“Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ’For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’" ’Sir,’ the man replied, ’leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’ ” Luke 13:6-9
“For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."” Acts 17:31
You are not just created for nothing. You are a fig tree planted in God’s vineyard. You must bear fruits otherwise there is only one more year for you left. The time to respond to the digging and fertilizer of God is now. If for all these years you did nothing fruitful in God’s eyes he might be saying cut him/her down right now. One more year my friend, what are you going to do about it, what are you doing right now?
God is a serious God. I remember one day a certain sister wrote to me that she no longer wants to receive this newsletter. She pointed the reasons such as your articles are too serious and recommends that I make them lighter. She sent some stuff which was the word of God and she called that lighter stuff. I thanked her for the time she had been on the mailing list and wished her goodbye. How can I make the word of God lighter when God made it what it is? If you read the verses above that’s not a lighter stuff, that’s not something to joke about, that’s a serious message. When you hear God saying cut it down, that’s serious my friend. God is a serious Lord. One day (John 7) Jesus preached the sermon those seventy two disciples bid Him farewell and told Him that what He had said was a “Hard teaching”. If you think life is a joke, its all about having fun and not being fruitful just remain and see for one more year.
God created man to seek Him and worship Him. He created man to fulfill a certain purpose on earth .He in His word has assigned men to accomplish so many task that one day we shall be accountable about. It doesn’t matter where you live, who you are and what you do you should be fruitful. Bear some fruits that bring joy to God. The bible says every good and perfect gift comes from above. Therefore every good thing you do will delights the Lord because it’s just what comes from Him. What good things are you doing? Don’t be cut down my friend bear fruits, bear some good fruits.
One day there shall be a judgment day, when all people (including myself and you) shall be judged according to OUR WORKS which is our fruits. God will not be interested in hearing how beautiful you were, how rich you were, what position you had, what manner of car, house and all possession you had. He would be interested in what you did. He will be interested in the fruits you did produce. One day Jesus (mark 11) came across a green fig tree and when he went closer He found no fruits and said to the tree “no one shall ever eat any fruit from you again” by the following day the tree had dried from the roots. Are you living according to what God created you for or you are busy having fun in God’s vineyard. Be serious my friend lest you are cut down. There is just one more year to prove your self, just one more year to bear some good fruits that pleases God.
Fruits that please God are many. I am not saying go and start preaching. Love is one of the greatest fruit that God wants us all to have, joy, peace, humbleness, kindness, meekness, truthfulness, honest, working for his Him, preaching, worshiping, giving, righteousness, seeking His kingdom more than anything else, etc. All this does not stop you from running your business, this does not stop you from studying your MBA, and this does not stop you from living your normal life .You need to bear fruits. Otherwise there is one more year waiting for you.
You don’t know what God had been saying about you today. Do you know just like any farmer He walks around in the garden to see what the plants needs for fruits to be produced .When all has been done and still finds no fruits he will cut the plants down and plants new ones. Be honest with yourself are you bearing fruits or not. If you are bearing fruits multiply them, increase them, if you are not bearing fruits you only have one more year to bear fruits. One more year to someone may mean twenty years, to some two days, to some one hour to some now and yet to some judgment day. You should start to produce some fruits right now, fruits that please God.
Be serious about your prayer life, bible reading, loving others, sharing the word. Remember that there is only one more year for you to bear fruits.
God bless you
Written by Raphiel Manenge 04/07/05
