THE BENEFITS OF DIVINE PLANTING

Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Psalm 1:3b NASB

Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The far-fetched idea that the Reformed approach to salvation allows for a wicked convert has never been entertained by any but a few antinomian heretics.  The doctrine in all accepted Reformed confessions is that the elected, regenerated, converted person is also sanctified.

This is the purpose of God worked out in the daily walk of the Believer.  Just as there are none justified who are not sanctified, there are none planted who do not have the characteristics of the “planted tree”.

These characteristics are as encouraging as they are certain.  First each and every one is fruitful.  This fruit is stated and qualified.

A.

Each brings forth “its” fruit.”  Each believer is an individual.  He is neither measured by another nor is he required to produce in a particular way.  Each has his fruit.  In this sense our fruit may differ.  The principle stated in I Cor. 12:11 “The Holy Spirit…distributing to each one individually as He wills,” is the cause and design of production.

B.

A most encouraging benefit is the “ever green” guarantee, “whose leaf also shall not wither.”  There is the Kingdom principle that our works will everlastingly benefit us.  But in this guarantee we are told that we, while we walk this vale, will not “wither”.  No matter when, where, or under what condition a believer exists, he or she will still be productive.

As an older person I feared that day when some form of senility completely incapacitated me, when all dignity will be lost and seemingly nothing worth-while remains.  But no more.  Whatever lies ahead from God’s side I will not “wither”.  My “leaf” will remain green.  God has said I am to be certain I am a “blessed man” and that my delight is single.  The green leaf is His business.  He will care for that.

C.  The fruitfulness is designed to be useful.  For the guarantee is a prosperous life to be attributed to the evergreen tree.  This tells us we will not be like the lying fig tree which received the Lord’s curse.

There is always a certain beauty here for it is an evergreen tree, but here there is an enhanced beauty and worth.  This believer prospers with his one talent or with ten.  He is planted to never wither and to always prosper.

My neighbor recently planted an olive grove.  The first year there was a small harvest.  The next year a drought, and nearly no harvest.  But this year the season has been very good and there was a far greater harvest, but not as good as it is hoped that it will be.  There will be another season and as the conditions of the grove change the hope is, in its season, the harvest will increase.

We all go through different seasons.  Thus the Psalmist tells us, we will be fruitful, we will be evergreen, and we will have useful production.  Some more – some less – but all productive all their lives.

Read and think about I John 2:12-14.