INTRODUCTION

Hear God's word, keep it, and it will “bring forth fruit with patience.” Today's passage comes from a series of verses (Luke 8:11-15 [11] Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. [12] Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. [13] They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. [14] And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. [15] But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
See All...) wherein the Lord explained the interpretation of a parable to His disciples. The Lord's interpretation incorporates another wonderful truth concerning patience. He likens patience to planting a seed and waiting for the fruit of that seed to develop and grow. Of course, the growth and maturation process takes time. A farmer going into the field every day to look for growth shows a lack of patience and wisdom. This truth equally applies to the Christian life; growing in the Lord takes time. Expecting maturity overnight is both unwise and unfruitful. A newly born-again Christian certainly cannot expect to bear the fruit of an established believer in a short period of time. In fact, the Lord promises that fruit will be brought forth only with patience. Consider the truth taught concerning the husbandman who “waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it” (James 5:7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
See All...). We must all patiently wait for the seeds of life to develop into fruit in the Lord's time.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): A baby drinks milk for a period of time after birth. Eventually, his teeth develop and he can eat meat. Likewise, the Bible is food for the child of God. He first learns the easier parts which the Bible calls milk. As he grows and matures, he will be able to understand the harder parts called meat.
• (For everyone): Do you know anyone who ever planted a fruit tree? They would love to get the immediate benefit from the tree, but it takes time. How is your growth in Christ like a fruit tree?
• Like a seed in the ground, you should be always growing; yet the results may not be always visible. Look back over your life since you trusted Christ. What kind of fruit do you have to show?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to help you bring forth fruit with patience.
• Ask the Lord to help you grow every day.

HYMN

Take My Life, and Let it Be

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