THE FRUIT OF THE TREE

It’s Autumn and the harvest time
when the apple trees are bearing
sweet fruit that’s worth a mile-long hike,
and the afternoon for sharing.
 
We will know the apples trees we seek
by the goodness they are yielding,
by the bounty they have rich in store,
and the fragrance all so pleasing.
 
But the trees that have no tasty fruit
and are pleasant not for eyeing,
offer branches that are mostly bare,
and some look as though they’re dying!
 
In the rosy light, we’ll choose the best,
and our baskets we’ll be filling;
the love of Jesus in our hearts
will, with grace, be over-spilling!

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

THE FRUIT OF THE TREE

Fall has come early this year, and I have been busy with many things lately. But I will still post today, although it might be a tad shorter than usual!

"He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me."

Matthew 10:37

Jesus, the Son of God, instructed the disciples with what might have seemed a harsh truth but when the Holy Spirit reveals that eternal life is connected to this truth, it makes sense.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed and then obeyed His Father by submitting His will to His Father's. He willingly laid down His life for us. No one took it from Him. He was obedient unto death on a cross.

Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:4-5

All of Isaiah chapter 53 speaks of how the LORD laid upon His own Son the sins of the world. God turned His back on His Son. For us! Because He loves us so much! It pleased God to bruise Him.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.

Isaiah 53:10-11

The blood of Jesus was a sin offering. Blood had to be shed to satisfy the penalty of our sin. The bruising of the soul of Jesus Christ (God's anointed, which is what 'Christ' means) serves as justification for anyone accepting Christ as their Lord and Savior.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

John 3:16

Oh, how much God loves us! We cannot fully fathom the immensity!

"Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance."

Matthew 3:8

Eternal life is for anyone who regrets their sin condition, has a change of heart and mind, and turns to God to repent.