A FRUIT-BEARING TREE? – Sunday April 23rd 2017
Memorise:
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit the taketh away: and every
branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more
fruit. John 15:2
6 He
spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his
vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7 Then
said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I
come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why
cumbereth it the ground?
8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Bible in one year: Number 14-15, Jeremiah 18:19-19:9, Hymn: Sing hymn 13
MESSAGE:
Fruit-bearing is a necessity for every child of God. When the Scripture in Deuteronomy 7:14
says none shall be barren, this promise fundamentally extends to
soul-winning and all other activities that populate the Kingdom of God.
Our Heavenly Father is delighted when we in partnership with the Holy
Spirit turn the hearts of men away from their wicked ways to the way of
righteousness. For this reason, He reserved a special promise for such
people in Daniel 12:3:
“And
they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and
they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”
The
obligation to bear fruit becomes more critical when we consider what
our Lord Jesus Christ said in today’s memory verse. He said He would
take away every branch in Him that does not bear fruit. Nothing can be
more serious than that. Open Heavens 23 April 2017: Sunday daily
devotional by Pastor E.A Adeboye – A fruit-bearing tree. I pray that you
will never be alienated from the Lord Jesus Christ in Jesus’ Name.
Moreover,
today’s Bible reading amplifies the fruit-bearing responsibilities of
the children of God. The parable it references was equally given by our
Lord Jesus Christ. The “certain man” in the parable is no other person
than God, the Father. The vinedresser is no other person than Jesus
Christ, the compassionate Advocate who makes intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25).
He is the one pleading on behalf of fruitless trees in God’s vineyard,
which is the world. The danger of an endless wait for a tree in God’s
vineyard to bear fruit is made clear in Luke 13:8-9, which says:
“And
he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I
shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not,
then after that thou shalt cut it down.”
Are
you bearing fruits? Another pertinent question is, what type of fruits
are you bearing? Open Heavens Devotional 2017. For a sinner, he or she
must bear fruits worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8). For believers, we must win souls into the Kingdom, thus fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). More importantly for believers, we must also bear the fruit of the Spirit:
“But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23
Action Point
Draw
a soul-winning plan for yourself and your family and sincerely follow
it up in your neighbourhood. Also, pray that your converts will manifest
the fruits of repentance and the fruit of the Spirit.
Open Heaven Daily Devotional, written by Pastor E.A Adeboye,
The
General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the
largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ
the Redeemer's Ministries.
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