1135-Those Who Rely on God Will Bear Fruit Without End#
1135-Those Who Rely on God Will Bear Fruit Without End
(JP Text Group - Organized by Yun Dan Feng Qing)
Jeremiah 17:5-8:
Thus says the Lord: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord.
For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.
For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
The topic we are sharing is: Those who rely on God will bear fruit without end.
In Jeremiah 17:5-8, it mentions a type of person who relies on the flesh of man and departs from the Lord in their heart; the Bible says such a person is cursed.
This curse is not given by God, for he will be like a shrub in the desert, lacking everything: first, lacking nutrients; second, lacking water.
Those who do not rely on God are not being cursed by God, but they are like a shrub in the desert, lacking and not seeing good come. Why do they not see good come? It is not that there is no good; good is always present. The original text indicates that this word is in the present continuous tense. It means that this blessing is coming down every day; it is just that the shrub in the desert cannot see such blessings, just like today it rains here, but there is no rain in the desert, where such blessings are lacking.
God's grace is always supplying; those who do not rely on God simply do not see such supply. God's blessings are always present, showing that our God is a good God, showing that our God is generous. Jesus tells us that God sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous, proving that this blessing is like rain, falling upon the whole earth. Some people see this blessing, while others do not.
The Bible tells us that those who rely on God will lend to many nations, but will not borrow. This proves that what God has given you is already abundant. There is a saying in the Bible that many people do not understand: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Why? If you can give to others, it proves that you have it. Amen!
This is very important. If you can give your things to others, it proves that you have the ability to supply. If you are always receiving from others, it proves that you are lacking. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." God wants to bless us so that we can become suppliers to others. You can give comfort and help to others; you can bring God to others.
The Bible tells us that God will make you lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. God will open the storehouse of heaven for you and send rain on the earth in due season. As we begin the new year, we must first be assured that you are a person who relies on God! This year will also be your year of prosperity! What God wants to give you will exceed what you ask or think! You must believe: those who rely on God will surely bear fruit without end!
The first point to share: Those who rely on God are free from worries.
Here it mentions two types of people: one who relies on the flesh of man and departs from God in their heart. Such a person cannot see good come, meaning that this good is very close to them, right in front of their eyes, but they cannot see it. Have you ever encountered such people? The blessings of God are clearly in front of them, but they cannot see them.
For example, perhaps a husband who loves you very much; however, whenever this person sees her husband, she only sees his shortcomings. This means that the blessings God has given her are not visible. Perhaps when she looks at her children, she always sees them being naughty and disobedient, so she cannot see the blessings God has given her.
We need to look at all things from God's perspective.
In the Bible, Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a very good habit. When something happened, she would ponder it repeatedly. When God told her: "Mary, the Holy Spirit will conceive a child through you," she did not understand, but she kept this matter in her heart and pondered it. She did not understand how this would come upon her, but she was willing to obey God and let such blessings come upon herself. Mary said: "I am the Lord's servant; may your word to me be fulfilled."
When Jesus was twelve, he went to the temple, and Mary and Joseph returned home. When they realized Jesus was not with them, they went back to find him.
At that time, Jesus said: "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" Mary did not understand this at the time. From our perspective, this child was already a source of great concern for her; how could he say such a thing? But Mary, when faced with what seemed to be a disobedient child, after he spoke such words, Mary treasured all these things in her heart and pondered them.
In everything, we must see God's blessings. Perhaps if you discover your child's strengths, you will find blessings, which will bring you some joy. You must let your eyes see these beautiful things. Do not be like a shrub in the desert, lacking everything and unable to see the arrival of God's blessings. Such a person relies on their own strength and departs from God in their heart.
Such a person is like one who dwells in a dry and parched land, in a salt land where no one lives. In other words, they always encounter things that people do not want to face. You find some people are truly unfortunate; even drinking cold water causes them trouble. When others face calamities, they encounter things that others do not. Such a group of people is the cursed group mentioned in the Bible, like those who dwell in a dry land, in a salt land where no one lives, even when blessings come, they cannot see them.
Such a person relies on their own flesh and their own efforts. When problems arise, they excessively rely on human strength. This does not mean that Christians cannot interact with the world or that they should not use their interpersonal relationships. It is just to tell everyone that God guides all our affairs. If we live and work relying on God's word, the outcome will be different.
For example, when you are at work and receive your salary, it seems that your boss is the one giving it to you, as if the source of blessing is your boss. But if God does not bless your boss, how can he earn money and pay you? So you must see that your boss is merely a channel of blessing for you. Viewing everything from God's perspective allows you to learn to rely on God.
If you only see that you need to treat your boss well, thinking that if he does not pay you, you will have nothing, that is not true. It is God supplying him, and then he supplies you. Therefore, you must know that your boss is just a channel of supply for you. Work is the channel through which you receive blessings; God blesses you through work. When you do business, God blesses you through that business channel; the source of blessing is our God! Amen!
If God does not grant grace to your business or your boss, you naturally will not receive any of it. If your boss refuses to give you this grace, God will replace your boss, and you may get a new job. We need to shift our focus from people to God. In everything, see that it is God who establishes a good relationship with you through this person. God is working to connect us. When you see it this way, you will look up to God and rely on Him in everything. Hallelujah!
The world does not recognize this; they think money is earned through their hard work, but if God does not bless, people cannot obtain anything. There are many hardworking people in this world, but not all hardworking people reap rewards.
Verse 7: Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.
What we have is the blessing of Jesus Christ; we are the recipients. The same goes for faith; we cannot create faith; we can only generate faith through God's word. What is the situation of those who rely on God? They will be like a tree planted by the waters. You can imagine this scene in your mind. God says that the person who relies on the Lord is blessed; he is like a tree planted by the waters, and that tree is you!
Brothers and sisters, if a tree is planted by the waters, it will receive supply at all times. This is also the vision for you this year. This year, you are like a tree planted by the waters; every day, God will provide for you. When heat comes, what is heat? You can understand heat as difficulties, unexpected events, or the economic crisis that people often discuss.
When you chat with a friend, they may tell you that business is getting harder and harder, and they will say that diseases are increasing, disasters are increasing, and people's hearts are becoming more deceitful. When people hear these things, they may lose faith and hope, becoming like a shrub in the desert. At this time, you need to recall God's words and say to yourself: No, I am a person who relies on God; I am a tree planted by the river. Although heat comes, I will not be affected.
It does not mean that we will not encounter such things; we may indeed see such things, but they will not come upon you and will not have a significant impact on us. There will be many such things in the world, such as someone going bankrupt or someone getting divorced, but God will keep you and your possessions unaffected because you are planted by the waters. Amen!
You must focus your gaze on God; you do not receive supply from this world but from God's supply! Because you are always looking to Jesus, He will never fail; He is the one who is completely beautiful, full of love, and can overcome all tribulations.
The Bible records that one night, the winds and waves on the sea were very strong, and the disciples were very afraid, but Jesus walked on the waves. Brothers and sisters, what does this tell us? No matter how great the storm, our Lord is always above the storm!
When Peter saw that it was Jesus, he said: "Lord, if it is you, let me come to you on the water." Peter became very afraid of the wind and waves, but Jesus said, "Come." Jesus will not refuse the prayers we offer! Amen!
At that moment, Peter's focus was on Jesus. As long as his eyes were fixed on Jesus, he overcame the wind and waves. When your gaze is on Jesus, your faith will also surpass your difficulties. Do not keep staring at your little problems; the more you look, the more troubled you will become, the less faith you will have, and the more discouraged you will feel. Shift your gaze to Jesus, and you will see that Jesus is always above your problems and difficulties. Amen!
At this moment, Peter did not look at how great the storm was; his focus was solely on Jesus, and he stood above the waves. This is the reason Peter was able to overcome. It was not that Peter suddenly gained superpowers; it was the result of completely looking to Jesus. After Peter walked a few steps, he returned to rationality and suddenly thought that it was impossible for a person to stand on the sea. He saw the huge waves and began to sink.
Was it the waves that caused Peter to fall? No, even on a calm day, if Peter tried to walk on the sea, he would still sink.
We must understand that there will inevitably be storms in life, but the important thing is to keep your gaze on Jesus; He can overcome all circumstances. You must rely on Him. When you rely on and look to God, these problems do not mean they no longer exist, but they can no longer affect you. In the new year, I wish for brothers and sisters to focus your gaze on God's word, not on your problems. The more you look at the problems, the less faith you will have, but when you look to Jesus and rely on Jesus, you will be filled with God's faith. Hallelujah!
You will be like that tree planted by the waters, sinking your roots by the river. When heat comes, you will not fear; your leaves will be green. What does green leaves represent? It represents that you are not affected because the roots of that tree always have supply.
In the new year, you may see some problems arise, but relying on Jesus can completely overcome them. You will still maintain your original green appearance. When people rely on themselves, they will be weak like Peter, but when Peter fell, Jesus did not abandon him; instead, He reached out and pulled him up.
In the new year, those who rely on God are free from worries. I wish for brothers and sisters to look to God every day, just as it is said here today: Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope is the Lord. Although the world situation may not be satisfactory, do not believe too much in the negative words spoken by others. If you listen too much, you will truly become fearful. Look to Christ's promises and place your family, career, and health entirely in God's hands, and you will reap a hundredfold. You will receive heavenly blessings from above.
God not only allows us to experience prosperity and blessings but also tells us that in the year of drought, we will be free from worries and will bear fruit without end. The tree is not affected by the heat and continues to bear fruit. As the year begins, you must believe in your heart: Lord, this year I rely on You, and I will surely bear fruit without end.
Blessed people are like a tree planted by the waters, continuously bearing fruit. This fruit is not earned through hard work; it is the natural product of the life within, just like a grapevine. If you water a grapevine regularly, fertilize it on time, and weed it, as long as the life of the tree is healthy, you do not need to instruct it; it will naturally bear fruit in due time. Amen!
This is like our Christian life. When you are filled with the life of Christ, the abundant life, the outside will naturally bear abundant fruit. Therefore, good deeds are merely the expression of our inner life.
On the other hand, if you water the same grapevine with polluted water and use toxic fertilizer, the tree will often rot. When it comes time for the grapes to bear fruit, what kind of fruit will it produce? It will be bad fruit, poisonous fruit.
The key is what kind of nutrients you give to this tree. We are like that tree; the Bible tells us that we are like that tree. The question is what this tree receives, which determines what kind of fruit it will bear.
This year, you must believe that you are not that shrub in the desert; you are the tree planted by the river. Because the position is different, the fruit produced will also be different. Jesus said: "If you abide in me, you will bear much fruit." We must ensure that we remain in Jesus Christ; we will surely bear much fruit. What does this fruit refer to? Perhaps it means you earn a lot of money in business, or perhaps your family is at peace, and so on.
But I want to say another aspect here: we ourselves are the fruit of God. For example, God's health, peace, and joy are always upon you. To others, you are a fruit. Amen! Others will see your uniqueness in you.
For example, in the Bible, there was a man named Joseph. Joseph was a very obedient child, but he was sold by his brothers and taken to a foreign land. Joseph's life did not fall apart because he left his family; his master was Potiphar, an Egyptian who did not believe in the Lord, but he saw that Joseph was different: everything Joseph did prospered! The Bible says God made everything Joseph did prosper! Hallelujah!
If you read Joseph's story carefully, you will find that it is indeed true. We are God's people, and we will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Others will see gentleness, self-control, goodness, and joy in you. You also possess the same blessings as Joseph. Everything you do will prosper.
You are that blessed tree; wherever you go, you will become a blessing to others. You must believe that this year you are that tree planted by the waters. No matter which company you go to, that company will receive God's blessings because of you. When you return home, say, "Lord, my husband and children will be blessed because of me." You must let your husband see the different fruit in you. Listen to God's words more, receive Christ's love, and unknowingly, you will bear fruit. Hallelujah! Thank the Lord!
During Joseph's service, his master Potiphar saw that he had God's presence! The Bible not only mentions Joseph but also many spiritual predecessors who had good testimonies among unbelievers. After we become Christians, we must let people see our good deeds and see the likeness of Jesus in us.
Do not expect them to have spiritual insight and immediately recognize you as a Christian. You must let your life show that you are different. Although they do not know your God, they are willing to be friends with you. Amen! Let people see your uniqueness in you. If our behavior is worse than that of unbelievers, when you go to preach the gospel, people will not believe at all.
You must first bear fruit; you must rely on God, deeply root yourself, and place your faith and focus on God's word and on Jesus Christ. Amen! You are not an ordinary tree but a tree planted by the waters. No matter how hot it gets, you will not be affected because the waters are always supplying you. Therefore, you must know that you are a unique person, a child of God.
The second point to share: Relying on God starts with meditation.
How do we rely on God? Some say to read the Bible diligently, but that is not relying on God. Some say to pray about everything; that can be said, but you cannot do it. We cannot pray about everything, even though we want to do so, but not everyone can do that. The problem is that when things happen, we forget. We know we should rely on God, but when things happen, we rely on ourselves. How do we rely on God? First, start with meditating on God's word.
Psalm 1:1-3:
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Amen!
Brothers and sisters, this year, do you want to become such a person? It is not about your effort to do, do, do for the Lord. How can you become a tree planted by the rivers of water, where everything you do prospers? When you read this word, you must first believe that this word will surely be fulfilled in you. God does not deceive us; since God has said that whatever he does will prosper, this will surely happen.
What kind of person can become one who prospers in everything? First, it must be a person who relies on God. How do we define relying on God? "Not walking in the counsel of the ungodly"—isn't that all human thoughts? First, you must discard human thoughts. Do not follow the counsel of the ungodly. The counsel of the ungodly is clearly taught in the law. There are many ideas in the world that sound very good, and it seems that doing things their way will surely be very smooth, but they are the counsel of the ungodly.
For example, high-interest loan businesses are very common because they are very profitable. Many people engage in them, almost without using their own capital, making money with other people's money. If they lose, it has nothing to do with me; if they earn, it is mine. We should not engage in such things. Even if others tell you it is good, that you do not need to spend your own money, just get a credit card, and you can make money easily, it sounds great, but once you cannot pay it back, you will be in debt and in a mess. We should not do such things. No matter how good the world says it is, do not get involved. You must have a standard in your heart: I will not follow the counsel of the ungodly; we rely on God, and He will surely bless me! There is no need to do things through speculative methods.
Do not stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful. The scornful refers to those who gossip, constantly talking about others' shortcomings, and besides talking about others' bad things, they also talk about their own, complaining about their unworthy husband and children, and how unfair society is to them. This person is like the cursed person we mentioned earlier; it is not that they lack blessings. Their salary may be high, and their family and children may be good, but they cannot see it and always focus on their shortcomings. Do not sit in the seat of the scornful.
You cannot stop such people; it is impossible to change them. The only thing you can do is not to be like them. Amen! Just stay away from them; do not listen to what they say. You cannot change them, and you will be influenced by them. If you listen too much, you will go home and find fault with your children and husband. Do not sit in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law, he meditates day and night. This is the difference between Christians and the world. We delight in God's law and meditate on it day and night. The law here does not refer to the Ten Commandments; it refers to the words of the Bible. When the Psalms were written, they referred to the first five books of the Bible. Now we refer to: delight in God's word, which includes the entire Old and New Testaments. Delight in God's word and meditate on it often. Will you become discouraged the more you meditate? Of course not.
Has anyone followed Jesus and become more discouraged? Has anyone become weaker? There is not a single person like that. You will find that those who are spiritually weak and sick regain strength when they see Jesus! We are the same. If your focus and thoughts are often on God's word, you will not be in weakness. You may occasionally feel weak, but you will quickly become strong again because God's word inherently contains power.
Delight in God's word and meditate on it day and night. The original meaning is: meditate day and night. Meditation means to read aloud. It is not enough to just think about it in your heart; your mouth must move and read this passage aloud. This person will be blessed. When you meditate on God's word day and night, this person will be like a tree. We just talked about how to become that tree. You must meditate on God's word. You will become that tree planted by the waters. Amen!
Bringing forth fruit in its season. Bearing fruit takes time. Brothers and sisters, you know that a grapevine begins to bear abundant fruit in its fourth year. Why do we only start talking about good deeds in the fourth year? Because the first three years are a continuous growth process, a continuous supply process. You cannot say that the grapevine was planted for a year, has been supplied for a year, has lost a lot of money, and should be pulled out because it did not bear fruit. No, it is not yet time to bear fruit. Perhaps in the second year, nothing has grown yet. Persist in listening to the word and receiving it, and by the third year, there will be an abundance of fruit. First, you must become a person who meditates on God's word. Amen! Meditate on God's word every day, and you will naturally bear fruit.
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. You need to imagine that you are that tree planted by the rivers of water. I tell you, brothers and sisters, how to meditate on God's word. When you meditate on God's word, you are relying on God. How do you meditate? Taking the passage we just read as an example: He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Amen!
Start meditating: Who is a tree? When you read this passage, think that he shall be like a tree; I am that tree. This is meditation. I am that tree, planted by the rivers of water. Why is it called rivers of water? Because it is living water. Amen! Water flows continuously. God's word is often on our lips, and the Holy Spirit will guide us to understand more of God's revelations, allowing us to experience His wonders and power more.
You must meditate: I am that tree, planted by the rivers of water. This tree, planted by Jesus Christ, will supply me with everything I need every day. When you feel weak in your heart, continue to meditate on this passage because I am that tree planted by the rivers of water. God will lead me and supply me with everything I need. This difficulty is like the heat; I will see it, but it will not affect me because my God is always supplying me. The living water of Jesus Christ is always supplying me. My roots are connected to Jesus Christ, and I will overcome these difficulties and see abundant fruit.
Bringing forth fruit in its season; whose leaf also shall not wither. The leaves refer to the things that can be seen outwardly. For example, during the New Year, people say they have aged another year. We should not make such declarations. You should think about God's word: I am that tree planted by the rivers of water. Abraham's wife Sarah was admired by a king who did not believe in the Lord. This king thought that what he considered beautiful was universally recognized as beautiful.
We should not say that someone nearing fifty will immediately show wrinkles on their face. You should meditate: I am that tree planted by the rivers of water; my leaves will not wither. When heat comes, and the temperature rises, the leaves on the tree may fall and turn yellow, but that tree planted by the rivers of water will not be affected by the heat. You will be preserved in what you do.
Whatever he does shall prosper. Many people have a misunderstanding of prosperity, thinking that it means whatever they do will succeed. They think that whatever they think will come true. This is the prosperity that the world speaks of. I want to tell brothers and sisters that we must look at prosperity through God's eyes. Taking Joseph as an example, Joseph was prosperous, but that does not mean he would not encounter difficulties and hardships.
Consider a young man who becomes the prime minister of a foreign land; this is something many people aspire to. From a human perspective, was Joseph's journey smooth? Not at all. Why? His initial situation worsened; he was sold by his brothers and became a slave. After struggling to rise to the position of steward, he was falsely accused and imprisoned. Without God, he would have had no hope.
Genesis 39:23: "The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the Lord was with Joseph; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper."
What God means by prospering is not that we will not encounter any waves. Rather, He will be with us, helping us and giving us strength. Even in the waves, God still supports you, allowing you to ultimately triumph. Hallelujah! This is how we rely on God. Even if there are some problems now, we will not fall because of them and be unable to rise again.
You will see that God is always by your side supplying you because God will never fail. This is how we rely on God in everything! Relying on God starts with meditating on His word. It is not about our efforts to do something first; it starts with meditating on God's word and placing God's word in your heart. I wish for brothers and sisters to take a passage of scripture starting today and spend a day meditating on it, allowing it to become the food of your life.