This came from another study I was doing in December I thought it was worthwhile to revisit around here!


As we have all thought at one time or another about how we should act when we are living a Spirit filled life, we have mostly overlooked a key element of having an indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I was taught and have also spoken of the "fruits of the Spirit", quite unknowingly I might add. We act as if we are in the produce section of the supermarket and can pick and choose which of the fruits that we put in our basket. Just as in the supermarket one will say I like bananas and tangerines, but I really struggle with grapes. We Christians try to pick from amongst "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance." What a smorgasboard to choose from. We Christians say Oh, I like "love" and "joy" but I really just don't do the "patience thing." Where do we get off trying to choose? Lets look at the verse in Galations 5:22 and 23




Please everyone notice that here it is not fruits of the Spirit as is a popular teaching but fruit of the Spirit singular, uno, one.

That has (for me) been one of those passages that I never really examined and had always mistakenly reread the plural into it every time because I heard it that way one time.

There is but ONE fruit of the Spirit and that is to have every single attribute listed in Galations 5:22, 23!!!!! We don't have a choice in the matter if we are to live a Spirit filled life! Frequently we either have not truly accepted the Holy Spirit into our lives or we exersise our own will and quell the Spirit in our lives!(Just because a gift is given doesn't mean it gets unwrapped!) I just wanted to emphasise that point to everyone, and maybe cause us to reflect into ourselves and see if we showed all of those things or maybe only one or two. For if we are espousing only one or two than we would have some soul searching to do and see if we have actually let the Spirit into our lives or not. We should as Christians back out and die to ourselves letting the Fruit of the Spirit ripen on the vine that is our lives.

Amen?


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When God is all you've got; God is all you need!

Men's Ministry Home!

Send me an email!
Slattier@JESUSaves.every1.net

[This message has been edited by SLattier (edited 04-17-2000).]

That's really cool Steve. That is one of those Bible verses I usually slide over without paying much attention. The full representation of the Holy Spirit is all of those attributes, not just the ones we like.



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- David
- http://www.truckwerks.com/

This is not virtuous101...this is Nicole, I am having technical difficulties with my information.

I am not a patient person. Does that mean that I don't not have the 'fruit' of the spirit?

*NICOLE*

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Nicole peace and blessings from God!

No just because we are not espousing the whole fruit does not mean we do not have it in our possesion! Sometimes it could be recognition, sometimes submission, and sometimes obediance. Our walk with the Lord is just that it is a walk. While some get a real whammy from the Spirit and are drastically and completely changed for the glory of God, most of us undergo a transformation that causes us to struggle in gaining control over areas of our lives, leaning evermore on the goodness and strength of God to accomplish it!

Please don't take my first post as condemning. I wanted to "shake our tree" so to speak. However, the only ones who should feel "convicted" are those who, really feel that they can pick and chose!

God bless you!
Steve

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When God is all you've got; God is all you need!

Men's Ministry Home!

Send me an email!
Slattier@JESUSaves.every1.net

AMEN BROTHER!!!

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~Jesus_Freak~

Found it... numero quattro in this forum

Pastor Phillip has been going through the book of John verse by verse on Wednesday night and the teaching has been tremendous ( yes, I did finally make it there ) . Tonight we began John, chapter 15, and he brought up some very good points that relate to the fruit of the Spirit.

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John 15:1-5

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

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- Unless I am completely surrendered to Christ, where I find my life in Him, and He is allowed to live in me - I am, and what I do, is fruitless.

- I can cast out demons, heal the sick, call Jesus Lord, know all about Jesus and even be called a disciple and hold a title, but still be fruitless.

- It's not up to me to bear fruit, it's up to me to live in Jesus and allow Him to live in me.

- Pruning and cutting back is a natural process of life - it is done, not to punish me, but that I may be more fruitful.

- As I remain in God's Word, I will continually expose myself to God's cleaning, pruning process, which will enable me to bear more fruit.

- Significance can only be found as we abide in Jesus

- The evidence of being a true follower of Jesus is not gifts of the Spirit, but fruit of the Spirit.

Some excellent points... bearing fruit is not an automatic process, but one nurtured through pruning and cleaning - something that can be quite unpleasant. This "no pain, no gain" philosophy can tear us down, but only because we are pruned back so that we grow and become even more fruitful that we would have otherwise... As Steve said in his last post, talking the talk doesn't mean we are bearing the fruit, it's all in our walk. Remaining in Jesus isn't a rest break, it's an ongoing process of pruning, growth, and maturation...

Then we begin to bear fruit...

Someone once asked me if being a Christian was difficult...

I told them no, it's nearly impossible.

Double-mindedness...I have found that to be one of the biggest stumbing blocks to our fruitfulness. The exchange of life between us and Christ MUST be an ongoing exchange for growth to occur. Once we take our eyes off of Him and look to self or the world, there is a separation, a disconnection and that exchange is interrupted.

Steve and Allen are so right, but walking the talk is sometimes so very difficult. We are not equipped, we will never be perfect. There is only One who is and it's only due to His Omnipotence and Grace that we can stand. It's His gentle (and not so gentle) correcting, leading, drawing that makes it possible. Our job is to keep that focus. To abide in Him and allow Him to work through us.

The pruning that Allen talks of reminds me of some tomato plants that I grew one summer. How excited we all were to see these little tomatoes budding on the ends of very thin tiny branches. We could already taste BLT's. We had big plans for those tomatoes. But as the plant grew, the tiny tomatoes stayed tiny...they never reached there full hearty potential. It wasn't until I clipped off the small branches that stronger branches grew. Those branches produced bigger and sweeter fruit. So it is with God...He will prune away that which is non-productive and without purpose, according to His Plan. Most times that does smart. But what results is more precious and useful to the Kingdom.

I wanna be useful to the Kingdom. We will forever be "pruned", we are works in progress. But boy the plans He has for us!

Sounds like an awesome Bible Study Allen...I love being with a group of believers and discussing such scriptures. It is soo edifying.

^^ speakin of tomatos

One thing we discussed today concerned this fruit. Others feed off of us with the fruit of our Spirit... what kind of fruit are we bearing?

"love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance"?

Back to that circle tha Dawg is fond of talking about... Consider the prayer of Jabez, and expand your spiritual territory feeding those around you with "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance".

Yes, that holds especially true for the weeks and months ahead. While we rejoice over the birth of our Savior, we must remember that there are many many hurting people out there. There has been so much loss and so much pain. There is alot of loneliness. This is the most difficult season for some folks. There is a difference between being alone and being lonely.

Let's extend our hand in friendship to someone who may need a lift. Let the love and light of Jesus shine through us. Let the sweet aromas of our fruits; love, compassion, gentleness, joy and goodness; fill the lives of someone in need.

That is the real gift. That is the best kind of giving.

bump as a reminder for me