From Thorns to Fruit - Larry Chkoreff - Bog

SIMPLICITYThis little booklet contains the story of how God has and is making tens of thousands of disciples world wide through the simplicity of returning people to "normal" and knowing Jesus intimately. This is not for theologians or religious people, this is for simple people, humble people, honest people, even uneducated people.The mystery of the Kingdom is spiritual agriculture.Mark 4:11 says, "And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables.."The process is so simple, it sometimes is difficult to explain.An Appetizer for Making DisciplesWhen the Lord saved me, I had already attempted to succeed in the world's system with everything that I had. I was 39 years old, it was 1979, and although on the surface things looked okay, inside I knew that I was not making life work. The Lord made some changes in my life, both in my relationships and in business, in order to put me on His path for my life.Even then, I knew that I did not have the resources to make life work. I cried out desperately to Him for help with finances, family relationships, and ministry. I knew He had a calling on my life, but had no idea what that meant. I knew that God wanted me to have the "abundant life," and all I could do was to believe and invite Him to take over 100%. I loved the Word of God and spent hours every day consuming it. It began to change my life in many ways. I will never forget watching a minister on television teach on Mark chapter 4, and how the Word of God planted in a human heart would bear fruit for everything we need, for life and godliness, 2 Peter 1:3. I grabbed that idea and lived by it. Little by little I could see God producing His fruit in my life, and that it would produce things and situations that I would not have had the power to do on my own. I knew this was Truth. I also saw how this fruit did not grow quickly. Satan would war against the production of fruit in powerful ways. There was much suffering, but my wife Carol and I would not give in or give up because we knew that God meant what He said. Actually the suffering for the Words sake was part of entering into the Kingdom of God. Acts 14:22 says, "strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.""Eventually things got better, little by little, and God showed up in marvelous ways. Now as I write this, over 32 years later, I can testify not only by the Word of God, but also by my own experience, that living life by bearing fruit is indeed the mystery of the Kingdom of God.Best of all, during these past years, by focusing on hearing God speak and keeping my relationship fresh and vital with Him, my personal intimacy with Jesus has become very deep and satisfying. Even if I had nothing else in this world, just knowing Him at this deep and intimate level is more than enough!Larry Chkoreff