The Fruit of the Spirit - Christ's Command to Us: Bear Good Fruit and Much Fruit

So thankful to have several citrus trees in the backyard-orange, grapefruit, tangerine, calamondin and two kinds of kumquats.   I make kumquat pies using the tart kumquats.  Mmmmmh good!                

                                                         

                                                       Picked some oranges this morn.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,      Galatians 5:22  kjv

At the mention of fruit, what are your first thoughts? A snack? A dessert? Your favorite fruits?

The Bible refers to literal fruit—such as olives, grapes and figs—many times. More frequently the biblical Hebrew and Greek words translated "fruit" have a symbolic sense. All crops are considered "fruit of the earth." Children are called the "fruit of the womb." A man's words are "the fruit of his mouth."  

We are to be fruitful

Closely following God's desire for good fruit is His desire for us to produce a lot of it—to behighly productive . Jesus said, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit,showing yourselves to be my disciples" (John 15:8
, New International Version). Notice, bearing abundant fruit glorifies God and identifies Christ's disciples!

Jesus said: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit" (John 15:1-2


). "Pruning" includes the Father's loving discipline to correct our faults (Hebrews 12:5-11







).

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing"(John 15:4-5


). Rely on God and great things will happen!  

 Bear good fruit and much fruit!