Focus: Where's Your Fruit?

Text: Num.13:20,26,27

"And be ye of good courage, and BRING of the FRUIT of the LAND. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes… and BROUGHT BACK WORD unto them, and unto all the congregation, and SHEWED them the FRUIT of the land… and THIS IS THE FRUIT OF IT."

God seeks fruits of us. He planted us like a tree to bear fruits. It is not enough to exist. The essence of existence is the fruit we bear. Fruitless life is an empty life.

We often talk about being faithful to God, which is alright, but the truth of the matter is that no one is faithful who is not fruitful. Of what use is a faith that bears no fruit?

Moses sent spies to the land of promise to see if it is indeed as good as what God had said to him. They returned with a good word and showed the proof of it - the fruit of the land. They said, "This is the fruit of it." Word wasn't enough; they presented evidence. In the same way, God wants fruit of us. Let it never be said that we have lived in vain as Christians.

Jesus tells a parable of a fig. He says, "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and SOUGHT FRUIT thereon, and FOUND NONE… Behold, these three years I come SEEKING FRUIT on this fig tree, AND FOUND NONE…" (Lk.13:6,7). For three whole years the fig owner came looking for a harvest, but found nothing. What an empty life! What a meaningless existence! Did Christ save us for nothing?

Our Lord Jesus Christ says, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples… I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should GO and BRING FORTH FRUIT, and that your FRUIT should REMAIN" (Jh.15:8,16).

We are chosen and ordained to produce fruit. The proof of our discipleship is in our fruitfulness. The Father is glorified when He sees us yielding fruit and being a blessing to everyone around us.

Don't fail God. Refuse to be a disappointment to Christ. Determine not to be a bad business to Christ. He made no mistake in choosing you. Do Christ the honor of finally saying that you are not a bad choice after all! And let it be said that because of you, that Christ has not labored in vain or died for nothing.

God leaves you with a question to answer: Where's your fruit?

by Bishop Moses E. Peter