CAC LIVING WATER DEVOTIONAL : TOPIC – YOU CAN STILL BE PRODUCTIVE
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LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Monday, July 12, 2021
YOU CAN STILL BE PRODUCTIVE
Read: Luke 13:6-9
Luke 13:6-9 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
MEMORISE:
And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down (Luke 13:9)
EXPOSITION
God doesn’t want anyone to perish. After being born again, God expects His children to produce good and godly fruit (cf. Gal. 5:22ff). When such isn’t coming, He is pained (cf. Mk. 11:12-14).
Wherever He plants you in His Vineyard (His world as a whole, and His Church) (Lk. 13:6), He daily gives portions of His provisions, through your Keeper (the Holy Spirit) (Lk. 13:7a), to make you effectively fruitful. That is the essence of the talents/gifts, anointing, protection, gift of home, sound health, money, etc. you enjoy daily (cf. Jas. 1:17).
Sadly, many take God’s grace in vain (2 Cor. 6:1). Don’t do that! God expects fruitfulness from you, and that is only possible through fruitfulness to Him and His things (cf. 1 Cor. 4:2). The Owner (God) of the fig tree (you) planted in His vineyard is coming now, and ultimately, then, ‘seeking fruit on’ you. Hope it is not that He would find none (Lk. 13:6)? Such thing angers Him, most especially, when He has waited too long for the fig tree to produce, but in vain (v. 7). May we not be cut down by His anger. Amen.
The joy is that we have our Advocate (cf. 1 Jn. 2:1,2) pleading with our Owner to temper judgement with mercy for now (v. 8). He hopes to still keep fertilising us through the various channels He provides – Bible study, House fellowship, radio and TV ministrations, Christian literature, etc. Let us not take Him for granted. No one knows when the ‘one year’ (v. 8) He is pleading for will elapse now, and ultimately in eternity. By then, there will be no other advocate to mitigate the divine order.
What fruit is God expecting from you? What of the profit He expects from your ministry and that privileged job? Even from your family? Don’t disappoint Him; you can’t bear the consequences!
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Lord Jesus, thank You for Your desire that I will be fully productive in every way.
2. Lord, deliver me from everything that is making me unproductive in life and ministry.
3. Pray that God should help our music ministers to be productive the way He wants it.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Ezra 9:9 – 10:44; Neh. 1:1 – 2:1; Acts 13:7 – 13:28