TOPICS LIST: http://www.eztech.com/bibletalks/topics.htm EMAIL: bibletalks@eztech.com Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Bible Talks about FRUIT: ITS IMPORTANCE. "FRUIT" IS WHAT WE ACTUALLY SAY AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY DO. COLOSSIANS 1:10 ".... being fruitful in every good work ...." JAMES 1:22 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves." YOUR FRUITS (DEEDS AND SAYINGS) REVEAL WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU ARE, AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE. (The output of a believer is compared to a tree). MATTHEW 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? MATTHEW 7:17 "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit." MATTHEW 12:33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit." TITUS 1:16 "They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him." YOUR FRUIT THAT YOU PRODUCE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO YOUR WELL-BEING AND HAPPINESS NOW AND FOREVER. (Your fruit is important because it is by the quantity and quality of your fruit that you will be judged for rewards and penalties). WE WILL BE JUDGED BY OUR DEEDS: MATTHEW 16:27 "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works." 2 CORINTHIANS 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." REVELATIONS 20:13 "The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works." (See also: ECCLESIASTIES 12:13,14; JOB 34:11; JEREMIAH 17:10; JEREMIAH 32:19; 1 CORINTHIANS 3:8; 1 PETER 1:17).) WE WILL BE JUDGED BY WHAT WE HAVE SAID. MATTHEW 12:36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment" MATTHEW 12:37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." WE WILL BE JUDGED ON OUR THOUGHTS. 1 CORINTHIANS 4:5 ".... until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts; and then each one's praise will come from God." GOD MAKES SPECIAL MENTION OF REWARDS FOR GOOD FRUIT. 1 CORINTHIANS 3:13,14. "....each one's work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward." GALATIANS 6:9 "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart". REVELATIONS 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books." GOD MAKES SPECIAL MENTION OF PENALTIES FOR BAD FRUIT. JEREMIAH 21:14 "But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings," says the LORD;..." LUKE 3:9 ".... Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." JOHN 15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit" HERE IS A SURE WAY TO PRODUCE MUCH GOOD FRUIT. JOHN 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (Do not be confused. Good fruit gains rewards, not salvation. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. See also BT #14, "Judgment After Death," to see the place of works in judgment.) HOME-BOUND BELIEVERS MAY FEEL THEY CAN'T RAISE MUCH FRUIT. HERE ARE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE HOME-BOUND (AND OTHERS AS WELL). 1. Want to help the needy? When a home meal is prepared, set aside an extra meal in an aluminum foil pan, seal it in a plastic bag and freeze it. Someone can then pick it up and deliver it to a needy one. One or more per week. 2. Start a weekly Bible study at your place. Invite relatives, friends and neighbors. Use Bible Talks as a guide. 3. Be a pen pal to other home-bounds. 4. Be a telephone pal. Give assurance and friendship for shut-ins and elderly. 5. Have a weekly fellowship group. 6. Be a prayer intercessor. (See BT # 8, "Intercessory Prayer.") 7.Mail out tracts. Use Bible Talks, especially # 1 and # 2. Add them to outgoing mail. 8. Tape books and articles for the blind. 9. Baby sit if you can. 10. Make toys, tat, sew, etc. for distribution and Christmas giving. 11. Start a prayer and/or praise group in your home. 12. Mail gifts to other shut-ins and to prisoners. Have someone collect material for kits. 13. Help with your church's overflow clerical work. 14. Now list your own ideas to add to this list. Then do something. THE ELDERLY CAN YIELD FRUIT. PSALM 92:14 "They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,..." WHAT KIND OF FRUIT DOES GOD ESPECIALLY EXPECT? (See Bible Talks # 12, "Greatest and New Commandment.") GOD WANTS MUCH FRUIT. JOHN 15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." JOHN 15:8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." J 15:16 "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit,..." BEAR WELL FOR JESUS CHRIST. In order to receive a particular Bible Talks go to: http://www.eztech.com/bibletalks/topics.htm to select a Bible Talks by topic. Click on the topic you want and print it out or read it on the screen.