AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Friday – January 6, 2023, Tevet 13, 5783
FRIDAY NUGGETS
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT – PART EIGHT
Greeting dear and precious saints of God and welcome back to our Friday Bible Study named Friday Nuggets and I am currently exploring the Fruit of the Spirit, today is part eight. I did not plan it but it is appropriate that today be the eighth teaching indicating a new year, a new beginning. I trust this new year is off to a victorious start for all readers. Please take a moment and share this teaching as widely as possible by every means at your disposal to expand, extend our reach with this wonderful, nothing like it, news. There is no better news than that contained in the Holy Bible and demonstrated in our lives. Now continuing to read out loud, let’s read our primary Bible text.
Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Fruit is the useful thing that is produced, in the case, by our spirit. Let’s consider that our spirit contains nine trees with the potential to produce nine different, but interrelated fruits. The tree nor the potential for fruit, is of any use, but the fruit is very useful. Consider, an apple tree by itself, even in blossom, is of no real use, but with apples on it, it is very useful. And so, it is with us, our potential is of no use to us, to others, or to God, but the exercise of these fruits and the bringing forth of these fruits, is of great benefit to us, to others, and to the Kingdom of God. Now, consider this. We are either bringing forth the desires of our flesh or the desires of our spirit. What is manifesting in my life, in your life?
Galatians 5:19-21 (KJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Let’s talk about judging for a moment. As I will discuss in a moment, Jesus said that we will know people by their fruit. This will involve discerning between the manifestations of the flesh verses manifestations of the spirit (our spirit). This brings us to the pesky topic of judging. People are quick to say: “the Bible says don’t judge”. Actually, it doesn’t exactly. The Bible tells us to judge all things but not to pass judgement. Judging something has to do with discerning or distinguishing between right and wrong. What the Bible does forbid is the passing of judgment which is declaring the consequence of a sinful action. For example, if we observe Bill a married man running around with Rose a woman married to another man and think that is not right and is a sin, forbidden of God we are on good ground. However, if we go further and say: “Bill and Rose are in adultery and going to Hell” we have gone too far by declaring a consequence or penalty for their sin. Now, we are ready to examine a couple of Scriptures.
Matthew 7:1-2 (KJV)
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
The words translated to English as “Judge” and “judged” here means to pass judgement or declare a consequence. It is the Greek word translated to English as krinō meaning to distinguish, decide, to try, condemn, punish, avenge, conclude, condemn, or damn according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. On the other hand, Jesus told us to distinguish (judge) between the “fruits” being produced in peoples’ lives, those of the flesh or the spirit.
Matthew 7:16-20 (KJV)
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
So, the works of the flesh will bring forth evil fruit and the fruits of our spirit will bring forth good fruit. Notice how Jesus says this in another place.
Luke 6:43-46 (KJV)
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
A tree (person) may look just fine, says the right things, seems to have it together yet their lives are a mess. Jesus said they have evil treasure in their hearts and are thereby evil. Bad things in our lives are the consequences of our choices due to corrupted thoughts, and beliefs over time. The fruit of our lives is not just the way it is, someone else’s fault, or circumstances, it is our choices with the deceptions of the devils. We believed other words than the Word of God just like Eve in the Garden. Corruption comes from following after the lusts of our eye, the lusts of our flesh, or pride of life. Good fruit, abundance in every area comes from following after the Spirit of God, the Word of God. All of our lives are bearing fruit, is it the fruits of the curse or fruits of the blessing of righteousness of our born-again (resurrected) spirit? Lord willing next Friday I will pick up with the fruit of love (agape).
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
2 Chronicles 20:20 b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Receive the blessing in Jesus’ name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (MSG)
24 GOD bless you and keep you,
25 GOD smile on you and gift you,
26 GOD look you full in the face and make you prosper.
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