Isaiah 61:11 (AMP)-11 For as [surely as] the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring forth, so [surely] the Lord God will cause rightness and justice and praise to spring forth before all the nations [through the self-fulfilling power of His word].
You can always tell what kind of seeds you plant by what emerges from the ground. It is either bringing good fruit or bad fruit. The Apostle Paul shares with us what life is like in a garden without the Spirit of Christ.
- Romans 6:21 (NKJV)-21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
- Romans 7:5 (AMP)-5 When we were living in the flesh (mere physical lives), the sinful passions that were awakened and aroused up by [what] the Law [makes sin] were constantly operating in our natural powers (in our bodily organs, in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh), so that we bore fruit for death.
Jesus tells us in Luke what comes out of a man’s heart. Luke 6:43-45 (NKJV)-43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. A person who has received Christ and is Born Again should produce different fruit than someone who has not. There are the works of the flesh or the fruit of the human spirit whom the Holy Spirit has regenerated( Titus 3:5, Gal 5:19-23). We understand from Apostle Paul that a saved person can be very sensual or carnal, which means that they are Born Again but they are still living like they were unsaved. They are more ruled by their feelings, emotions, and desires rather than the Word of God and the Spirit of God. He calls them carnal, immature babes in Christ(1 cor 3:1-3). It doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love or has stopped loving them. That He doesn’t want to bless them, or that they aren’t saved. It’s just that they are more self-centered than Christ or Word-centered. They are more dominated by their fleshly feelings and emotions than by the Spirit of God. We have all been there at different times in our walk with God. Thank God we are growing more and more like Christ.
Jesus tells us in His Word how to bring forth good fruit in our lives in John 15:5 (NKJV)
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. The key to bearing good fruit is abiding in a relationship with Christ daily. The “good treasure” in our hearts is the Spirit and power of Christ. The Word of God is the “good treasure” in our hearts and will bring forth good fruit. We are trees of righteousness because we have received His righteousness( Isaiah 61:3, 2 Cor 5:21). Our fruit is a byproduct of His righteousness in our lives(Phil 1:11). What is in abundance in our hearts? Is it the Word? Is it praise and thanksgiving? Is it griping and complaining? Is it murmuring? Is it anxiety and fretfulness? What are you thinking and saying daily? Out of the abundance of your mouth, you are saying something. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. Are you speaking life or death(Prov. 18:21).
I love Psalm 1:1-3 (NKJV)-1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. What are you delighting in? What are you listening to? Who are you getting counseling from? Are you helping sinners find Christ or hindering them? Do you sit in the seat of judgment, accusations, gossip, and criticism? There is a much better place to be in and that is in the Word of God. We have been planted in Christ through the New Birth like a tree. We are rooted by rivers of living waters. Can you picture free-flowing, clean, pure, fresh, and life-giving waters flowing by you? Can you picture these rivers of life flowing in you as Jesus said in John 7:38-39 (NKJV)-38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. These rivers Jesus is speaking of is the Holy Spirit in our lives now that Jesus has been glorified. These waters are not swampy, stagnant, smelly, putrid, or decaying but life-giving. We find in Jeremiah a similar scripture as we read in Psalm one. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJV)-7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD.8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.
What are the benefits of this plating by the river? This Born Again life, this Spirit-filled life? What are the benefits of being rooted in Christ, rooted in His Word? Let’s talk about some of them. We are a tree! Not a bush, grass, or a reed. We stand tall, sturdy in Christ. We are thick-skinned with bark. We are not frail and easily swayed or offended. We bring forth fruit in every season. We are productive, we are a blessing to others and we can provide provision and nourishment. Ezekiel 47:12 (NKJV)-12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.” This speaks of a time during the millenium of Christ’s reign and God’s temple. Yet The Bible tells us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit now( 1 Cor 3:16). The river of life within(John7:38-39). The leaves are our anointed hands that are put on sick people and they will recover(Mark 16:18). Our words are like healing sap that brings encouragement. The fruit of our lives brings provision and nourishment. Our leaves are green and our fruit will never wither or fail. We will never feel useless, or unproductive. We will never feel unwanted, avoided, or rejected. It goes on to say in Jeremiah because we are rooted that we won’t be fearful or fall away in times of crisis, no matter what comes. We won’t be anxious in the lean and difficult times. Our hope and trust is in the Lord and His Word. Knowing that He is our provider.
Psalm One says we will prosper. The Hebrew word means to push forward, to break out, to go over, and to be profitable. That is just awesome and worthy of our praise. How many times do we need to push forward in hard times? To break out of complacency. To go over obstacles in our way. God said if we do what Psalm One says, we will prosper. Look at Psalm 92:12-14 (NKJV)-12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, A Palm tree has an amazing root system that goes deep into the earth( Mark 4:16-17). This root system can withstand hurricane winds. These trees are resilient and flexible. The cedar trees grow at high altitudes and thrive in full sun and well-draining soil. Their branches and needles are evergreen and beautifully scented. They are resistant to decay and bugs. What does it mean for us? We can bend and not break no matter how strong the wind is. (2 Cor 4:7-9). We will always come through smelling like a rose, like the fragrance of Christ( 2 Cor 2:15, SS 2:1). We are not offended, bitter, or resentful. We are not corrupted by the world, the devil, and the flesh. The things that bug us like disappointment, inconveniences, and things that annoy us won’t distract or hinder us anymore. We stay submitted to our root system ( Col 2:6-7) and the river of the Holy Spirit. We can resist the devil and the winds of adversity and not faint or fall apart. I love that we will bear fruit even in old age (Psalm 92:14) and that we will be fresh, flourishing, and anointed. We will be kind, joyful and easy to be entreated. What is more hurtful and ungodly is when seniors are ignored and seen as no longer useful. That they are bypassed by a younger generation. For the life of a believer no matter how old, or how many times we fail, God still sees us as useful and productive. As long as we are still breathing God will use us to be a blessing! We can never stop being a servant.
In closing look at Isaiah 58:11 (NKJV)-11 The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. This is my prayer that you and I would be a well-watered garden. That we would be that tree of righteousness. That our roots would go deep into the Word of God as we meditate and get His Word into our hearts. That we would always be a sweet fragrance. That people will be drawn to the Christ in us! That His living water of the Holy Spirit would be free-flowing, vibrant, and life-giving touching everyone around us. That we would bring encouragement and healing to saints and sinners. The Holy Spirit will never fail you and me! The Word of God will never fail you and me.
A final thought: Psalm One tells us to meditate in the Word day and night. That sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? If you can worry you can meditate. Worry is meditating on the negative. Bible meditation is worrying on the Word of God. Constantly revolving in your heart and mind the Word of God. You are chewing the Word over and over like a good cow getting all the nourishment you can in every bite. It ‘s not hard but it takes some discipline. When life comes at you fast your default position is the Word of God!
Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)-8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things. (Josh 1:8, Ps 63:6. Ps 77:6, Ps 119:15, Ps 119:148, Is 26:2-3).
In Christ Love;
Brent and Linda Bushen
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