Moving the Needle

Part 1: Life and Life Abundantly: More Than Theory

5/29/16
- Peter DeWitt
Audio

Jesus came to give us life, and life abundantly. (Jn. 10:10)  But the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  The abundant life the Lord has for you is not in theory only!  When we are willing to know God in theory only, the enemy can steal from us in reality.  Jesus had no value for words without works (see Jn. 10:37).  Likewise, James had no value for faith without action.  In Luke 18, the blind man put action behind his faith when he cried out to Jesus.  The crowd tried to silence him, but he cried out all the more. Jesus recognized and responded to his faith: "what do you want Me to do for you?"  And that's the question for you today as well.  What do you want Him to do for you? What part of your walk with God do you want to promote from theory to reality?

Part 2: The Value of Fruitfulness

6/19/16
- Peter DeWitt
Audio Written Summary Blog Post

When you expect more, you get more!  Jesus expected His relationship with His Father to make an impact in the lives of others, but a religious spirit tries to replace fruit with just words. 1 Cor. 4:20 says “for the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power!”

Those that are the most fruitful in the Kingdom of God know what the Word of God says, believe it, and practice it!  Wherever you are fine with fruitlessness is where the enemy will steal from you. We have to value fruitfulness.  Jesus said in Jn. 10:37 that if He didn’t do the works of the Father that we should not believe Him!  That’s the standard.’
 
But the pressure is not on us to bear fruit!  A self-righteous root will never bear kingdom fruit! God’s curse is on self-righteousness, but God’s blessing is on another root! Jesus said “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.” (Jn 15:5) Jesus’ disciples bear much fruit! Fruitlessness in the Kingdom is caused by being your own root - trusting in yourself. Fruitfulness is caused by being in Christ!
 
What do you have faith rising for in your heart? Hebrews 11:1 (ESV) tells us that faith is a conviction—of things not yet seen. The Holy Spirit wants to convict you of the things you haven’t seen yet!  He wants to convict you that there’s more.  May our hunger become so thick that we cannot have it any other way.

Part 3: Promotion Through Pruning

7/3/16
- Peter DeWitt
Audio Written Summary Blog Post

“In theory only” is called religion. It’s form, no function.  It’s form, no fruit. Jesus hates that.  In John 10:37, Jesus said “if I don’t do the works of my Father, don’t believe me.” That’s the standard. The Holy Spirit is wanting to convict you of things in the Kingdom that you haven’t seen yet. But, if you are not bearing much fruit, the Father’s heart is to lift you up - not to cast you out! (Jn. 15:2) Fruitfulness is actually natural for a believer. Fruitfulness consists of both fruitful “works” (Eph. 2:10) and fruitful “ways” (Galatians 5). "Every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” There is only one reason God prunes you - that you would bear more fruit.  

Pruning looks like being transformed by His Word (Romans 12:2), being led like a sheep with a shepherd, or like being chastised (Heb. 12:11). Remember that pruning is progressive and makes you better equipped to bear fruit. We can trust God to prune us according the plans He has for us. The more we act, the more we grow, and the more we grow, the more we get pruned. The goal of pruning is not to avoid it, but to embrace it.