By Pastor Naomi Mitchell
For Carter County Times
I love good fruits in season. I love apples and oranges, grapes, strawberries, blueberries and the list goes on. But they are best in their season! January: Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and kiwis. February: Blood oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. March: Strawberries, pineapples, and rhubarb. April: Strawberries, apricots, and cherries. May: Cherries, strawberries, and blueberries. June: Blueberries, raspberries, and peaches. July: Peaches, plums, and blackberries. August: Watermelons, cantaloupes, and figs. September: Apples, pears, and grapes. October: Apples, pears, and pomegranates. November: Persimmons, cranberries, and kiwis. December: Oranges, grapefruits, and pomegranates. At the grocery store these are in the “produce” department.
So, there you have it. Isn’t God just wonderful! He spreads the growing and harvesting of these delicious healthy fruits over many seasons. Disappointment happens when we buy good looking fruit out of season. There is no taste, even when we inspect the fruit at the store before we purchase it.
The Fruit of the Spirit is similar. There are certain seasons we grow and harvest during certain times in our lives. We will know when we are not in season with certain fruit and others will know, too, by our “attitude (fruit) of the day” when things aren’t going as planned.
There are nine qualities (fruit) that the Holy Spirit “produces” in the life of a believer.
Love: Love chooses the highest good of others even when it costs you. It reflects the heart of God in every decision.
Joy: Joy is deep, steady gladness that comes from knowing God is with you and for you regardless of circumstances.
Peace: Peace is the calm confidence that God is in control. It quiets fear and anchors your soul.
Patience: Patience is strength under pressure. It is trusting God’s timing instead of forcing your own.
Kindness: Kindness is treating people with generosity and compassion because God had done the same for you.
Goodness: Goodness is choosing what is right even when no one is watching. It is integrity in action.
Faithfulness: Faithfulness is consistency in your character, commitments, and walk with God. It is reliability over the long haul.
Gentleness: Gentleness is strength that is under control. It is responding with grace instead of reacting with force.
Self-control: Self-control is ruling your desires instead of letting them rule you. It is discipline empowered by the Spirit.
Matthew 7:16 says, “you shall know them by their fruit.” Matthew 7:18 says, “a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” The Fruit of the Spirit is always in season. As believers (the good tree) we should be striving to produce good fruits every day in our lives. We must ask the Holy Spirit to keep us pruned and producing every day. When we are productive in the Fruit of the Spirit, we are sharing the love of God to those around us.
The first Fruit of the Spirit is love. For God so loved. Without love we will not be able to cultivate the other fruit. You can’t have joy without love. You can’t have peace without love and so on.
When is the last time you inspected your own fruit? Do not be the rotten apple that spoils the whole bushel. Walk in the Fruit of the Spirit daily and “they will know that we are Christians by our love!” Let us spread the love of God in all we do and say and how we treat others!
Amen! So be it!
JOYFUL House of Prayer, 2519 Quicksand Road, (P.O. Box 856), Jackson, Kentucky 41339. Send Comments/Prayer Requests: Pastornaomi4god@gmail.com. FB: JoyfulHoprayer. Services: 10am Sunday and Joyful Kids Class at 10:30am, 6:30pm Thursdays. Radio Broadcast: WJSN 97.3 FM & WEKG 81.0 AM Sundays 1-2pm.
