WE ARE BEGINNING A STUDY OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
THIS IS An OVERVIEW OF FRUIT AND FRUIT PRODUCTION.
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
OUR TEXT FOR THIS SERIES:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
WE ARE STUDYING THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
There is great debate whither there is nine fruit
or is there one fruit of the Spirit?
This is a side bar. What we need to do is study the
fruit and apply the fruit to our daily walk and
talk.
Why should we study spiritual fruit and focus on them?
We should study to identify weak areas of our life and of our church and focus attention to the weak areas and increase our effort to bring production to a higher
level.
This will not happen by accident, we must apply effort and bring about the fruit of the spirit in our daily walk.
What can we do to produce a great amount of fruit? We can study and develop a love and an appreciation and an awareness of fruit and it’s production!
We are going to break the nine into three groups.
1. Inward group: love, joy, peace
2. Outward group: longsuffering-patience,
gentleness-kindness, goodness.
3. Godward group: faith-faithfulness, meekness,
temperance-self control.
Today’s study is the start of a 9 part plus introduction to study the fruit of the spirit.
We must prepare our hearts and focus on growth, and produce better fruit.
Fruit is a product of growth.
Fruit is the mature ovary of a flower. It is the edible part of a seed plant.
All fruit contains seeds.
Fruits are classified in for groups: simple, aggregate, multiple, and accessory.
tropical: papaya, banana, passion fruit, pomegranate,
kiwi, pineapple,
pome, apple, pear, quince
stone: mango, peach, nectarine, date, plum, olive,
cherry, apricot
A FRUIT ALWAYS HAS A PEELING.
Fruit will go through dry times and lean times, the peeling, or outer layer will keep the inside moist
and keep bugs and other things out.
ALL FRUIT HAS A WAY TO ATTACH ITSELF TO THE VINE OR PLANT TO DRAW NOURISHMENT.
ALL FRUIT HAS SEEDS OR A METHOD OF REPRODUCTION WITHIN.
All work is a seed!
IN LEAN TIMES THE GREATEST DANGER IS EATING THE SEED FOR THE NEXT NEW GROWTH.
DON’T EAT THE SEED CORN.
SPIRITUALLY THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF TREES.
1. FRUIT TREES
2. FIRE WOOD TREES
Matthew 3 :10 And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
There will be judgment on those that do not support growth that bears fruit.
A WRONGFUL FOCUS, ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES ON THE TEMPORAL, A WORLDLY VIEW POINT WILL HINDER GROWTH OF FRUIT.
Matthew 13:22 He also received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, CHOKE THE WORD, and he becomes UNFRUITFUL.
TODAY, SEEMS WE LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT LESS AND LESS UNTIL FINALLY WE KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT NOTHING?
NO SADDER WORDS OF PEN OR TONGUE THAN THE WORDS: WHAT MIGHT HAVE PEN.
We hear so much in the church today about the spiritual gifts, but there is little priority on spiritual fruit.
We seem to love the showy and want to make church a CIRCUS like atmosphere.
Our priority has become GOSPEL ENTERTAINMENT and GOSPEL COMEDY.
There are four degrees of fruit production.
1. John 15: 2 No fruit (not fruit)
2. John 15: 2 Fruit, bears fruit
3. John 15:2 More fruit
4. John 15:5, 8 MUCH FRUIT
HEAVEN’S HEART IS BROKEN BY THE LACK OF FRUIT PRODUCTION.
Luke 13:6 He spake a parable; a certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and
sought fruit thereon, and FOUND NONE.
We don’t hear much preaching that stresses fruit production.
We cry many tears because we don’t have jets and speed boats?
But asked yourself this question?
What causes our tears?
READ WHAT KIND OF FRUIT SELFISHNESS GROWS?
Hosea. 10:1 Israel is an EMPTY vine, he bringeth fruit unto himself: ...
TO GROW AND PRODUCE SWEET FRUIT YOU MUST HAVE PLENTY OF WATER.
Psalms 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his
FRUIT in his season.
ONCE WE FOCUS THAT WE NEED TO BEAR FRUIT, WE MUST DECIDE WHAT KIND OF PRODUCT SHALL I PRODUCE?
Matthew 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: A TREE IS KNOWN BY HIS FRUIT.
Your words may sound good, but if there is no fruit or if the fruit is corrupt.
You have not been a student of the word.
Sickly oaks from sickly acorns grow! Let me say that again:
SICKLY OAKS FROM SICKLY ACORNS GROW!
YOU AND YOUR ACTIONS WILL DETERMINE HOW MUCH FRUIT YOU WILL PRODUCE.
Matthew 13:8 But other fell on good ground, and brought forth some a hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold.
FRUIT PRODUCTION IS A PROCESS, IT IS NOT ACCIDENTAL.
TO GROW FRUIT ONE MUST HAVE A PLAN.
YOU WILL NOT REAP FRUIT IF YOU DO NOT SOW SEED!
Mark 4:28 For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
You cannot bypass the process.
Someone has to break the ground.
FRUIT will always be a product of growth.
No roots no fruits.
If there is no growth there will be little fruit.
All fruit bears within it seed, reproduction enveloped within. product, results,
No thing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes, or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be TIME.
Let it first be a blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen. Epictetus.
Weakest kind of fruit drops earliest to the ground
Fruit always grows out on the limb.
Love is the parent of all the other fruit.
All Spiritual fruit grows out of the soil of love.
Forgiveness grows out of the soil of love.
Without love there is little accomplished and God is not present.
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knowth not God; for GOD IS LOVE.
AGAIN IDENTIFY THE FOUR DEGREES OF FRUIT PRODUCTION
AND IDENTIFY WHERE YOU ARE?
1. John 15: 2 --- No fruit (not fruit)
2. John 15: 2 ---- Fruit, bears fruit
3. John 15:2 --- More fruit
4. John 15:5, 8 -- MUCH FRUIT
GREAT IS THE YIELD OF THE FERTILE FIELD.
Matthew 13:23 some 30 fold, 60 fold, some 100 fold.
Today we hear much about the gifts of the Spirit, but the real focus must be on the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
As Christians we glorify the Father and prove that we are followers of Jesus, as we produce the Fruit of the Spirit.
There is more effort given to produce fruit than no fruit. More fruit requires better planning and
effort than fruit.
To produce much fruit requires much sweat and effort.
As we produce the fruit of the Spirit the GIFTS
will operate with much more effectiveness. The
gifts of the Spirit are supernatural enabling
for greater spiritual service.
The fruit of the Spirit is to birth a Christ like
heart and mind.
As the blossom goes before the fruit, so faith must go before the Spiritual fruit!
Physical fruit is the outward evidence time and of the inward work of God and the vine or tree.
GREAT FRUIT TAKES GREATER EFFORT.
Luke 13:7 --- Behold I have come three years seeking fruit and I have found none,
cut it down, WHY CUMBER THE GROUND?
8 And he answering said unto him, LORD, LET IT ALONE THIS YEAR ALSO,
TILL I SHALL DIG ABOUT IT, AND DUNG IT....
Don’t give up! Don’t give in! Try again. Invest more effort and time.
Maybe God will honor the work with fruit.
LET US PREPARE OUR HEARTS AND STUDY THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
This is part #1A, with 9 to follow.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
