Tuesday / Producing the Right Fruit
Read Galatians 5: 16-23 (NLT)
So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Think
Many years ago, when I was first planting and growing my own vegetables, I had a strange experience. Money was tight, so I purchased some of my vegetable seeds at a dollar store. The seeds were ten packets for a dollar, and I bought ten. I went home, excitedly dug and prepared the garden soil, and planted my cheap little seeds. I planted carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, and beans, and a nice big patch of watermelons.
All the seeds sprouted and began growing nicely. I soon had all sorts of great things to eat, and I watched anxiously as the watermelon vines grew and grew. Finally they bloomed and then set fruit. I checked the little melons daily, eager for them. But as they grew, I saw they weren’t round. Shouldn’t watermelons be round? I wondered and kept on watching. The tiny melons grew and soon took on a characteristic bottle shape. Then they began to ripen into a soft tan color. Sadly, the seeds from the watermelon packet had sprouted and produced butternut squash.
Apparently, when you plant cheap seeds, you can’t be completely sure what sort of fruit you’ll get at the harvest.
But since I belong to God, since I live by the guidance of the Spirit, I can be very sure that I’ll produce the right fruit!
Pray
Gracious and amazing God, you are so willing to guide me, if only I would ask for help. I seem so determined to go my own way, Lord. I’m really good at following the desires of my worldly self. I need your help. I need your Spirit to guide me. Please, Lord, fill up my dark corners with your Spirit. Help me follow you, so that the fruit I produce will honor you and spread your love in this world. Amen.
Do
How can you be sure you’re following Jesus? Bible study and prayer are a great place to start. But, how do you choose a Bible study or a book study? Are you a fan of the “open the Bible at random” reading plan? Or are you more systematic—start at the beginning and read your way straight through (If so, good luck with Leviticus and Job). Joining a weekly Bible study, whether online or at your church is a good plan, too. But what about that daily study and prayer time? Let me suggest that you spend some time over the next week thinking about what you will do for daily devotion/Bible study/God time after Easter. Plan now so that you’ll be ready to keep growing and producing the right fruit.
The View from Mt. Hope 