Fruit of the Spirit

Date: May 1, 2023

I use the BLESS method every morning for my devotional. 

B - Bible Verse
L - Listen for God's Word and pray
E - Explore the History and meaning
S - Study and savor the Key Words or Phrases
S - Summarize and Share

You can read more about it by going to: What is a Faith Journal?

As we start this new month of May, I'm excited to dive into a new theme called Bearing Fruit. We'll be exploring what it means to bear fruit for God's Kingdom and how the Bible can help us do that. 

Now, when we talk about bearing fruit for God, we're talking about living a life that reflects God's love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the Fruits of the Spirit that Paul talks about in Galatians 5:22-23, which is our scripture for today. When we live a life that exhibits these qualities, we are bearing fruit for God's Kingdom.

But it's not always easy to bear fruit, is it? Life is full of challenges and distractions that can pull us away from God's path for us. That's where the Scriptures come in. The Bible is full of stories and teachings that show us how to live a life that bears fruit for God.

So, this month, we'll be exploring these Scriptures and learning how we can apply them to our lives. We'll be looking at how we can cultivate the Fruits of the Spirit in our hearts and minds, and how we can use them to bring God's light and love into the world around us.

I hope you'll join me on this journey of learning and growth, as we explore what it means to bear fruit for God's Kingdom.  Let’s get started with The BLESS Method.

B - Bible Verse: Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

L - Listen for God's Word and Pray: Lord, as we read this passage, we ask for Your help in understanding what it means to bear fruit for Your Kingdom. Please help us to grow in these fruits of the Spirit so that we can be a blessing to others and glorify You in all that we do.

E - Explore the History and Meaning: The book of Galatians was written by the Apostle Paul to a group of churches in the region of Galatia. In this letter, Paul addressed some false teachings that had crept into the churches, particularly the idea that believers needed to follow Jewish customs in order to be saved.

In chapter 5, Paul talks about what our sinful desires want us to do and how it's different from what the Holy Spirit produces in us. He lists nine characteristics that are produced in the lives of believers who are walking in the Spirit. Love is the first fruit mentioned, and it's often considered the most important because it's the foundation for all the others. Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are all essential qualities for Christians to use in their lives.

S - Study the Key Words or Phrases: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are the key words in this passage. Each of these words describes a different aspect of the character of Christ that we are called to emulate as His followers. Take some time to meditate on each word and ask God to help you grow in that particular area. We’ll be going through them all during the month of May.

S - Summarize and Share: These verses talk about the different qualities that the Holy Spirit wants to grow in us. When we walk with the Spirit, we start to become more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. These qualities are like fruit that grows in our lives when we let the Spirit work in us. And the best part is, there's no law against them! That means we can never have too much of these things in our lives.

So if we want to see these fruits grow in us, we need to stay connected to the Holy Spirit and let Him guide us. When we do, our lives will be so much better! We'll be more patient with others, kinder, and more loving. We'll be able to control our anger and impulses better. We'll have more peace and joy, even in difficult circumstances. All of these things will help us live a more fulfilling and satisfying life.

 We can't produce these fruits on our own, but as we abide in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, we will begin to see them grow in our lives. Let's make it our goal this month to nurture these fruits and to be a blessing to others by showing them the love of Christ.

Remember, bearing fruit for God's Kingdom is not about trying to earn our salvation or impress others. It's about living a life that brings glory to God and reflects His character to the world around us.

Here are four Bible cross-references for Galatians 5:22-23:

John 15:5 - "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Colossians 3:12 - "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Ephesians 5:9 - "for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth."

Matthew 7:17 - "Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit."