Saturday, September 15, 2018


THE FRUIT OF THE TREE
Fragrant Fruit
What fragrance do you love?
Autumn is underway here in my neck of the woods with its distinct fragrances—apples, rain, cool mornings, more frequent cups of coffee and tea and roasting and baking from the oven that sat mostly dormant during the hot summer months. God, the Creator of seasons is in control. He gives us what’s next.

There are distinctive smells in the Bible. Can you think of verses?

Here is one—the verse about when Mary anointed Jesus. She opened the alabaster jar and the whole house in Bethany was filled with a pleasing aroma.

Then took Mary a pound of ointment
of spikenard, very costly,
and anointed the feet of Jesus,
and wiped his feet with her hair:
and the house was filled with the
odour of the ointment.
John 12:3

God, in the Old and New Testaments, was pleased with the aroma of sacrifice. He sent His Son to die for our sins. Jesus, being obedient unto death on the cross, made purification for our sins. He willingly went to the cross for us. He could have aborted the mission and called angels to His side. But, He went knowing not everyone would choose to believe.


They that trust in their wealth,
and boast themselves in the multitude
of their riches; None of them can by
any means redeem his brother,
nor give to God a ransom for him:
(For the redemption of their soul is precious,
and it ceaseth for ever:) That he should
still live for ever, and not see corruption.
Psalm 49: 6-9

The ransom for a life is costly. No payment is ever enough except in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Lamb that was slain is the only one who is worthy enough to open the book and loose the seals in Revelation 5. It was John the Baptist who declared “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.
Matthew 3:8

Repent. The Bible teaches this. Turn from your own ways and follow Jesus Christ. God accepts u-turns! Turn around to Him who is tapping you on the shoulder. Time is running out. Do it now! You’re not going to live forever on this planet.

And I gave her space to repent
of her fornication; and she repented not.
Revelation 2:21

What we decide now will determine where we spend our eternity.

Those that receive Jesus are given power to become children of God. (John 1:12). And then, the Holy Spirit enters in. The Holy Spirit produces fruits: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. In other words, they're always correct.
Pray for:

F   ullfilling love.
R   eal joy.
A   bundant peace.
G   reat patience.
R   idiculous kindness.
A   ttentive goodness.
N   ever-ending faithfulness.
C   ompassionate gentleness.
E   ven-keel self-control.


Pray the nine fruits of the Spirit for yourself and your family. Ask that you would have these fruits over-flowing like a basket of apples tipped over and spilling out.  If we ask for much, our hearts might overflow. Pray that God would give your distraught friend real joy. Ask God to give abundant peace to your friend who is heartsick over his lost family. Pray that God would soften the heart of your enemy with ridiculous kindness. Ask God to give your short-tempered spouse great patience. Pray that your teenage child living in today's world maintains even-keel self-control.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
 for we know not what we should pray for
as we ought: but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings
which cannot be uttered.
 And he that searcheth the hearts
 knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
 because he maketh intercession for the saints
 according to the will of God. 
Romans 8:26-27 
Even so every good tree
bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree
 bringeth forth evil fruit.
Matthew 7:17  
 
What fragrance do you leave behind? Be a good tree. May it produce a fragrance pleasing to God, which can lead to real JOY!

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