Category Archives: Fruit of the Spirit

6 Marks of Discipleship – #6 Bear Fruit

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If you missed the Intro post in this series, be sure to read it.  It will provide more context around this series.

grape vine

Jesus gives 6 very clear statements about being one of His followers or disciples.  These are not requirements for salvation or forgiveness; rather they are conditions or evidences of being His disciple.

  • Mark of Discipleship #1 Hate
  • Mark of Discipleship #2  Suffer
  • Mark of Discipleship #3 Forsake
  • Mark of Discipleship #4 Abide
  • Mark of Discipleship #5 Love

Ask any farmer what he hopes to accomplish with his trade, and he will surely reply, “Produce a large harvest.”  In other words…Bear Fruit.  This metaphor is filled with teachable lessons for the Christian.  Perhaps this is why Jesus returns to this imagery often as He instructed His followers.

“By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” John 15:8 NASB

In the beginning, God chose to test and teach His creation.  He used:  Forbidden Fruit
God had Joseph bring his family to Egypt to build a nation.  He used:  Lack of Fruit (famine)
God promised to give His people a Promised Land flowing with milk & honey: Continue reading →

Playing in the Mud

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This week’s discussion is How Does Faith Connect to your Happiness. Bonnie Gray is hosting a blog-and-comment discussion on “keeping faith fresh.” When you have finished reading here, hop over to Faith Barista and join in on the jam session!

It’s a childhood past time:  After a good down pour, go out and find a pile of mud; make slimy piles of gooey goodness; slippery castles of sloppy ooze – fun and happiness is had by all!  But as we grow older, the innocence of ‘mudplay’ gives way to another pursuit.

As adults, our search for happiness drives us to jump at the chance for self-indulgence and gratification.  We become satisfied with mere happiness when God has promised so much more – Joy! Continue reading →

Bananas & Oranges

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Orange-goes-banana-l

Bananas are an amazing fruit!  They come with their own handle and are naturally appealing.  They truly are one of my favorite fruits.  They are tasty when they are bright yellow and make great bread when they are black and disgusting.  But one of their best features is the fact that bananas produce great belches!  (Yes!  I really said ‘Belch’ – No!  My wife didn’t proofread this post…quite possibly a serious strategic error!) Continue reading →

Duck, Duck, Goose

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I always loved this game.  Sitting in a circle waiting to be ‘goosed’; chasing the ‘goose-ee’; picking the next ‘goose’…good times! 

As adults, I think we still play this game but with a much different level of anticipation and enjoyment.  We either chase after something we can’t catch or feel we are chased by something that threatens to overwhelm us.  In the end, we are left feeling suffocated, unfulfilled, or in constant turmoil.  Life was supposed to be good, fun and peaceful…Peaceful – what does that mean?  Full of peace?  A life without conflict?  Day after day of calm relaxation?

Proverbs tells us to “go to the ant” (6:6) to learn some lessons.  Well, we are going to the birds! Continue reading →

I Have Bad News…

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…and right after this, we hear:

  • There’s been an accident
  • We’re getting a divorce
  • They found a lump
  • The car won’t start
  • We lost the bid
  • I’ve been laid off
  • There’s construction traffic
  • We broke up

It’s not always big things, though – A broken plate, a missed phone call, standing in a long line – it’s still bad news, whether someone says so or not!  Continue reading →

Power Under Control

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princess-bride_Large

“Princess Bride” is a family favorite.  Any time I have to tell the kids to “Stop fighting…I mean it!”   You can be sure one of them will say, “Anyone want a peanut?”  (Those of you who have seen this movie are laughing right now.  Those who have not, are lost and wondering what’s wrong with me!  You need to see it.)

It would be too painful to “Princess Bride” aficionados for me to re-cap a scene from this movie, so suffice it to say that Fezzik (Andrea the Giant) is

Continue reading →

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