Do you work hard to succeed but all your efforts seem to be in vain? Or you earn big but can’t account for the fruits of your labour? Then this message is for you. Child of God, evidence from the word of God shows that our success is God’s Glory and God demands it. And so if you are not bearing fruits something is wrong somewhere: either your strategies are bad or you don’t follow kingdom principles. If you wish to know read slowly…
John 15:1-8
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you. Make your home in me, as I make mine in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but must remain part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is like a branch that has been thrown away – he withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire, and they are burnt. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it. It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be my disciples.’
POINTS FOR REFLECTION
Jesus uses the imagery of the relationship of a tree to its branches and fruits to describe our lives in relation to our set goals (plans) and success. This imagery is a reminder of something very important as many have forgotten today that life comes from God and we don’t exist by accident. Hence no scientific discovery have been able to create life, but conserve life. And if we must conserve life we must follow the principles laid down by the author of life. Today many are not bearing fruits because of the following:
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| One can’t function if totally disconnected |
1. Disconnection from the Source of Life: To be fruitful you must be connected to the author of life otherwise you wither! Many today are tempted by ungodly standards and fall for it. They ask why does the wicked prosper and those who don’t know God excel? The seeming prosperity of the wicked are like pit mines; they don’t have peace of mind. Don’t even try to envy them. For Against them the bible says:
Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes;when you arise, Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. (Ps 73:18-20)
2. Partial connection to the Source of Life: One can be connected to the Source of life partially and not completely, hence Jesus not only desires we be connected but we should make our home in Him. The use of Home is symbolic as home signifies our abode: a place of comfort and safety. And so when Joshua declared in our home we serve the Lord, He declared God as his comfort and safety in every situation.
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| A partial connection causes slow and impeded growth |
3. Choice not to bear fruits: One can be fully connected to the source of life but deliberately chooses not to bear fruits. You ask why? This is possible because fruit bearing is a function of cooperation with divine principles for Jesus says: If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it. On this aspect that involves the will power to ask (prayer) some will never ask, some may be asking wrongly or don’t even know how to ask, and so they can’t bear fruits. And to these Jesus says the Father (the vinedresser) cuts them away for they are wasteful.
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| Choice to be void wears out its victim |
TASK: Ask yourself where you belong. If you are working so hard but all your efforts seems to be in vain you have to look again at your strategies. When Paul was newly converted to Christianity his first evangelical missions yielded SUSPICIONS rather than SUCCESS. The Apostles realised this and changed the strategy and the results changed (Acts 9:26-31).
If you’re earning big but cannot account for it, you may be living a wasteful life and consequently have been cut-off. This is disastrous, but not a hopeless situation. In order to bear (more) fruits, open up to the Word of God, read it, study it, pray with it and it will purify you, for Jesus says:
…every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you.
Pray Psalm now begging the Lord to cleanse you with the power of His Word.
I pray for you: May the power of this prayer purify your life from every bondage or stagnation and renew you ability to bear fruits in Jesus name. AMEN.
Thanks Fr for another great piece. You are blessed. More wisdom
Thanks 😊God bless you
Yes I work so hard but earn nothing how should I change my strategies
That I may be reconnected to Christ and bear more fruits again.
I need spiritual help Fada, I am now a sick man in need of help from God.