FRUITS OF REPENTANCE: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 24TH SEPTEMBER 2018

MEMORISE: 

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Matthew 3:8

READ: Luke 15:11-22
11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

MESSAGE:
The proof of genuine repentance is doing those things you promised God at the altar when you gave your life to Christ. In Luke 15:18, the prodigal son repented of his ways and said: “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,”

The fruit of his repentance is manifested here in Luke 15:20a & 21: “And he arose, and came to his father….. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”

Many times we see people confessing their sins to God and promising Him never to go back to them again, but as soon as they leave the altar of repentance, they begin to live their lives as before. This suggests that their repentance was not genuine. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Beloved, can you sincerely say that old things have passed away in your life? The truth of the matter is that it takes conscious and determined effort to bear the fruits of repentance. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and Ephesians 4:24-32 contain some practical guidance for bearing fruits of repentance; please take time out to read through these passages.

When a fellow who was stealing before his confession of faith in Christ stops stealing, we can say he or she is bearing fruits of repentance. An adulterous woman who for the sake of Christ sacks all her sin partners, thereby losing all the “fringe benefits” of her extramarital wanderings, can be said to be bearing fruits of repentance. 

When an alcoholic scraps the drinking bar in his or her expansive living room to begin hosting Christian gatherings in that space, sharing the word of God over cups of tea, we can say that such a fellow is bearing the fruit of repentance. This indeed was the first thing my friends noticed in me after I became born again. Any time they came to my house and asked for brandy, I offered them soft drinks. 

They would laugh at me and tell me to admit that I was just broke. I would tell them that although the money was there to buy brandy, my Lord Jesus Christ would not want me to drink alcohol or serve it to others. One by one they stopped visiting my house, which served my best interest as a growing child of God. 

Beloved, the whole world must recognize that you have actually given your life to Christ when they see undeniable proof of the fruits of repentance in you. A street fighter who is now a peace-maker in the neighborhood is the pride of the Master. God bless you as you bear fruits worthy of repentance in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me forthwith to bear fruits that reflect the transformation inside me in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 1-3, Mark 12:28-13:2

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 12: TAKE MY LIFE, AND LET IT BE 1.Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2.Take my hands and let them move

At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3.Take my voice and let me sing,

Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,

Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,

It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.