WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.399 Welcome to Gateway Churches Podcast. 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:06.879 Wherever you're tuning in from, we hope you're encouraged by today's message. 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:12.480 Hey everyone, welcome to church at home, church wherever you are today. 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:14.320 We're so glad that you're joining us. 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:15.839 And I hope you're staying safe. 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:17.280 I hope you're staying warm. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:21.519 This is my first experience with a Texas winter storm. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:23.760 And uh it's interesting, everyone. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:25.760 Um, but so glad that you're with us today. 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:31.760 Hey, I want to let you know that next Sunday uh we're beginning a brand new series on a topic that everybody needs. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:38.880 There is no one in your life, I promise you, that doesn't need what we're gonna be talking about over the next four weeks, and that's all about relationships. 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:53.759 Brand new series called It's Complicated, because how many of you know that relationships can be complicated and challenging and interesting to navigate, and they can be a source of life and joy and community and so many wonderful things, and we're gonna be talking about it all. 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:56.240 And so I want you to be inviting someone. 00:00:56.399 --> 00:01:06.000 This is a wonderful series to invite someone in your life that maybe is close to you and is far from God, or maybe they know the Lord, but they've just kind of stepped out of church for a little while. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:08.640 This is a great time to invite someone to be back in the house. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:10.079 The whole month of February. 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:11.920 It's gonna be an incredible time. 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:13.680 I'm really looking forward to this series. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:16.159 Excited to wrap up, Built Different. 00:01:16.319 --> 00:01:17.200 We've been in this series. 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:21.760 We've been talking about the power of prayer, the habit of prayer, the power of the word of God. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:26.159 Last week we talked about capturing our thoughts and bringing them in obedience to Christ. 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:33.760 Today, I want to talk to you about three keys to a fruitful life and how God wants you to bear fruit, but it may not come in the way that you think. 00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:38.319 Want to revisit the verse that we've been working from, this theme verse the entire series. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:46.000 First Timothy chapter 4, verse 7 says this do not waste time arguing over godless ideas or old wives' tales. 00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:49.680 Instead, here's the word, train yourself to be godly. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:52.239 In other words, there's going to take some work, some discipline. 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:56.879 Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better because why? 00:01:57.120 --> 00:02:03.760 Because it promises benefits in this life, and it promises benefits in the life to come. 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:04.879 So let's pray together. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:07.040 Father, we open our hearts and minds to you. 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:10.240 Holy Spirit, speak to us no matter where we are today. 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:14.240 We believe your word has the power to change us and we'll never be the same because of it. 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:16.080 It's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:16.960 Amen. 00:02:17.360 --> 00:02:20.639 So most of you know I have a seven-year-old now. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:22.719 Our youngest is seven, Jonas. 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:25.039 And this kid has energy. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:27.840 From the time he was born, he slept in two hour increments. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:30.879 The first year, we we didn't sleep at all, and it hasn't changed. 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:32.719 He's the first one up in the morning. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:36.400 And when he gets up, he rubs his eyes, and then he's ready to go. 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:37.919 I mean, it's full throttle. 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:39.680 And he wants to wrestle all the time. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:47.199 And so every day when I come home, there's a chance, almost certainly, that there's going to be a moment where he goes, Dad, let's wrestle, usually after dinner. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:54.080 And so we wrestle for a few moments, and then whenever I think we're done, I stop, and then he'll come back and go, do it again. 00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:59.120 And over and over with never-ending energy, he wants to wrestle. 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:16.319 And I do this not because I have all this energy at the end of a workday, but because here's what always happens is we'll get done wrestling, he'll run to his room, he's playing with Beyblades or Legos or something, and then he'll run back into the room and he'll jump and give me a hug and go, I love you, Dad. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:18.960 And then he takes off as fast as he came in. 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:24.080 Here's what I want you to know is that what I want is the hug. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:36.080 The way it comes is wrestling with him and fighting with him and meeting that need that he has for some reason to want to get beat up every day after work. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:47.919 And I want to propose to you this is that a lot of the things you want in life may not come in the way that you think they'll come, but they'll come in the way that you least expect. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:52.000 This is what Jesus is saying in Matthew chapter 6, verse 33. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:59.520 You may know this verse, says, Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added unto you as well. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:08.400 In other words, in the context, he's talking about all the physical needs that you and I often worry about and stress about and strain about, like, where will food come from? 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:12.080 And you know, and he says, if if a frog has a lily pad, won't I take care of it? 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:21.360 And then he says, So seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all this other stuff that you're worried about and running after will take care of itself. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:23.839 We live life upside down a lot of times. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:26.079 We're striving for all the things. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:30.879 And God goes, No, the kingdom of God is is different than the kingdom of this world. 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:35.680 If you'll seek me first, then all these other things will come unto you as well. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:41.040 In other words, what you're wanting may not come in the way that you thought it would come. 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:50.959 And in this vein of thought, I want to talk to you about fruitfulness in your life, that maybe the fruitfulness you're wanting in your life won't come in the way that you thought it would come. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:53.519 And Jesus speaks to this in John chapter 15. 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:57.439 We're going to find three principles that I want to share with you briefly today. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:00.319 And uh, if you're a note taker, you know, write it down. 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:02.240 If not, go ahead and write it down anyways, right? 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:17.360 John chapter 15, Jesus says this, he's using the analogy of a vine and a branch, and he says, I am the true vine, and my father is the gardener, and he cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:17.839 Why? 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:20.480 So that it will bear even more fruit. 00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:24.000 And he says, You're already clean because of the words I've spoken to you. 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:26.399 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:34.160 No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:37.680 He says this, I am the vine, so he's telling us who the players are. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:39.120 You are the branches. 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:43.519 And if a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:48.079 Here's the key apart from me, you can do nothing. 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:53.439 Now, first I want to say to you that fruit bearing in your life is not a salvation issue. 00:05:53.680 --> 00:06:02.079 So this is not what Jesus is talking about here, because salvation is grace, uh, it's by faith, it's the free gift, it's not of works. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:06.639 So he isn't talking about if you'll remain in me, then you can earn your way into heaven. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:09.519 That's that's not at all what God is talking about in this text. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:18.160 What Jesus is saying to us is that because you are a follower of Christ, there should be some fruit in your life, there should be some evidence in it. 00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:20.160 I've already cleaned you, that's what the text said. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:26.000 I've already cleaned you, but there should be some fruit that comes out of your life if you're connected to me. 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:30.480 In other words, this way, I always tell my kids if you're a Floyd, it means something. 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:33.519 Like when people get us, I want them to get generosity. 00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:35.040 I want them to get a heart of honor. 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:37.360 I want them to get a heart of humility. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:39.759 You're a Floyd, period. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:43.920 But when they get us, there should be some evidence of what our family is about. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:49.120 This is what Jesus is saying is that there should be some evidence, some fruit in your life. 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:53.439 And he says the only way you get the fruit is to remain. 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:57.439 Now the word remain just simply means this: it means same. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:06:59.519 It means continue. 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:06.000 It means doing it over again, do it again and again and again and again. 00:07:06.160 --> 00:07:10.560 And here's the challenge with that is sometimes that can feel boring. 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:13.439 And sometimes that can feel monotonous. 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:21.519 And sometimes we think that it's the flashy thing, it's the new thing, it's um, you know, a beginning of a year. 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:24.000 If I get a new planner, then I'm gonna be organized. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:27.120 If I get the new budgeting app, then I'll get my finances together. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:30.879 If I can just get the gym membership, then I'm gonna be healthy again. 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:34.879 And I just want to propose to you that maybe it's not the new, maybe it's the same. 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:36.560 Maybe it's the same thing. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:47.600 It's remaining, it's routine, it's consistency, it's moving the same direction over a long period of time will produce the fruit. 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:48.959 This is what Jesus is saying. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:56.639 Remain in me, stay connected to the branch, to the vine, and then you'll bear fruit in your life. 00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:58.879 Now, there are some sames that you don't want. 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:00.560 Um, I'm gonna give you a few of them. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:02.240 You don't want stupid same. 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:11.040 Stupid same is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results because you don't like the ones you're getting. 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:12.319 Let's not do stupid same. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:14.000 Let's don't do stagnant same. 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:17.600 That is no progress and you're not moving forward. 00:08:17.759 --> 00:08:19.600 Let's don't do scared same. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:22.160 That's allowing fear to control your life. 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:24.160 Let's don't do stubborn same. 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:29.600 And some of you, you're elbowing your spouse on the couch right now, like stubborn same. 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:34.639 That's the refusal to change, even though the current path isn't leading towards a godly end. 00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:45.919 So I'm not talking about these kind of sames where you're in a rut and you're stuck, but I'm talking about the same, the consistency, the what we've been talking about this series, the habits that change your life. 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:52.960 That Jesus says if you'll remain, if you just keep doing the same, if you continue in it, there is a power to same. 00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:54.080 There's a power to same. 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:54.720 Think about it. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.600 There is a power to the athlete that works out every day. 00:08:57.759 --> 00:08:58.879 It's the same. 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:06.720 It's it's the 1,000 free throws every day that that produce the thing everybody cheers on national TV. 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:07.519 It's the same. 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:13.200 It's the minor that that chips away little by little and then they strike gold. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:18.240 It's the power of consistency, it's the power of remaining. 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:24.639 You want the fruit in your life, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, the blessing of God, the favor of God on your life. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:34.240 You want to deal with some issues in your life, some areas where maybe the sin that so easily besets you, as Paul says, you want to deal with that. 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:37.279 You want freedom in those areas, you want victory over those areas. 00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:41.039 It's not going to be because you white knuckle it this year and you just try your best. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:44.399 It's going to be because you stay connected to the vine. 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:46.320 You remain in Christ. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:47.919 You stay connected to Him. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:52.799 And so, three quick principles on this whole idea of remaining. 00:09:52.960 --> 00:10:01.279 Number one is this, and you got to know this, because I don't want you to give up or stop short, is that momentum may not be immediate. 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:07.279 That whenever you're remaining in the vine, momentum may not happen immediately. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:09.600 Some of us we want immediate momentum, right? 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:15.279 We want to go get on the treadmill and then go home and look in the mirror and see the change. 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:18.399 Can I just tell you, our walk with Jesus? 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:28.159 It's kind of like that, that, you know, one Sunday of faithfulness and one week of being in the Word, and then you want to stand in the spiritual mirror and be like, am I stronger now? 00:10:28.320 --> 00:10:29.120 Did it work? 00:10:29.360 --> 00:11:01.440 And I just want to encourage you that don't give up because momentum may not be, you may not be able to see it immediately what God is doing, but I promise you this God is working because faithfulness, obedience, staying committed to Jesus, staying connected to the vine, the source of his power will begin to work in and through our lives, and the fruit we really want in our lives, the things that really matter, will begin to be produced in our life because consistency compounds. 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:03.360 I think about Joshua, right? 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:07.279 He was told to go march around the walls. 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:10.399 And day one, nothing. 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:11.919 And just think about it for a moment. 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:15.519 Quietly, this nation is marching around the walls. 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:21.039 I mean, if I was Joshua, by day three, I'd be like, Lord, can can like a pebble fall? 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:27.519 Like, can can just a little piece of mortar from the wall like crack or something so I can see some kind of progress? 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:29.279 But no progress, nothing. 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:32.799 Day seven, then there's seven times around the wall, right? 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:38.240 And even on number six, on number seven, not till they shouted did the wall fall down. 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:41.279 But it was the consistency, it was the obedience. 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:46.240 They didn't see any momentum until the moment they shouted, then the walls fell. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:53.120 And I just want to encourage you that in this year, some of you you've already made the commitment to be all in, and you've decided I'm I'm gonna go all in. 00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:59.519 I'm gonna serve, I'm gonna give, I'm gonna get into a small group, I'm gonna get into the word, I'm gonna pray, and you're setting that aside. 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:07.759 And man, we're we're about a month into the year, and you're going, I don't I you you're in front of the spiritual mirror going, Do I have six-pack yet? 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:13.919 You know, and I just want to encourage you, momentum may not be seen immediately, but God is working. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:18.879 It's it's man, is is the is the serving doing anything? 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:19.919 Yeah, it is. 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:21.759 It may take time to see it. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:23.919 Fruit takes time to bear. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:28.639 Is is the getting up every morning and spending a few minutes in the Word, is it doing anything? 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:29.279 Yeah, it is. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:33.919 The seed of the Word of God is getting into your heart, but fruit takes time to bear. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:39.600 Is is praying, is giving, is my generosity, is opening my heart up to forgiveness? 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:40.399 Is that doing? 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:41.279 Yes, it is. 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:42.000 Listen to me. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.039 It's doing something because God is at work. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:46.320 God's always at work. 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:50.320 But fruit takes time to bear. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:56.320 So momentum may not be immediate, but don't give up in the middle of it. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:01.440 Number two, thought is it's faithfulness that produces fruitfulness. 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:03.919 Faithfulness produces fruitfulness. 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:06.559 Listen to Proverbs chapter 3, verse 3 and 4. 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:11.200 It says, Let love and faithfulness, there it is, never leave you. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:15.600 Let love and faithfulness never leave you. 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:27.600 And it goes on to say this: bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and of men. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:29.840 There's a power to your faithfulness. 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:34.799 There's a power to, dad, do it again, dad, wrestle again, dad, wrestle again, dad, wrestle again. 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:39.200 Because here's the deal: your potential in life is really found in your patterns. 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:45.919 It's not found in your goals, and it's not found in your desires, it's not found in the thing that you aspire to. 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:52.559 Your potential, your spiritual potential, your life potential is found in the patterns of your life. 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:56.080 It's what you do every day that creates what you will do someday. 00:13:56.159 --> 00:14:04.480 I like to say it this way: praying isn't awesome, reading your word isn't awesome, being in the church isn't awesome, giving isn't awesome, doing it every day is awesome. 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:06.320 It's the consistency of it. 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:12.080 It's over, it's the same, it's remaining in the vine over and over and over. 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:14.159 Here's some patterns that Jesus gave us. 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:18.159 Psalm Matthew chapter 6, we said, seek first the kingdom of God. 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:19.600 How about this pattern? 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:21.519 Give and it will be given back to you. 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:22.639 How about this one? 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:24.240 Sow and you shall reap. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:25.759 Here's a great one. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:28.000 Confess and he will forgive. 00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:32.559 Stay connected to Jesus and you will bear fruit. 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:33.440 But here's the deal. 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:34.000 Listen to me. 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:35.519 I still want you to get this. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:43.120 You can't plant yourself, uproot, plant yourself, uproot, plant yourself, uproot, and ever expect to be fruitful. 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:46.000 Just like you would never expect a plant to do that. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:50.559 To plant it and then uproot it and then go plant it somewhere else and uproot it. 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:51.840 And you're the same way. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:59.519 You've got to remain, stay planted, stay connected, keep serving, keep praying, keep believing. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:01.440 Then you will bear fruit. 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:13.200 Remain in me, and I will remain in you, and then you will bear fruit because transformation doesn't come from you trying harder, it comes from you remaining deeper in Jesus. 00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:17.360 And that's why all these things that we've been talking about matter so much. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:28.240 But here's the deal: for remaining to become part of your life, I've learned this is that your routine has to become the reward, not the reward becoming the reward. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:33.679 Here's what I mean by this is that faithfulness has to be what you fall in love with, not fruitfulness. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:42.559 If fruitfulness is the goal, if it's like, God, I just want you to give me these things, then whatever you get those, then you're done. 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:48.080 But if faithfulness is the goal, if you fall in love with, God, I just love being in your word. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:50.480 And whatever it produces in my life, that's wonderful. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:51.919 I just love being in your word. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:58.480 God, I just love talking to you in prayer, and whatever it produces is wonderful in my life, but I'm just loving the faithfulness. 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:00.639 I just love showing up at the house of God. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:02.720 I just love obeying you. 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:08.639 I just love, I fall in love with the faithfulness piece and the fruitfulness will come. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:22.240 But man, if all you're focused on is God give me, God do, God make happen, God produce this, God change this in my life, then the moment that God does that, then you stop doing the thing that got you there. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:25.440 I want to encourage you this year, fall in love with faithfulness. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:27.039 You want to have a fruitful life? 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:36.240 You want to have the life that God wants you to have, then fall in love with just being faithful with pattern, with routine. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:40.320 If you fall in love with fruitfulness, then the pattern is monotonous. 00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:46.720 But if you'll fall in love with faithfulness, then the fruit will just be like icing on the cake. 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:50.480 It's faithfulness in your life that produces fruitfulness. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:51.840 It's the same. 00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:55.120 It's over and over and over again. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:58.480 It's Joshua, as we said, marching around the city. 00:16:58.639 --> 00:16:59.840 It's David. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:02.159 You're a king, now go watch sheep. 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:03.360 It's Hannah. 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:08.319 I'm gonna keep showing up every year and praying and asking God for this child. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:12.480 I will keep seeking the Lord over and over and over again. 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:15.680 I'm gonna remain, and the promise of God is true. 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:21.359 If you remain in him, he will remain in you, and you'll bear much fruit. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:23.599 But you gotta remain. 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:26.799 And it's faithfulness that produces fruitfulness. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:32.480 All right, final thought, number three, is that there is a cycle to seasons. 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:34.319 Listen to Genesis 8.22. 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:42.799 It says, as long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:48.240 There's there's seasons where a God we serve a God of seasons that produces things in seasons. 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.319 I mean, we're in a season right now, right? 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:53.440 This is, I think it's been called, it's winter, is what everybody's telling me. 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:54.400 This is winter here. 00:17:54.559 --> 00:18:01.680 And so we're in a season, then spring is gonna come, and then summer's gonna come, and then, you know, the two days of fall will come. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:08.319 You know, I did live through that this year, and so we live in seasons, and God is a God of seasons, and he's a God of cycles. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:15.680 Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verse 1 says this there's a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:20.720 So just like there's seasons in natures, there's seasons in how God works in our life. 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:32.880 And if you don't recognize the season, then you can be frustrated and you can abort too early something God wants to do in your life because you're missing the season that you're in, and you can get frustrated. 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:47.599 I was thinking about this, so I started, I looked up some uh horticulture websites, and uh I actually have a friend that does that, and I was like, explain to me, explain to me vines and branches and viticulturalists who really study these things. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:56.319 And here's what I learned: there are nine stages of a vine, a branch, and fruit bearing. 00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:57.279 Nine stages. 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:04.400 And I won't give you all of them, but but they're things like renewal, budding, leaf growth, ripening, harvest. 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:06.400 Listen to this, even dormacy. 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:09.359 So there is a season of dormacy. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:20.720 There is a season where you see no fruit on the vine, but something is happening in the soil and happening internally so that it can bear the fruit that God wants it to bear in the natural. 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:24.000 Man, I think that's such an application to us in the spiritual. 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:32.720 And here's what I want to encourage you in is that if you want to be in a continual fruit-bearing season, that may not be reality. 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:37.200 He didn't say remain in me and I'll remain in you, and you'll bear fruit in every season. 00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:40.960 He said, remain in me and I'll remain in you, and then you'll bear fruit. 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.720 And there's different seasons and different things God is doing in our life. 00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:47.279 And sometimes he is pruning back. 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:53.359 He's cutting back branches and he's pruning back things that are no longer bearing healthy fruit in our life. 00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:55.920 And you feel like, oh God, what are you doing to me? 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:58.079 Why is all this pruning happening in my life? 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:01.200 And God says, No, I'm wanting you to bear even more fruit. 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:03.519 So in order to do that, I've got to prune. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:09.440 And there is a dormant season, there is a winter season where nothing is budding and no leaves are showing. 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:11.119 You're like, God, where are you? 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:12.480 And why is this a grind? 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:14.400 And why is this so hard right now? 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:17.359 But man, there is something happening in the soil of your life. 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:25.039 There is a character building, there's a strength God is building in you that happens, but it only happens in a dormant season. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:33.839 And here's what I found most interesting in all that I read about this is the gardener decides the length of the season. 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.720 Isn't that interesting? 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:39.039 The gardener decides the length of the season. 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:46.880 And I just want to encourage you that as Jesus said in John 15, the Father is the gardener. 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:59.119 And he is determining the length of the season, and he's doing it for your good, and he's doing it for your benefit, and he's doing it so that you might bear much fruit. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:08.400 And so your job isn't to bear fruit, your job is to remain in the vine and trust the gardener. 00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:12.160 Your job is not to be like, I'm gonna be more loving. 00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:14.240 I'm gonna do it. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:16.000 I'm gonna I'm gonna be more joyful. 00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:18.319 Here I am, I'm more joyful, right? 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:18.799 No. 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:42.400 Your job is to remain in the vine and in the right season at the right time, the gardener is gonna do the work inside of you, and the life of the vine is gonna come flowing through you, the branch, and the life and the fruit of the vine, the fruit of Jesus, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is gonna come flowing through your life into the lives of the people around you. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:56.880 So if you want a fruitful life, you want a life that's full of joy and peace and patience and kindness, you want a life that has the hand of God on it, the favor of God, the blessing of God, it isn't up to you to go out and try to make that happen. 00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:59.599 It's up to you to remain in the vine. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:04.799 Same over and over and over and over. 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:07.759 And when no one's patting you on the back, do it again. 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:10.480 And when no one's plotting you, do it again. 00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:15.519 And no one sees you getting up early and staying in the word, do it again. 00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:19.440 And when you don't see that the leaves are budding, do it again. 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:23.680 And when you don't see that the fruit is producing, then do it again. 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:36.000 Because in the right season, at the due time, because there's a time for everything under heaven, as Ecclesiastes says, the fruit will be produced in your life if you don't give up. 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:38.960 So remain in the vine. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:44.720 Because what you want in life may not come in the way that you thought it would come. 00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:46.880 It doesn't come by you striving. 00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:54.240 The Christian life is not about you striving, it's about remaining in Jesus, staying connected to Jesus. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:58.640 And then his life will come flow through you. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:00.880 You want a fruitful life this year? 00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:03.039 Then just keep remaining. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:06.319 Just do it again and again and again. 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:08.880 And you will bear fruit. 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:11.839 It's the promise of God to you and to me. 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:13.519 Let's pray together. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:19.920 Father, we're so grateful today for your word that it's alive, it's real, it's powerful. 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:25.279 And we thank you today, God, that you are the one who is producing the fruit in us. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:40.400 So may this year be marked by us having these habits of staying, remaining, continuing to be connected to the vine, knowing that it will produce the fruit in our lives that you want it to produce. 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:52.799 As we continue to pray, maybe you're right there in your living room or watching on an iPad or laptop or wherever you may be joining us from, and you've never got connected to the vine. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:58.000 And there's no way you can have a fruitful life this year without the life of Jesus flowing through you. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:00.559 You've never surrendered your life to Jesus. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:05.440 You've never let go of the reins of your life and giving him the control of your life. 00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:07.200 I want to invite you to do that today. 00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:19.920 You know, the Bible says the way we do that is by faith, that we're trusting that what Jesus did for us on the cross is enough to save us, change us, to cleanse us, and to give us a life of fruitfulness. 00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:25.119 And so in just a moment, I'm going to lead you in a prayer, and I want to invite you to join me in that prayer. 00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:32.720 There's nothing special about the way I pray, it's just me helping you communicate to God that you want to surrender, you want to give your life to Him. 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:47.839 The Bible says that if we'll confess Him as Lord, that means we're surrendering control and that we believe in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, then we will be saved, that we'll be saved from the penalty of sin, and we'll be saved to a new life in Christ. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:53.759 And so if you're here, if you're listening, you're joining us, and you need a fresh start today, then I want to invite you to join me in this prayer. 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:56.480 Just simply say, Jesus, I need you. 00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:59.200 I ask you to forgive me of all my sin. 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:01.440 I believe you died for me. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:03.680 I believe God raised you from the dead. 00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:06.000 Today I make you my Lord and Savior. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:08.160 Thank you for a brand new beginning. 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:10.000 In Jesus' name. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:10.960 Amen. 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:13.759 If you made that decision, we want to know about it. 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:19.519 And so you can text the keyword Jesus to 71010. 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:22.640 And we would love to connect with you and help you in the journey. 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:27.519 Whether you live in the Texas or Wyoming or wherever you may live, we want to help you in your journey of faith. 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:28.720 We'd love you dearly. 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:31.279 God bless you and have a wonderful day. 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:33.599 Thanks for joining us today. 00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:39.200 If you'd like to connect with us, text Connect to 71010 or visit gatewaypeople.com. 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:41.119 We hope you have a great week.