FRUIT INSPECTORS

Let's begin with a scripture. Please turn to Matthew 7:15-20. "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." Before we go into what this verse means, let's talk about what it does not mean. It does not mean that we are running around accusing everyone of not being a true believer because their fruit is bad and their character has not been perfected. With that said, let us pray. Glorious Heavenly Father, Your very name is holy and we worship You. Thank You for loving us so much that Your Son, Jesus, died in our place and suffered Your judgement on sin. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, what a most wonderful gift. Holy Spirit, please reveal the Word to us. It was written by You, and we need You to explain it to us. Help us to bear good fruit. Help us to Love and have compassion on all those around us. May we have great joy at Your Coming. We love You. In Jesus name...AMEN.

Thank you once again for joining me in another journey through God's Word. Regardless of whom you decide to worship, we are all fellow persons whom God loves and died for. During this discourse, I hope to answer three questions. 1) What is the fruit we are talking about. 2) Where and how do we get this fruit, and 3) why is fruit so important. So, let's start with what kind of fruit we are talking about. Galatians 5:22,23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Well, you might be thinking, I know a few people who don't confess Jesus as Lord and Messiah but seem to have these qualities. That may be true, but as we will find out in the next text, there is a fruit which can only come from God's grace. In fact, all things good come from God whether we admit it or not.

In order to prove to you that all fruit come from God, please go to Colossians 3:12. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Now can you think of someone who possess these qualities apart from God? So, as you may surmise, we are talking about fruit which come from God. I like to call them God's very own nature.

Where and how do we get this most precious fruit? Like I said, from God, but let's allow the living Word to defend that statement. I would rather believe what it says versus what I say, any day of the week. We got our first clue in our reading of Colossians. The Holy Spirit, Himself, brings us the fruits of righteousness. May I assume something please? I believe we can also call these precious fruit...the fruit of love. For after all, the fruit we are talking about are surely the very nature of God. I John 4:8 says that "God is love." Got it? OK, Romans 5:5 says: "God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit." Please allow me to break it down for you. Jesus has ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. He will be returning for His church (body, believers or saints). God has given unto us the gift of the Holy Spirit. We receive this gift by asking. He is received by faith. Still with me? Cool !!

Our glorious gift from God (the Holy Spirit) does many things. He shows us the Father and Son. He teaches us, empowers us and changes us. And you guessed it.....He helps us to produce fruit. But we are still left with the question of how He does it. How does God take a believer and follower of Christ Jesus, and take the old nature and turn it into something really wonderful, a new creature, just like our Lord? Let's think of it this way. Jesus is a spiritual vine. We are a branch. The Holy Spirit is the sap and life force flowing through the vine into the branches. Fruit is produced. Not just any ole fruit either. Fruit which bear the resemblance of the Father and Jesus Himself. Righteous fruit. Holy fruit.

Now for the part which may hurt a little bit. Go with me to John 15:1-2;5-6. "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." Like Joyce Meyer says, "Pruned if you do and pruned if you don't." And now for verse 5 and 6. "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. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned."

If you are like me, you might say: "I want my fruit, and I want it now." Unfortunately, our fruit of becoming more like Jesus does not happen over night. The Word instructs us to be patient and tells us that we are changed from glory to glory..a little bit at a time. We must believe that if we are in Christ Jesus, if we are abiding in the vine, then the fruit will come. We must tell ourselves, and satan, that God's love has been poured into our hearts and we ARE being changed. But what does abiding and being one with Christ mean. How do we cling to the vine (Jesus) which (by faith) will provide us the spiritual growth food we need (by the Holy Spirit)? Glad you asked.

Let's look, again, in the gospel of John for some more clues. In verse 3 we see this: "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you." Jesus said this right in the middle of talking about producing fruit and abiding in the vine (once again, Christ Jesus). It seems out of place, but Jesus always says what He hears the Father saying, and at the right time. In chapter one of John, we learn that Jesus is the living Word. The Word, when energized by the Holy Spirit, washes us and makes us clean. But, there is always a condition with God, but..."As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you OBEY my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love." We find this in John 15:9,10.

Now we are getting some where. Almost everything you boil down in the scriptures usually come down to the same thing: Believe and Obey. If you think about it, that is what makes God, God in your life and mine. After we choose to repent of our sins and make Jesus our Lord. After we ask, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. We begin our abiding in the vine. We do that by prayer, reading and doing the Word,spending quality time with Father God in our secret place and worship. While we continue in such a manner, a change WILL occur, because God promises that it will. You will begin to be more holy, more righteous and filled more with God's love, nature and light. A light for the whole world to see. A win, win situation to be sure.

And now for a little more icing on the cake. Let's go to John again. Chapter 15:14-17 to be exact. "You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you (by the Holy Spirit..added by me). You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. This is my command: Love each other."

So, dearly beloved, instead of keeping an eye on the fruit of others, inspect your own. Keep abiding and you Will see the change you desire. Be patient. You know what? Others in your life will see your transformation before you do. Keep the faith. Love God, yourself and others. Until next time, this is KennyG signing off.