Are You Rooted Below & Bearing Fruit Above?

All of us seek to discern the will of God in our lives because we believe He knows best. I have my fair share of waiting too and sometimes, it is to wait for open doors from the Lord, sometimes it is waiting while in God's calling for our calling to come to fruition, sometimes it's for things and/or us to take shape and sometimes it's for us to complete our God-given task despite how much we may want to bail out. But waiting on the Lord is something that all of us will be familiar with.

The topic of bearing fruit is of particular interest to me. I did a search through the bible on scripture verses with the words "bear fruit" and "fruitful" and it seems that God called us to be fruitful by:

1. being fruitful and multiply - This is a common theme in the Old Testament in which God told Abraham, Noah and various other people that His blessing will cause His people to multiply in number to inhabit the earth and to preserve the generations. This is seen throughout the Old Testament in Gen 1:22, 28; Gen 9:1,7; Gen 17:6; Gen 35:11; Gen 48:4; Jer 23:3; Ps 105:24; Ex 1:7; Ez 36:11. The main thing of being fruitful here is receiving God's blessings and multiplying in numbers.
   
2. being fruitful in self and God - As we go into the New Testament, the focus now is on being holy and righteous in our call to be God's children, bearing the fruit of the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:19-24). In fact, Luke 13:1-9, Rom 7:4-6 encourage us to bear fruit for God rather that bear fruit of death; a warning of of what will happen if we do not repent and continue in our lives of darkness. So being fruitful has to also mean to be holy and righteous, living as children of God.
    
3. being fruitful to bless - Perhaps God ultimately wants us to bear fruit to not only bless ourselves but also to bless other through us. Why? Because God has appointed us to bear fruit that will last (John 15: 16) and which will be for the Father's glory (John 15:8). And God longs for His children to return to Him.
   
   Paul is very familiar with this as he mentioned in Philippians 1:22 that he was torn between going back to God and yet remaining in his body to have fruitful labour in the body; to bless others. Ultimately, God wants to make us fruitful so we can be a blessing to others and this one really spoke to me a lot a lot during this period.
   
   Early on in Genesis, the Abrahamic Convenant spoke about being blessed and being a blessing.
   
   
   Genesis 12:2-3 (NIV)
    2 "I will make you into a great nation
          and I will bless you;
          I will make your name great,
          and you will be a blessing.
   
    3 I will bless those who bless you,
          and whoever curses you I will curse;
          and all peoples on earth
          will be blessed through you."

As I struggle with my current job transition (transition out of something which is so comfortable and which is so working well for me), I kept bargaining with God that I am already impacting lives where I am. I further went on to justify that if I move, I am not sure if I am going to be effective for Him, given the new environment and new stresses to come in this new portfolio etc. But the real reason, I have come to realise is that I was so in my comfort zone. God dealt with me and made me realised how He has wanted to re-position me to bless others at a different playing field. Talking about revelation from God bringing about re-elevation.

As I did my QT, God first brought me to the story of Elijah in 1 King 17 and 18. I had previously shared in cell how Elijah is an interesting reminder because he has just popped up suddenly in the bible but every step of the way, he obeyed God and God positioned him from one level of faith to another. Firstly God provided for him as He sent the raverns to feed him and thereby helping Elijah know that God will provide for him and bless him. Then God brought him to the widow, another level of faith, and wanted to bless not only him but also the women and her son as he made it possible for the widow and her son to be fed through his instructions. Then, God brought him to yet another level of faith when the widow's son died and had Elijah working with God to restore the boy's life. Finally God brought him to the showdown with the prophets of Baal to bring people back to Him, as everyone realised that ""The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!" (1 King 18:39). The Lord brought Elijah from one level of faith to another, blessing first himself then others through him.

In the same way, I felt the Lord reminding me how He wants to bring me to a different field to bless others and that my season here is just over. And yes, He will bless as He calls; to bear fruit. The further confirmation came when I was preparing for chapel from Luke 5:1-9 when God showed how obedience brought fruitfulness to both self and others. As Simon obeyed and casted the net (even though he felt it was strange and maybe useless), the result was a catch of fish not only enough for himself but also for the other fishermen. All these is possible just because Simon said "But because you say so, I will let down the nets." (Luke 5:5).

In our round up of the story of Joseph in sermon, we seen how God has worked in his life to make him fruitful (Gen 41:52, Gen 49:22).

As Raymond mentioned, we are all definitely called to serve God's purpose, though in different ways. And all of us have been blessed with at least one gifting and Paul edges us to desire and excel in gifts that will build up the church; blessing others.

At the end of the day, God wants us to be fruitful and to stay with the vine as we are reminded from John 15. But to bear fruit, we need, first and foremost, to remain in the vine (John 15: 4-5); we need to take root below and bear fruit above (2 King 19:30, Isaiah 37:31).

Jeremiah 17:8 (NIV)
8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
       that sends out its roots by the stream.
       It does not fear when heat comes;
       its leaves are always green.
       It has no worries in a year of drought
       and never fails to bear fruit."

Psalm 92:13-14 (NIV)
13 planted in the house of the LORD,
       they will flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They will still bear fruit in old age,
       they will stay fresh and green,

Like Joyce mentioned, you can say we are all different trees bearing fruit at different seasons. It is important to be rooted well and bear the right fruit. Jesus reminded us in Matthew 7:17 that one can also bear bad fruit too. So stay rooted in God's word and plans, which are the soil and water and the tree will grow to eventually bear fruit. And He will keep pruning you for fruitfulness, not giving up on you (John 15:2).

In the end, God gave me John 15:7-8 as a reminder verse as I move to this new chapter; that I need to just choose to remain in Him in all circumstances and He will bless. At the end of the day, many will come to know the Lord through my ministry and work of my hands, not because of what I have done but because of what the Lord has shown Himself to be through me; that I am a disciple of God.

John 15:7-8 (NIV)
7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

The Lord has blessed me these few weeks so hope it blesses you too.

A Delay is not a Denial from God

Received this from Raymond and it's a nice reminder about what God can do in our lives.

I like a quote in the article "remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go". And yes, how true it is, sometimes, we let the daunting path ahead distract us from remembering what God has done in our lives so far.

As 1 Cor 1:26 beckons us "think of what you were when you were called".

A Delay is not a Denial from God

by Rick Warren

These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day! Habakkuk 2:3 (LB)

"Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go."

The Bible is filled with examples of how God uses a long process to develop character, especially in leaders. He took eighty years to prepare Moses, including forty in the wilderness. For 14,600 days Moses kept waiting and wondering, "Is it time yet?" But God kept saying, "Not yet."

Contrary to popular book titles, there are no Easy Steps to Maturity or Secrets of Instant Sainthood. When God wants to make a giant oak, he takes a hundred years, but when he want to make a mushroom, he does it overnight. Great souls are grown through struggles and storms and seasons of suffering. Be patient with the process. James advised, "Don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed." (James 1:4, Msg)

Don't get discouraged. When Habakkuk became depressed because he didn't think God was acting quickly enough, God had this to say: "These things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" (Habakkuk 2:3, LB)

Remember how far you've come, not just how far you have to go. You are not where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be. Years ago people wore a popular button with the letters PBPGINFWMY. It stood for "Please Be Patient, God Is Not Finished With Me Yet." God isn't finished with you, either, so keep moving forward. Even the snail reached the ark by persevering!

In what area of your spiritual growth do you need to be more patient and persistent?

The Dedicated Temple of God

Hi everyone,

I was doing my quiet time today and felt spoken to from 1 King 8 and thought of sharing what God has placed in my heart.

In 1 King 8, we read about King Solomon has completed building the temple for the Lord and is dedicating it. And we read in verses 10 and 11 that the temple begin to be filled with the glory of the Lord:

1 King 8:10-11 (NIV)

When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple. 

Solomon proceeds to pray what would happen in the temple of God. As I read, I sensed God speaking to me about my life because we are the temple of God now that we have the Holy Spirit residing in us.

1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

Therefore, let's see what happens to a life dedicated and consecrated to the Lord and reflect on where our lives are at this point in time.

Solomon prays that...

1. ... there be the forgiveness of the Lord in the temple.
   
   "Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place... and when you hear, forgive." (v30)
   
   In the temple of God, there is forgiveness of sin. Similarly, in our lives, we started off with the acknowledgment of our sins as we come before God to accept Him into our lives as Lord and Saviour. But, what other sins do you currently have that you need to deal with in the Lord. Remember that in the temple of the Lord, there is forgiveness of sins.
   
2. ... there be judging by the Lord in the temple.
   
   "When a man wrongs his neighbour and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath, before your altar in this temple... Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty... declare the innocent not guilty and so establish his innocence." (v31-32)
   
   As the Lord's presence is in the temple and judges between people, He is also in our lives and watches over the choices we make and how we walk. And we will also have times where we may have been wronged but there is trust in the Lord that He will judge between the guilt and innocent and will eventually declare and establish our innocence. Sure there will be situations where you may have been wronged but will you trust in the Lord that He is the Judge and will vindicate you in His time?
   
3. ... there be restoration by the Lord, as we repent.
   
   "When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and confess your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their fathers." (v33-34)
   
   We know that as we come to the Lord, we will receive restoration in our lives to how God had intended it to be, restoration from hurts, pains, bitterness and a live lived apart from God and His blessings. Are there areas where you need restoration?
   
4. ... there be teaching of His ways, as we repent.
   
   "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and confess your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance." (v35-36)
   
   The Lord longs to teach us His ways and decrees so we can walk according to His ways and stay in His approval, blessings and favour. So, as we continue to have the glory of God in our lives, He will teach you, step by step, to grow in righteousness and to His likeness. Are you still keeping your hearts and minds open to the Lord's teaching, rebuking and correction?
   
5. ... there be the fear of God.
   
   "When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel—each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands toward this temple- then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men), so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers." (v37-40)
   
   A life with God's presence will also have the fear of the Lord because of who God is; the Almighty God who sees the heart of man and can do all things. Personally for me, I have seen what God can do in my life, especially when I grief Him, and so the fear of the Lord keeps me trying to always walk righteously. The day we do not have the fear of the Lord is the day we no longer stay within the boundaries of the Lord and of His love, peace, favour and blessings and we are in the danger of taking God for granted.
   
   Proverbs 16:6 (NIV)
   Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.
   
   Proverbs 14:27 )NIV)
   The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.
   
   Proverbs 19:23 (NIV)
   The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
   
   Do you have the fear of the Lord in your life?
   
6. ... that God's name be glorified.
   
   "As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name- for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name." (v41-43)
   
   When the glory of the Lord is in the temple and in our lives, God's name will also be glorified through it because of the great things that He will do in you and through you, you will be seen as bearing His name and people will come to hear and know of God.
   
   Do you bear the glory of God in your lives that is a living testimony to others who have yet to know Him. A living testimony, likened a living bible, who will result in others wanting to know about God?
   
7. ... that there be favour.
   
   "When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to the LORD toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause" (v44-45)
   When the temple of God is filled with the glory of God, there will be favour as we walk with the Lord and He upholds our cause.
   
   Are you experience God's favour in your life?
   
8. ... there be deliverance when we come in repentence.
   
   "When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy; for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace." (v46-51)
   
   When our lives are filled with the glory of God, we will receive deliverance from bondages and things that we are caught in captivity by. Do you need something which you are captive of now that you need God to deliver you from? Just as God delivered the Israelite from Egypt? God indeed has the power to "bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners" (Isaiah 61:1), both Himself and through His servants doing His will in your life.
   
9. ... there be the honour of being chosen by God.
   
   "For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance, just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, O Sovereign LORD, brought our fathers out of Egypt." (v53)
   
   Ephesians 1:4-5 (NIV)
   For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
   
   God chose you and what a privilege it is to be called sons and daughters of the living and Almighty God. And we are reminded that "we were by nature objects of wrath" because of our sin but God in His love and grace and mercy, gave us His son so we can be made alive in Christ while we were dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:3). That's the wonders of accepting the work of Jesus on the cross and appropriating it to our lives. Do you believe in your position as a child of God in your life?
   
10. ... there will be turning of peoples' hearts back to God.
    
    "May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers." (v57-58)
    
    Often times, when we become restored and have experienced the love, grace and mercy of God and His work in our lives, we will naturally want to share this wonderful privilege with others who have yet to know and experience Him. And hearts will be turned to God through the work of our hands and the testimony of our mouths.

So, is your life filled with the glory of God...

• ... so much so there is forgiveness of your sins?
• ... so much so, there is trust in your life of God as the Ultimate Judge; that He knows everything that happens and is capable of vindicating you of wrong done to you?
• ... so much so there is restoration in our lives as we come to him in repentence?
• ... so much so we are receiving teaching from the Lord day after day as He continues to work in us?
• ... so much so we will have the fear of the Lord which will keep us within His boundaries, approval, blessings and favour?
• ... so much so God's name is glorified through us?
• ... so much so we experience God's favour in our lives?
• ... so much so we receive deliverance from things which keeps us captive?
• ... so much so we know and are affirmed of our position as children loved by God?
• ... so much so we see the turning of peoples' hearts back to God?

I know I am not there yet but yes, I pray that my life will be a wonderful temple, consecrated and dedicated to the Lord, filled with the glory of God.

How about you?

The Heart of Worship

Hi everyone, was at chapel today and was ministered by the sharing on the heart of worship.
Consider both Saul and David:

In 1 Sam 15, we read that God gave instructions to Saul, as punishment to the Amalekites for what they did to Israel, to attack them and totally destroy everything, even "cattle and sheep, camel and donkeys". But Saul acted in disobedience and tried to justify himself:

• "I have carried out the LORD's instructions." (v13)
• "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest." (v15)
• "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal."
  

But further down the chapter, Saul's heart was revealed that he had the fear of man more than the fear of God; he chose to honour man and himself over God. Even after being confronted by Samuel and being given a chance to repent, his heart remained hard and distant from God as he again chose to want to be honoured by man rather than honoured by God:

1 Sam 15:30 (NIV)

Saul replied, "I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God." (Emphasis mine)

And so God rejected Saul as King and his worship. Even though he began well, he did not end well.

Fast forward to King David, the man who is after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14). And even though David sinned when he committed adultery and murder, his response to his sin was different from Saul. After being rebuked by the Prophet Nathan, he wrote Psalm 51 and continue to walk righteously with the Lord. When he came to Araunah to buy his land to build an altar to God, Araunah offered him the land and everything else for free but look at David's response... "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."

Though both Kings were called by God to be the leader of His people and started well, only one finished well. Both, on the outward, offered sacrifices to the Lord but yet God accepted and blessed one but yet rejected the other. Kind of reminded me of Cain and Abel.

1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

We can try all we want to look holy, act holy but God is the one who knows us from the inside out and who sees our heart. 

1 Sam 15: 22

But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

The person sharing at chapel shared a parable of a boy who stole 4 apples from the kitchen and went to the chaplain to confess and pray. The boy prayed "Dear Lord, I come before you to ask for your forgiveness for stealing 8 apples." Puzzled, the chaplain asked the boy why he prayed that he stole 8 apples when he stole 4. The boy answered "Oh, I am praying for tomorrow too." What is our heart's condition for God? Are we like the boy who continues to take God's grace for granted and sin, grieving God and in a way, mocking the work on the cross?

An unchanged life, a divided heart, a hardened heart, an empty worship are not what God desires.

It is said that Martin Luther only had two days on his calendar: this day and that day, that is, the great Day of Judgment." How we want to present ourselves to God on that day will determine how we are this day.


Indeed, life is like running a torch relay where the crucial thing is not about speed (which a lot of people may want us to believe) but about keeping the torch ablaze and finishing well before the Lord. Along the way, there may be "winds of adversity", "gusts of conflicts", discouragements, alternative finishing lines but keep our eyes on Jesus and make effort to finish well.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I pray this will bless you. Amen.