You Were Made to Bear Fruit
God didn’t design you to just get through the day; He designed you to bear fruit. In this episode, discover how staying connected to Jesus leads to steady, Spirit-shaped growth in the middle of ordinary life.
God didn’t design you to just get through the day; He designed you to bear fruit. In this episode, discover how staying connected to Jesus leads to steady, Spirit-shaped growth in the middle of ordinary life.
Ever wonder if your small acts of obedience really matter?
Sometimes bearing fruit doesn’t look dramatic or “big.” It looks like faithfulness in the ordinary places where God has planted you.
In this episode, Bart shares the story of Marine veteran and barber Brandon Lozano, who once stood on the brink of ending his life twice. But when Jesus grabbed hold of his heart, everything changed. Today, Brandon serves his San Antonio community one haircut at a time, offering dignity, encouragement, and the love of Christ to people who need it most. His story reminds us that bearing fruit doesn’t require a platform; it requires a willing heart.
Through Brandon’s journey and Jesus’ words in John 15:8, you’ll see that God’s goal for your life is simple: stay connected to Him, and He will grow something beautiful in you over time.
Main Scripture:
John 15:8 (NLT) – “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
By the end of this episode, you’ll discover:
- Why spiritual fruit grows best through small, consistent obedience
- How God uses ordinary work to make an extraordinary impact
- Why staying connected to Jesus, not striving, produces lasting growth
- What fruit looks like in real, everyday relationships
Today’s Challenge:
Look for one opportunity today to do a Spirit-led act of kindness, something simple that shows Jesus’ love. One small moment of fruitfulness can open a door for God to work in ways you can’t predict.
Encouraged by today’s devotion?
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He set up his chair at a barber shop on Walsham Road in
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San Antonio with a simple sign, free back-to-school haircuts.
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The barber's name is Brandon Lozano, a Marine veteran, dad of
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four, and he'll tell you straight up why he's doing it.
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He gave his life to God and wants to glorify him with his
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But there's more to the story. He says there was time he tried
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to end his life twice. What changed his direction so
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completely? Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm
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Bart Leger, and for the next few minutes, I want to help you
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connect with God right in the middle of your day. Today, we're
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talking about something Jesus cares deeply about. Fruit. Not
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accomplishments or titles, but the kind of fruit that grows
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from being connected to him every single day. You were made
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to grow in ways that show the world who he is. John 15: 8 says,
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"When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This
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brings great glory to my father." Jesus isn't interested
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in us trying harder. Jesus isn't interested in us trying harder.
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He's inviting us to stay connected to him so his life can
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flow through us and produce something good. In a KSAT TV
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interview, Brandon shared how Jesus met him in that dark place
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and redirected his steps. He began learning the trade at
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top-of-the-line barber school and rallying classmates to serve
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families who
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couldn't afford a cut, kids heading back to class,
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your neighbors recovering from the hill country floods... And
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people living on the streets. He talks about being a father and a
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man of faith... And how offering a clean cut with dignity is one
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way to love his community in Jesus It's ordinary work in a
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barber's chair, but it's bearing real fruit, one neighbor, one
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haircut at a time. When Jesus talks about fruit, he's talking
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about the visible evidence of an inward connection. But love,
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kindness, patience, compassion, generosity, faithfulness, all
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these things, the Holy Spirit grows in us when we stay close
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to him. The truth is, fruit doesn't show up overnight. It
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grows slowly, almost silently as your roots go deeper and deeper
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in Christ. You spend time with him. You open his word. And then
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you let him shape your reactions and your words and your choices.
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And then your priorities will begin to shift as well. It's not
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about being perfect. It's about being connected to him and
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bearing fruit. Just like Jesus talks about in the New Testament
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about "He is the vine and we are the branches." And we can't bear
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fruit unless we are connected to him. And connected people grow.
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So what does that look like in everyday life? Sometimes, it
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looks like choosing gentleness when frustration feels easier.
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Sometimes, it looks like taking time for someone who needs
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encouragement. Or maybe giving when you could have ignored the
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need. Or speaking truth kindly, even when it's hard for you to
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do. Growth is often simple. It's quiet and ordinary. But every
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time the Holy Spirit helps you respond like Jesus, you're
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bearing fruit. Now, let me ask you a question. What kind of
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fruit is your life producing right now? If you paused and
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looked at your conversations and your habits and your
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relationships, would you see Jesus in them? Well, here is the
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good news. If not, you can start today. The same Jesus who
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changed the direction of Brandon's life is ready to work
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in yours. He's not asking you to fix yourself. He's asking you to
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stay close to Him so He can do the growing. Here is today's
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challenge. Do one spirit-led act of kindness for someone today.
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It doesn't have to be big. Let the Holy Spirit nudge you. Maybe
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it's sending a text or helping a coworker, praying with someone,
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or blessing a neighbor in some way. One small fruit-bearing
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moment can open the door for God to work in ways you can't
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imagine. Lord, thank you that you want my life to bear fruit
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that reflects who you are. Keep me close to you today. Grow in
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me what I can't grow on my own. Make my words and my actions and
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my attitude look more like Jesus. Help me live a life that brings
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glory to you. In Jesus name, amen. Thanks for joining me
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today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. Remember, you were
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made to bear fruit that reflects Jesus. Come back next time for
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more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth.
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Until then, God bless and have a great day.
