Fruitfulness brings thankfulness (Fruitfulness)
We've been doing a series throughout September and September is coming to an end. Would you believe it? We're halfway between the middle of summer and the middle of winter. Buddy's, pasta 21st of September. So this is the season when people gather things things. Let me show you something.
I claim. No, I claim. No credit for the growing of these things. All I did was pick them, unlike put them into boxes and put them into buckets. Joe, this is a harvest time. If we were fishermen and as we got the stuff in, we celebrate, the Harvest. People would think people would be full of a load of fish at the end of picking cherries, or picking strawberries are picking hops, whatever it is. That's coming to the end of each season. That would be almost a celebration of saint.
I need something it's not just about picking stuff. I mean, most of, you know, of an apple tree, looks like it has lots of apples but you know what, what I find amazing is that tree was planted. Before we even moved into the house, so we didn't plant the seed was planted long before we even moved into the house, the weather in. But the tree grew, I need fruitful and we've had to have it trimmed. Some more fruit was ripe to pick the apples. The birds were getting in and knocking a few off, in a few is starting to drop Now's the Time. So it's inconvenience.
It probably will be on the ground and rotten by, then there was a time and a season for everything. And he's, there's a time and season for everything we come. And I want you to understand that I'm talking about picking apples. I'm also talking about the Harvest or harvest of souls the Harvest of lives, a harvest of Lost Ones. Some of us will never see the fruit of what we sow.
Who episode this apple tree many, many years ago. I don't know how old it is but it's out.
Some people would say what's the point, then what's the point if we sow a seed and we don't get any fruit will, because we selling it for the next Generation, as we head towards 26. Talkin about environment. Lots of people us, like, we need to plant more trees. And some people say what's the point in planting a tree? I'll never see it. Fully grown. That's because we've got to look. We going to be good stewards of what God has given us and so seeds and maybe some of the sites. See that you so others will harvest. But there will be a harvest that will be obvious. That's the whole definition of seed. You planted in the ground. A Sprouts. It turns into a tree and if as other fruit and that's the nice thing about every one of those. A send me one of those apples contains mostly And if we just left it and left them to rot on the ground, we have lots. Eventually would have lots of many apple trees in the yard. You can't stop seed doing it. You can freeze it, but if it's out in the in the natural environment, you cannot stop seed doing what it's designed to do. So, some of us might be a little encouragement if you if you're not Investing For The Next Generation you could sign for now. Hey, some Tomatoes me picked yesterday. I'm back from seeds that we surface yet. God is a god of fruitfulness and we can partake in that or we can ignore it. But you know what? Just think about some of you will know that I work in the spice of supply chain and did. He said to me this morning as the news came on
Yes, I'm with with deliveries. And what happened with me? We kind of over. There's a shortage on petrol, everybody started queuing up and something we're running out of petrol.
Most people on average, if you look out in the street at the equities, most cause a Heart full of petrol. So, actually most people went and filled out just in case it didn't really need it. But here's the thing, I want to say. Let's also not just for the long-term, but let's say for the short-term too, and please don't just think this is about gardening cuz I'm not a gardener. Another job Naruto but what is the fruits of what you do? Think about what it is. It YouTube, if you're a teacher part of the fruit of what you do is a child guy, I get it now.
Part of the fruits of being a nice Easter, see someone walking out of the hospital whole and well again with a smile on my face. Part of the fruit of a watching in a ministration, he's seeing things completed and paperwork done. Part of the fruit that Lori Drive is East, petrol. Arrives at petrol, stations and food. Arrives in stores, I need something you can very clearly, see? We just got 11 type of person has disappeared but we haven't got enough over the moment Lorry drivers and something. The world's coming to a standstill the ropes needs us to do what we've been cool to do. And so whatever, you give, whatever your Chubby's, let me encourage you to be fruitful in it. So I just like to think about what you do right now and there is still freaked and not seeing someone and there's fruit in the life of the church to just see as we sit and talk with people. I'm really thank you for listening to me. I've now got a better understanding All. Thank you for praying for me and my prayers, let me just share a little testimony. All I'll keep it on Tuesday in the cold. That was on the screen. Looking at me and laughing kind of thing cuz all theme for the week and I have joy and I want to know something about situation, and we pray for her and people prophesied into my life. And you know what, she left the meeting, then she ended the meeting with a smile on her face with peace in her heart. She said, thank you, thank you. So they screwed things is fruits in the whole thing. I think about the service to you to think about the service that you serve others with it's important and please, thank you, think it's over once. He picked the Harvest, there's more to come. Is more to come. So we haven't picked these yet, because they're not quite ready, but there is still stuff going on.
So, let me start with the scripture 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, verse 15 through nice to bring thankfulness. So when I talk about Food, 4 Less, I'm not just talking about the Harvest, I'm talking about the fruitfulness of what we do in our lives and what does that bring one in 2 Corinthians 4:15? It's all this is for your benefit. So that the grace that is reaching out more and more people might Coast Thanksgiving to overflow. So the glory of God, do you know what Thanksgiving, glorifies God. If you just do, thank you, it lets people but it also points them to the source. And if the source is the father, then it look points. People back to go. And so fruitful, spring spitefulness and thankfulness points to God. What also does it do to do?
Helps us to see God. In James chapter 1, verses 16 and 17 opdc. My beloved Brethren every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of Lights with whom. There is no variation or shadow of two. Every good gifts. So just just creation.
I mean, there's still things flowering, we're heading to old or too, and I still think it's flattering when you get into the details. Look at it, there's a little flower yellow flower, should have taken a picture of this as well, but he's so tiny that you could miss it. When you look at me into great detail of this, to the glory of the Creator. So, let me encourage you to think about how beautiful God's creation is includes you and me. We are beautiful people. We are beautiful people. You are a beautiful person. I need some money. Using what God wants to do in our lives and he wants to release Beauty through us. Always about looks. Beauty, can sometimes be a sense of his presence, Beauty can be a sense of his touch and knows, I know my eyes are a bit wonky, so your eyes and your nose. He sees you, he sees your in, has he sees the way you are these your heart? And that's a beautiful thing. I don't think we see enough of people's hearts if I'm really, honestly, I don't think we see enough. People would talk about, wearing your heart, on your sleeve sharing, some of your feelings through lockdown. I think we've locked down and shut down a whole pot of things.
Are we still trying to work out how to say hello? And how is it an elbow? Pump is a high-five. Is it okay to have a hug? We still trying to work with those things out, but you know what is shut down. Some of the fruits of the shutdown is being isolated myself to risk but take a step if I connect with people and just see what will happen.
In 1 Thessalonians 5 Verse 18. It says this give. Thanks sometimes Nobody says, give. Thanks in all circumstances for. This is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. You know what? We're in the midst of a party, sometimes we forget to give. Thanks It'll tell you what. We don't feel like giving, thanks. When he's not a good thing. The title of our study on Tuesday, was how to make a bad day, a great b day. How you might think, what, how can you make your body a great Vici? What is Sunday better than it was certainly better than he wants. And he's the thing I give me if I repeat myself, but I thought, citing when people say ice bricks to Hi, how are you today? How are you today?
We often reply. Well, not too bad, that's the first thing that's awful. Gloss off empty. And then the second rice comes often under the circumstances. You know what? Like I'm just not using that phrase anymore cuz I am not under my circumstances are not under your circumstances. You can get a different perspective. I went to London for the first time since lockdown. I had to go to work and again, I didn't know whether to Elbow pump or a high-five. I've never met these people in reality before, but I kind of had a little bit of a chat with him on a few minutes and I sat down on the floor in the underground station next to him. And as I sat down there, and I was just talking to him. People walking past and I realized only could see was wastes and Below, he couldn't see any faces. Even when people start to put some money, as he was asking for money, even when people stopped, he didn't see that. It was full of nice. You know what? What are the things before I left I said would you just stand up and we stood up together?
BMO because he was waiting sitting on the floor is hypostyle and he was, he was just quiet, but I see a few more. People looked you in the eyes. Just now there's another world. Do you know what? We can give thanks in difficult times to sometimes. All we need to do is stand up, wake up, step up and get a different perspective on why we get a different View, and let me get a different view, we see things differently. When we see things differently, we can do things differently. That's me, quoting scripture, without even referencing it. We are able to do, but he's able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine. So, give thanks in all circumstances.
And I'd love to encourage you to think about this. So next time you find yourself in a Pisces. Feel like giving thanks right now, flying something to give, thanks for find something to give. Thanks for Let me give you an example. Just a simple example, might be over your bank accounts. Let you run out cuz maybe your paycheck hasn't gone in your paycheck. This pay the problem of your paycheck a week and I haven't got any money, what can I do? But you can still give, thanks for the place that you live in. You can still give thanks to its food in the fridge. You can still give, thanks to, you got friends around you and I could keep on going. I could keep on going. You know what? I think giving thanks and I want to complete the loop here. Fruitfulness believes, brings us to thankfulness thankfulness, brings us back to fruitfulness cuz when with Polaris fruit, When we, when do you say thank you. And I've done this a number of times. Imagine this walk through a door into a retail store. And sometimes somebody will hold the door open for you. I miss you, sometimes you how the door right before people held the door before. Now, sometimes it's been five or six people who heads down busy. So it's okay. I was just holding the door. I was just a doorkeeper. Is there a phrase in the Bible about a misquoting? I'd rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord and dwell in the tents of the ungodly. Well, I'd rather be a doorkeeper. Happy to hold. Open the door but you have the moment.
I don't know why I was saying thank you to them, but suddenly there was some contact, you know what? And then I saw them go in the store and somebody else to decide and they said thank you to them as well. Brings fruitfulness. Thankful message sent to us on the will of God because this is God's will for each one of us has a plan for each. One of us, he's got to see it fulfilled, and that will be thankful. Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 and 7. Do not be anxious about some things. Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, present, your requests to God and the peace of God, which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and Minds in Christ. Jesus. Do not be anxious. No anxiety level. So I know they be measuring them now after the loss to anxiety lives in our community have gone up, we become very anxious about lots of things. That's that's why that's why we've got petrol people. Queuing a petrol station.
What do you have to do something different?
I'm sorry, I can't come into work, the petrol tanks empty. It's not much you can do about it at this petrol tanks, empty. So, do not be anxious about anything. And here's the thing anxiety, bring stress. What's a good way of bringing stress back down again. The peace of God. the priest of God, let me give you an example, which I see where we live on the hill and then we were playing a 25 because you can't hear the M25 Christopher, change the rappers in the blanket very far. We can't hear very far. I might just have the same picture when the peace of God. I'm come for us and strengthens us and lets us know that we do not need to be anxious about anything. Thankfulness brings peace. Thankfulness brings peace. In Luke chapter 17 verse 17 to 19. We have a story about some leopards in Jesus Sauced, and this is my time life has to be healed in. Jesus rule, 10 x, 10 lepers were healed. Where are the other nine? Has, no one returned to give praise to God except this Foreigner. Then he said to him rise and go, your faith has made you. Well,
Thankfulness draws after. And once we start to be thankful, thankful for fruit, thank you for thankful for what's going on in our lines thankful for what God enables us to do. It draws us back to him.
when you send someone who's drifting from God,
thank you for being my friends. Thank you for caring for me. Thank you for that, Lyft. Let me encourage you to give thanks for things that you often overlooked.
Think about people to cook emails, I'm sure there are people in the room have meals cooked for them while they cooked meals for others, but let me encourage you say, thank you at the end of the Moon. Thank you for cooking that for the do the washing-up say, thank you to the people to do the washing-up out the door right with you. Welcome, thank you. That's important. You're the first place. Sometimes people with me. Thankfulness draws us closer to God. Let's not be like the other nine lepers healed.
Royce and go. Your faith has made you. Well 1 Timothy 6 verses 6 through 8.
But don't be nice with contentment is useful. Right guy in godliness with contentment is great. Gain for we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing we will be content with that. As I said, it's so easy to look at what we haven't go. And you can always find someone is going to have you ever sat in a restaurant and you've ordered something? And it's not quite what you expected and then you start looking around the restaurant looking at other people's, you're not going to eat that, but if you do, there might be a bit of a disagreement, what portions Roberts mobile
Let me encourage you. Let's give thanks for what you got. And let's be content if you want me to go cuz thankfulness will bring more free phone. As soon as we have more, will be released. Think about the stories in the Bible, 5,000 people sitting down to listen to Jesus. And he said how we going to feed this love under the site was immediately went well to play. The Tescos Bill boy has five Five Loaves and two fish. As if to say, what is his name in enough to feed the disciples are allowed in this crowd? Jesus, just takes it out and feed. But he came Frank's in that moment, he gave thanks for the bread in the fish. And it was more than enough that were twelve baskets left over.
Spitefulness can bring contentment. But let's be content and thankful for who we are and what God has done in all alarms. In Psalm 126 versus 1 2 3, it says this when the Lord would like those that dreams are mouths, were filled with laughter and I'll tons. We songs of Joy. Then it was amongst the Nations. The Lord has done great things for them. The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy. Thankfulness leads us to Joy. Thankfulness leads us to join. How many times have you been enjoying the week? Things are tough. And then something happens, and you got it. Thank you. And then something else and something else and something else. And something that you laughing about something, something something you don't seem suddenly thinking, yes, Thankfulness will lead us to Joy. I'm finally in Psalm 105 verse 1. He says he's give praise the Lord Proclaim. His name make known among the nation's what he has done. I'm not just talking about what Jesus has done for you. He went to the cross and eat the ice and he paid the price for you and me. I'm not something we live with as a daily reality, as a Christian, we believe that Jesus Paid the price for All wrongdoing, you went to the Cross by Perfect son ago, but he rose again, that's what we're thankful for and descendants of the fathers. How I know with thankful for that with thankful, that Jesus was faithful. We thank you that he said that it for your whatever your Willies And then we fight for the father. Raised him again, from the dead thankfulness leads. Us to a testimony. Thankfulness leads us to a testimony story. Something we can tell other people very forgetful. If I said to you, I talk to you right now to sit down and write down five things that go to done for you in the last month. Lots of little things. Well, do you house when you would be brought back strength? When you were tired and I could keep on going on and on and on.
so let me just kind of summarize, some of the things that I've said, thankfulness brings us to thankfulness, The name of the enzyme thankfulness brings us back to fruitfulness. It's a perfect circle. We give thanks as we give, thanks every fruit and
You're going to show you the limitations in my gouging skills and capabilities. We have a question time as always driving to take my dog for a walk. And I remember them saying, when the flowers on the body, the beautiful, white and purple flowers on them when they've gone Brown, shut the mouth. Because that would mean that the plant has more energy to bring more flowers. I think they called it that heading the right thing.
I did it. I checked with Jody. If I was that was the right thing to do. But you know what is still fly.
Thankfulness brings us to a testimony and Franklin, Franklin Springs us to fruitfulness will bring us to place. Thankfulness to God, thankfulness leads us to Joy and thankfulness gives us a testimony.
Let me know what you whatever is that you do. I'm going to speak of what I view today to be more fertile. I'm going to pray in the moment. I'm going to pray for everyone of us. This week is more fruitful and we do some of that will be about
And that might just need just being thankfulness, being thankful the next time you sit down when you sitting down little bit of studying or if you're sitting down to do something to save, somebody, whatever it is just in that moment. Give thanks. Thanks.
Protec quietly. That's okay to give. Thanks and just see what fruitfulness will come. Father, thank you. For the fruit of the hands and eyes and ears and feet of those who were listening to this today. But I thank you for the works of service and I thank you for the good news. I thank you for the smiles of being released on the comfort of his being communicated and the blessing that as being imported, cause them to be more fruitful. Father, Eliza blessing upon them released in abundance upon them load this week will be a week, went? Right through comes with things of got stuck on the longest dog that this week would be a week. Reconnection happens again, and his reconnection happens Lord. I pray Lord for relationships to be restored, but I know where we live. So, broken relationships, do you reconnect people know, would you reconnect them in their relationships? Father, would you restore things that are broken and be even stronger back to remove glorifying until you reply? Father, I pray for broken bodies, those that need to even bother if it's if it's somebody who's who's been holding back a little because I don't know what to do and then lured you to either heal them, or do you help me to get an appointment? So they know what they need to do. Father, I pray that all will go but she's isolated. That's just resulted in his tackling stuck into prayer. Thank you. Lord. God that went to fruitfulness of the strategy of the enemy to isolate and keep it locked. And father God, I pray that I'll be all our experience. As we are thankful, we will break down to the limitations of all small-mindedness and see what God has in large for us to be in to do in your Mighty nein. I meant.
