Foundations Week 15 Bring Forth Fruit

Throughout this study, we have examined in detail the qualities we are to build into our lives with all diligence—faith, virtue (courage and resolve), knowledge, temperance or self-control, patience or perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity.

Read John 15:5. If a person is connected to Jesus, what will that person produce? ________________________________________________________________

What kind of fruit is mentioned in Hebrews 12:11? __________________________________________________________________________

Read Ephesians 5: 9. What are the fruits listed in this verse? __________________________________________________________________________

In Matthew 7:16-18, Jesus tells us that we will know whether someone is of God by their fruits, meaning by their conduct and their works. What does he say every good tree will bring forth?

Read Philippians 4:17. What does Paul desire for the Philippians? __________________________________________________________________________

Read Matthew 6:19-21. Where are we to collect our treasures?

Laying up means collecting, spending time, money, energy to gather up… We are gonna spend ourselves on something. Our time, our money, our lives. Don’t spend your time, money, energy--don’t spend yourself on things that won’t last! Spend yourself on things that will last for eternity! And, what you choose to spend yourself on, that is what you will love. For example, suppose you choose to spend yourself on antique cars; looking for them, purchasing them, redoing them, caring for them, keeping them clean, driving them—the more time and money you spend on them, the more you will love them! You ladies, are you spending yourselves on your houses? Gentlemen, do you spend your energies on sports? Are any of us throwing our time into television’s consuming fire?

Spend yourselves wisely! Read and study the Word, pray, fellowship, sing praises to the Lord. Do His work. Spend yourselves wisely, your money, your time, your resources, your energy, your love. Spend yourselves on the Lord and His purposes! And you will glorify Him with your lives, and have treasures in Heaven!

Read Psalm 1: 2-3. When does the tree planted by the river of nourishment bring forth his fruit?_________________________________________________________________________

A young sapling fruit tree’s job is not to produce fruit, but to drink in nourishment and grow. After proper care, nourishment and pruning, he will bring forth his fruit in season, and everything he does will prosper spiritually. Many young believers are put into service too soon and at work they are not called to do. This is not beneficial for the new believers or for the Kingdom of God.

Hebrews 13:21 says God will “make you perfect…to do His will.” Perfect in this verse means to make a perfect fit, suitable, deficient in no part [1]. God will equip you to do His will. Moses was in preparation for 40 years to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Even Jesus was in preparation for 30 years before he began His ministry. And when He called the disciples, He said “Follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men.” They had to be nourished and equipped before they bore fruit, and so do we!

Read John 15:4-5. What does Jesus say the branch must do to bear fruit? _________________________________________________________________________

What can we do without Him? _________________________________________________________________________

Do not try to bear fruit in your own strength. Without Him we can do nothing! Our job is to live close to Him and He will produce the fruit. When we seek Him first His life will flow through us and produce the fruit. And out of our belly will flow rivers of living water (John 8:38).

Read Hebrews 13:21. What will God equip us to do? ________________________________________________________________________

Who is God working through in our lives to bring forth that which is well pleasing to Him? ________________________________________________________________________

What does 2 Corinthians 3:5 say about our sufficiency? ________________________________________________________________________

We can do nothing in our own strength! It is God, working through Christ in us, who wills and works according to His good pleasure! (Philippians 2:13).

In the parable of the sower, which you can read in Matthew 13: 18-23, the sower represents God, and the seed represents the Word of God. The sower is continually scattering His seed into hearts, but so many hearts do not allow the seed to grow because 1) Satan snatches the seed away, 2) the people have stony hearts, 3) tribulation or persecution comes, or 4) because the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches. Read Matthew 13:23. What happens in the life that not only receives the Word of God, but hears and understands it?

We will bear fruit, some thirty fold, some sixty fold, and some one hundred fold. My prayer for you is that you will bear glorious fruit for our Lord one hundred fold!

In this study we have looked closely at the step by step instructions given in 2 Peter Chapter One for growing in Godliness. Listen to the wonderful promise we have if we do these things:

2 Peter 1:8-11 “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

^[1]Zodhiates, S. (2000, c1992, c1993). The complete word study dictionary : New Testament (electronic ed.).
Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers.