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Fire reveals what something is really made of and Scripture uses that exact image to talk about our lives. We lean into Jesus’ vine-and-branches teaching in John 15 and ask a confronting question: are we serving God with Spirit-led fruit that remains, or are we building a Christian life out of wood, hay, and straw that will not survive the testing?

Pastor Carl connects Jesus’ warning about burned branches to Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 3 about the judgment seat of Christ (the Bema seat). For believers, this is not about losing salvation, but about having our works evaluated. What we do “in our own strength” can look impressive for a season, yet still burn away, while obedience that flows from abiding in Christ endures like gold, silver, and precious stones. That perspective brings clarity to motives, ministry, and everyday decisions that feel small but add up.

We also talk about how to actually abide: letting God’s Word live in us, allowing Jesus to reshape what we want, and learning to walk in the Spirit instead of drifting toward quick fixes. The fruit of the Spirit, especially agape love, shows up in real relationships through joy, peace, patience, and self-control. And because Jesus says the world may hate His followers, we face persecution with truth and love, staying close to Christian community and staying faithful to the gospel.

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Come On Up is the radio ministry of The Mountain Cross in Waynesville North Carolina. To learn more about us please visit: TheMountainCross.com.