THE PURPOSE OF BEING ALIVE: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 2ND DECEMBER 2018.

MEMORISE:

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:2

READ:   Luke 13:6-9

6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

MESSAGE

The parable told by Jesus of the farm owner and his fruitless fig tree should make us realize that nothing goes for nothing. The farm owner was not keeping the fig tree on his farm for decorative purpose; he wanted it for fruits.

After waiting for years, the tree remained fruitless, and so he decided to get rid of it. Beloved, are you fulfilling any purpose in God’s kingdom? Are you just a statistic on the number of Christians alive or are you bearing fruit?

As long as you have breath, you have a purpose and cannot afford to stay fruitless, lest farm owner decides it’s time to cut you down. The terrifying part of today’s story is that the farm owner was prepared to disregard his labor of past years over the fruitless fig tree and ignore the potential of getting any fruits from it in future.

At that point, he only counted the tree as nothing but a waste of farmland.

In today’s memory verse, Jesus clearly stated that every branch in Him that does not bear fruit will be cut off. As a born-again Christian, you are one of His branched (John 15:1). Every believer needs to be the branch of the vine that yields fruit and is pruned to yield more fruit, particularly the fruit of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.

Our actions, purpose and attitude need to flow from the fruit of the Spirit for us to be considered fruitful.

The good news today is that the vinedresser intervenes on behalf of the fruitless fig tree, asking the owner to give him one more year to carefully manage it. If it remained fruitless after one year, then the owner could finally decide to cut down the tree.

Beloved, examine yourself today to determine if you are not currently fruitless. Perhaps you are even undergoing your one year grace period before being cut off and replaced with a fruitful tree? What is the motive behind your actions and work for God today?

Are you exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in all that you do? In addition to manifesting the fruit of the Spirit, we are also expected to bear fruits of souls into God’s kingdom, and these fruits must remain. The fruit of souls you win to Christ will remain when you follow them up and teach them the ways of the kingdom.

May the Lord strengthen you as you faithfully do all this in Jesus’ Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, help me to fulfill the purpose for my existence in Jesus’ Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:  Ezekiel 40, John 6:25-51

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 7: WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE.

1. Wonderful story of love;
Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love;
Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it,
Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, oh, won’t you believe it?
Wonderful story of love.

o Refrain:
Wonderful! Wonderful!
Wonderful, wonderful story of love.

2. Wonderful story of love;
Though you are far away;
Wonderful story of love;
Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain,
Down from the crystal-bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation,
Wonderful story of love.

3. Wonderful story of love;
Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love;
For all the pure and blest,
Rest in those mansions above us,
With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus,
Wonderful story of love.