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  • THE SECRETS OF A PRODUCTIVE LIFE

Message Action Plan

The Secrets Of A Productive Life

There’s a universal desire for productivity — to live a life that counts and matters. The Bible calls this stewardship and fruitfulness. In this message, Pastor Rick wraps up our series, Living with Margin, and shares the four secrets of a productive life. You’ll learn how God measures productivity and how to bear fruit that honors him. Find out how to cultivate deep roots, eliminate weeds in your life, cooperate with God’s pruning, and wait for a harvest. Discover why it’s not about how much you get done, but to whom you give the glory that counts!

June 3, 2018 | Rick Warren
More from this series

"This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."     John 15:8 (NIV)

  • Bearing fruit brings GLORY TO GOD
  • Bearing fruit shows THAT I'M A DISCIPLE
  • God wants me to bear MUCH FRUIT

"You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last!"   John 15:16 (NIV)

  • Bearing fruit is the purpose OF MY SALVATION
  • A truly productive life is one WHERE THE FRUIT LASTS

4 KINDS OF FRUIT

1.  The fruit of REPENTANCE
2.  The fruit of THE SPIRIT  (9 character qualities)
3.  The fruit of BRINGING SOMEONE TO JESUS
4.  The fruit of MINISTRY TO OTHERS

The seriousness of not bearing fruit:
Jesus said ". . . I've been coming to look for fruit on this tree and still haven't found any.  Cut it down!  Why should it use up the soil?"  Luke 13:7 (NIV)

4 SECRETS OF A PRODUCTIVE LIFE

1.   I MUST CULTIVATE DEEP ROOTS

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  He will be like a tree planted by water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when the heat comes – its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought, and it never fails to bear fruit."  Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)

"The righteous cannot be uprooted."  Proverbs 12:3 (NIV)

How CAN YOU grow DEEP ROOTS?

"They find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night.  They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up.  They succeed in everything they do."    Psalm 1:2-3 (TEV)

"Since you have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, live in union with him.  Keep your roots deep in him, build your lives on him, and become stronger in your faith, as you were taught."  Colossians 2:6-7 (TEV)

ACTION PLAN: Deepen your roots by taking your next CLASS at Saddleback this Sunday, June 10.Click hereto register at a campus near you.

2.   I MUST ELIMINATE THE WEEDS IN MY LIFE

This is living with margin!

Parable of the Seed & Soils: "The seed is the Word of God…  The seed that falls among weeds stands for those who hear, but the worries and riches and pleasures of this life crowd in and choke them, and their fruit never ripens."   Luke 8:14

Example of Weeds: Luke 14:16-20

"They all began, one after another, to make excuses."  vs. 18

"The first one said, 'I have bought a field and must go and look at it . . . '" vs. 18

"Another one said, 'I have bought five pairs of oxen and am on my way to try them out . . .'" vs. 19

"Another one said, 'I have just gotten married, and for that reason I cannot come.'"  vs. 20      

ACTION PLAN: Which of these weeds (greed, career, relationships) can you see creeping into your life? Take time this week to focus on getting rid of that weed. Consider going back and watching a message on margin that relates to that weed (click herefor the sermon series).

3.  I MUST COOPERATE WITH GOD'S PRUNING IN MY LIFE
Jesus:"I am the True Vine and my Father is the gardener.  He lops off every branch that doesn't produce.  And he prunes those branches that bear fruit for even larger crops!"  John 15:1-2

      Never confuse PUNISHMENT with PRUNING

"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."  Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

ACTION PLAN: Thank God for what he has pruned or is pruning from your life. Try making this a regular part of your daily prayer life.

4.  I MUST PATIENTLY WAIT FOR AND EXPECT A HARVEST
"Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  He who loves his life will lose it . . ." John 12:24-25 

Jesus: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit.  But apart from me you can do nothing!"    John 15:5 (NIV)

Living with Margin
April 15 - June 10, 2018Watch Series
  • Making Space to Slow the Pace of Your Life
    April 15, 2018
  • Learning To Slow Down
    April 22, 2018
  • Starting Your Day Right
    April 29, 2018
  • Learning To Be Content
    May 6, 2018
  • Making Room For What Matters Most
    May 13, 2018
  • How To Free Myself From The Weight Of Worry
    May 20, 2018
  • Expect The Best & Plan For The Worst
    May 27, 2018
  • The Secrets Of A Productive Life
    June 3, 2018
  • Keeping Your Tank Filled Instead Of Running On Empty
    June 10, 2018
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