Fruit

How can you tell an apple tree from an orange tree?

If it's bearing fruit, all you have to do is look at the the fruit, right?

If it's not bearing fruit, maybe you could look at the blossoms or leaves, but it takes closer inspection.

Pastor David spoke this morning on living by the Spirit versus being controlled by the flesh.

He said we're all influenced by something. And you know, it's our choice what we allow to influence us.

Will we allow the Holy Spirit to influence us or the things of this world that appeal to our fleshly desires - money or material possessions, social status, approval of man, worldly entertainment?

I loved when he said that it's not that Christians never sin but that when we are living in the Spirit we don't stay in that sin.

How do you know if you are living in the flesh? The evidences are listed in Galatians 5:19-21:

sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
idolatry, sorcery,
enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy,
drunkenness, orgies

How do you know if you are living by the Spirit? The evidence is the fruit of the Spirit:

love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

I also loved it when Pastor David said that we should never say, "I need more patience" or "I need more goodness." Instead, we should say, "I need more Jesus." Because when we have more of Jesus and are more like Him, we will have patience, goodness, etc.

So I have to ask myself, Can others tell just by looking at me, just by looking at my life --day in and day out-- that I am a Christian? What are the evidences?

Is the fruit of the Spirit prominently displayed in my life like a flourishing fruit tree? Or does it take closer inspection?

How do I live by the Spirit so that the fruit of the Spirit can grow in my life?

By crucifying my flesh with it's passions and desires. Simply put, get over myself.

This isn't a one-time thing, either. It takes daily, hourly, sometimes minute-by-minute choices to give up what I want for what Jesus wants.

It's capturing my thoughts. It's taking off the old and putting on the new. It's spending time in His Word so I know what pleases Him. And it takes dependence on Jesus to give me the strength to do it.

I'm so thankful my God doesn't just tell me what to do but is there to help me do it!