Fruit of the Ministry

Praise God for fruit in the ministry. I was able this morning to lead a teenager to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ so I was just reflecting on what God has done and what He has allowed me to be a part of. It sure is great to see fruit in ministry!

Salvation is such a great gift and every time someone places faith in Christ, it excites me because it excites God so much. God is so great and we are so undeserving,yet even still, He went to the cross and took our place so we could live eternally with Him!

 ¹⁶Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16, King James Version)

Truly, God wants all believers to bring forth fruit in our life and ministry. Not for our glory or for others to look at our ministry, but rather for the Glory of God! We work, serve and live for His Glory and pleasure. The verse says that He has chosen us, ordained us and (a key part of the verse) He gives the fruit!

We must make sure that we seek to please the Father, and let Him send us the fruit as He so pleases. I think of my Bible college friends, classmates and roommates...we are spread all over the world, doing what God has chosen and ordained for us to do...Some are pastors, while others are missionaries, some serve in churches in the states, others teach in Christian schools...may we always praise the Lord when He chooses to bless others and their ministry, rather than possessing a spirit of discouragement that it's not happening like that in our ministry (if this is the case). I remember one of our Bible professors mentioning a similar case...If my memory serves me correct, he said he was a recent graduate from Bible College/seminary at the same time as a friend/classmate and both went to pastor at separate ministries, he recalled that nearly every week, his friend was seeing souls saved and his friends' church was growing by leaps and bounds, but it wasn't like that at the church where my professor was serving the Lord. He said he wrestled and sometimes struggled with the question: God, why are you blessing his ministry so much more than you are blessing mine? The answer he arrived at was basically, the Lord chooses when, how and where to bless as He so fits, and our feelings about whether or not we think it's fair don't matter and shouldn't cause us to lose focus on the reason we are even in the ministry...for Him and because of Him.

Rather than looking around and wondering why others seem to have more fruit when we are serving just the same (which could allow attitudes of envy, jealousy and covetousness to eventually become a stronghold in our life and even a hindrance in our ministry), let's stay focused on what He has chosen us to do! If we are where God has chosen us to be, than let's continue doing the work of the ministry to honor and glorify God. When we keep our eyes on Christ, we will see how He really is working on our behalf. Let's keep our eyes on the Lord and when we hear of fruit in other people's ministry, let it serve as a reminder that God is still in the life changing and soul saving business. We can and should take the opportunity to praise the Lord for His blessings and that He's still saving and changing lives; but we must remain faithful to keep working for the Master.

We just need to keep doing our part and He has promised to take care of us and do His part!

Some water...some plant...but God gives the increase! (1 Cor. 3:7)

In due season, we will reap what we sow. (Gal. 6:7-9)