Taking a “Fall” for God will bring forth a “Harvest” for the Kingdom
This time of year for many, is a favorite time of year. For many of us, the cool breeze, the changing and falling leaves, the colorful orchards and hay rides are a sign of the changing of seasons. Leaving spring and summer behind and watching the “Fall Season” arrive has a great comparison for us in our Christian walk. If trees did not release the dead/dying leaves that remain on them, they would (1) never be able to receive the blessings of the living leaves that will return in the Spring; (2) be able to help with the growth of new trees (saplings); and (3) have the joy of personal growth where there was once death.
In John15:1-2; 8, Jesus states, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful . . . This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples,” (NIV). Jesus strongly reminds his disciples and us today that our main commitment to God is bearing fruit! If there are areas of our spiritual lives that represent “dead leaves,” we must come to the point where we allow and ask God to prune those areas away so we can be true disciples “bearing much fruit.”
In John12:24, Jesus states, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds,” (NIV). Therefore, the key to this message and this season in our lives is this: By letting God remove the kernels in our lives; they will fall to the ground and in turn produce other areas of growth in other people.
In this Autumn Season 2009, lets agree together to boldly make our desire to allow ourselves to be pruned (The bad fall off ) and to bear much fruit for God, for both our own growth and the seeding of others in the kingdom. Are you ready to take a fall (a pruning) for God so that we can continue to become children in God’s Kingdom that can be used by Him and thereby be able to bring in a larger more bountiful Harvest for the Kingdom?
