Have you ever felt that you lacked motivation or that you have procrastinated on an important task and you couldn't figure out what was going on? The Bible has some important things to say about becoming productive and the principles are valuable for everyday situations and for eternal, spiritual focus. Let's see what the Bible says about becoming focused, purpose-filled, productive people.   This Sermon was presented remotely for LWCC on March 15th 2020  Mar. 15, 2020 Every day I am allowing Christ to overcome laziness. (So I can be productive.)  Introductory Comments and Missions Report  Have you noticed how people who are really productive also seem to be fulfilled?   A Bible word for productivity is “stewardship.”   Productivity: “Making the most of what you’ve been given.”   When it comes to productivity it’s not ____ _______ you get done. It’s ________ you get done.   It’s easy to become frenetic and get a LOT done and still not get the most important things done.   Biblical principles based on the term Fruitfulness.   Fruitful – abounding in fruit, producing good results, beneficial.   The Greek word for Fruitfulness is karpovß (karpos).   “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8, NIV)   1. When I bear fruit I bring __________ to God. (John 15:8a)  2. Bearing fruit shows that I am a _______________. (John 15:8, NIV)  The branch reveals the _________.  3. God’s desire is that I bear __________ fruit. (John 15:16; Eph. 3:17)  A balancing principle in fruitfulness:   Productivity requires ________.  Meaningful margins result in ________________.   When we put our roots into the good soil of God’s Word and practice building Sabbath margins into our lives, we can bear the kinds of fruit expected of true disciples:   a. The fruit of _______________. (Matt. 3:7-8, John the Baptist)   b. The fruit of the __________. (Gal. 5:22-23, character qualities of Jesus)   c. The fruit of another ______________. (Matt. 28:18-20, the Great Commission)   d. The fruit of _______________. (Rom. 12:5, the spiritual gifts given to serve others)   Here are some practical, biblical things you can do to bear biblical fruit:   1. Put down deep _____________. “There’s no fruit without a root.”  (Jeremiah 17:7-8)  When the heat’s on.   Times of drought.    Redwoods vs.Tumbleweeds   And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. (Col. 2:6, NLT)   Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. (Col. 2:7, NLT)  2. Pull some _________ in your life.   “As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.” (Luke 8:14, NET)  What things in your life choke out productivity (fruitfulness)?   3. Allow God to do some _____________.   “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Heb. 12:11, NLT)  4. Wait patiently and expect a _____________.   Jesus said this: “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 12:24, NIV)