WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "BEAR FRUIT"?

Phillip K. Aiken Wrote:

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "BEAR FRUIT"? : STUDY OF JOHN 15:1-5
http://www.snccc.net/documents/sermon_2006-09-10.pdf

(John 15:1-5)
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

INTRODUCTION--------------
1. All vines are designed to bear fruit. Vines are designed to produce grapes.
2. All vineyards are planted for the purpose of producing grapes.
3. Jesus is the one True Vine. Because He is God He possess all the life and characteristics of the Father Himself; because He is man He is truly and permanently connected to us and we to Him. In this way He has become the connection (conduit) through which God’s very life and character is delivered and imparted to us. It is literally through Him that we have become partakers of the divine life. In the truest and fullest sense possible, Jesus through His incarnation, His redemptive work at Calvary and His resurrected life has become the true vine and the source of life and fruit bearing for every believer.

(Colossians 2:9-10) For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

BASIC OBSERVATIONS-----------------------
1. CHRIST is the VINE, we are the BRANCHES.
2. GOD the FATHER is the GARDENER.
3. Branches receive their LIFE from the VINE.
4. All the branches need is provided by the VINE and its ROOT SYSTEM.
5. Branches receive LIFE from the VINE as long as they are CONNECTED to the VINE.
6. Branches that are SEVERED from the VINE soon dry up and die.
7. Even healthy, growing vines must be PRUNED and kept by the GARDENER in order to bear fruit.
8. Branches left to themselves will INVARIABLY grow in the WRONG direction.
9. Growth, in and of itself, does not assure fruitfulness— fruitfulness is the end product of PROPER growth.
10. Fruitfulness is not the product of the branches’ own characteristics and effort—it is the product of abiding in the VINE combined with the loving CARE of the GARDENER.
11. The GARDENER knows what is best for both the

VINEYARD and the individual BRANCHES. (a) Submit to pruning (b) Bear fruit

The vineyard and the branches do not exist for their own SATISFACTION and PLEASURE, but for the satisfaction and pleasure of the GARDENER.

CONCLUSION----------------------

FIVE STEPS TO BEARING FRUIT
Step One: Be connected
Step Two: Stay connected
Step Three: Grow
Step Four: Be regularly pruned and tended by the Gardener
Step Five: Bear fruit

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL FRUIT BEARING
1. Bearing fruit takes time!
2. Bearing fruit takes patience and persistence!
3. Bearing fruit takes nurture and care!

BUT IT’S WORTH IT!
It’s worth waiting for.
It’s worth the time and the effort.
The fruit brings delight to all who partake of it!

The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. Isaiah 5:7

HEAVEN AND HELL ARE REAL PLACES

Somebody just asked whether Heaven and Hell are real, and from the various responses, it seems to me that some people have not yet known about it, or it may be that people have not told them the truth about it. And I'm glad you are here, because the purpose of this group is to bring you to the point where you'll know the basic truth and realities about life.

Therefore, you who have not known about heaven and hell till now, begin to know and understand form today that there is Heaven and Hell. Yes, Heaven and Hell are real places where people go. John 14:3.
You are asking somebody, "Have you been there?" Listen, we might not have been there, but we know they exist because somebody who had been there has told us about them. Sure, Jesus has been in Heaven, he came here on earth to do what God the Father asked him to do, and he has gone back to Heaven. Acts 1:11. But before he left, he promised that he is coming back again. Certainly, heaven is a place of enjoyment for believers, and hell is a place of torment for those who will refuse to believe in Jesus the only begotten Son of God.

So, if you are in a church that your leaders cannot explain to you that there is heaven and hell so that you'll know how to prepare yourself for the place you want to go, you better escape for your life, because at the end of this life's journey, you'll find yourself in one of these two places.
May God help you to accept this basic truth which will enable you to live the life that is worthy of heaven in the mighty name of Jesus. You are blessed.
Jesus loves you and I do too.

WHAT ALL LEADERS NEED TO KNOW

Leaders are like drivers of a bus, and the way they drive affects the lives of all the passengers on board. If they drive well, all passengers on board are safe, but if they drive recklessly, they will cause a terrible accident, and the lives of everybody in the bus including theirs are in danger.

Therefore, to all leaders, both present and future, whether you are the President of a country, Governor of a state, Chairman of an organization, Pastor of a church, or leader of any kind of group, I want you to know very well and understand that you did not get to that position by your own power, but you are there because the sovereign God has put you there.

Psalm 75:7 says, "But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another," and Daniel 2:21 says, "He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings." Thus, it doesn't matter how you got there, but the fact is, you are there just because God made it possible for you to be there.

Now, Proverbs 29:2 says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." So, do you see how the lives of the followers are affected by their leaders?
Thus, as a leader, considering the people you are leading, are they rejoicing or are they mourning because of the way you are leading them? This is the big question we all got to answer as it's time for the leaders to listen behind them and find out what is actually happening and what people are saying about them.

I am asking that the very God, who has put you in that position of leadership to take care of his people, give you the grace, wisdom and knowledge to do the right thing that will make most of your people, if not everybody to rejoice, in Jesus name. You are blessed to be a leader.
Jesus loves you and I do too.

YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Light does not beg darkness to move. Whenever light shows up, darkness have no option but to move and disappear. 

As from today, because you are a child of God and you have Jesus, you shall not walk in darkness in Jesus name. Whenever you show up in any place, every darkness of trouble, lack, hardship, sickness, loneliness, failure or any terrible things shall disappear in the mighty name of Jesus. 

Have a wonderfully, joyful and power-packed year. You are so much blessed. Jesus loves you and I do too.

CHILDREN OF GOD, PLEASE TAKE NOTE

Any pastor or servant of God who is afraid to talk about sin in his church, for fear of losing his members, is a wolf in sheep's clothing. 

If you are in such a church that they cannot tell you that sin is sin, and all they talk about all the time is blessing, blessing and blessing, but do not give any room for repentance, you better escape for your life, because there is danger ahead. 

May God who has called you help you to locate the church that is right for you, and give you ministers the necessary wisdom to care for his church in Jesus name. You are blessed. Jesus loves you and I do too.

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THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR JESUS, A Missed Opportunity

As we continue to look at the circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus, it's very disturbing to discover that somebody missed a life-time opportunity which would have been on record for ever.

Luke 2:6-7 says, And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Sure, if only the hotel manager have known the type child Jesus is, then he would have drove some people from some of the rooms, and give at least one room to Jesus, and latter on, they would have written a big sign post, "JESUS WAS BORN HERE," and by today, people will be visiting that very room for the record, but this man did not have a room for the King of glory, and he missed out of record.

Similarly, many people has filled up their hearts with many unnecessary things, and have left no room for Jesus in their heart. So, the question is, Have you any room for Jesus??? If not, I pray that the celebration of this Christmas will enable you to create a room for Jesus in your heart, so that you'll not miss out of the book of life in Jesus name. You are blessed. Jesus loves you and I do too.

JESUS CAME SO THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ABUNDANT LIFE

John 10:10 says, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 

Sure, that big thief called the devil have stolen many things from you. He has stolen you health, that's why some of you are sick. He has stolen your relationship, that's why most people are still struggling to get married, and even some of those who were married had gone through divorced because the enemy has stolen their spouse. He has stolen your finance, that's why most people are still broke till now, and many other things.

But listen, Jesus said, I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY, Hallelujah !!! In case you don't understand, just look around you, and you'll see some Christmas lights, which will tell you, that is what we are celebrating now. Yes, Jesus is born, and because he is here, we will recover everything the enemy had stolen in Jesus name.

Now, if you know you'll recover yours, endorse a big Amen here to shame the devil. You are so much blessed. Jesus loves you and I do too.

Try Jesus

TIME TO RE-UNITE

Jesus came so that we who were separated from God because of sin could be re-united back to God. Thus, I decree, anything that has brought separation or divorce between any of you and your spouse, may it be destroyed by the precious blood of Jesus as you celebrate this Christmas, so that both of you could be re-united back together and become one again in Jesus name. If you believe type Amen here. You are blessed. Jesus loves you and I do too.

GOD SPEAKS IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE

It's very amazing to know how God speaks in different ways to different people mostly based the type of things they do or the way they behave. Considering the life of Jesus as a typical example, when Jesus was born, God used several ways to get the message across to different types of people all over the world.

God spoke to the astrologers whom we all know as the Magi or wise men from the east through the stars, because they know very much about stars. Matthew 2:1-2 says, Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Sure, these wise men saw a star that looked different from the regular star, and knew right away that a King was born.

At the same time, God send angels to the shepherds who were in the field, and spoke to them through these angels because the shepherds knew so much about angels. Luke 2:8-11 says, And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord 

Also, when Jesus started his ministry, he said to the fishermen whom he called, follow me, and I will make you fisher of men. Matthew 4:18-20 says, And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 

In the same way, God is still doing the same thing today. So, if you check your carrier, your hobbies, or anything you like to do most, you'll find out that God is speaking to you through the very thing you do everyday, and there are certain ways He wants you to reach out to people with your carrier, hobby and the gifts or talents that He has given to you.

May God give you the grace to hear and understand Him whenever He speaks to you, so that you could do what He wants you to do in Jesus name. You are blessed. Jesus loves you and I do too.