TEACHING

« LAZY PEOPLE ARE SOON POOR ; HARD WORKERS GET RICH. A WISE YOUTH WORKS HARD ALL SUMMER, A YOUTH WHO SLEEPS AWAY THE HOUR OF OPPORTUNITY BRINGS SHAME » PROVERBS 10,4-5

Every move related to our life has a price to pay. If you plan your day well you will enjoy its good fruits, and this is all about TIME. We all love to see the doctor in his white outfit with his stethoscope around his neck. We can also think of the lawyer in a court defending his client in his professional gown, or a smart pilot in his suit heading towards a big aircraft to fly hundreds of passengers to their various destinations. One thing is sure about them: they worked hard in school.

It is believed that TIME is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice because the water that has passed will never pass again. The time you are spending in school today at your age is a golden chance for you to make good use of. It is also like a flowing river. The water that is passing will never come to pass again in the same way or manner. Today, many old men and women regret for not working hard in school in order to achieve their aim. The reason for this regret is that they cannot have the same opportunities today as they had it yesterday. Yesterday, they were young and strong. Yesterday, their parents were there to cater for them while they were in school. Yesterday they had fewer problems to solve. Today it is not the same. You see? « Had I known is always at last ».

What will lead you to become a respectable personality in your community tomorrow is measured by the mark and impact you leave in school today.

Every day has twenty four (24) hours filled with opportunities to grow and be productive. Yet, it is so easy to waste time, letting life slip from your grasp. If a person is not willing to work hard he or she can find endless excuses to avoid it. But laziness is more dangerous than a prowling lion. Yes, because a lion devours you and you are gone, but laziness causes you to fail in life and you live to see its consequences and regret it always. The less you do, the less you want to do. Often we refuse do things that seem difficult, boring or disagreeable. But to continue putting them off shows lack of discipline or poor stewardship of time. The subjects which we don't enjoy in school simply require concentration, twice as much time, lots of encouragement. Remember this when you are tempted to procrastinate. Don't rush into doing things, because if you rush you crush.

So why not try this if you want to come out of school with flying colours ? Set a concrete realistic goal, figure out the steps needed to reach it and follow these steps. Plan while others are playing, study while others are sleeping, begin while others are procrastinating, persist while others are quitting. And the most important of all, seek God's guidance while others are using human strategies. Try these and you will testify. God bless you.

« Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do : Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me a heavenward in Christ Jesus »

Many people say they believe in God's mercy and forgiveness, yet they worry about the stains on the pages of their past. Paul had reason to forget what was behind; he had helped those who stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7 :57-58). We have all done things which are regrettable. We may have failed in many areas of our lives in 2008. We probably did not do well in school examinations, we were without work, our health was in jeopardy, failed projects, disappointing marriages etc. As we begin the year 2009, we are uncertain of what the future holds. But let us be glad for one thing, we can leave the past behind with all its worries, pains and heartaches, mistakes and blunders because they are forever in the past.

Pain, suffering, stress, and other difficulties are the admission tickets to the game of life. But, at times, we cannot help suspecting that life would be much more pleasant without any misfortune. Alas that is not the way it is, for in a world without hurdles, there are no champions; without suffering, there are no saints; without battles, there are no victories; without rain, no rainbows. Doesn't it appear that a world that includes pain is more rewarding than one that doesn't? Adversity is necessary to produce character, so let us recognize misfortune for what it is: an opportunity to lift ourselves to a higher level.

We cannot UNDO one single act or UNSAY a single careless word, but we CAN MAKE a fresh start in 2009. Let me ask one simple question. Can you move forward while your face is turned backward? Certainly no! You will run into a ditch. We don't have to bear the burden of guilt or regret. The mistakes and sorrows of 2008 are in God's hands sheltered by His love.

I have personally noticed that, anytime I look back I am tempted to blame someone for a wrong either against me or my family. I recall some errors done. These do not only set me back or sadden me, but they also cause me heartache. If you want to enjoy good health then just forgive and forget the past. We will achieve inner peace when we let go of anger, disappointments and regrets - all our negativity. All the while we harbor negative thoughts we let the "little foxes" chat away in our heads about how wounded we are and how bad things only happen to us.
When you let go of the bad feelings, forgiving others and yourself, you overcome those negative voices and are able to concentrate on the good things in life - this is the road to inner Peace but you have to work at it because it is always under construction.

If you want to love everybody as God commands us to do then never look back. Oh yes, why not? You can look backward sometimes but it should only serve as learning a lesson from it to correct a wrong or to improve upon something.

God is capable of giving us in this year 2009, « a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair » (Isaiah 61:3) But hey, the news is that « all these work together for good to those who love God » You cannot embrace this promise without loving God! Regardless of your circumstances, however bitter and regrettable during the past year, your love for Jesus will make 2009 so bright you will never want it to end. And it won't. !

Let us continually praise our God for His Grace and the different ways in which He comes to us. Let us find Him in scripture, glimpse Him in the world around us and encounter Him through the community of His people. Most of all let us see Him in Christ, who reveals the mysterious depths of His love that embraces all people everywhere. May we never be content with narrow definitions and limited understandings, but seek always open hearts and minds that allow Him to come to us in new and surprising ways.

The Fruit of the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, God's active love and work within and through us, which allows us to produce real godly character and commitment. It is the core of our moral fibre that stretches throughout our being, embracing and holding together our relationships and opportunities, sealed as a choice and commitment, and not just a feeling.

The Fruit of the Spirit is described as a fruit, because it is made up of more than one substance; it has juice, pulp, peal, core, segments, and seeds, all held together by skin, and attached to the tree by a stem where its nutrients flow in. If you just eat the pulp or juice and throw out the rest, how can you use the seeds to grow more? If you take the fruit off the vine, it will wither and rot; if the vine is not cared for, the tree will die. So it is with the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit that the Fruit of the Spirit is exhibited. This analogy is reminiscent of Jesus' teachings on 'the vine, branches and fruitful harvest' . Since fruit is singular here, it apparently sees its characteristics, listed below, in harmony. It is a multifaceted prism that displays its beauty in diverse but integrated ways. It requires the growth of faith to nurture what is more than just one substance. All of its substances combined are greater than the sum of its parts. This is a composite description of character, and it is akin to a Christ-like nature, fitting for the believer who, by faith, is guided by His indwelling.

Let us examine the main Fruit(s) of the Spirit that flow from God's work and love in us. These all flow from love and collaborate as one in each other (Galatians 5:22-23):

Love enables us to appreciate our brothers and sisters in the Lord and, of course, our family and others around us. Love is taking the initiative to expand and meet the needs of others, without expecting anything in return.

Joy allows us to enjoy our relationship with Christ, others, and our circumstances, with an expression of delight, and real, authentic happiness from and in harmony with God.

Peace is surrendering and yielding ourselves to the Lord, to be under His control, for He is our ultimate peace. It is allowing tranquillity to be our attitude and this is fuelled by the harmonious relationship with God, handing over control of our heart, will, and mind to Him. Once we make real peace with God, we are able to make and maintain peace with others.

Patience is showing tolerance and fortitude toward others, even accepting difficult situations from them, and God, without making demands or conditions. Patience allows us to endure a less than desirable situation, to subsequently make us better, more useful, and even optimistic and prudent. It allows us to tolerate others who upset us, without losing other characteristics of grace.

Kindness is the medium through which Christ's love becomes tangible in us. It is having a generous and a loving attitude towards others. Kindness is the essence that shows the world that we are Christians, like the fragrance coming from a flower. It is being convicted with God's Word, and then representing it in action towards others.

Goodness displays integrity, honesty and compassion to others, and allows us to do the right thing. It is doing the right thing, even when it does not feel pleasant, as Joseph did. He was betrayed and sold into slavery; yet, he chose to make the best out of his situation by helping and treating others better than he needed to. Goodness is the model for people to repent and accept Christ.

Faithfulness is the application of our faith in action, fused with being dependable. It is not faith itself, rather, the fruit and character of faith. It is the fruit that cements and preserves our faith, and the other characters of the Spirit, and identifies God's will, so we can trust and depend on Him. Faith is the one fruit that we give to God, whereas faithfulness and the other fruits, virtues and characters are from the Spirit working in us. Faithfulness is authenticity, the power and motivation for Christian living.

Gentleness is the character that shows calmness, personal care, and tenderness in meeting the needs of others. It is more than just a personality; it is who we are, from the work of the Spirit within us.

Self-Control is allowing God to be in control of our will and heart, and seeking the Spirit to enable us. Then we will know what not to do, and guard the areas in which we are weak. This will allow us to have discipline and restraint, with obedience to God and others. It is preventing distractions from derailing or removing us from His will and plan, so as not to be held back from what Christ is calling us to do.

God has given us the power to live for Him victoriously and with excellence. He nourishes us, and gives us knowledge and the resources to be godly and good. If we truly trust in Chris not just as Saviour but also as LORD we are given the power and ability to live a life of fullness, distinction of character, and supernatural spiritual maturity. We will not lack the resources to appropriate His gifts and opportunities into our lives. We only have to hold firmly to our faith with absolute determination and trust, and obeying His will. If we fail to heed, we will experience a life of waste and even sin, missing out what is so good and precious for us.

Because Christ has made us right with God we need to be active with the Fruit of the Spirit. So, how do we live out that faith and grow in Him? When we receive faith and salvation that we do not deserve or earn, we consequently respond with gratitude for what He has given, with a desire for more. But to be so, we need Christ's empowerment. This will come from knowing Him, growing in Him, and then having to live for Him. This means we are being called on to be productive and useful in the Kingdom as well as our communities.

Christ has given to us all we need in order to grow. We have His Spirit, His Word, His Fruit, and our faith community. This does not even include the countless resources we have in our modern age.

The true application of the Christian life comes only from the result of a life that is transformed

'Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will'. Romans 12:1-2

We are called to partake of His divine nature. He gives us the power of His Fruit of the Spirit to do so, even to overcome temptations and evil. If we do not sidestep corruption and evil, we will become consumed with all that takes us away from Christ and His call to develop and mature our faith. Goodness cannot work when we are distracted away from Him. If we do not live the godly life, but rather yield to acts of a sinful nature, we cannot lead others to Him.

The acts of a sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 'I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God' (Gal. 5:19-21) . This means we are not being rooted in Christ but rather engaging in things that create discord and evil.

We take our eyes off Christ and place them on our circumstances, thus making us empty and bankrupt to deal with those circumstances. We should not let this myopic thinking happen to us.

How we are transformed : But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Gal 5:22-26) God uses His Spirit and Word to transform us. He sends us His Spirit, and we respond because true application comes out of a changed life and leads to a life transformed.

This Fruit in action comes from our submission to God, which produces love, kindness, gentleness... This happens when we are changed by what He has done. When we profess Christ as Lord or make a public testimony, we are declaring that Jesus Christ has a hold on our lives from now through eternity that transcends human understanding. We are no longer of this world, but belong to Him as His child, saved and redeemed. This is the start of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ as not just Saviour, but as LORD over all, over our desires, needs, and plans. This is imparted to us though our intimacy with Him. True intimacy is a deep affection and knowledge of Christ that is generated by our heartfelt devotion, commitment, and trust. This is, in turn, demonstrated by our willingness and the action of moving forward in our journey of faith.

We therefore surrender all of what we are so He becomes more and we become less. We do this because what we gain is so much more; it is peace, serenity, confidence, hope, and, especially, His Fruit that impact us as well as those around us. If you think this is too difficult, consider Peter, who writes about the Fruit in 1 Peter 1. He is the example; through a slow and arduous process, he found this to be achievable and something he could even excel at. He went from being the arrogant, headstrong, and reckless fisherman to calling himself a 'slave', a remarkable picture of Christ's imputing and impacting work that we can also have.

So, how "fertile" are we?" how is the Fruit of the Spirit growing in us? How should the Fruit be growing in and through us? Is Christ coming through us in all things? Our faith will be tested--not to attack or cause us to fail--but to teach us to be more faithful, stronger, and better so we can be better to those around us. God wants us holy and pure in Him.

To make us pure, He needs to prune and refine us. This is an opportunity for us to be more than we could ever be on our own. Our growth in Him means faith, spiritual maturity, and character development. These are things more precious than any personal success. As we overcome adversity, we will grow and become stronger. We will worship Him more deeply and purely. We will honour Him more deeply, more pertinently, and touch the lives of others more deeply, too.

Life is not about our wants, needs, and comfort; it is about Christ working in us more powerfully and triumphantly. Allow the holiness of our Lord, His grace, His patience, understanding, faith, loyalty, goodness, and love to be exhibited in you--not by imitation, but with gratitude and submission, kept by His power.

We cannot be godly without the fruit of the Spirit; we just do not have that ability.
As a matter of our nature, we are bent on getting what we desire. Even the best of what we are gets twisted by this inner drive.
God has a very different way, and wants us to follow it. Since we can't, the Spirit grows us up, cleans us up, and makes good ('fruit') come from us, making us whole in the nature of Christ.
Where 'the fruit of the Spirit' is present, the Spirit is at work. We can trust in it.
Each person in the Spirit has the fruit differently, and each fruit has a different shape in each person -- but all the fruit will show themselves in each Christian as he or she goes deeper into their walk with the Spirit.


				REFLECTIONS


		see also		At the heart of the Gospel message is the image of a fruitful life - allowing Jesus to live His life in us and through us. In this rubric we contemplate on the teachings of Jesus and how we can be inspired to be effective witnesses in the world. Just as His instructions and teachings revolutionised lives, so a proper understanding of what He is saying can revolutionise ours also. It is our desire, through these pages, to point readers back to the simplicity of a life lived out of a relationship with Christ. A life of intimacy, of abiding in Him, is the source and spring of all -other activity and endeavour. No branch can bear fruit when it is detached from the tree. The branch bears fruit because it abides in the vine.'We hope our perspective delivers this meaningful message in an effective, expeditious and expressive manner.
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				YOUTH ! IT'S TIME TO SEIZE YOUR PROSPECT « LAZY PEOPLE ARE SOON POOR ; HARD WORKERS GET RICH. A WISE YOUTH WORKS HARD ALL SUMMER, A YOUTH WHO SLEEPS AWAY THE HOUR OF OPPORTUNITY BRINGS SHAME » PROVERBS 10,4-5 Every move related to our life has a price to pay. If you plan your day well you will enjoy its good fruits, and this is all about TIME. We all love to see the doctor in his white outfit with his stethoscope around his neck. We can also think of the lawyer in a court defending his client in his professional gown, or a smart pilot in his suit heading towards a big aircraft to fly hundreds of passengers to their various destinations. One thing is sure about them: they worked hard in school. It is believed that TIME is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice because the water that has passed will never pass again. The time you are spending in school today at your age is a golden chance for you to make good use of. It is also like a flowing river. The water that is passing will never come to pass again in the same way or manner. Today, many old men and women regret for not working hard in school in order to achieve their aim. The reason for this regret is that they cannot have the same opportunities today as they had it yesterday. Yesterday, they were young and strong. Yesterday, their parents were there to cater for them while they were in school. Yesterday they had fewer problems to solve. Today it is not the same. You see? « Had I known is always at last ». What will lead you to become a respectable personality in your community tomorrow is measured by the mark and impact you leave in school today. Every day has twenty four (24) hours filled with opportunities to grow and be productive. Yet, it is so easy to waste time, letting life slip from your grasp. If a person is not willing to work hard he or she can find endless excuses to avoid it. But laziness is more dangerous than a prowling lion. Yes, because a lion devours you and you are gone, but laziness causes you to fail in life and you live to see its consequences and regret it always. The less you do, the less you want to do. Often we refuse do things that seem difficult, boring or disagreeable. But to continue putting them off shows lack of discipline or poor stewardship of time. The subjects which we don't enjoy in school simply require concentration, twice as much time, lots of encouragement. Remember this when you are tempted to procrastinate. Don't rush into doing things, because if you rush you crush. So why not try this if you want to come out of school with flying colours ? Set a concrete realistic goal, figure out the steps needed to reach it and follow these steps. Plan while others are playing, study while others are sleeping, begin while others are procrastinating, persist while others are quitting. And the most important of all, seek God's guidance while others are using human strategies. Try these and you will testify. God bless you. FORGETTING THE PAST AND FORGING AHEAD: By Rev. Pastor Martin Luther Awuku. « Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do : Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me a heavenward in Christ Jesus » Many people say they believe in God's mercy and forgiveness, yet they worry about the stains on the pages of their past. Paul had reason to forget what was behind; he had helped those who stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7 :57-58). We have all done things which are regrettable. We may have failed in many areas of our lives in 2008. We probably did not do well in school examinations, we were without work, our health was in jeopardy, failed projects, disappointing marriages etc. As we begin the year 2009, we are uncertain of what the future holds. But let us be glad for one thing, we can leave the past behind with all its worries, pains and heartaches, mistakes and blunders because they are forever in the past. Pain, suffering, stress, and other difficulties are the admission tickets to the game of life. But, at times, we cannot help suspecting that life would be much more pleasant without any misfortune. Alas that is not the way it is, for in a world without hurdles, there are no champions; without suffering, there are no saints; without battles, there are no victories; without rain, no rainbows. Doesn't it appear that a world that includes pain is more rewarding than one that doesn't? Adversity is necessary to produce character, so let us recognize misfortune for what it is: an opportunity to lift ourselves to a higher level. We cannot UNDO one single act or UNSAY a single careless word, but we CAN MAKE a fresh start in 2009. Let me ask one simple question. Can you move forward while your face is turned backward? Certainly no! You will run into a ditch. We don't have to bear the burden of guilt or regret. The mistakes and sorrows of 2008 are in God's hands sheltered by His love. I have personally noticed that, anytime I look back I am tempted to blame someone for a wrong either against me or my family. I recall some errors done. These do not only set me back or sadden me, but they also cause me heartache. If you want to enjoy good health then just forgive and forget the past. We will achieve inner peace when we let go of anger, disappointments and regrets - all our negativity. All the while we harbor negative thoughts we let the "little foxes" chat away in our heads about how wounded we are and how bad things only happen to us. When you let go of the bad feelings, forgiving others and yourself, you overcome those negative voices and are able to concentrate on the good things in life - this is the road to inner Peace but you have to work at it because it is always under construction. If you want to love everybody as God commands us to do then never look back. Oh yes, why not? You can look backward sometimes but it should only serve as learning a lesson from it to correct a wrong or to improve upon something. God is capable of giving us in this year 2009, « a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair » (Isaiah 61:3) But hey, the news is that « all these work together for good to those who love God » You cannot embrace this promise without loving God! Regardless of your circumstances, however bitter and regrettable during the past year, your love for Jesus will make 2009 so bright you will never want it to end. And it won't. ! Let us continually praise our God for His Grace and the different ways in which He comes to us. Let us find Him in scripture, glimpse Him in the world around us and encounter Him through the community of His people. Most of all let us see Him in Christ, who reveals the mysterious depths of His love that embraces all people everywhere. May we never be content with narrow definitions and limited understandings, but seek always open hearts and minds that allow Him to come to us in new and surprising ways. IN STEP WITH THE SPIRIT By Rev. (Dr) Emmanuel Owusu. The Fruit of the Spirit is the Holy Spirit, God's active love and work within and through us, which allows us to produce real godly character and commitment. It is the core of our moral fibre that stretches throughout our being, embracing and holding together our relationships and opportunities, sealed as a choice and commitment, and not just a feeling. The Fruit of the Spirit is described as a fruit, because it is made up of more than one substance; it has juice, pulp, peal, core, segments, and seeds, all held together by skin, and attached to the tree by a stem where its nutrients flow in. If you just eat the pulp or juice and throw out the rest, how can you use the seeds to grow more? If you take the fruit off the vine, it will wither and rot; if the vine is not cared for, the tree will die. So it is with the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit that the Fruit of the Spirit is exhibited. This analogy is reminiscent of Jesus' teachings on *'the vine, branches and fruitful harvest'* . Since fruit is singular here, it apparently sees its characteristics, listed below, in harmony. It is a multifaceted prism that displays its beauty in diverse but integrated ways. It requires the growth of faith to nurture what is more than just one substance. All of its substances combined are greater than the sum of its parts. This is a composite description of character, and it is akin to a Christ-like nature, fitting for the believer who, by faith, is guided by His indwelling. Let us examine the main Fruit(s) of the Spirit that flow from God's work and love in us. These all flow from love and collaborate as one in each other (Galatians 5:22-23): Love enables us to appreciate our brothers and sisters in the Lord and, of course, our family and others around us. Love is taking the initiative to expand and meet the needs of others, without expecting anything in return. Joy allows us to enjoy our relationship with Christ, others, and our circumstances, with an expression of delight, and real, authentic happiness from and in harmony with God. Peace is surrendering and yielding ourselves to the Lord, to be under His control, for He is our ultimate peace. It is allowing tranquillity to be our attitude and this is fuelled by the harmonious relationship with God, handing over control of our heart, will, and mind to Him. Once we make real peace with God, we are able to make and maintain peace with others. Patience is showing tolerance and fortitude toward others, even accepting difficult situations from them, and God, without making demands or conditions. Patience allows us to endure a less than desirable situation, to subsequently make us better, more useful, and even optimistic and prudent. It allows us to tolerate others who upset us, without losing other characteristics of grace. Kindness is the medium through which Christ's love becomes tangible in us. It is having a generous and a loving attitude towards others. Kindness is the essence that shows the world that we are Christians, like the fragrance coming from a flower. It is being convicted with God's Word, and then representing it in action towards others. Goodness displays integrity, honesty and compassion to others, and allows us to do the right thing. It is doing the right thing, even when it does not feel pleasant, as Joseph did. He was betrayed and sold into slavery; yet, he chose to make the best out of his situation by helping and treating others better than he needed to. Goodness is the model for people to repent and accept Christ. Faithfulness is the application of our faith in action, fused with being dependable. It is not faith itself, rather, the fruit and character of faith. It is the fruit that cements and preserves our faith, and the other characters of the Spirit, and identifies God's will, so we can trust and depend on Him. Faith is the one fruit that we give to God, whereas faithfulness and the other fruits, virtues and characters are from the Spirit working in us. Faithfulness is authenticity, the power and motivation for Christian living. Gentleness is the character that shows calmness, personal care, and tenderness in meeting the needs of others. It is more than just a personality; it is who we are, from the work of the Spirit within us. Self-Control is allowing God to be in control of our will and heart, and seeking the Spirit to enable us. Then we will know what not to do, and guard the areas in which we are weak. This will allow us to have discipline and restraint, with obedience to God and others. It is preventing distractions from derailing or removing us from His will and plan, so as not to be held back from what Christ is calling us to do. The Fruit of the Spirit is God's Power in us God has given us the power to live for Him victoriously and with excellence. He nourishes us, and gives us knowledge and the resources to be godly and good. If we truly trust in Chris not just as Saviour but also as LORD we are given the power and ability to live a life of fullness, distinction of character, and supernatural spiritual maturity. We will not lack the resources to appropriate His gifts and opportunities into our lives. We only have to hold firmly to our faith with absolute determination and trust, and obeying His will. If we fail to heed, we will experience a life of waste and even sin, missing out what is so good and precious for us. Are we Active with the Fruit of the Spirit ? Because Christ has made us right with God we need to be active with the Fruit of the Spirit. So, how do we live out that faith and grow in Him? When we receive faith and salvation that we do not deserve or earn, we consequently respond with gratitude for what He has given, with a desire for more. But to be so, we need Christ's empowerment. This will come from knowing Him, growing in Him, and then having to live for Him. This means we are being called on to be productive and useful in the Kingdom as well as our communities. Christ has given to us all we need in order to grow. We have His Spirit, His Word, His Fruit, and our faith community. This does not even include the countless resources we have in our modern age. The true application of the Christian life comes only from the result of a life that is transformed 'Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will'. Romans 12:1-2 The Fruit of the Spirit- the result of a life transformed by Christ . We are called to partake of His divine nature. He gives us the power of His Fruit of the Spirit to do so, even to overcome temptations and evil. If we do not sidestep corruption and evil, we will become consumed with all that takes us away from Christ and His call to develop and mature our faith. Goodness cannot work when we are distracted away from Him. If we do not live the godly life, but rather yield to acts of a sinful nature, we cannot lead others to Him. The acts of a sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. *'I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God' (Gal. 5:19-21)* . This means we are not being rooted in Christ but rather engaging in things that create discord and evil. We take our eyes off Christ and place them on our circumstances, thus making us empty and bankrupt to deal with those circumstances. We should not let this myopic thinking happen to us. How we are transformed : But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Gal 5:22-26) God uses His Spirit and Word to transform us. He sends us His Spirit, and we respond because true application comes out of a changed life and leads to a life transformed. This Fruit in action comes from our submission to God, which produces love, kindness, gentleness... This happens when we are changed by what He has done. When we profess Christ as Lord or make a public testimony, we are declaring that Jesus Christ has a hold on our lives from now through eternity that transcends human understanding. We are no longer of this world, but belong to Him as His child, saved and redeemed. This is the start of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ as not just Saviour, but as LORD over all, over our desires, needs, and plans. This is imparted to us though our intimacy with Him. True intimacy is a deep affection and knowledge of Christ that is generated by our heartfelt devotion, commitment, and trust. This is, in turn, demonstrated by our willingness and the action of moving forward in our journey of faith. We therefore surrender all of what we are so He becomes more and we become less. We do this because what we gain is so much more; it is peace, serenity, confidence, hope, and, especially, His Fruit that impact us as well as those around us. If you think this is too difficult, consider Peter, who writes about the Fruit in 1 Peter 1. He is the example; through a slow and arduous process, he found this to be achievable and something he could even excel at. He went from being the arrogant, headstrong, and reckless fisherman to calling himself a 'slave', a remarkable picture of Christ's imputing and impacting work that we can also have. So, how "fertile" are we?" how is the Fruit of the Spirit growing in us? How should the Fruit be growing in and through us? Is Christ coming through us in all things? Our faith will be tested--not to attack or cause us to fail--but to teach us to be more faithful, stronger, and better so we can be better to those around us. God wants us holy and pure in Him. To make us pure, He needs to prune and refine us. This is an opportunity for us to be more than we could ever be on our own. Our growth in Him means faith, spiritual maturity, and character development. These are things more precious than any personal success. As we overcome adversity, we will grow and become stronger. We will worship Him more deeply and purely. We will honour Him more deeply, more pertinently, and touch the lives of others more deeply, too. Life is not about our wants, needs, and comfort; it is about Christ working in us more powerfully and triumphantly. Allow the holiness of our Lord, His grace, His patience, understanding, faith, loyalty, goodness, and love to be exhibited in you--not by imitation, but with gratitude and submission, kept by His power. In recap: We cannot be godly without the fruit of the Spirit; we just do not have that ability. As a matter of our nature, we are bent on getting what we desire. Even the best of what we are gets twisted by this inner drive. God has a very different way, and wants us to follow it. Since we can't, the Spirit grows us up, cleans us up, and makes good ('fruit') come from us, making us whole in the nature of Christ. Where 'the fruit of the Spirit' is present, the Spirit is at work. We can trust in it. Each person in the Spirit has the fruit differently, and each fruit has a different shape in each person -- but all the fruit will show themselves in each Christian as he or she goes deeper into their walk with the Spirit.

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