Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

November 19
Thursday


PRECIOUS FRUIT

READ:
Galatians 5:22-26
_____________________________________________________________

The fruit of the spirit
is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control.
__Galatians 5:22-23
____________________________________________________________

How much would you be willing to pay for a piece of fruit? In Japan, someone paid more than $6,000 for one Densuke watermelon. Grown only on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, this beautiful dark-green sphere looks like a bowling ball. The nearly 18-1b watermelon was one of only a few thousand available that year. The fruit's rarity brought an astronomical price on the market.

Christians have fruit that is far more precious than the Densuke watermelon. It's called the fruit of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal. 5:22-23). each "fruit" is a different aspect of Christlikeness. In the Gospels, we see how Christ exemplified these virtues. Now He wants to produce them in our hearts-in what we say, how we think, and how we respond to life (John 15:1-4).

A rare and delicious fruit may bring a premium price in the marketplace, but christlike character is of far greater worth. As we confess all known sin and yield to God's indwelling Spirit, our lives will be transformed to the likeness of Christ (1 John 1:9; Eph. 5:18). This spiritual fruit will fill our lives with joy, bless those around us, and last into eternity.
__Dennis Fisher
_____________________________________________________________

``````````````````````Think not alone of outward form;````````````
```````````````````````````Its beauty will depart;````````````````
```````````````````````But cultivate the Spirit's fruits`````````````
```````````````````That grow within the heart. __D. De Haan```````
_____________________________________________________________

Fruitfulness for christ depends on
fellowship with Christ.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Galatians 5:22-26*********

22 But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no
law. 24 and those who are
Christ's have crucified the
flesh with its passions and
desires. 25 If we live in the
Spirt. 26 Let us not
become conceited,
provoking one another,
envying one another.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Each day holds an opportunity for the believer to make choices that
either build Christlike character into our lives or diminish it. The
only way we can experience positive change is by dependence on
the Holy Spirit (vv.22-26). Not only is the believer regenerated by
the Spirit in new birth (John 3:5-6) but is also exhorted to be filled
with the Spirit--directed and empowered (Eph. 5:18). A life that
yields to the Spirit will reveal the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-24).
But unyielded hearts will become "conceited, provoking one another,
envying one another" (v.26). Which will you choose today?

__DENNIS FISHER
____________________________________________________________

````````````````````Think not alone of outward form;`````````````
`````````````````````````Its beauty will depart;`````````````````
``````````````````````But cultivate the Spirit's fruits``````````````
````````````````That grow within the heart. __D. De Haan``````````
_____________________________________________________________

fruitfulness for Christ depends on
fellowship with Christ.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Galatians 5:22-26**********

22 But the fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is not
law. 24 and those who are
Christ's have crucified the
flesh with its passions and
desires. 25 If we live in the
Spirit, let us also walk in
the spirit. 26 Let us not
become conceited,
provoking one another,
envying one another.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Each day holds opportunity for the believer to make choices that
either build Christlike character into our lives or diminish it. The
only way we can experience positive change is by dependence on
the Holy Spirit (vv.22-26). Not only is the believer regenerated by
the Spirit in new birth (John 3:5-6) but is also exhorted to be filled
with the Spirit-directed and empowered (Eph. 5:18). A life that
yields to the Spirit will reveal the fruit of the Spirt (Gal. 5:22-24).
But unyielded hearts will become "conceited, provoking one another,
envying one another" (v.26). Which will you choose today?
__DENNIS FISHER