Deuteronomy 20:19-20
“When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people that you should besiege them? However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.”
There are two types of trees in this world, the kind that produces fruit and the kind that does not. Which one are you?
As I was reading this morning, the Holy Spirit jumped these verses off the page. The heading in the chapter they are in is “Going to War!” Why would trees make it into this section? I mean, I get that there is the part about siege ramps, but I believe it’s deeper than that. I believe it’s because it's in reference to our lives in the Lord and the battle we face daily. The battle to produce fruit. Jesus was very clear about the two types of trees and the outcomes for both. One is allowed to grow and live, and the other is to be chopped down and burned in the fire. So, I believe this verse is a physical representation of our spiritual lives and walks with the Lord.
We, like these trees, are in a war that we didn’t start and that we can’t finish. But like these trees, we have a very important part in this war, and we can either grow and produce fruit to feed the King's army, or we can be cut down and laid waste like His enemies! The choice is ours. We get to choose each day what we will do and who we will serve! We can serve the King or His enemy; there isn’t a third option!
I love the last line of the above verse. It says: “until the city at war with you falls.” God is promising victory! And we know our victory is in Jesus! I encourage you today to take a look at your branches and see if there is fruit. If not, then ask the Lord to prune you and make way for a new thing!
Isaiah 43:19 – “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Luke 13:8,9 - “‘Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"
God bless! I love you all! Glory, Honor, and Praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit who prunes us truthfully!
Deuteronomy 20:19,20
“When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people that you should besiege them? However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls.”
Sound a little bit familiar? Trees that produce fruit get to stay, but the non-fruit trees can go! Jesus says something similar in Matthew 7:19- “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
So, if we know we must produce this fruit, then what is it, and how do we produce it? Although I don’t know all the answers, I will share a little bit of what the Lord has taught me. Fruit doesn’t cause or bring salvation but is a direct result of being saved. The fruit is a picture of our actions, both good and bad. Bad actions result in bad or no fruit, and Godly actions produce good fruit. An example from my life would be my money management. Before the Lord rescued me, all my money was the dope man’s money, but now I try to use my money in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. So, fruit that is pleasing to the Lord isn’t grown out of the soil of the flesh but of the Spirit.
Let no one ever convince you that you can do good deeds to be saved, because that is false. But your fruit or deeds will directly reflect the inward condition of your heart. If your heart belongs to Christ, your actions will reflect that. If it belongs to the enemy, your actions will reflect it. So, if the fruit is a scale that we can judge our heart condition on, what is your fruit revealing about you today?
James 2:16-19- If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Luke 13:7- So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
God bless! I love you all, but His love changes the condition of our hearts! Glory, honor, and praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!
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