My Dad is a retired Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine) but my family settled in New Orleans.  New Orleans culture is unique in many ways (including its speech and language) due to so many influences incorporated into it, like the Cajun culture.  A word that you can often hear in NOLA, “lagniappe”, means a “little something extra” – like a baker’s dozen.  Today’s post is just a little lagniappe.  I usually post on Tuesdays and Fridays (God willing!).  But I wanted to share a few scriptures from today’s reading – John 15:5-11 and Galatians 5:22-23 have been very meaningful to me in the last few years and they go hand in hand.  

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.  As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.  John 15:5-11

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Abiding in Jesus produces fruit.   To abide means to live there.  How do we “abide” in Jesus?  The passage from John tells us that Abiding in the Vine means that His Words must abide in us, we must bear fruit, and we must keep His commandments.  Jesus IS the Word: In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.  God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:1-5). Keeping God’s Word (Jesus) uppermost in our hearts and minds, allows us to abide in the Vine (Jesus) and bear fruit (the Fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control).  There are so many books in my head that I will never write, but I would love to write about the word “Word”.  Jesus is the Word.  The Bible is God’s Word.  The Bible is God’s revelation to us about who He is – His love letter to the world.  Jesus showed us the very nature of God (Phil 2:6)…so He IS the gospel – the good news message, telling us of God’s great love for us…I could go on and on, but I digress!  Whenever I see “Word” – I think Jesus AND the scripture – try this; it’s really mind bending!

So today, keep God’s Word in your heart and mind.  Be obedient to the Word of God and you will abide in the Vine and produce much fruit – apart from Him you can do nothing.  If you feel yourself struggling, speak the Name of Jesus or recall a scripture – either way there is power in the Word: For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).  And don’t get caught up trying to produce your own fruit – apart from Him you cannot do it.  This is really a great gift He has given us – that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6). He does not ask us to makes ourselves right and then come to Him.  He tells us to come to Him and He will do the work, He will make us right: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).  And the byproduct of drawing near to God, abiding in Him is, among other fruits, His joy.  So on our Journey to Joy, we don’t need to seek joy – just the Giver of Joy.

JustaGirl…just like you!