Most of us are fruitful and successful in our lives. We have been working hard to achieve our goals, our aims and our desires. We work hard day and night, restlessly and do all things so that we can achieve and be successful.
To be precise we achieve our goal. Most of the people are doing a great job because when we think of doing something –we take all roads and all means so that we can achieve and infact – we are achieving.
A person thinks that he should have a fridge, washing machine, a shelter to live in and a good school for his children and most of us are achieving it and I feel so happy. We are comfortable in our lives. As an individual I feel so good but as a pastor I don’t feel so good when we talk about our spiritual life, because we are fruitful in our physical world but when it comes to spiritual life we are not fruitful.
This verse talks about “You and Me” every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and be thrown into fire.
Let me say this we all produce fruit in our spiritual life.
A good man, spiritual man, righteous man and a godly man produces good & godly fruit.
A bad man, unspiritual, unrighteous and an ungodly man produce bad fruit.
Let me add to my statement – the person who is unforgiving, hatred, jealousy, anger, bitterness all have fruits and these are the fruits of the evil spirit.
James 1:15 – Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
We all produce fruit and what we produce determines what we are.
A tree is known by its fruit and our spiritual life is known by our spiritual fruits.
If we are angry and hate one another the love of God is not in us and we can clearly tell the Holy Spirit is not in us. When Holy Spirit is not in us how can we have the fruits of the Holy Spirit? I am urging every brother and sister do not be negligent about the spiritual life.
Our God’s desire is that we all will live spiritually, faithfully and fruitfully.
Many say God should help me in my spiritual life.
Most of the prayer request I get is please pray so that God will provide me strength so that I can grow spiritually.
2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Bible says His divine power (God’s divine power) has given us everything we need for a godly life.
Did we hear it correctly – Yes, God’s divine power has already given us everything it is not something or few things but everything we need.
When God says everything it means everything not few things.
As I always say All means ALL.
It is not what others need or someone need but what we need.
He has already provided what we need for our godly or spiritual life.
He has given us strength, energy, power, authority, help, knowledge, wisdom and everything we need for a godly life.
It has been provided but we need to take it. If we do not take it we will not have it.
He has provided everything through our knowledge of him.
Who called us – so amazing it is not people who have called us not our relatives or because my parents are Christians so I am coming to Church but it is God who has called us.
Romans 8:30 – And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
When God calls you and me – He will justify and whom He has justified he also glorified.
Dear brother and sister do not be negligent about your calling.
You are in Church and you are called as Christian because you are not special but God is special. He has called you and He has justified you and He also glorified you.
He has called us by his own glory and goodness.
We have heard about the symptoms of spiritual death and then last week we heard about spiritual dryness and this week we are learning about help for spiritual living.
Satan wants to keep us ignorant about this message from God by saying you need a help from God and God is not providing you help to grow and that’s the reason today many people say this statement
I tried my best but God did not help me.
God helped you but you did not take it.
Illustration: A person was stuck in the floods on a roof top. He was praying to God – Lord please help me. After he prayed he waited – after some time one boat approached near him with full people and the captain of the boat said come jump down we have place only for one more person but the person on the roof top said no you carry on my God will provide help.
After some time again He was praying Lord please help me. Again after some time one helicopter approached him and said I am putting the rope to you just climb up we have room only for one more person but the person on the roof top said no you carry on my God will provide help.
After some time again He was praying Lord please help me the water is raising too much and I am going to die. This time an old man with a small wood plank was floating on the water and came near him and said come we can somehow manage to go to the safe place come here but the man on the roof top said you carry on my God will help you.
After some time the floods increased and that person on that roof top died because he was still waiting. Many times we too do the same thing when God sends help we will not utilize the help but instead we will be telling God will help and then at last we will tell God is not helping me.
God is helping you as the verse tells God through His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who has called us through his glory and goodness.