REPORT ALERT - Part 2: Fruitfulness

God Wants Us to Be Fruitful

Jesus says in John 15:

v. 5 - I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing... 

v.8 - By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples...

v.16 - You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name he may give you. 

It's clear here that God is interested in fruitfulness. He wants you and I to be fruitful in the areas of responsibility and purpose that we have been assigned.

How to be Fruitful

Good stewards are always…

Awake and Alert to know and respond to seasons, purpose, requirements, expectations, patterns, timeline, deliverables, current and projected status of resources etc. Glean from those with more experience, and remain prayerful and watchful without fear. Fear paralyses; love empowers.

Learning
Understand your subject thoroughly. The more you learn, the better you can get at doing something. Then, you should teach others how to do it too so you can multiply yourself in others

Efficient Effort

Get the right thing done via the best strategy, and use of resources, time and effort. Always receive God’s counsel for the best way in everything

Ready and prepared

If you are alert, you will know what is coming up ahead. Prepare ahead for expected upcoming requirements, increases in demand etc. We aren’t omniscient therefore be sensitive to God’s nudges.

Terrifically excellent

Do everything at the best possible standard with your available resources and ability. Be able to balance ideals with practicality. All this requires wisdom, and is gets better with experience. Completing tasks with excellence honours God and opens doors but you can’t generate excellence out of yourself; ask for God’s guidance, seek His favour, obey His statues & principles.

The More Excellent Way

This is a good start but there is a game changer that can take the above and make it super-effective. It will take your ability to bear much fruit to a supernatural level that is the "more excellent way" (1 Cor 12:1): LOVE.

Jesus said, "He who abides in me and in Him bears much fruit" (John 15:5). How do you abide in Him?

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:15-16 

How do we abide in love?

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandment and abide in His love... this is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15: 10, 12

 This generation has relegated love to either a soppy, cotton-candy emotion, or a sexually charged drive when nothing could be further from the truth. The love that God defines in His Word is a determined, long term commitment despite the odds, difficulties and hurts; it is sacrifice of self for the benefit of others; it is a power that changed the world. In the beautiful prose and rhythm of the New King James Version, this is how it is defined:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 1 Cor 13: 4-8a 

In a situation where you want to have a burst of anger and say something rude, love is the decision to speak kindly instead. Every time you feel selfish but you choose to put a colleagues needs above your own, that's love. If you are consistently making these sorts of decisions, you're abiding in love. And love has a way of making good results in any situation.

In terms of stewardship, if you choose to operate with love (the way/strategy), because of love (motivation, drive), and through Love (God's, not ours because ours doesn't last!), you will bear much fruit, fruit that will remain.

Here's to a abundantly fruitful harvest in the times to come!

For more on this topic, check out our MixCloud playlist by searching for 'covenantyouth'.