Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
SEASONS
It is known that trees bear fruit seasonally. Seasonally meaning that they have a time when they are abundant with fruit and a time when they seem dormant. The thing about these dormant times is that they are often the times when the plant is storing up and preparing for the next batch of fruit.
Mar 13:28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
Agriculture was a big part of Jewish upbringing in those days. They knew all about trees planting and clutivating. Jesus was a Jew of course and he knew all about agriculture. This is why of course he used so many parables of seeds and trees to give examples of the kingdom of God to his followers.
What he points out here is a tree in season. Don't look at this scripture for it's context cuz it really speaks about the signs of the return of the King Jesus. The fact is that the bible shows that Jesus spoke about a tree in season and things to look for in its progress.
There are a few things to look for in your seasons.
Pouring Out - When the tree bears fruit
Php 2:17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. (ESV)
Php 2:17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
Pouring out and rejuvination are key parts of a Christian's life. Constantly pouring out into others drains you becase you are taking something that is inside of you and pouring it out into use.
Paul was pouring out his life into the Phillipians so that their faith would be strengthened..He was letting them eat his fruit wholeheartedly.
The same thing was happening to Jesus. He often retreated to the hills to pray and store up in his spiritual room to be able to give out more.
It also gives us a chance to take stock of where we are and what we are doing and how it is progressing and what instructions we have to carry out next. This is where we pray and read God's word to continue to thicken that bark that was spoken about in Christianitree pt2.
You see the growth of the tree does not stop when it bears it's first fruit, it continues to do all the things that it did when it was working it's way up to fruit statge... just that now it goes through seasons of bearing and seasons of strengthening until it's growth slows. However, this growth does not stop, internally the tree constantly needs to be pulling from the soil to get minerals to sustain it's growth..... if it does not it's fruit will come out smaller.
Refreshing - When the tree rejuvinates and takes from the soil again
Isa 40:31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. Simply means, you can't continually bear fruit without waiting on God. In the seasons of your life and bearing fruit for others people who are hungry will always want to eat. When you meet a hungry person they may cling to you because they are getting good fruit to eat.
Mat 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
Before the greatest pour out ever........ JESUS WENT TO PRAY. Here he had one of the most intense conversations with God recorded in the bible. What he was about to do was pour out himself for the WHOLE OF MANKIND.
So pouring out and refreshing can be likened unto the seasons of a tree bearing fruit. It shows the cycle that needs to take place to effectively bear fruit, not just any fruit but desired fruit that takes time to bear.
LEGACY
What happens when the tree dies? Does it immediately fall to the ground and no longer exist?
No that only happens to the small trees who have no foundation in the earth.
The really big trees who have brought forth much fruit and have spread their branches far and wide stay in the forest for years and years after...... as a hallmark of the forest for all other trees to see and use as an example.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Now this cloud is not a literal cloud in the sky. Cloud here is used in the context of such a large mass or large figure. It says great cloud of witnesses who were the witnesses. The heroes of the faith listed in Heb 11. These people examplified faith in God. They stood out so much so that they were given honorable mention in the new testament as a sort of example of what you are to be when you have faith in GOD. However...........
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
Looking unto JESUS. THE BEST LEGACY EVER LEFT ON THIS EARTH.
Even though we have the likes of David and Abraham etc to follow, these men were all fallen human beings trying to live up to God's standard. They should be followed, but only to a point..... Jesus is the only one who was worthy enough to redeem man and hence is the only person worthy of putting all our faith in.
His branches have spread so far and wide and his fruit had fed so much that he is the only example in the whole forest that every tree should follow. There are many other trees that leave a great legacy, but the tree of trees is Jesus.
As a tree, you don't stop bearing fruit until you are dead. Christianity is not finished when you get old or pass a certain age. It never stops, you never stop bearing fruit, you never stop feeding others, you never stop rejuvinating .... you just continue to grow until you die and you leave a legacy that casts an imprint on the whole forest to look up to.
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