March 24, 2019
by Sharon Bowers
Luke 13:1-9
13:1 At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 13:2 He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? 13:3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. 13:4 Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? 13:5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did." 13:6 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. 13:7 So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' 13:8 He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. 13:9 If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"The Prophetic Edge
Defining Words in Difficult Times
Repentance is a Necessary Thing! Your current season is preparing you to live on purpose. Your life is fragile and suffering is a part of it. Whether you are experiencing suffering or good fortune, both are an opportunity for growth. God is creating fertile ground for you giving you an opportunity to bear fruit. Seize the moment. Many times in your life you have gotten immersed in thinking that your Christian life can be repentance free. This is not so. Christianity is not repentance free. You do not get a bumper sticker and a cross without paying the cost.
Repentance is a both/and kind of event. Yes, you should make an epic once and for all declaration of repentance, but that is not the finished product. Living on purpose requires daily acts of repentance that move you in the direction of a changed life. Repentance is a necessary thing! God is looking for evidence that you are headed in the right direction. Repentance yields a visibly changed life. Others can tell who you are by the life you live. You must bear fruit. There is no time left for you to remain idle. Don’t waste the life you have been given. For this season and the rest of your life, repent and bear fruit. Unless you repent, unless you bear fruit...
Prayer
God, teach me the act of true repentance. Help me to desire to live a life that brings you glory. Move in and upon my life and cause me to be present in the hear and now. Let my will be thy will on earth and beyond. I repent and desire to bear fruit that you can use as evidence of a changed life. Take my life and use it, don’t let me waste another second! Amen