“And it shall be, when you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and you possess it and dwell in it, that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide.” Deuteronomy 26:1-2
Dust Collecting
Several years ago while attending my first Creation Festival I found myself walking by the Gospel For Asia ministry booth where they were handing out a free book called, “Revolution in World Missions.” I took it 
(because it was free), brought it home, and placed it on a shelf where it sat, unopened, for five years.
Shame on me.
When I finally read the book the Lord opened my eyes and I was sorry that I had let the power of this book sit on a shelf, unused, for so very long. The Lord had given me a gift, and I received it, but I failed to use it. I share the story because I sense that far too many Christians receive gifts from God and allow them to collect dust.
The issue is subtlety addressed in the passage from Deuteronomy 26, in that we receive God’s inheritance (we possess it; we dwell in it), then we give (not hoard) the first-fruits as an offering back to God. But where do those fruits come from? If you said they’re from God, you’re correct, but they’re produced when we exercise and utilize the gifts of God. If we accept His gift, but do nothing with it, there is no fruit to be had.
Do not neglect the gift that is in you (1 Timothy 4:14a)
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them (Romans 12:6a)
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10)
God and Fruit
We know that God does not need anything from us; He already owns it all. So why all the fruit? I believe God does not want the fruit for Himself, but for us. As we obtain the blessing from God, utilize it, and endeavor to give a small portion of the yield back to Him, the result is a bountiful harvest that goes full circle bringing honor, glory, and praise to the Provider of it all!
By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:8
Rotten Fruit
Funny thing about fruit; it doesn’t store very well. When we hoard it, or when we ignore it, it tends to rot. In contrast, when we use it, it tends to grow back in abundance. Ask my wife — she maintains the rose bushes around the yard. If you want a lot of flowers, pick off the buds before they bloom. The result is generally a yield three times greater than the original growth. God did that; the same design He worked into roses He worked into us.
Want More Fruit?
Give it away whenever the Lord moves in your heart to do so; or least make it accessible to anyone who desires to partake. We need not worry; our Father is faithful to replenish the harvest! He has done it before, He is doing it today, and He will do it tomorrow.
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:1-3)
The Psalmist reminds us that we’re not much more than a conduit for God’s gracious blessings to pass through. Tap into this marvelous deluge and it percolates up through the timber, transforming vital liquid into succulent fare. All we need do is to position ourselves, or more precisely, allow ourselves to be divinely positioned in close proximity to this river of Living Water in order to receive the gift(s).
A Final Thought
If it seems that His blessings have abated and the fruit has dwindled, there stands the likelihood that we have moved to withdraw our roots from this incessant torrent. Know with certainty that the riverbed of the Lord never dries up. If your faith is dry it is because you have wandered away from the water source.
“But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14)
- What do the verses say about God?
- What do they say about us?
- What should be our response?
These articles may or may not be related:
- Be Blessed. How? (kswpgoodfriends.wordpress.com)
- Step 3 Be Faithful In Obedience (shareaverse.wordpress.com)
- Devotional for the day: Deuteronomy 9:6 (johnmeunier.wordpress.com)
- Salvation (brakeman1.com)
- Psalms 1-7 (mybiblereadingplan.wordpress.com)
- Tithes (africanaprincess.wordpress.com)
- Ki Tavo: Thanks for the fruit (anitasilvert.wordpress.com)
- Return to Me! (shilohrestoration.org)
- If you want to know who you are in Christ (thebrokenheartedfoundationministry.wordpress.com)
- Step 4 Always Remember God Is Sovereign (shareaverse.wordpress.com)
He Dwells -- The B'log in My Eye 