Search Me Lord
Looking at the scripture for today I came across a quote from Charles Spurgeon “A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”
Matthew 7:16-20
16 'You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.'
If we read on in Chapter 21:18-19 as Jesus walked up to a fig tree, He was hungry but found no fruit just leaves and He said
18 “'Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.
19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.'
That wasn’t just a metaphor for a fruitless plant it was directed at the state of many hearts and the evidence of faith.
Jesus used many familiar things to convey His message. This is an example of that. The health of a fruit tree is shown by the fruit it bears. A healthy tree will produce good fruit. It is the same way a life that is nourished by faith and care will produce good spiritual fruit!
The fruit of the Spirit, just like the fruit of the tree, won’t appear overnight it is a gradual process of growth. As we grow in Christ and abide in the Holy Spirit, we will gradually bear more and more fruit.
Galatians 5:22-23 list the “fruit of the Spirit; “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. If we are living in step with the Holy Spirit these should be evident in our lives.
Take a moment and reread Matthew 7:16-20.
These are the good fruit that Jesus was talking about in Matthew 7.
John 15:2 says, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that I may bear more fruit.”
Pruning involves cutting away the dead and unproductive branches so that the tree’s energy can be directed towards producing more and better fruit. God sometimes allows us to go through difficult times in our lives to prune us, to cut away what is unproductive or even harmful, so that we can bear more and better fruit.
Fruits of the Spirit in our lives is meant to be a blessing to others. Our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control should be a source of encouragement to those around us. They should see our good fruit and give glory to God.
Bearing good fruit is not an optional extra for Christians, it is an essential part of our lives. It is the evidence of our faith. It shows the world the work of God in our lives.
There is an undeniable connection between our faith and our lives. In the book of James it says faith without works is dead. We can’t earn our salvation through good deeds, but it is a way we live out our faith in tangible meaningful way.
The parable of the Good Samaritan tells the story of how we need to treat other people with the love of Jesus. In Luke 10:29-37 Jesus tells us of a man who took time to help a stranger in need not to bring glory to himself but out of true love for his fellow man. This is the kind of love we need to show the world around us not just to those in this church.
Our faith needs to shine thru us not to show the world ourselves but to show the world how our faith has changed us to be new creatures in Christ.
In the book of Acts as we have been studying in Men’s group shows an example of living out our faith just like Peter and John did. It wasn’t enough for them to just believe in Jesus they had a burning desire to live out the things He had taught them. They wanted people to see Him in them.
We have to be consistent in our faith. It is not enough to just show the fruit of the spirit once and awhile we have to stay consistent in our lives. Now I will be the first to say that it is not easy.
(Putting this message together this week has been screaming volumes to myself.)
Keep in mind that faith in action is not about perfection but is about progression. That is the beauty of the Gospel, Christ meets us where we are and leads us to grow closer to God. It gives us strength in our weakness and grace in our shortcomings.
When we fall short, we get on our knees and ask God to forgive us and not by our strength but His. Get us dust ourselves off and press forward in the power of the Spirit. Confident that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion.
Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
We have to be rooted in Jesus’ teachings. Remembering it is not just a set of mans rules or the doctrine of some church. It is the way of life He has for us. It is the embodiment of the love, grace, and truth that is Jesus exemplified, and the ultimate expression of our faith!
The power Jesus has in us changes not just the outside but our very core values. It is not a superficial change it is a change in our attitude, values and our behavior. It is a change that takes through the process of becoming more Christ like. It is the foundation that allows us to be able to bear the fruit of the spirit.
Roman’s 12:2 says “And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
This change requires a constant, conscious effort on our part to align our thoughts, words and actions with the values and principles that are Jesus!
- S. Lewis said “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true of infinite importance.” The teaching of Jesus are not something we can take lightly or casually; it demands our wholehearted dedication and commitment!
Like I have said before God wants your entire heart and He will not be satisfied with a little corner of it. Keeping your faith in the dark is going to cause it to wither like a plant kept in the closet but put it out in the light that is Jesus and watch it grow and changes begin!