Fruit, Focus, and Faith

Living the Life Christ Died For

John 15:5 (NLT):“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.”We were meant to do more than just survive in life—we were meant to bear fruit that lasts. Make no mistake, this is the greatest achievement we could ever hope to accomplish. Because anything that doesn’t grow—dies. It withers. It begins to turn inward and implode on itself. And that was never God’s intention. Life was never meant to be a series of regressions and silent decline.

Jesus didn’t come so we could just hold on, manage stress, or go numb in the name of “getting by.” He tells us in John 10:10 (NLT),“My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” That means overflowing. That means more than enough. That means bearing fruit, which is the evidence of His presence working through us. The truth is, life in and of itself is a continual flow of giving and receiving, sowing and reaping, loving and being loved. So to bear fruit isn’t just a goal—it’s the very essence of life and living. It’s how we reflect the heart of Christ.

Focus: Fixing Your Eyes on the One Who Gives LifeFruit doesn’t grow without focusing on Jesus and devoting ourselves to the work of His love. It doesn’t show up by accident. It forms when we abide in Him—when we surrender our way and stay rooted in His. He makes it clear that apart from Him, we can’t do anything. Sure, we can stay busy. We can build platforms, chase goals, and even do a lot of things in His name. But none of it will last if it isn’t coming from Him.

Focus is more than discipline—it’s devotion. It’s the quiet, steady decision to keep your eyes on Jesus when everything else is trying to pull you in another direction. Distraction is everywhere, and not all of it looks bad—some of it even feels good for a while. But only one focus leads to life. Hebrews 12:2 says, “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”This is it! We can’t ever look away from the One who created and saved us. When our gaze is locked on Him, we stop reaching for empty things that never satisfy, and we start becoming the people we were actually created to be. Focus brings your soul back into alignment with God’s Will. It shows you what’s worth your energy and what’s just noise. And it reminds you that the win isn’t being impressive—it’s being close to the Savior.

We Don’t Create — We Produce

As humans, we cannot create something from nothing — only God can do that. What we do is produce. And as born-again believers, our calling is to produce fruit. Jesus tells us in John 15:1–2 (NLT): “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.” The pruning isn’t punishment—it’s preparation. God doesn’t cut off what’s dead just to clear space; He trims what’s already growing so it can grow better, deeper, stronger. That’s love. When you choose to bear fruit—when you show up with patience, speak with truth, walk in peace, hold your tongue, or extend grace—you’re building something real with God and the people around you. Fruit is relational. It feeds others. And here’s the thing: when you stay close to Him, even in the cutting, even when it stings a little, you’ll find that you’re still producing something good. Because in Him, growth never stops—it just gets refined.

Faith: Believing in What You Were Chosen to Produce

John 15:8 (NLT) says, “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” This verse doesn’t just speak of output—it speaks of identity. Fruit is the mark of a true disciple. It’s what proves we belong to Him. But the kind of fruit Jesus is talking about doesn’t come from ambition or striving. It comes from faith. The kind of faith that trusts God’s timeline, obeys His instructions, and believes that bearing fruit for His Kingdom matters more than any earthly reward.

Let’s be honest—most of us are praying for the desires of our hearts. We want the relationship, the opportunity, the breakthrough. And God is not against those things. Psalm 37:4 tells us He actually wants to give us the desires of our hearts. But He’s also a God of order. When our desire for a blessing outweighs our desire to be a blessing—when we’d rather receive fruit than bear it—we’ve lost balance. That kind of imbalance is dangerous because it stunts our spiritual maturity and shifts our focus away from the Kingdom.

The Christian life isn’t just about favor—it’s about faithfulness. It comes with responsibilities and accountabilities. It’s about surrendering our will for God’s Will, even when it costs us something. Especially when it costs us something. Because walking in faith about our calling—and being committed to carry it through—is how we honor our role as ambassadors of Christ. Bearing fruit is not just a command; it’s a privilege. It’s the evidence that we’re growing, maturing, and becoming more like Jesus.

Living the Life Christ Died For

This is the life Christ died for—not just one filled with moments of blessing, but one rooted in Him, bearing fruit that glorifies the Father. A life that stays focused, even when everything’s loud, keeping our eyes locked on Jesus. A life of faith that surrenders to the pruning, trusting that every cut has purpose. And a life that produces—because we’ve remained close to Him. This isn’t about performing or proving or trying to be perfect. It’s about staying connected to the Vine, day by day, decision by decision, becoming living proof of His love.

So if your soul has been weary, if you’ve been tired, distracted, drifting a little—grace says you can start fresh. As long as you stay close to our Master Jesus, it’s never too late to bear much fruit. And that fruit—that faithful, surrendered, Spirit-led fruit—is what brings glory to God and gives meaning to every breath you breathe. This is what it means to truly live. ■

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

“Fruit, Focus, and Faith”, written by Vince Mack. Blessing Beads and More© 2025. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.