Abide | Midyear Prayer and Fasting (Family Devotional)Sample

The Word of God Bears Fruit

CONNECT

What is your favorite fruit? Tell your family why you love that fruit.

Show the kids a good fruit and a rotten fruit. (If you do not have any available, you can check the Internet for pictures.)

A farmer is able to harvest good fruit when the conditions for farming are good (such as sunlight, enough water, constant pruning). When the time is right, a tree, a plant, or a field will yield a harvest of good fruit. But if good fruit is cut from the tree and left by itself, it will go bad and rot.

This is the picture of what we have been studying about abiding in Jesus.

READ THE WORD

John 15:4–5, 7–8, 16 says:

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 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 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. . . . You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15:4–5, 7–8, 16

God wants us to be connected to Him. It is not enough to simply say we are followers of Christ. The more important thing is to be constantly connected to God, to commune with Him daily, and to run to Him anytime. And as we are connected to Him, it will show in our lives. Out of our hearts will come the things of God. Among them are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22–23. This is some of the fruit we bear when God truly lives in our hearts. The great thing about it is we do not have to worry about whether we are producing this fruit. When we are truly connected, when we allow God to do His work in our lives, the fruit will come naturally!

The opposite happens when we are not connected to God. The fruit that comes out of our lives will be selfishness, pride, jealousy, anger, and other things that only feed ourselves.

What kind of fruit have you observed from your own life?

HUDDLE

Parent to Kids

4–6 years old

• Do you love hearing stories from the Bible? Who is your favorite character in the Bible?
• Does God live in your heart? How do you know?

7–12 years old

• Does God live in your heart? How do you know? What kind of fruit do you see in your life?
• Is there any fruit you want God to cut away or remove from your heart? What are they?

Kids to Parents

• How do you stay connected to God always?
• How would you still stay connected with God, even if you do not see Him answering your prayers?

The more we abide in God and His word, the more we will hear Him and the more our hearts will turn toward the things of God. God is faithful to help us let go of the things in our hearts that do not please Him and will eventually harm us. As you read His word and pray, ask Him to help you obey Him.

PRAY

Dear God, thank You for Your word through which we can come to You every day and know how much You love us. Help us love Your word. Most of all, help us believe and obey it so we will bear good fruit in our lives. In Jesus’ name, amen!

DISCOVER

What do vines consist of?

A vine has four parts:

• roots, which are underground and mainly responsible for collecting nutrients;
• a trunk, or the main stem of the vine, which links the roots to the branches;
• branches, where growth happens; and
• shoots, where fruit grows and flowering happens.

As we have learned, Jesus is the vine or the main trunk. We are the branches. A branch that is not connected to the vine will no longer bear fruit.

Do you want to stay connected to Jesus?

Source:

Wine-of-the-Month Club. “What do vines consist of?” Accessed March 28, 2022.