Deuteronomy 33:1-29
Luke 13:1-21
Psalm 78:65-72
Proverbs 12:25
Luke 13:6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Bear fruit or be cut down? We have been planted in our lives at this time and place for a purpose. As Christians we are given fruits of the spirit. They are our lamp that shines in the world (see yesterday's post). Keeping your lamp full is like cultivating and fertilizing your tree. Just as a tree grows and produces fruit we also should produce fruit as we mature. In order for a tree to produce good fruit it needs to be cultivated, fertilized, watered, pruned and get enough sunshine. The longer you are a Christian the more and better fruit you should produce. If you have not noticed an improvement in the quality and quantity of your fruit over the years then ask God what is missing. Be willing to dig around and fertilize your tree and ask God to shine on you and water you and prune out any bad branches so that you might become abundantly fruitful with good fruit. Fruit that makes people's mouths water for more.
If you believe you are a Christian and you don't see any evidence of fruit in your life then go to God and ask Him why. God does not want anyone to be "cut down" so dig around. Could it be that you believe but you didn't receive the gift. It is possible to believe everything about Jesus to be true but not have a relationship with Jesus. After all the demons knew who He was and believed it all to be true. (James 2:19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.) But have you received that gift for yourself. Have you come to a place of recognizing the sin in your life as why you are separated from God? Have you acknowledged to yourself and to God that you cannot fix that separation on your own? That you cannot live a good enough life on your own? Have you acknowledged that Jesus' death and resurrection is a gift that covers your sin and restores your access to the Father and opens the door to heaven for you? Have you asked Jesus to come into your life? Have you decided that you want God to lead and direct your life and invited the Holy Spirit to come into your heart and change you? If you have never done that spend some time talking to God about that today. Because once you do, there will be fruit. And the more you read and study and respond to the fruitful opportunities that God gives you the better and bigger your fruit will grow.
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