It’s nice to be chosen!  Remember when you were young and the kids were choosing up sides for kickball – what was your greatest fear?  You did not want to be the last person chosen, or worse yet, not chosen at all.  We like to be chosen.

Picture the young girl looking forward to going to the senior prom.  She knows who she wants to go with but he has not asked her yet.  There is a guy in her science class who is hinting that he would like to take her, but she wants to go with the other guy.  What should she do?   She thinks it’s better to at least attend then not go at all (who knows, the guy in her science class might turn out to be the next Bill Gates).  It’s nice to be chosen.

Jesus says in John 15:16 that He has chosen you,

You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

Think about that, even though He knows everything about you, He has chosen you.  Not only did He choose you but He appointed you.  He chose you for a purpose, that you would go and bear fruit, fruit that will remain.  God wants you to have a fruitful life.

What comes to your mind when you think of fruit?

1.  Fruit may be good works – “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:10)

2.  Fruit may be represented by our character  – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

3.  Fruit may be considered those who hear and respond to God – “And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”  (Mark 4:20)

4.  Fruit is our response of worship to God  – “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.’  (Hebrews 13:5)

What a great truth – God wants you to be fruitful for Him!  What is the key that enables you to bear fruit?  Jesus gives us the answer – prayer – whatever you the Father in His name He will give to you.  What great work are you asking of God?

Believe that His promises are for you,

Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.  (Jeremiah 33:3)

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

Follow me on twitter:  rickhiggins5