I Bear Many Fruits!
1ST KINGS 19:1-9
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”Elijah was afraid[a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.
Apple tree can yield fruits for 20 years. But there is something very interesting with apple growing. A true farmer focuses not on the fruits which the tree is bringing forth but he concentrates much on the tree. When the tree is young, it can bring forth a lot of fruits and looses power then it weathers and dies. Instead of it yielding for 20 years it only lasts for 3 to 5 years. Therefore, a true farmer removes all first fruits to free the tree and thus maintains it for 20-30 years.
Similarly, God does not focus on how many fruits we are yielding but rather on how have your heart grown. When your heart is well grown then bearing fruits is not a problem. How does change come about?
I cannot bring the change by myself. We call a land without rain desert. Deserts cannot come out of themselves by themselves. The rain has to come to this land and then change will ensue. There will be vegetables arising and mushrooms will start growing immediately.
Los Angeles was a city of which it was difficult for people to live since it has no water. They soon connected the water from Colorado River, about 2,330 km away and also electricity from the same river. Los Angeles could now change to a beautiful city though it is a city without rain.
South Korea has economically grown and almost everybody is well off. However, there is a lot of pain in the hearts of Koreans. This is because their hearts are not connected. Couples are not connected; parents and children are not connected. They use technology to communicate and in this way, pain dwells in the hearts of many since they are not able to express their hearts to each other.
If you want a true change of spiritual life, then you have to connect your heart with the heart of God. This change does not come with how much you have worked but how connected is your heart with God. When Pastor Park was preaching in Ethiopia, many people listened to him and he was very happy. As they enjoyed the moments together, their hearts connected with the heart of a pastor and many sinners were made righteous. In John 8 there is a story of an adulterous woman. When you see that scripture contextually, you will find out that this woman is bad. What kind of person am I? I am that person who wanted to stone her. In that group, there were people who were pricked in their hearts and they couldn’t even throw a stone. This woman is actually me: When the heart of God is connected with your heart then you can hear the voice of the Son of God. “Neither do I condemn thee” you can finally meet with mercy.
All people know this story but they don’t realize they have to meet with the heart of Jesus for change to take place. What finished lust and desires in this woman? It is the heart of Jesus. If the word of God is bigger inside our hearts, then it is very easy to overcome difficulties and challenges. The true change of spiritual life is: Being connected with the church and the servant of God. Accurate change happens through this way.
When a table is set for people with all kind of food, they choose that which they want to eat. One takes beef, one take pork and yet another chicken. In a table called my heart, there arise many thoughts and I have to choose thoughts that I really want to focus on. In verse 3, Elijah has thoughts of Satan in him and also the thoughts of God. Elijah was dying, his heart was also dying.
I should clearly choose that which I want to focus on. Am I eating that hope which God has set for me? If eat hope then my heart will be full of gratitude and joy if I eat the thoughts of Satan, then my heart will be full of concerns, complaints, and hatred. Spiritual life involves drawing a clear line between the thoughts of Satan and the voice of God.