Skip to main content

Roots for Strength and Fruit

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.
  1. vibrant
  2. productive
  3. fruitful
  1. strong
  2. stable
  3. dependent
  4. sturdy
  5. confident
  6. abiding
  7. rooted in Him
  8. focused
  9. persevering
  10. ever-growing
  11. reaching forward

  1. "rivers" is referring to the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is often likened to water
  2. It is the Holy Spirit that keeps us alive, vital, vibrant--growing and productive
  3. rivers don't stand still--they're always moving--so we should always be growing, going forward for God
  1. 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
  2. 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.
  3. make sure you're feeding the right kind of root system
  4. something to note:  a tree does not produce fruit without roots


         That we might produce
          fruit for His kingdom!
              Merle
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Christmas Is

Christmas is not just a holiday.  Nor is Christmas just about a baby being born in a manger.  Yes,  we celebrate Jesus being born--and don't minimize this--if Jesus hadn't been born of a virgin, He would not have been God!  Jesus Christ is God Incarnate, God in the flesh!  And wonder of wonders that God would come to this earth--why? to die for mankind!  How precious, how wonderful that is!  That is the truth of Christmas--Jesus Christ was born so that He might die for us!!  That is the wonder of Christmas-- Jesus coming to earth to provide salvation to lowly sinners like you and I.  But that really is only the beginning.  Christmas is all about Christ and the gospel--His death, burial, and resurrection.  Once you start to tell about God Incarnate, you just must tell the whole story!  John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlast...
2 comments
Read more

Prayer

Our relationship with Christ ought to be one of constant dependence and communion.   Prayer is a natural outflow of that dependence and communion. Prayer isn't the way to get God to do whatever we want.   Prayer is an expression of our trust in God's power, wisdom and grace.   The Holy Spirit, Our Prayer Partner 24/7 Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Prayers of the Saints are Precious Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. Prayer, Our Strengt...
Post a Comment
Read more

Oh, the Blessings of God!

Psalm 23:5c “…my cup runneth over.” My, what a long time it’s been since I’ve written!   I am so sorry.   We all tend to get busy with the things of this life, and some things just get put on hold.   I will try to do better! Last time, I ended with the thought that our cup should be running over…rather a lead in to this next section!   Our cup should be running over; the blessings of God truly abound! I think for this section, I am just going to recount each promise phrase that is spoken of in this psalm: (1)       Promise of Shepherding: tending, feeding, and guarding His precious sheep (2)       Promise of Providing: providing for all our needs     If we will cast all our cares on Him, He will meet those needs     A God-centered life brings peace and contentment (3)        Promise of Rest   God knows just when we are in need of rest---and He provi...
Post a Comment
Read more