A Productive Life.
by Pastor George Lehman
Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, on purpose planning and clear focus.
Productive: An attitude for continued improvement
Being efficient and effective
Marked by achievement
Yielding results
This is a daily discipline.
The bible makes it clear that God expects His servants to be productive in serving Him.
Luke 13:6-9 (Amp) – 6 And He told them this parable: A certain man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find [any]. 7 So he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]? 8 But he replied to him, leave it alone, sir, [just] this one more year, till I dig around it and put manure [on the soil]. 9 Then perhaps it will bear fruit after this; but if not, you can cut it down and out.
fig tree, planted in his vineyard, – a fig tree in a vineyard (strange) – God expects you to be productive and bear fruit wherever you are planted.
The Psalmist likened God’s servant to “A tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season.” Psalm 1:3 (NIV).
Psalm 92:14 (NIV) – They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green…
It simply means a spiritually productive Christian is a fruit bearing Christian.
Christian productivity is using our lives in this world to most powerfully impact eternity.
It’s about doing things (things that bring God glory).
It’s about doing the right things at the right time in the right way with the right heart.
Productivity is about good works, living a fruit bearing life.
Ephesians 2:10 (Amp) – For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].
“Works are not necessary to earn salvation. But true salvation wrought by God will not fail to produce the good works that are it’s fruit.” – Mac Arthur
It’s very clear that we are called to be eager and enthusiastic about being productive in our deeds and fruitfulness.
Jesus used this parable to warn us that God’s servants are expected to be producing…
..or face the prospect of being removed from their place of service.
Luke 13:7 (Amp) – So, he said to the vinedresser, See here! For these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue also to use up the ground [to deplete the soil, intercept the sun, and take up room]?
Notice why two things angered its owner.
First, it bore no fruit. If a fruit tree bears no fruit, what good is it?
Second, the unproductive fruit tree was using up the ground to deplete the soil and just taking up room.
The sad truth is, there are far too many Christians like this.
Earl Stallings said, “Use it or lose it”.
This is a biblical concept.
Spiritual growth and development that leads to greater productivity in Christ is a must, not an option.
Jesus teachings:
John 15:5-8 (Amp) – 5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honoured and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.
Productivity proves a genuine follower of Christ.
An unproductive Christian life is a tragedy…
…a tree that doesn’t produce fruit doesn’t fulfil its reason for being and is therefore worthless to God and man.
Please don’t deceive yourself to think there are no consequences from a fruitless, unproductive life.
Galatians 6:7-9 (LB) – 7 Don’t be misled; remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it: a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows! 8 If he sows to please his own wrong desires, he will be planting seeds of evil and he will surely reap a harvest of spiritual decay and death; but if he plants the good things of the Spirit, he will reap the everlasting life that the Holy Spirit gives him. 9 And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.
None of us can be spiritually productive without spiritual depth. It won’t come from compromise.
And we can’t grow spiritually without living a surrendered life.
How to be productive.
Be fully aware that God created you to be productive.
Jesus requires a return on your life (the parable of the talents – Jesus wants us to be productive with our lives), so that one day…
Matthew 25:23 (NIV) – “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
Make daily quality choices to live a productive life.
Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV) – 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Fight laziness and procrastination.
Proverbs 18:9 (NIV) – One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.
Like the tree that takes up room and the nutrients in the soil.
Continually renew your mind to help you follow God’s will for what you should accomplish.
Romans 12:2 (LB) – Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you.
2 Peter 1:8-9 (Amp) – 8For as these qualities are yours and increasingly abound in you, they will keep [you] from being idle or unfruitful unto the [full personal] knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 9For whoever lacks these qualities is blind, [spiritually] short sighted, seeing only what is near to him, and has become oblivious [to the fact] that he was cleansed from his old sins.
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