Day 215: John 15:1–8

My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples (v. 8).

What I’m about to say is not to your pastor, your teacher, your mentor, your hero in the faith, your best friend at church, or anyone else. It’s to you. Beloved, the God of all the universe has ordained that your precious life bear much fruit.

For several days we’ve been talking about “more.” Now we’re going to talk about “much.” And I will repeat it as many times as I must. God hasn’t appointed you to mediocrity but to a life of profound harvest. I weep for the body of Christ I love so dearly because I am overwhelmed with Paul’s godly jealousy (2 Cor. 11:2) that each of you receives, savors, and celebrates what your God has for you.

I am sick of the enemy’s subtle scheme to convince the masses in the body of Christ that only a few lives in each generation are truly significant. Your life was set apart for significance! Get up right this second, look in the nearest mirror, and say it out loud to that image in front of you. And while you’re at it, say, “God has chosen you, and He wants to be glorified by you bearing much fruit.”

I’m not saying another word until you go to that mirror. My friend, sometimes what you and I need is a good fussing at. We are not yet fully believing God! If we were, we’d be so astounded and delighted in Him and living so far beyond ourselves that we wouldn’t be able to contain our joy. We somehow continue to entertain those things that hold us back from immensely productive lives.

I hope we clear a few of those obstacles out of the way through the course of this book, but I’d like to address one right away. Many think that the sins of their pasts have exempted them from tremendously fruit-bearing lives. First, if that were true, I assure you I would not be writing to you right now. Second, if we haven’t repented and allowed God to restore us and then redeem our failures, we will tragically fulfill some of our own self-destructive prophecies. God is not the one holding us back from “much fruit” after failure. In tandem with the devil, we are the ones. God’s primary concern is that He is glorified. Few unmistakable evidences glorify Him more than powerfully restored lives that humbly and authentically proclaim His faithfulness to the death.