Re-post: May we go forward for God!

Re-post: May we go forward for God!

I love trees--particularly oak trees!  They're so strong looking.  Do you know that God likens us to trees, in at least two places in scripture.  I believe I mentioned this before when I discussed fruit.  Let me reiterate!  

I thank God, our God is a God of new beginnings!  He is most gracious and merciful…how awesome a God we serve!  But He's a God of new beginnings because He desires for us to go forward, to reach higher heights for Him. 

Let's discuss that topic again: producing fruit.  What is "fruit"?  I believe "fruit" is everything in our lives--as born-again Christians--that points others to Christ.  That can mean everything from the fruit of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace...), to our witness and testimony for Christ, to even the character (or God-like qualities) that God and His Holy Spirit is producing in us. 

Fruit refers to evidence of what is within

We will see a harvest of fruit as we yield to God and allow His Spirit to work in and through us

The fruit of the Spirit should be evident--ever growing

Psalm 1:3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Jeremiah 17:7-8  Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.  For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

vibrant productive fruitful

strong stable dependent sturdy confident abiding rooted in Him focused persevering ever-growing reaching forward

"rivers" is referring to the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is often likened to water It is the Holy Spirit that keeps us alive, vital, vibrant--growing and productive rivers don't stand still--they're always moving--so we should always be growing, going forward for God

the tree is a picture of strength because it is the Word of God and the Holy Spirit that make us strong--sturdy and stable just as a tree's roots dig down deep into the soil, so we should dig deep into God's Word to keep us strong and sturdy.  A tree that has a very shallow root system will assuredly fall over in a bad storm. make sure you're feeding the right kind of root system something to note:  a tree does not produce fruit without roots

         That we might produce

          fruit for His kingdom!

              Merle