He Seeks Fruit

He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. (Luke 13:6)

In the parable of the barren fig tree, found in Luke 13:1-9, Jesus compares you and I to a fig tree planted in God's vineyard. Think about that image for a minute, and you'll no doubt see some interesting truth:

• It indicates He has made every preparation for our salvation. By planting the tree in His vineyard He gives it every chance of success - shelter, cultivation, irrigation, fertilization, etc. And He has done the same for you and I. We had nothing to offer that could earn our salvation, and so He took care of that for us. Jesus Christ is the ultimate provision - He paid for the sin we could not pay for - Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6)
• It also indicates that He expects us to bear fruit! As you read the parable you see the fruit He wants is repentance - turning from sin and turning to Him.

Are you bearing the fruit of repentance that the Lord wants from you?

Happenings - Week of 10/27/2008

There are a couple of great opportunities this week here at FBC -

1. Wednesday prayer meeting - tonight at 6:30.
   
2. Haven of Rest service day - Saturday at 10:00. Meet at the Haven of Rest in Akron and join us as we set up tables and serve a meal to those in need.
   
3. Judgment House - Saturday evening - we will meet at the church at 8:30 and travel together to Hope Community Church in Hudson.
   

Peace

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

The news is filled with doomsday reports these days, whether real or drummed up for political advantage. Regardless of what you read, remember that the Lord is still in control. And because of that, we can lie down in peace, and sleep.

May God's people be reminded of that truth, today.

Peaches from Apples

In his book entitled The Emotionally Healthy Church, Peter Scazzero makes an interesting observation:

Jesus describes becoming a Christian as a new birth. (see John 3:3-5). Picture yourself as an apple tree, but you would really like to bear peaches. You can be pruned, or someone can attach peaches with wire to your branches. But apples will keep coming. If you want peaches, you have to dig up the apple tree and plant a peach tree.

New roots are needed for new fruit. All we do is modify the same tree when we make resolutions and commitments to pray more, go to church more consistently, or resolve to stop bad behavior. The root needs to be pulled up. A new tree is needed.

Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3). And Paul pointed out that once we experience that new birth, everything becomes new! "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Have you been born again... made new in Christ? Or are you trying to turn your apples into peaches on your own?

Happenings - Week of 9/28

In addition to our weekly Bible study and midweek prayer meeting (Wednesday at 6:30), there are a couple of activities to keep in mind and prayer this week:

1. Haven of Rest - Service Day. This is a monthly opportunity to help others in a physical and real way. If you have never tried this, I encourage you to do so this weekend.
2. Voice of the Martyrs Conference. The pastor will be taking any who are interested to this conference about the persecuted Christians in our world.

Both of these events are on Saturday, October 4. Please call the church or pastor for additional details.

Help Wanted!

Would you like to help us update our website? We are seeking a look that is more in keeping with our new name - Friendship Bible Church. Toward that end, we need a picture to use on our home page that depicts friendship. If you have suggestions for such a picture, or have one to share, please use the "Contact Us" link and email it to us.

Thanks!

In My Name

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14)

Philip Yancey, in his book entitled "Prayer, Does it make any difference?" writes:

As a journalist, too, I know the value of a name. I once secured an interview with Bill Clinton during his first term as president. I was instructed to attend a political rally at a local junior high school and afterwards to hand the letter with his signature to one of the Secret Service agents. After the rally I stood with a pack of other journalists behind a police rope. Most of them were holding microphones and yelling questions: "Mr. President, Mr. President, do you have anything to say about..."

Clinton smiled and waved, ignoring the questions, then climbed into the limousine. I shouldered to the front of the pack to find a Secret Service agent. When he saw the name at the bottom of the letter, he lifted the rope and escorted me to the limousine, leaving the other journalists to wonder, "Hey, what's he got that we don't have?" I had the president's name on a letter, and for that reason alone his staff treated me deferentially.

We use another person's name if that person has some clout with whomever we're petitioning. Given the proper name, credit mysteriously becomes available and limousine doors fly open. When it comes to prayer, Jesus promises, we have the right to use his own name in approaching the Father. We have access to his authority, his reputation, his leverage. My leverage with the White House ended ninety minutes later. We have the extravagant right to use the name of Jesus in perpetuity, for whatever we ask.

Don't neglect to take advantage of that opportunity today!