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Hosea 14:8
O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a green pine tree; your fruitfulness comes from me."
In this lesson, we’re going to talk about becoming fruitful. When was the last time you were fruitful? How many times have you been fruitful this year? {Encourage them to be fruitful and if they have been fruitful, encourage them to be even more fruitful.}
When we see a fruit tree we never see it with just one fruit. The whole tree is covered with fruit clusters. We too need to bear fruit in clusters. Bear fruit abundantly.
1. Remain in the Vine
John 15:1-8
1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
There is no secret to bearing fruit. Jesus clearly tells us how to bear fruit. We don’t need to have any qualifications; we don’t need to be rich; we don’t need to be sophisticated; we don’t need to be beautiful. We just need to remain in Jesus.
How are your prayers? Do you feel sleepy and bored? Are you passionate? Do you express yourself? Are you open with God? Do you confess your sins? Do you cast your anxieties on him? Your prayers need to be powerful.
You need to connect with God and pour your heart out to him. Our prayers need to be full of praise and thanksgiving.
How is your Bible study? Are you growing in your knowledge of God? Do you memorize scriptures? Do you use the word to resist Satan? Our Bible study needs to be deep and refreshing.
How is your purity? The Bible says sin separates us from God. We need to be righteous. God calls us to seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness and ALL these things will be given to us
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Let us seek to be pure so we can see the face of God
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
We need to remain in God. He promises that if we remain in him, we will bear much fruit. On the other hand if we do not bear fruit, he will cut us off. We need to bear fruit so that we can remain in the vine.
2. Life that will Shine
Philippians 2:12-16
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing,
15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
16 as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
Our lives should be good examples. Jesus is our example; thus we should be like him. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. We too should be consumed in our purpose of seeking and saving the lost.
How is your evangelism? We aren’t being like Jesus if we are not evangelising. Our lives are not good examples if we are not being like Jesus. You should never have a day when you haven’t spent time with the lost.
How is your follow up? If you aren’t following up, your chances of becoming fruitful are very low. Jesus followed up.
John 5:14
Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."
When we follow up, people feel obligated to come. Are you holding out the word of life? Do you study the Bible with people? If you don’t know how to teach others, take advice and learn. You can also sit in on a study with someone who can do it well and learn. The word of God is the most powerful tool. It can change anyone. Teach your friends; they will change. All this is hard work but there are no shortcuts to achieving a life that will shine.
3. Surrender, you’ll be fine
John 12:24-26
24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
We need to surrender our whole hearts and our whole lives to God. Then we’ll see God using us in a tremendous way. Unless a kernel falls and dies, it doesn’t produce a seed. We too need to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily in order to bear much fruit.
Do you have faith that you can be fruitful? Maybe you haven’t had fruit that lasted or remained faithful. The Bible teaches in Hebrews 11:6 that it is impossible to please God without faith. All things are possible with God. You must believe.
Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
God will bless you. Surrender to God; beg him for fruit the way Hannah begged for a child. Have faith. Do you believe that your city or neighbourhood is open? Persevere. God has put you there because there is someone searching for him. God wants to work through you.
What radical things have you done to bear fruit? Have you fasted, prayed with your arms raised up, prayed on your knees, invited 1000 people in one week? We all need to do radical things to keep the Spirit on fire.
You can bear fruit by remaining in the vine, letting your light shine as you surrender and you’ll be just fine.
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