruit. (The knowledge of our Lord Jesus is heart-knowledge (epignosis) as opposed to head knowledge (eido).) From my limited agricultural experience, I know that my fruit trees have to be nourished by watering, fertilizing, and pruning or they will die and produce no fruit. Every year, I clean out the dead branches in my citrus trees that do not bear fruit. They die because the sap quits flowing to the limb. My relationship with the Lord Jesus has to be nourished so the sap keeps flowing. I do not want to be barren and unfruitful.
TODAY'S PRINCIPLE: The secret of a fruitful life is continuing relationship with the Lord Jesus.
[end]
Have a fruitful day. Love you.
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