Lesson 30 (For the Series) | The Promise of Fruitful Ministry

Series | The Promises of God

Scripture | John 15:8, “This is to my Fathers glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

Lesson 30 | The Promise of Fruitful Ministry

Jesus in the above verse promised His disciples that if they remained in Him, they would bear much fruit, bringing glory to the Father, and thus showing themselves to be His disciples.  There are two main ways a disciple can and should be fruitful in their lives- one is in their character and the other is in their ministry to others.  

First, what Jesus does in your life by developing His character, also known as the “fruit of the Spirit,” He wants to do through you, Galatians 5:22-23.  Meaning, what God does in you, He wants to do in others.  Second, by His Holy Spirit He wants to use your life to impact others for Jesus also said in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”  As a result, every disciple of Christ should be willing to find those that need Jesus so that they may be saved.

In other words, it is not the job of branches to produce the fruit; it has to come from the vine and the root.  In the same way, you cannot change your own character, much less save anyone else or produce change in their lives.  However, when the Holy Spirit flows through you like nutrients in a vine to the branches, you will be able to see people’s lives changed by the power of God.  And those who are saved as a result of your faithfulness to God will be considered your fruit in ministry.

Paul used this same illustration of “fruit” in Philippians 1:22 when he wrote, “If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.”  He saw what God was doing in Him was not only for his own benefit but also for others.  Therefore, we should all desire to be successful and fruitful in the ministry that God gives each one us! 

Reflection | Are you bearing fruit in your ministry to others? 

Action | (1) When was the last time you led someone to the Lord? (2) Pray for God to use you to win one soul a week.  (3) Lastly, look for open doors and opportunities to share the Gospel with others every day.   

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Series reading, Psalm 22.  Click here to read online. 

Feb. 29 (Leap Year Lesson) | The Promise of God Finishing What He Started

Series | The Promises of God

Scripture | Philippians 1:6, “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Lesson 29 | The Promise of God Finishing What He Started

Have you ever started something and didn’t finish it?  Maybe you made a new year’s resolution and didn’t make it even three weeks!  However, did you know that God promises to finish and carry out on to completion your salvation?  Meaning, when you were born again in your soul and spirit your body remained the same and God is promising in the above verse to complete in your body what He did in your soul and spirit.

You will one day be given a brand new resurrected body just like the one Jesus had after His resurrection.  Your new body will be forever perfect and unified with your inner self.  Paul gives great insight and depth in 1 Corinthians 15 to the promise of a new body and specifically in verse 49 he writes, “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.”  Therefore, on the day of the resurrection we will be just like Jesus in our new bodies!

As a result, be encouraged to know that God will finish what He started.  You will not always carry around this “body of death” that has sickness, weakness, and earthly impulses to sin.  However, on the day Jesus’ returns all believers will be given a new body.  Until that day think of your salvation as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all- surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 

Thus, your new inner nature is the treasure in the jar of clay of your earthly body.  And one day when Christ comes you will be given a new body- made perfect and for all eternity!  Thus, Jesus is not only going to finish what He started in you- He is going to finish what he started with Adam and Eve.  He will create a perfect human race that will spend eternity with Him in loving fellowship! 

Reflection | Are you confident that Jesus will one day give you a new body? 

Action | (1) Rejoice in the work of Jesus that purchased for you salvation, from the inside out. (2) Trust and be confident in God that one day you will forever be changed in your body.

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Leap year reading, Psalm 23.  Click here to read. 

Feb. 28 | The Promise of Deliverance

Series | The Promises of God

Scripture | Psalm 72:12, “For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.”

Lesson 28 | The Promise of Deliverance        

The Bible promises God will deliver or rescue from harm all those who call on Him, especially the needy and those who have no one to help.  However, today we are witnessing the greatest slaughter of Christians around the world.  According to Gordon-Conwell Seminary over 150,000 Christians are killed for their faith each year. Thus, why doesn’t God deliver these precious people from persecution and death? 

Also, there are countless millions of children who wake up each day starving and suffering physical harm, not to mention the many around the world who are afflicted from cancer and other destructive ailments- why doesn’t God deliver those needy people?  Some Christians say it is “God’s will for people to suffer.”  However, if God was a fatalistic Creator and just made everything the way it is and has no intention of intervening why did He give us the above promise to deliver if we cried out to Him?

These are all tough questions I get asked all the time as a pastor, however, I believe the answer is simple.  God created us perfect, but sin brought death and destruction.  For that reason He sent Jesus to deliver us from Satan’s affliction and thus when we cry in our suffering He hears us and delivers us- either in their world or the world come.

Meaning, even if we are healed from every sickness and delivered from every affliction in this life we will still die because of sin’s penalty upon our bodies.  Thus, the greatest deliverance isn’t the one to keep us safe and healthy in this world.  The greatest deliverance is the one from sin’s destruction in our soul, thus when we cry out to be saved we can trust that He always saves us.

And at the same time, we can hope that if God is going to save us in the world to come- then He does care about our daily needs and concerns thus we can pray for His deliverance in this life too.  Therefore, whenever you are needy- cry out to God for He promises to deliver you!  Whenever you are afflicted, call on His name for He will also help you!

Reflection | What do you need deliverance from today? 

Action | (1) Other than sin, think of two things you need to be delivered from. (2) Cry out to God and ask Him to save and deliver you from the things you are facing.  (3) Lastly, wait and trust God to deliver you either in this life or the one to come!    

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Leviticus 22:17-23:44, Mark 9:30-10:12, Psalm 44:1-8, & Proverbs 10:19. Click here to read online.

Feb. 27 | The Promise of Wisdom

Series | The Promises of God

Scripture | Proverbs 14:34, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Lesson 27 | The Promise of Wisdom        

Since becoming a Christian have you ever said the following things to describe life’s hardships? “Man, I’ve got some big financial problems.”  “My wife and I are having marriage problems.”  Or, “I’m struggling in my Christian walk because I’m having major sin problems.”  If you have ever described your problems like this since being saved, the first thing you need to know is that your biggest problem isn’t “money, marriage, or sin,” it's the lack of “wisdom.”  Meaning, you don’t have money, marriage, or sin problems- you have a wisdom problem!  

The day you received salvation the Bible says Jesus gave you everything you would ever need for life and godliness, 2 Peter 1:3.  He also said that the power of God in you would always be greater than the things that come against you, 1 John 4:4.  Plus, Paul declared that you are more than a conqueror and nothing could ever separate you from the love of God, Romans 8:37.  As a result, you have already been given everything you will ever need to overcome and conquer every one of the problems you will face in life- you just need the wisdom on how to receive and act on God’s abilities and blessings. 

Therefore, every believer should not focus on their problems and try to solve them by doings things the “world’s way.”  Rather, we should call upon God in the name of Jesus and ask for wisdom to succeed in each and every situation we face.  Wisdom is “the practical and successful application of knowledge.”  For example, if you ask God for wisdom in your marriage He will give you the practical steps to take to bring about a healthy and prosperous marriage.

In turn, no matter what you are facing in life as your “problems,” remember to call out to God and receive His wisdom.  Because if you don't have God’s knowledge and practical instructions for success in life (wisdom)- your biggest problem is a “wisdom problem.”  Therefore, whenever you lack wisdom ask God for it because He loves to generously give us all the wisdom we need to succeed in life!     

Reflection | Do you need God’s wisdom for a situation you’re facing in life? 

Action | (1) Think of the top three problems you are currently facing in life. (2) Pray and ask God for the wisdom in each of the situations you are facing. (3) Lastly, apply the wisdom (practical application of knowledge) in the areas God has given you the wisdom for.   

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Leviticus 20:22-22:16, Mark 9:1-29, Psalm 43:1-5, & Proverbs 10:18. Click here to read online.

Feb. 26 | The Promise of a Blessed Nation

Series | The Promises of God

Scripture | Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

Lesson 26 | The Promise of a Blessed Nation       

In the US we have a saying, “God bless America.”  I love this statement and the heritage that comes with it because it reminds us of the many godly people who came to this country and implored God’s blessings upon it. As a result, our great success as a nation has come from God and His exaltation. 

However, today in America many people still say that cherished statement, yet they don’t realize “how” God actually blesses and exalts a nation.  Thus, the above proverb teaches a people “righteousness exalts a nation.”  Meaning, God will only exalt and lift up in success those who do what is “right” by His standards.  On the other hand the proverb also teaches, “sin is a disgrace to any people.”  Therefore, God will never bless what He promised to curse and disgrace. 

For example in Proverbs 6:17 King Solomon states the Lord hates, “hands that shed innocent blood.”  Therefore, when America allows by its law the slaughter of unborn children in the womb, over 54 million since 1973, God will not continue to bless us until we repent and abolish this wicked infanticide. 

Also, Proverbs 6:17-18, declares God hates, “haughty eyes, a lying tongue… a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil.”  Thus, when we as a nation act in ungodly pride in sports and entertainment, have liars and devisors of wickedness in the White House and on Wall Street, and a possess a generation of young adults who are “quick to rush into evil,”- we shouldn’t expect God’s blessing, but rather disgrace.

In closing, we should hold to this precious promise and do what it demands so we can receive God’s exaltation and blessings in our nation.  And for the sins and evil deeds we’ve done, we should repent now and plead for God’s mercy through the blood of Jesus Christ on all of our leaders and citizens.  Then we can truly say, “God bless our land.”

Reflection | Are you doing your part for God to exalt and bless the nation you live in? 

Action | (1) Repent of any sins you may be committing that bring a disgrace on the land. (2) Pray and repent for the sins of your nation as Daniel did for the Jewish people in Daniel 9:4-19.  (3) Lastly, live by God’s grace and Spirit in such a way that God can bless and exalt you and your nation.   

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Leviticus 19:1-20:21, Mark 8:11-38, Psalm 42:1-11, & Proverbs 10:17. Click here to read online.