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4th Retreat: The Fruitful Life Session 11

24 October 2006

YAG RETREAT- THE FRUITFUL LIFE
Session #11
Tuesday, 24 October 2006
Morning Session #2
(Concluding Message)
A Fruitful Life is a Result of Personal Blessing from God
INTRODUCTION

1. Much food for thought in the Scriptures
2. Decisions must be made in response as we read the Lord’s word
3. Every encouragement to see fruit-bearing in life and ministry

A. THE PRONOUNCEMENT OF BLESSING

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, And over every living thing that moves on the earth

Genesis 1:28

1. Unsolicited
2. Gracious
3. Glorious
4. Timeless
5. Universal

B. THE PROMISE OF GOD’S BLESSING- THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

1. To Abraham

I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed

Genesis 12:3

By myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son – Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore… In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice

Genesis 22:16-18

a) An awesome promise (Abrahamic Covenant)

b) Confirmed promise of blessing

c) Extensive coverage

2. To Isaac

Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; For to you and your descendants I give all these lands, And I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father… And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept my charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws

Genesis 26:3-5

a) Covenant Promised reiterated

b) Promised confirmed

3. To Jacob

Also God said to him: I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land

Genesis 35:11-12

a) Reiteration of the Abrahamic Covenant

b) Blessings also confirmed

C. THE PROCURING OF THE PROMISE OF GOD’S BLESSING

Because Abraham obeyed My voice, And kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws

Genesis 26:5

1. Man’s Part

a) High regard for God’s laws

b) Full obedience to God’s laws

c) Faith in God          (Hebrews 11)

2. God’s Part

a) Promise of blessing

b) Confirmation of blessing

c) Outpouring of blessing

3. Evidence of God’s blessing

Fruitfulness

D. THE PROMISE OF GOD’S BLESSING – THE NEW COVENANT

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD; I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them…

Hebrews 10:16

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who has promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, But exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:22-25

1. The Role of the Lord Jesus Christ

a) Obtained a better Covenant for us

b) Offers a more excellent ministry

c) Better Promises

d) Special ministry of God in our life

2. Our Role (appropriate response)

a) Drawing near

i) With a true heart

ii) Full assurance of faith

iii) Conscience sprinkled clean

b) Holding fast our confession of faith

i) Without wavering

ii) Believing God fully

c) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together

i) To stir up to love

ii) To exhort each other to do good works

E. ENSURING A FRUITFUL LIFE          (Psalm 1; Jeremiah 17; Psalm 92)

1. Through walking with the Lord closely

a) Rejecting the way of the wicked

b) Choosing the way of the Lord

2. Through meditation of God’s word

a) Delight

b) Day and night

3. Through the exercise of Trust in the Lord          Jeremiah 17:7

a) In good times

b) In tough times

4. Through a life of righteousness          Psalm 92:12-15

a) Blessings promised

b) Right up to old age

F. APPROPRIATE RESPONSE

1. Exhortation to make an appropriate choice

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve

Joshua 24:14

a) Necessity of making a choice

b) Understanding the choices

i) Forsaking all other gods          Joshua 24:23

ii) Clinging to the LORD alone          Joshua 24:24

2. Example of making the right and appropriate choice

a) Example of Joshua

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD

Joshua 24:15

b) Example of Israel

And the people said…”We will serve the LORD”

Joshua 24:21

c) Historical record

Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the LORD which He had done for Israel

Joshua 24:31

G. LOOKING FORWARD TO A FRUITFUL LIFE AND MINISTRY

1. In Personal Life

a) Daily

b) Duration of life on earth

2. In Church Ministry

a) Blessing extended

b) Blessings enrich

c) Blessings enhance

3. Beyond our Shores

a) Australia

b) India

c) Myanmar