How to Increase Fruitfulness Cultivate Truth

Luke 13:6-9 “Sir... I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year fine! If not, then cut it down.” “... Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” – John 1:17

Introduction Personal Life Personal Relationships Performance

Introduction Fruit is a yard stick

Introduction Where is the problem? – The fruit – accept it – The tree – no one can change – The soil – treat it

Introduction Fertilizer – Nitrogen - Love – Phosphate - Grace – Potassium - Truth

Introduction Nitrogen – sunlight uses chlorophyll (mostly nitrogen) to produce sugars from water and carbon dioxide – Without protein plants wither and die

Introduction Love is the greatest need – How you perceive God – How you perceive yourself – How you perceive others

Introduction Phosphate promotes maturation and helps plants withstand stress, encourages healthy blooms and root growth – Lack encourages sugar blockage

Introduction Grace makes love work – Accept yourself as God created you – Relationship – provides flexibility – Performance – increases potential

Introduction Potassium – encourages water flow and increases crop yield and fruit quality. Keeps the leaves healthy to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide

The Soil without Truth Block light – Light is essential growth – – “... Light came into the world... He that doeth truth comes to the light” (John 3:15-21)

The Soil without Truth Empowers bondage – Binds us to the past – blocks the flow of water (word) – – “... cleansing her by the washing with water through the word” (Eph 5:26)

The Soil without Truth Immobilize action (Galatians 2:14-21) – Neutralizes character – Frustrates grace – shifts to works – Weakens faith – ability to believe

The Soil Without Truth Compromised Truth (Rom 1:18-32) – Look at the creature rather than the Creator – Given over to our imaginations and sensualities – Our vision becomes skewed

The Soil Without Truth “... you must no longer live... in the futility of [your] thinking... they are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God... given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in... impurity and lust for more” (Eph 4:17-19)

Impact of Truth in Soil Idea of truth – free from exaggeration, pretense, simulation, falsehood, deceit

Impact of Truth in Soil Integrity of character Jesus personifies truth – “I am the way, the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6) Truth releases freedom. “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)

Impact of Truth in Soil Truth dwells in all believers – Jesus Christ – John 14:6-7 – Holy Spirit – John 14:17-19

Impact of Truth in Soil Truth purifies (removes impurities) and consecrates (make productive) – John 17:17

Impact of Truth in S oil Truth promotes exchange of life from death “Love rejoices in truth” (1 Cor 13:6) “Speak the truth in love” (Eph 4:25 KJV)

Truth at Work in the Soil We grow up (Eph 4:15) We are fitted together (Eph 4:15) Makes increase of the body – edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:16)

Truth at Work in the Soil We bear fruit and seed for the next harvest!!! – John 17:18-19 – “As you sent me... I have sent them... They too are sanctified”

Truth At Work in the Soil – “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness” – 2 Cor 9:10.

Truth at Work in the Soil Brings us into unity (Eph 4:13) Places us in relationship Matures us into maturity

Application How to work love, grace and truth into your soil – Read / meditate on Scriptures – Ask the Holy Spirit to apply it – Cultivate into your heart