~Open in prayer~
Icebreaker
• What is your “Go To” scripture?
• Does going outdoors help you feel closer to God?
• Has this series increased your faith so far?
MESSAGE REVIEW
There is something that God wants to do in you during your time here on earth. God prepared it especially for you even before He created heaven and earth. He had already prepared it all for us, but it was just waiting for our arrival. He has also been preparing us, His children, for what is to come. We only need faith to believe what God has for us. In the bible, people often asked Jesus, “Are you willing?” Of course, He was willing, but he would turn around and ask them, “Do you believe for it?” Jesus would state, “So be it, according to your faith.” He meant that if you could believe for it, you can possess it. What are you believing for?
LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
•Read John 15:8 The Bible says that “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so, you will be My disciples.” God is a good God, which is the first hurdle that many people need to get past. God is glorified not when I struggle but when my life is fruitful. What does that mean to bear fruit?
•Read Luke 13:6-8 We tend to make decisions in our lives as if it is our own. If we make decisions only for our own purpose, we have missed the mark. We are owners of nothing and stewards of everything God has given us in our lives. The question is do you have a great gift? Are you using it for God?
•Everything in the kingdom belongs to the King, and He has blessed us to use what He has entrusted to us. Jesus said to put it in the hands who will bring it back better than what was given. You have a right to inspect the seed that you have sown. It can be challenging to continue to pour into something and not ever receive anything back. When we bless something or someone, we would like it to bless us back. Even Jesus looked at his disciples and told them that you have no part in me if you do not eat my flesh and drink my blood. When God comes to inspect our life will He see bareness, or will He see fruit?
•God said the tree was taking up valuable ground. The tree was using but it was not giving back. Are you a taker? Do you always turn around and give back? If God gave to someone else what He gave to you, would they have more fruit?
•We all have been planted with purpose. If it does not produce fruit, the Lord said, “Cut it down.” But “grace and mercy” came in and said, “Give me a year to dig around the tree and fertilize it, if it bears fruit well, but if it doesn’t cut it down.” The voice of mercy had hope for the tree. How many times do you think God was going to cut you down, but mercy came in and said, “hold on!” and came to the rescue. Grace and mercy’s remedy was to dig around and then fertilize it. Trees reach a time when they plateau in growth, then something different must be done to get a different result. This is when the tilling of the ground is done. The answer for the tree is to create instability. Does everything seem to be moving in your life right now? Do things feel unstable? This is an opportunity for our roots to get deeper and they will go further to find more water and nutrition and it will bear great fruit!
PRAYER FOCUS & REQUESTS
Ask your members if they have any prayer requests or praise reports. Examine your life this week, check if you are bearing fruit. Pray for one another for the Holy Spirit to reveal what needs to be examined.