How to Increase Fruitfulness

Cultivate Grace

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.”

Introduction

• Personal life – Heart• Personal Relationships• Performance

Introduction

• Where is the problem?– The fruit, the tree, or the soil?

• Fruit is only a yard stick

Introductioin

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

Introduction

• Nitrogen – sunlight uses chlorophyll to produce sugars from water and carbon dioxide–Without protein plants wither and die

Introduction

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

The Soil without Grace

• Promotes disobedience– the Law brings wrath– The Law brings offence

The Soil Without Grace

• Causes us to come short (Rom 3:23)• Negates faith and the promise

Grace Establishes faith and Restores the promise

• A gift from God (Eph 2:8-11)• Abounds with faith and love (1

Timothy 1:14-15– Equips us to activate faith–We have peace with God

Grace Establishes faith and Restores the promise

• We become God’s workmanship created unto good works (Eph 2:10)

The Effects of Grace in Soil

• We have all sufficiency to abound – 2 Cor 9:8-10–Multiply your seed sown– Increase the fruit of righteousness

The Effects of Grace in Soil

• Turns weakness into strength – 2 Cor 9-10– Obtain mercy and find help– Serve with reverence and godly fear

The Effects of Grace in Soil

• Through thanksgiving overflows to the glory of God – 2 Cor 4:14-16

The Effects of Grace in Soil

• Releases power and the gifts– Great power and grace – Acts 4:33– Receive gifts – Rom 12:6– Given in the measure of Christ –

Ephesians 4:7-15

The Effects of Grace in Soil

• Overpowers the enemy of our soul (James 4:6-10)– Humble ourselves– Submit to Christ– Resist the devil

The Effects of Grace in Soil

– Draw (cultivate / fertilize) – Cleanse your hands and purify your

hearts• Accept responsibility (stop blaming)• Make things right with people and yourself• Allow God to life you up

Application

• Good soil needs basic ingredients• How to work love and grace into your

soil– Read / meditate on Scriptures– Ask the Holy Spirit to apply it– Cultivate your heart