Bloom
The Vine, the Branches, and the Fruit
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5
Now that you have the living God enthroned in your heart, there is no limit to what you and Him can do together!
If the soil of your heart is primed, the seed of the Gospel has been laid, and the Spirit of God has brought light and life into your heart-
It is time to grow!
Your relationship with God is exactly that- a relationship.
How do you nourish your relationships with your loved ones?
There are many different ways we can strengthen our human relationships. We spend quality time with them, we confide in and are honest with them, and we listen and fullfill their requests. We also show our adoration in various ways like giving them praise or encouragement and apologizing when we’ve wronged them.
This example of a healthy relationship can help us understand how to stay in good communion with God too. Although He is God, the Creator of the Universe and the Most High- when we accept Christ, we can now also call him Father and friend.
“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12–13)
To be spiritually reborn into God’s family means to die to your old self and to be born again into a new creation. Similar to the metamorphosis that takes place from caterpillar to butterfly, God’s presence in our lives will bring out true goodness and beauty as the Spirit transforms our lives and minds after Christ. By remaining rooted in Christ we will exude love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These works of the Holy Spirit are called ‘the Fruit of the Spirit’ and are evidence of a changed heart.
Once this spiritual transformation from death to life has begun- we are adopted into God’s family and are loved as true children. Not only has our destiny been sealed for salvation in heaven for all eternity, He desires to connect with us here on earth too, isn’t that incredible?!
With this thought in mind, The Lord has also given us several practical ways to connect with and deepen our walk with Him.
Let’s dive in!
The Five Pillars
of Walking with God
-Prayer-
From eternity past, God has always been a God of connection and relationship. When God created the world, all three Persons of the Trinity were involved. The very essence of God is One. When you gave your life to Christ and asked Him to be Lord of your life, He moved in. You and God are now united by His loving sacrifice. He died for the chance to get to know YOU! What a beautiful love.
The veil between God and man has been torn, through the blood of Jesus we may now come directly to the Father.
Prayer is a powerful pathway that God has given us to connect with Himself. Through prayer, we can seek to know His will for our lives, to understand His ways, and to surrender all of our thoughts, concerns and desires. It is the way that He designed all people to connect with Him.
In practice it is extremely simple: talk to Him about anything and everything. He is already listening and He cares about every detail of your life. You can pray out loud, corporately with other believers, write your prayers out through journaling, go on a prayer walk, or pray in solitude.
Through prayer we can surrender our burdens to God, we can thank Him for what He is doing in our lives, our community, and in our world, we can ask for help for ourselves or a friend, and we can can quietly listen to hear what He wants to speak to us.
"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us" - John 5:14
"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." - John 15:7
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."- Matthew 7:7
-God's Word-
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."- Psalm 119:105
God gave us several compilations of writings that are inspired by Him, and have been proven throughout the years to be trustworthy and infallible. Generations after generations have recognised the inestimable value of the Holy Scriptures. These ancient writings have been preserved all the way up until this present hour, in order that God's children might know Him now.
If your future husband or wife wrote you a love letter, would your heart not burn inside of you to find a quiet place and savour its every delightful word? How much more should our souls long for the words from our Maker.
“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 11:18-19 ESV
As we immerse ourselves in God's Word, we learn His character, His wisdom, His Truth. By it we are equipped for His work, taught how to love others, filled with worship and praise, and transformed into His image.
It is our daily bread and, therefore, should be read and consumed as such.
The Word of God is alive and active. It is a spiritual book and must be met with the Spirit.
Therefore, every time you open up the Bible, first pray for God to light your understanding of it and humble your heart to receive His instruction towards you. It’s amazing how directly He can speak into your life, through His word.
"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12
"I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread” (Job 23:12)
Daily devotionals, Bible Apps and reading plans can also help guide our understanding of the Scriptures, to learn and connect to God.
See our Directory for Bible reading sources
-Worship-
God has designed every heart with a desire to worship. Whether it be a reaction to a beautiful sunset, a fascination towards someone you greatly admire, or even a feeling of pride in yourself and your own goodness- we are met daily with a choice of who or what we we will worship.
"You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve."- Luke 4:8
The word worship used in this verse was originally written in Greek as proskyneō, which literally means to prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): to worship
To worship God, the first thing that is necessary is a humble heart. We must see God as great and ourselves as sinners. If we do not see ourselves as desperately in need of saving, then we will not understand the practice of worshipping God or the sacrifice of the cross.
Many people have an image in mind when they hear somebody talk about heaven, imagining themselves singing the same songs day and night before God, possibly with a harp. This image leaves much for wanting as it feels redundant and, dare I say, boring.
Worship (and heaven!) is far from boring.
On the contrary, it is an absolutely soul satisfying experience of adoration, wonder, and praise that our hearts were literally created for. As we learn more about God, we will continually find new reasons to praise Him! One could imagine it to be a surprising and exhilarating experience.
Worship is designed for all of creation- humans, angels, stones, whales, and insects- to admire and adore their Maker. We worship God because He is higher than ourselves and He deserves all of our devotion.
"Sing to the Lord a new song; let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim good news of His salvation from day to day"- Psalm 96:1-2
We can worship God in many ways. The most obvious form of worship is the act of praising God with our lips. We sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs of praise to God, either alone or in company with the corporate church, to magnify and bring glory to His Name. This is an important practice in the life of a believer, as it helps us to refocus our gaze away from self and unto Christ. It honors and magnifies God's Name, and increases our intimacy with Him.
Worship can appear as serving in your local church, handing out care packages to those in need, offering help to the overwhelmed or sorrowful, or praying for and encouraging the downcast in heart. We can and should worship God with our lives as well as with our lips.
Most importantly, worship looks like devotion.
Obeying and loving God with integrity of heart even when He doesn't FEEL quite as near- though of course He always is- all because we have chosen to follow Him & our hearts know that He is worthy.
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."- Romans 12:1"
Those who live their lives with a heart of worship will look different. They will be 'other than' the average person you meet at the grocery store or the workplace. Perhaps you know somebody like this and have pondered in your heart what makes them so different.
They have found the secret of the Christian life: to pour oneself out in surrender to Jesus that He might reign in our stead.
This is our reasonable worship:
Jesus on the throne of our hearts.
Oh, may we dare to live like this.
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." -John 4:23
-Fellowship-
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit." -1 Corinthians 12:12-14
What a beautiful picture this is! The bride of Christ, His church, is by no means a sweat shop production of identical Christian replicas mass produced to serve Him. Rather, it is a grand mosaic of followers from all cultures, backgrounds, and giftings who have individually made the decision to joyfully lay their lives down and pledge allegiance to the King of Kings. Each member is unique and brings intrinsic value to the body. Can you imagine your face without a nose? We need each other and unless we realize that at a deep level, we won't understand the value of fellowship.
God has given each member of His body a calling and gifting that is unique and indispensable.
The gifts He has outlined to us in His Word include evangelism, teaching, apostleship, prophecy, healing, administration, knowledge, leadership, service, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, mercy, encouragement, shepherding, hospitality, faith, discernment, wisdom, and giving. Just as a body has many parts that are all different but equally necessary for it to function well, so it is with the church. (Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12)
We all have our own experiences, world views, and opinions that can easily cause conflict and division if we do not remember to humble ourselves and pray for unity continually. Therefore, when joining a church or any gathering of believers, it is imperative that we come not only to be served but to serve and bless the lives of our brothers and sisters.
These differences of life experiences can be a great aide to one another, in sharing insight for varying issues and for sharing the Gospel with people who have similar backgrounds!
If you have the gift of service, may your heart sing as you wash the windows and set the chairs because you know that you are doing it unto Christ. If you have the gift of encouragement, ask God to point you in the direction of the discouraged and pray for them as you remember that Jesus sits in heaven and never stops interceding for you. Likewise, if you have the gift of evangelism, find a couple of believers with the same heart for the lost that will pray for and/or join you as you make every effort to reach the lost and make heaven crowded!
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." - Hebrews 10:24-
The essential elements that make up a Christian church include: the fellowship of the saints, studying and living in accordance of the Word, breaking of bread, leadership by faithful elders, prayer, and corporate worship. This is what you should look for when searching for a church family, whether you are meeting in a building, under a tree, or in somebody's home. Remember that it is these elements that make up the church, not a physical building.
(For a deeper dive, listen to this sermon on the foundations of a healthy church here)
-Obedience-
"As the Father has loved me, I also have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love".
-John 15:9-10
The topic of obedience may sound difficult or restricting, but in fact God’s law’s GIVE US LIFE!
Think about the 10 commandments for a moment… Committing any one of those sins not only hurts our relationship with God, but it also hurts ourselves and those around us. He has our best interest at heart and is worthy of our trust.
God's Word is the means in which He reveals Himself and His character. His laws reveal He is the original goodness and the standard of what is good. It also reveals our weakness as humans and points us to our need of a Savior from our sins.
We can not do this on our own, nor are we meant to!
Jesus’ sacrifice was the payment for our sins and He freely gives the Holy Spirt to those who ask, to empower them to live out a godly life in the will of the Father.
Living as a metaphorical branch connected to the vine, our purpose is to abide and remain in Christ. This abiding should naturally lead us to obey since we are now One with Him and all of our substance (thoughts, will, emotions) should flow from Him and bear fruit. This is a process called sanctification that will be worked out throughout your entire life as a Christian until you are made perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
As He is our Father in heaven, our very Creator, He knows what is best for us and asks for our trust. To keep His commandments and flee from sin is to trust that God has our best interest in mind.
Like a good father,
He shows us the right way and loves us enough to pick us back up when we inevitably fall.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. “ - Ephesians 2:8-9
We are not saved by obeying God’s word.
We obey God’s word because He saved us and we love and trust Him!
We can show our love to God through obedience. Remember that faith without works is dead, but so are works done without love.
Obedience to God's Word not only shows our love for God, but it makes us righteous, happy, builds up our faith, and blesses us in return.
(Luke 11:28, Romans 5:19, Proverbs 28:14)
As we walk out our faith in obedience, we will witness dead hearts come alive, ‘the sick healed, the prisoner set free, the downcast filled with joy, and the anxious heart at peace.
-Final Thoughts-
With all of these values in mind, it is good to remember that the Christian life is not always linear. We will have days where we are able to love the people around us well and follow God with gladness. There are other times we may stumble back into sin or drift in our relationship with God.
We must remember that God does not lose what He has redeemed.
You can always come back to Him if you come to Him in humility.
“And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”- John 6:39-40
Our Father truly is the Good Shepherd. Although humans in our frailty may fail, God remains loyal. The Holy Spirit inside of you will lead you, correct you, and draw you back to God and to His will.
If you find yourself discouraged at any point along your faith journey, try reminding yourself of what is true: that the Christian life is not about how perfect we perform, but how quickly we realize our need for God and run to Him for help. It is a relationship where grace and forgiveness always abound.
Like King David prayed when he sinned against God, let us come to God in bold humility praying "forgive me" and in the same breath "bless me", accepting God's forgiveness as complete and your sin removed as far as the east is from the west. (Psalm 51:10-12, Psalm 103:12)
"Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault." -Jude 1:24