Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Rhythms – Luke 6:43-45 – Storing Up – Bringing Out – Growing As Disciples
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:43-45 (NIV)
Good Fruit
Do you want to bear fruit for my kingdom? Do you want to bring glory to my name? Nothing is more important to me than bearing fruit for your kingdom and bringing glory to your name. How can I be certain to bear good fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name? That’s a very good question. Do you know what certainly won’t bear fruit for my kingdom or bring glory to my name? I think so. Tell me. My own best ideas and my own best efforts will not bear fruit for your kingdom or bring glory to your name. That’s right. It pleases me that you know this to be true. You remember my word that has said, ‘apart from me you can do nothing.” Yes, I do. Those words are stored up in my heart. That’s a key thought. You’re on to a very important idea. You are very close to the answer to your question. Tell me what you are thinking.
In the past I have had a lot of bad things stored up in my heart. Every once in a while, my mouth would reveal what was stored up in my heart. I would say things that I deeply regretted. I would wonder where in the world did my pathetic words come from. The answer was, they came from my heart. What was in my heart would always eventually spill out of my life for everyone to see. That’s true. What is also true, is that you have been changing my heart. As I have been storing up your word in my heart, you have been changing my heart and transforming my mind. You have been helpful to think your thoughts. You have been helping me to walk in your ways. You have been helping to know and do your will. My heart and mind and life are being filled up to the brim with good things, as I have been meeting with you in your word. Exactly, and what is now spilling out of your life? Good things are spilling out of my life. I am speaking words that reveal the good work that you are doing in my heart and mind and life. Is it now difficult for you to bear fruit for my kingdom and bring glory to my name? No, all I need to do is to follow you to where you lead me and do what you ask of me. That has become the desire of my heart because of the work you are doing in and through my life. All praise and glory and honor belong to you. It is you that is bearing fruit in and through my life. Yes, I am.
Lord, I have had bad things stored up in my heart. What was in my heart came out of my mouth. I wasn’t happy. Others weren’t happy. You weren’t happy. But, you are changing me. Keep using your word to change my heart. Make my life fruitful for you. Amen
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Rhythms – Luke 6-43-45 – Storing Up – Bringing Out – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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