THE FRUITS OF FAITH (2)
THE FRUITS OF FAITH (2)
Our Lord tells us that the Word of God is like seed. He told His parable of the Sower who sowed his seed into four different kinds of soil. How much fruit is going to be produced without the seed ever being planted? I am not a farmer at all; but I have little garden in my backyard and I have seen a few farms, and I know one thing about it. The farmer has to go out during raining season, plow his ground, and plant the corn in the rows. If he does not do it at this time of the year he is not going to have a crop. Nobody can ever expect the corn crop unless he first plants the corn.
In the same way, we can never convert anyone to Christ unless we plant the seed, the word of God, in their hearts. This is indispensable to making Christians. Think about yourself. Aren’t you grateful you are a Christian today? Aren’t you thankful for all the church has meant to you and your family for many years? What do you suppose would have happened to you if someone at sometime in your life had not seen to it that the Word of God was planted in your heart? Maybe it was your mother or father; perhaps it was some friend or a grandparent. But if someone had not put the Word of God in your heart, it would never have germinated to make you a Christian. All that you are spiritually today, you owe to the fact that someone put the Word of God in your heart.
How many thousands of people there may be in this world who are just like you, waiting for someone to teach them the gospel. These may be people who, if they knew and understood the gospel, would be glad to become Christians. The Lord Jesus told His disciples including us to go preach the gospel to the world (Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 16:16). Did Jesus really want the gospel preached to the whole world? There doesn’t seem to be any doubt about it. When He told the apostles to do it, He must have meant it. He was certainly clear about His instructions. I hardly imagine we can misunderstand this commandment of Christ.
The whole world is the field in which the Word of God needs to be planted. If we are generous enough in our contributions, if we are zealous enough in our hearts, and if we have faith enough in our hearts to know what God wants us to do, we can do it, and it will be good for us when we do it. If the children of Israel could not live in prosperity and happiness in their land unless they obeyed God day by day, how can we as people of God prosper unless we see the cause of Christ grow and men and women led to Christ? Unless there is within us some desire to see the whole world benefit from the faith we have as Christians, we are not the kind of Christians we ought to be.
Great opportunities are before us. Any faith in our hearts is going to express itself with a firm desire to spread the gospel of Christ, the Word of God, into the whole world. This is the least we can do to show our appreciation to God and to demonstrate the evidence of our faith. Faith in our hearts is to express itself in works of righteousness. In our works, we ought to be privately and personally trying to strengthen the inner man, and then, as people of faith, we should express the firm desire to do all we can to see the whole world benefit from the gospel of Christ. This kind of faith will benefit mankind and bring us to everlasting life. Will you rather preach the Gospel today?
Word Affirmation: When I passes through the waters, GOD will be with ME; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow ME: when I walks through the fire, I shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon ME - Isa 43:2 (Don't just say it, mean it!)
“Unless there is within us some desire to see the whole world benefit from the faith we have as Christians, we are not the kind of Christians we ought to be.”
MIND THIS
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