The Work of the Holy Spirit
I went to the evening service tonight. The message was on the Holy Spirit and His Work in us. A few months ago, (August 14, 2014) I wrote about the Fruit of the Spirit so I thought I'd would refresh you and expound a little more about the fruit.
The fruit of the Spirit
I mentioned in my earlier blog that the Holy Spirit produces fruit in us, but I failed to mention that just like a fruit on a tree or in a bush when it appears is ripe. For example. A red apple (not the green like the granny) when it's not ripe is green, Or let's say a grape on the vine may just be small little green grape. Not edible. It needs to grow and mature. The same with us Christians Haven't you heard people saying, "I need more joy in my life." Or "Lord, give me patience!"? When we become born again believers (Christians) we don't automatically have the full effect of the fruit. Or we may have plenty of love but no patience. As I mentioned in my blog, the fruit of the Spirit is a package deal, but it is the Holy Spirit who will cause the fruit in us to mature.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit
Have you noticed or read that there are also nine gifts of the spirit? The gifts are things like healing, Tongues Interpretation, Prophecy, etc. It is all listed in 1 Corinthians 12. But how interesting that Paul says we are nothing but a clanging cymbal if we don't have what? Love? Did I hear right? Isn't love mentioned first in the Fruit of the Spirit? Have you ever wondered why Love is first? Something to think about. Paul didn't say patience although you might need patience in some gifts like healing. I have friend who wrote in his book that sometimes the healing doesn't come right away, but that doesn't mean God doesn't want that person healed or you don't have the gift, but you do need love to operate in the gifts of the Spirit. In fact, Paul later wrote that of all Love , Faith and Hope, the greatest is...LOVE. So maybe that is why Love comes first. And in the thirteenth Chapter you have an idea what love is or not. Pretty good, don't you say? Interesting that patience is a fruit, Paul says "...love is patient..." but that's another story.
The fruit of the Spirit
I mentioned in my earlier blog that the Holy Spirit produces fruit in us, but I failed to mention that just like a fruit on a tree or in a bush when it appears is ripe. For example. A red apple (not the green like the granny) when it's not ripe is green, Or let's say a grape on the vine may just be small little green grape. Not edible. It needs to grow and mature. The same with us Christians Haven't you heard people saying, "I need more joy in my life." Or "Lord, give me patience!"? When we become born again believers (Christians) we don't automatically have the full effect of the fruit. Or we may have plenty of love but no patience. As I mentioned in my blog, the fruit of the Spirit is a package deal, but it is the Holy Spirit who will cause the fruit in us to mature.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit
Have you noticed or read that there are also nine gifts of the spirit? The gifts are things like healing, Tongues Interpretation, Prophecy, etc. It is all listed in 1 Corinthians 12. But how interesting that Paul says we are nothing but a clanging cymbal if we don't have what? Love? Did I hear right? Isn't love mentioned first in the Fruit of the Spirit? Have you ever wondered why Love is first? Something to think about. Paul didn't say patience although you might need patience in some gifts like healing. I have friend who wrote in his book that sometimes the healing doesn't come right away, but that doesn't mean God doesn't want that person healed or you don't have the gift, but you do need love to operate in the gifts of the Spirit. In fact, Paul later wrote that of all Love , Faith and Hope, the greatest is...LOVE. So maybe that is why Love comes first. And in the thirteenth Chapter you have an idea what love is or not. Pretty good, don't you say? Interesting that patience is a fruit, Paul says "...love is patient..." but that's another story.
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