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Gleanings From The Word

Tag: fruit of the Spirit

  • Fruit of the Spirit

    produce department - fruit

    As I walked through the produce section of a grocery store recently, I was struck by the huge variety of fruit and berries. Numerous varieties of apples, oranges, and other citrus fruits, strawberries, bananas, melons, grapes, and more. There were also fruits that people consider vegetables, like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and others. If I had been in a green grocer’s, the variety would have been far larger.

    We’re all familiar with fruit of some kind, even if we mislabel it. The same was true in biblical times; it’s no wonder the Bible refers to the fruit of the Spirit. Almost every Christian is familiar with the famous fruit of the Spirit passage

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

    There are also many other passages that speak of this fruit directly or point towards it. Some of them you might be as familiar with. John 15:5, Mathew 7:16-17, Ephesians 5:9, Colossians 1:10, Philippians 1:11, James 3:18, Romans 8:5-6.

    It’s abundantly clear that spiritual fruit is important, but did you ever stop to wonder why?

    Physical fruit isn’t for the benefit of the plant. It grows to provide a source of replacement plants and to benefit those who eat it. It’s the same with the fruit of the Spirit. As we grow more Christlike, the changes in our lives benefits those around us and glorifies God.

    When we are more patient, loving, and self-controlled, we are a greater blessing to those around us. In the process we become better people more like the design God has for us. The fruit of the Spirit is a double blessing.

    May you grow plentiful, healthy fruit that the world will be blessed in the name of Jesus.

    That’s astounding when you think of it. God wants to grow and mature you and me to be a blessing to others. The fruit of the Spirit we develop glorifies God.

    Kevin

    There Is No Fruit of the Spirit without Holy Spirit

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  • Created and Being Shaped Into His Image

    Created and Being Shaped Into His Image

    Genni the wonder dog - a border collie basset hound cross

    My desk has a clear glass top. Under that, I keep various pictures of family and some of our pets over the years. Among them is this shot of Genni the Wonder Dog.

    Genni was a border collie, basset hound cross we got at eight weeks. It was an accidental breeding, and the owner was en route to the SPCA with them. Genni adopted me on the spot and lived with us for many years until she passed.

    They say (whoever the great “they” is) that dogs resemble their owners. I saw this image of Genni and realized that the saying has some truth. There is a lot of truth in that saying. She’s long in the body, short in the legs, and has big fat feet. We’re three for three there. Fortunately, I’m the taller of the two and walk on two legs so that people can tell us apart.

    The resemblances between us got me thinking about the fact that we’re created in the image of God.

    Then God said, “Let us make man[a] in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27

    What does that mean? It doesn’t mean we look like Him, since we have physical bodies, we all look different and God doesn’t have a physical body. So it must refer to something else.

    We’re unlike all the other things or beings that God created. 

    We’re the only beings that Scripture describes as being created in His image (imago dei). We were made with a higher purpose, to rule over all the earth. Being created in His image is both an honor and a huge responsibility. When creation looks to people, it should see the image of God.

    What part of Him were we designed to reflect? His character and His personality. We were created to walk in holiness and righteousness. We were designed to walk in faithfulness and integrity. We were to have passion and compassion, loyalty and levity, love and light, and more. We were designed to be wise and selfless.

    Since the time of the Garden of Eden, we’ve been sinful people with sinful nature in a sin-filled world. We don’t reflect much of the image of God. Yet, for the believer, there are ways we can begin to resemble the one in whose image we were created.

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

    When we begin to exhibit the fruit of the spirit, we start in a small way to show the image of the Creator.

    That fruit comes with maturity (as indeed does all fruit). We mature in our walk through testing and trials, through worship, through giving, and through service. We mature when we spend time communing with Him in prayer, and in meditating on and studying the Word. The fruit doesn’t just happen; it must be nurtured.

    Until next time, rejoice in the fact that you were designed in His image and open your heart to being more like Him.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

    Created and Being Shaped Into His Image
    Reflections on the image of God
    God sees the big picture