[March 23] THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES (Part 5): DANGER AND PERIL OF UNFRUITFUL FRUITLESS VINE

Texts: - Matthew 21:18-19. John 15:1-8; Isaiah 1:1-6. 

God as well as His work symbolizes fruitfulness, excellence and perfection! Deuteronomy 32:3,4. Man was created in His image to reflect His power and glory. Whatever makes man to fall short of these, belong to the devil. Through deceit and sin, man fell to depravity! The result of this is unfruitfulness as represented in so many lives today. Romans 3:23. For every soul that is redeemed, Christ must make a difference! John 10:10. To remain unfruitful is nothing but a denial of God’s grace and a proof that such soul is cut off from the true vine. John 10:2. It may also attest to the fact that such believer’s trust and confidence are not in the living God, but placed on human, carnal root! (See Jeremiah 17:5-8.). 

• Whenever truth is compromised regarding God ordained law of fruitfulness, every effort and human techniques to bring forth valuable fruit acceptable to God remain a joke! John 15:4,5. "Branch cannot bear fruit except it abides in the vine”! Likewise no Christian can be truly fruitful without Christ being the Lord over such life in all things!"Colossians. 2:10.
• God hates unfruitfulness and will not take excuses, alibi or irresponsibility from anyone! The man with one talent in Matthew 25:24-30, presented many arguments to justify his ineptitude, but to no avail! Many believers are like this unprofitable servant today. Like fruitless vine, they cumber the ground! They take advantage of grace to exploit God for mundane things of this world! Yet, bad attitudes, irresponsibility and lukewarmness toward Christ cause will not allow for any serious effort to produce good fruit.
• God’s judgement is upon everyone that receives the grace of God in vain without repentance to turn a new leave. Hebrew 6:7-9. As husbandman, God awaits the result of every investment upon every believer. To come with nothing berates God order, His ways and purpose. Persistence unfruitfulness is judged already! Please beware! Isaiah 5:1-6.
• Ignorance, carelessness, unseriousness and unfaithfulness are the banes of many fruitless believers. Proverb 10:4; Deuteronomy 32:29. Unfruitfulness according to Jesus in Matthew 13:18-23 may be associated with heart and attitude to the word of God: Wayside, thorny and stony hearts cannot support seeds to fruitfulness!  Good, broken and harrowed ground is what God requires from everyone that desires to bear fruit. Jeremiah 4:3; Hosea 10:12.
• No wise believer must dare the gruesome consequence of unfruitful life!  The anguish and sorrow of eternal separation from the master must call for caution and repentance before it is too late!  Luke 13:6-9.
• Do not take God's mercy, goodness and patience for granted. Romans 2:4-10. Awake to righteousness and diligence while still you may! "The night cometh when no man can work". John 9:4.
• Finally, note that with God all things are possible! Luke 1:37. If God at Prophet Ezekiel’s time could bring great soldiers out of dead, lifeless dried bones, same God could bring about a great turnaround in your life if truly you desire change. Ezekiel 37:1-14. God’s will is that you bear fruits. Check to be sure you are connected through genuine repentance and salvation. Abide through faith and obedience to God written and spoken word. Pray for grace and receive help from fellowship with matured believers, the good Lord who gives strength to the weak will attend to your case and see you through to the very end. Isaiah 40:28-30. Amen.

   HYMNS: 

HAVE YOU COUNTED THE COST?

There’s a line that is drawn by rejecting our Lord,

Where the call of His Spirit is lost,…

And you hurry along with the pleasure-mad throng

Have you counted, have you counted the cost?

Have you counted the cost,

if your soul should be lost,

Tho’ you gain the whole world for your own?..

Even now it may be that the line you have crossed,

Have you counted, have you counted the cost?

You may barter your hope of eternity’s morn,

For a moment of joy at the most,…

For the glitter of sin and the things it will win.

Have you counted, have you counted the cost?

While the door of His mercy is open to you,

Ere the depth of His love you exhaust,…

Won’t you come and be healed, won’t you whisper, I yield.

I have counted, I have counted, the cost