The Barren Fig Tree The church a garden is In which believers stand, Like ornamental trees Planted by God's own hand: His Spirit waters all their roots, And every branch abounds with fruits. But other trees there are, In this enclosure grow; Which, though they promise fair, Have only leaves to show: No fruits of grace are on them found, They stand but cumb'rers of the ground. The under gard'ner grieves, In vain his strength he spends, For heaps of useless leaves, Afford him small amends: He hears the Lord his will make known, To cut the barren fig-trees down. How difficult his post, What pangs his bowels move, To find his wishes crossed, His labors useless prove! His last relief is earnest prayer, Lord, spare them yet another year. Spare them, and let me try What farther means may do; I'll fresh manure apply, My digging I'll renew Who knows but yet they fruit may yield! If not--'tis just, they must be felled. If under means of grace, No gracious fruits appear; It is a dreadful case, Though God may long forbear: At length He'll strike the threatened blow, And lay the barren fig-tree low. ~Poem By John Newton~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Little Note From Cobblestone Road: John 15:1-6 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. The Lord Jesus assures us in His Word that if we are abiding in Him, we will bear much fruit but there is a warning to those who profess Christ as their Savior and yet no fruit is shown. There are many within churches today who profess to abide in Christ but the fruit is simply not there. They may be in the choir or serve in the soup kitchen but fruit is also an inward change. Judas appeared to the outside world to be a true believer. The disciples didn't even think he could be the traitor because he appeared pious and appeared to care for the poor but his heart was far from God. Professing Christ is not Christianity... Receiving Christ is Christianity for it is Jesus who transforms our lives and the Holy Spirit produces His fruit within us. We cannot produce any fruit apart from Christ. The closer our relationship is with Jesus, the more fruit will be produced. The Lord Jesus said, "for without me ye can do nothing." Do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Jesus is not a religion-- Jesus is God and He wants a relationship with you. Click here to read about God's free gift of salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ died for your sins and He rose again from the grave...you can be forgiven today! All Devotionals, Commentary, Graphics and Background Images ©2014 Cobblestone Road Ministries All Rights Reserved Related Reading: Jesus Said, "I Am The Vine" More Christian Poems and Commentary |
