Studies

Bearing Fruit

We as disciples can never forget our purpose in life is to bear fruit. To bring people to God. It's so important to share our lives with our friends and family and to help them to see the real God and Jesus we are called to serve. So many people out there don't know who God/Jesus is and it's our job to teach them. It's also very important to know that bearing fruit isn't just helping others to get to know God but also how you change your life and becomeing more like Jesus every day. You need to strive to be like Jesus every day. Here are a few scriptures that will help you to bear "much" fruit.

Read John 15:1-8. How can I bring glory to God? What fruit have I born? (Be very real with where you are at and get help if you don't see any fruit in your life.) What does God need to prune in me in order to become more fruitful? How can I resist pruning? God guarantees us abundant fruit if we remain in the vine. How do we do that? How does God treat the unfruitful? We need to be concerned when we are not fruitful!!! You need to see that God wants you to be fruitful. It's very important to God. Is it important to you?

Read Matthew 9:35-38. What do you see when you look at people? How are people harrased and helpless without God? Remember how you felt when God wasn't part of your life. Do you remember the pain and the loneliness? Make a list of the things you remember feeling, it will help you to never forget. Are you a person of compassion? You need to pray that God will help you to be a man/woman of compassion. Let's take action and help others as we never forget where we came from prior to following Jesus!!!

Read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. What was Paul's attitude about relating to others? Who do you not relate to very easily? Why not? Make a list. Paul is so amazing! Pray that God will help you to have a heart like Paul where you will go to any length to help people to get to know God. Let's decide to learn how to relate to everyone to allow all types of people to be saved because their salvation depends on it!!!

KEYS TO BEARING FRUIT

CONFIDENCE IN GOD. Read Jeremiah 17:5-10. Are you confident with others when speaking about Jesus? How does fear and worry demonstrate itself when you are with others? How will a lack of confidence in God prevent us from leading others to Jesus? True confidence in God is never "situational", "inconsistent" or "negative". You will not feel confident when you depend on yourself but when you focus on God and trust that God will help you, you will bear much fruit. People will only want to follow your example when you are confident about what you believe in and stand for.

SPIRIT FILLED. Read 2 Timothy 1:6-7 & Mark 1:35-39. What should our source of power be? Are you "up and down" with your evangelism? Do you often lack joy and proper motivation when meeting others? God has given us a Spirit of power, let us use it powerfully! We will easily run "out of gas" if we do things on our power. Let's always get our power from God's Word and prayer!!!

FRIENDSHIP. Read Mark 2:1-5. The friend was saved by "their faith". It was his friends faith in Jesus that helped him to be healed. What obstacles have prevented you from carrying your friends to Jesus? We've got to build great friendships with the people that we meet. The goal is not just to help the friends we've got now but also friends we are still going to make. Our friends will only allow us to help them if they trust us. Are you a great friend to the people you've met? Let's make every effort to get our friends to Jesus!!!

LOVE FOR OTHERS. Read John 15:9-14. Do you qualify as a friend of Jesus? How are you not loving others like Jesus? You need to help people by "laying down your life" for them. You need to love them as much as Jesus loves them. The best way to help others is by them witnessing Jesus' love again through YOUR life.

ATTRACTIVE LIVES. Read Titus 2:10. Does your life draw people to Jesus or draw them away? What is "unattractive" about our lives? Make a list. A lot of times people think it's boring to be a Christian; our lives should show how much fun it is to do what's right. They need to see Jesus in our lives. We can't just say we are Christians but show them through our lives that we are. People should want to follow Jesus because of our lives not despite of our lives.

OBSTACLES TO FRUITFULNESS

SELFISHNESS. Read John 12:23-28. Are you a giver or taker? Are you seen as aloof or pre-occupied? Are you self-conscious to a fault? What areas have you not died to in your heart? A selfish, single, seed won't make it to heaven or please God or experience the joy of "giving birth". Only by dying to yourself will you be able to help others and produce many fruits.

FEARS. Read John 12:42-43. Do you care more about the approval of people or of God? How does people-pleasing keep us unfruitful? We must fear God only - on the Day of Judgement it will be between us and God - not people! Your fear for people will keep you from going to heaven.

LACK OF EXPOSURE TO GOD'S WORD. Read Hebrews 4:12-13. How often do you open your Bible to share with your friends? Do you argue with others? We must help our friends to have conviction in God's Word and not conviction in our words. The Bible is the only way to cut hearts, provide faith, convict and encourage. LET'S USE IT