Memorize: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:2
Read: Luke 13:6-9(KJV)
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:
Ezekiel 40,
John 6:25-51,
Hymnal:
Sing Hymn 7
Message:
The parable told by Jesus of the farm owner and his fruitless fig tree should make us realize that nothing goes for nothing.
The farm owner was not keeping the fig tree on his farm for decorative purposes; he wanted it for fruits. After waiting for years, the tree remained fruitless, and so he decided to get rid of it. Beloved, are you fulfilling any purpose in God's kingdom? Are you just a statistic on the number of Christians alive or are you bearing fruit?
As long as you have breath, you have a purpose and cannot afford to stay fruitless, lest the farm owner decides it’s time to cut you down. The terrifying part of today’s story is that the farm owner was prepared to disregard his labour of past years over the fruitless fig tree and ignore the potential of getting any fruits from it in future. At that point, he only counted the tree as nothing but a waste of farmland.
In today’s memory verse, Jesus clearly stated that every branch in Him that does not bear fruit will be cut off. As a born-again Christian, you are one of His branches (John 15:1). Every believer needs to be the branch of the vine that yields fruit and is pruned to yield more fruit, particularly the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. Our actions, purpose and attitude need to flow from the fruit of the Spirit for us to be considered fruitful.
The good news today is that the vine-dresser intervened on behalf of the fruitless fig tree, asking the owner to give him one more year to carefully manage it. If it still remained fruitless after one year, then the owner could finally decide to cut down the tree. Beloved, examine yourself today to determine if you are not currently fruitless. Perhaps you are even undergoing your one year grace period before being cutoff and replaced with a fruitful tree? What is the motive behind your actions and work for God today? Are you exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in all that you do? In addition to manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, we are also expected to bear fruits of souls into God’s kingdom, and these fruits must remain. The fruit of souls you win to Christ will remain when you follow them up and teach them the ways of the kingdom. May the Lord strengthen you as you faithfully do all this in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer Point: Father, help me to fulfil the purpose for my existence in Jesus name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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