Praying  for Crop Failure?

There is an old saying that says, "Be careful where you sow your wild oats, you can't approach judgment day and pray for crop failure." Of course that saying follows on the heels of  "You reap what you sow."  Jesus, however, taught a different message by instructing us to live within the will of our Heavenly Father and produce "good fruit."

As he is winding up his eloquent teaching known as the "Sermon on the Mount," he tells all who are still listening to beware of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing ...and how we will recognize such charlatans? He says, "You will recognize them by their fruits."

Throughout Scripture we are told to bear good fruit; even to bear much fruit...and what is good fruit? Is it bringing more lost into the presence of a loving and forgiving God so that they may seek His forgiveness and be assured a eternal life with their Heavenly Father and His Son...Of course, I think we would all consider that "good fruit".

However, I believe Jesus is teaching us to be known by the good deeds that we do so that others may see our good works and be pointed to our Father so that He may receive the glory that He is due. So giving to a family in need after a natural disaster with no thought of reward would be a "good fruit"; helping a elderly widow with her yard work at no cost...a "good fruit"; adopting a child from another country so that they may have a life that they never expected...a "good fruit"...and the list is endless. Why? Because God has ordained each of us to bear "good fruit"...and if we are truly trying to live up to our calling to bear His name as a Christian, then we must be about the Father's work and that means bearing "good fruit."

But what if we fail...Matthew 7: 19-20 reads, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."  So does that mean we can lose our salvation if we fail to produce "good fruit"? I think not; however, we will lose the opportunity to be used by God, to be recognized as His child and to share in the glory that comes to Him when we do good works. Simply put, our influence goes up in smoke because we have been cut off from the power of the Holy Spirit for God's Word says, "So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree good fruit. Matthew 7:17-18

So, what kind of fruit are you producing ...or maybe the more important question, "What kind of tree are you...good or diseased?

Come back tomorrow and let's see if we can dig deeper to know what kind of fruit we should be producing?

Pruned by the Father to Produce Good Fruit,

WPQ