Got fruit?

I was out in our garden last night and was inspired for today's post. I was looking at my squash plants and evaluating how some have squash already growing on them, and others are little, undernourished, scrawny plants. Yet they sit side by side with the healthy ones...it made me think of 'us'.

As a believer, the Bible calls us to 'bear much fruit', but are we? Are you?

Looking at these different plants, which one are you? You may be a little scrawny one because you just found the truth & have began your journey of following Christ and you have began the growing process.

You may be a larger one with a healthy fruit, growing and swelling in size with flavor. However, are you one who has been 'following the Lord' for many years, but remain fruitless? What is the fruit that God would have you bear?

According to Galatians 5:22, the fruit of the Spirit is:

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-Control

On a scale of 1-10, 1 being worst, 10 being your best, how would you rate yourself on each of these? Have you had a lot of joy and peace lately? Or have you been filled with anxiety? Have you been frustrated with everyone around you? Or are you patient (and gracious) towards others, i.e. family members, coworkers, employer, employees, spouse, kids, other drivers on the road?

How are your relationships? Do you have any broken ones? Dysfunctional, resentment torn ones? Or are you being kind, and loving (and forgiving) toward others who have wronged you?

And where is your self-control at? Are you having self-control in your eating, drinking (sugary and/or alcohol drinks), your finances/spending, your argumentative conversations, your anger, your_______________(fill in the blank).

Here is the great thing about these fruits of the Spirit...they are NOT intended for you to muster up all on your own. They are the results of your soul being watered by the Word of God (Bible), fertilized by doses of church, consistent care and maintenance by the presence of the Lord in your life ushered in by prayer and worship!

Do you have these things in your life: the Word, prayer, worship, and church? They are the glue that keep your lives held together!!!

In Matthew 12:33, Jesus says, "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit".

"No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it". - Hebrew 12:11

My garden will only survive when I ACTIVELY participate in its growth. I have to be disciplined to water it, fertilize it and pluck out the weeds. I have to be disciplined to take care of it. Just like our lives, we must be disciplined to say no to the things that spoil our fruit: the wreckless behaviors, the interfering relationships, the careless church absences, the obsessive overcommitments, the continual divisive conversations, and the complete negligence of God.

We want fruitful lives. We want to lead people down the path to eternal life with our actions of love, gentleness, kindness, and peace. The only way that others will enjoy our fruit is if we enjoy time with the LORD! We have to discipline ourselves to show up and let God speak to our hearts and submit to His guidance. We have to let Him nourish our souls to bear the fruit.

I want to be like this healthy rich-colored vine on my pumpkin plant. This thing is the healthiest one in the patch. I want to be the one that stands out next to the rest and shine for the Lord. I want people to see Christ in my life.

Are you willing to let God into your heart daily? Are you willing to turn on the music that sings of God and edifies your soul? Are you willing to rid your life of the unhealthy relationships that tear you out of God's will and presence? Are you willing to make it to church to hear the Word preached in a way that inspires you to change? Are you willing to make Jesus Lord of your life above all else so that you can bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, etc?

Choose this day to let Christ in your garden, your heart? Take out that dusty Bible and ask God to speak to you. Ask God to become real to you in your everyday life. Talk to Him about everything. Depend on Him for everything...but most importantly....love Him completely!