Fruit of You
While praying for my oldest sons teacher to fill the students in his class with more than just academic strengths, I felt the Spirit lead me to pray for the fruits of the spirit in her nourish the kids, too.
Since then, I’ve had this awakening that the Fruits of the Spirit in me are meant to nourish those around me… like all of you.
But I know people don’t eat rotten fruit. And sometimes I’m rotten.
We should LOVE but I hold onto hate. We should radiate JOY but I self medicate with fleeting fun. We should show PEACE but I allow fear to lead. We should unwaveringly remain PATIENT, but I’m insistent on NOW, even if my husband needs some time before responding to me. We should show KINDNESS, not cunningness. We should choose GOODNESS, not to be seen, but because of the food works we know God has planned for us as long as we stay obedient. We should live with FAITHFULNESS, not self serving. We should walk in Gentleness, not reminding the ones who hurt us by keeping a record of their wrongs. And we should make decisions with SELF CONTROL, not ungoldly pleasures.
Jesus said, “ I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. (I love that He prunes us! It’s such a relief because we don’t have the ability to prune ourselves or clean ourselves up) You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples. I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.”
John 15:1-11 AMP
Side note: Have you ever wondered why obedience wasn’t listed as a fruit of the Spirit? I believe it’s because God views our love for Him adjacent with our obedience to Him. It’s not just a feeling.
What are you rooted in that’s producing your fruit?
Childhood pain?
Insecurity?
Self indulgence?
Lust?
Envy?
Comparison?
Or is it in Christs love?
Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV
Are you thinking to yourself, The FULLNESS of God?? Like what?!
My pastor teaches that if you want to experience the fullness of God you’ll need to be fully surrendered to God. (Ouch)
“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalms 16:11 AMP
I believe God wants to be known by us. He’s not trying to be mysterious. But how do you get to know someone? By hearing their story and keeping a relationship with them.
And how do we hear Gods story? Reading the Bible, His Word.
When you read the Bible don’t look for yourself. Look for God and His character.
What makes him happy, what makes him sad, what makes him angry, what makes him do the things that he does.
Then you’ll get to truly know Him and the more you know Him the more you love Him which biblically means the more you’ll obey Him. And the more you obey Him the more fruit you will produce to help nourish those around you.
-Stay Tasty
Nicole's Thoughts 