"And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.  And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.  And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.   And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother."  Genesis 38:6-9

Born-Again Believers (and those tarrying for inheritance) have agreed to make Jesus the ruler of their life. Christians are obligated to submit to and obey the Spirit.  Accepting Jesus' lordship is a covenant the saved have made with the Him (See Hebrews 5:9, Romans 8:1, Romans 8:14, Acts 5:32 & Ephesians 2:10).

"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." Romans 6:22

We are commanded to bear fruit.  Jesus said:

"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." John 15:8

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12

"These things I command you, that ye love one another." John 15:17

Those who will not obey the Lord (covenant breakers), are rebels, and have committed contempt / insubordination against Him (See Romans 8:5-8).  It says in 1 Samuel 15:23, "…rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft…".  Many have chosen not to produce fruit in the kingdom of God because they have made money and power and/or the pursuit of and upkeep of these things their gods.

Those who have placed money, power, honor, security, etc., above seeking of the kingdom and doing His will are opposing the Lord.  (This insubordinate pursuit makes us an adversary to the things of God, adverse to His spirit, moving in an opposite / opposing direction).  Thankfully, God is merciful and longsuffering (Also see Romans 3:10-12 & Romans 3:20-24).

Through His Word, the Lord tells us: (See also Luke 3:9)

"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Luke 16:13

"Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core."  Jude 1:11

"Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."  Romans 7:4

When we serve the Lord, it must not be with murmuring, grumbling, complaining, etc. (grudgingly), but rather cheerfully (See 2 Corinthians 9:7).  Otherwise, we have already obstructed peace (See Exodus 16:8, Numbers 11:1).  That covetousness goes against the Spirit / spirit of the commandments and is a work of the flesh (See Romans 7:6-7).  Colossians 3:5 tells us "covetousness is idolatry" (See also 1 Corinthians 10:5-6, 1 Corinthians 10:10 & 1 Corinthians 10:14).

If we are content with what we have achieved for ourselves, and are not concerned about our lost brethren, then we are not bringing fruit unto God as we should.  If we focus on serving ourselves, we forsake God and our brethren (which we claim to love).  When we pursue our own plan for success, rather than letting the Spirit lead us to success, we are in condemnation, and have fallen from grace (See Hosea 4:7, Romans 8:7, Philippians 3:9, Galatians 3:3 & Galatians 5:5).  We are made free by our reliance on Jesus, all else is bondage (See Romans 3:21 & 24). 

"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:" Philippians 3:9

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Romans 8:13

"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."  Habakkuk 2:4

We must obey the Spirit, and proliferate His way.  God's way will out perform any method we can contrive (He is the Almighty God).  We must not settle for a bird in the hand and call it success (That is condemnation, bondage, law, death, etc.).  God can speak, and send enough quail to blacken the sky if He so desires, and when He desires.  Instead of an inadequate "bird in the hand", the Lord can lucratively put a whole flock in the bush (See Mark 10:30 & Numbers 11:23 & 31-32).  This is the way of life, truth, love, righteousness, etc. 

"We love him, because he first loved us.  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." 1 John 4:19-21

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30

Noah took animals into the ark by no less than in pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive, that they would breed abundantly, be fruitful, and multiply on the earth (See Genesis 7:2-3 & Genesis 8:17).  He did not settle for just one.  Procurement of one likens to perishing as those left outside the ark.  One is barrenness.  It takes more than one to proliferate: A bird in the hand is worth less than two in the bush. 

revised: 12/24/03