Fruit

Praise God for being good and faithful. God's new mercies amaze me every time. I battled with some things this past week, and the reality of the struggle between the flesh and the spirit was made even more evident. I asked God to purify me and set me free from those things that weigh me down and the things that conflict with the Spirit. Deserving of punishment and guilt, I approached the throne of grace and asked God for forgiveness. How precious is the promise that we're forgiven by the blood of Jesus. How precious is the blood of the Lamb! It sets us free from sin and destruction.

I arrived at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa at 9:30 and listened to the teaching of Chuck Smith. Today's message was titled, "Works Versus Fruit." It was based on Galatians 5:19-23.

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery (greek: pharmakeia, possible translation: "drugs used for self-gratifying purposes") , enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies (revellings or excessive immoral partying), and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love (agape), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:19-23 ESV)

Pastor Chuck defined each work of the flesh and reminded us that those we practice those things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. How we all need to consider each work of the flesh carefully and examine ourselves to see if we're deceived into thinking we're in communion with God. Contrast the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit, again, examine ourselves to see if we're in a growing relationship with God. The fruit of the Spirit comes by a natural relationship with Christ. Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5 ESV) Some would like to believe that we can work to obtain the fruit. We hear people saying, "I'll try by best to love," or "With enough peaceful thoughts, I'll be sure to find peace." However, the only lasting way to produce the fruit of the Spirit is by abiding in Christ. We cannot obtain and then give others agape, joy, and peace by our own strength. It's only by staying connected to the Vine.

The works of the flesh is what you would find at a factory, things produced by the labor of man. We can never say that God helped us in the production of our passion for sex, intellect, power, uncleanness, selfish ambitions, and all the other works of the flesh. We were the ones that labored, sometimes to great lengths, for those things. What do you think? Does God desire to meet us at the factory, even if there's something notable to boast about? Do we impress God by the work of our hands? Many will boast in their prophesying and doing great things for the Kingdom of God, but in that Day, Jesus will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." (Matthew 7:23 ESV). Oh wake up Church! Wake up those of you who boast in anything save the cross of Christ! Repent and be saved from the judgment to come!

God waits and waits and suffers long for lost sinners, and the saints, filled with Spirit, also wait long with Him. God awaits us at the garden, where the works of the flesh and the boasting of man in himself are not present. It is the Fruit that Jesus wants us to taste and enjoy, and we receive it freely by living in Him daily.

I wanted to share the rest of the day with you, because God was with me every minute, and His presence, His glory, His grace, His way is just incredible, literally indescribable with words, although we do our best to communicate these wonders through words, but it's getting late, and I best be mentally and physically ready to teach the little ones a thing or two about reading and math. However much I may want to describe my entire day's experience with you, I desire even more for you to know God intimately and walk humbly with Him. Give all the glory to Him who gave us His life, freeing us from sin, and giving us a new life marked by love, joy, peace that surpasses all understanding. Abide in Christ and live!