The very highest object of angel and archangel before the throne!

(George Everard, "Much Fruit!" 1884)

"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." John 15:8

The Christian should be as a branch laden with good fruit, weighed down with ripened clusters, sweetened by the glorious sunshine, and gladdening the heart of the Great Gardener, as He sees in it a rich reward for His toil and pains!

That they should bear abundant fruit, is one great purpose of all God's dealings with His people. He not simply wills that they should be forgiven and saved--but that they should glorify Him by being fruitful in every good word and work. To bring glory to God is the very highest object of angel and archangel before the throne! It is worth striving for. It is the noblest aim the Christian can cherish.

It should be our effort day by day to bring our basket of ripe fruit to the Master--and such as will glorify Him and receive His gracious approval.

All true fruit which glorifies God, is the outgrowth of inward spiritual grace. It is an external manifestation of the Spirit of God abiding within.

Hence the main point always to keep steadfastly before me, is the absolute necessity of a living union with Christ. It is the branch abiding in living union with the stem and root, that alone can bring forth fruit. There is no possibility of any fruit at all without this.

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so 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, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5

I must not aim at doing anything whatever by my own natural abilities.
In Christ, I must begin,
in Christ, I must continue,
in Christ, I must complete all that I undertake.

On Him I must exercise entire, unlimited, perpetual dependence!

I must rely upon Him for . . .
  daily mercy,
  daily grace,
  daily keeping,
  daily upholding, and
  daily power to think and will and work as I ought in His service.

I must ever abide in Christ by faith, and receive out of His fullness. I must continually . . .
  feed on the Living Bread,
  drink evermore from the Living Fountain,
  abide in the love of Christ, and
  dwell beneath the shadow of the Rock of Ages!

If I would bear fruit--my religion must go heart-deep! Christ must be all my salvation and all my desire!

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You might want to read the whole of George Everard's superb article, "Much Fruit!"

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Feel free to forward these gems to others who may be encouraged or profited by them!