As I was pondering the apple tree that is rooted in the neighbors yard across the fence, I was reminded how that tree testifies to God's work of salvation in believers.
In order for an apple tree to grow, the seed that falls to the ground must die, before it can be changed into something else. When that seed dies, and is no more, then a tree grows producing a trunk, leaves, and eventually apples. The original seed will never come back, but the new tree that produces apples will have within that fruit other seeds that will fall to the ground and die too, producing an orchard.
This is very much a picture of the Christian life, when we confess our sinfulness desiring to be changed by Christ, HE comes and changes us making us into a new creation, the old cannot return. When the new comes, it will keep producing fruit, and that fruit will produce seeds for new trees, I believe this is a picture of the believer spreading the gospel and others will become saved and grow their own fruit and spread more seed.
All believers will have the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
The fruit of the Spirit is not works, they are spiritual character qualities.
The gifts of the Spirit are talents,for lack of a better word, that allow us to more fully spread the Gospel and serve other believers.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 "4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
When one becomes born again, they will never lose any of these fruits, they were integrated into our being and will never leave us. The gifts will come and go as God sees a need for them.
The gifts of the Spirit are given to each of us, as God sees fit, we are not to ask for them, we are to walk and pray in God's will and He will give us gifts as are needed for whatever task He gives us to do. Begging for gifts is a way of telling God what He must do. We are to desire Spiritual gifts, but not our own idea of what we want. We are to ask for God's will for us, for His purposes.
Luke 1:38 "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her."
Notice in the account of Mary's encounter with the messenger from God, the messenger told her what was to be the will of God and she submitted. No where in the Word will you find someone who commands God as to what He will do in them. We seek the Lord for His will and He will do it in us.
Bottom Line: Seek the Lord for His will and obey when you hear Him.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
When one becomes born again, they will never lose any of these fruits, they were integrated into our being and will never leave us. The gifts will come and go as God sees a need for them.
The gifts of the Spirit are given to each of us, as God sees fit, we are not to ask for them, we are to walk and pray in God's will and He will give us gifts as are needed for whatever task He gives us to do. Begging for gifts is a way of telling God what He must do. We are to desire Spiritual gifts, but not our own idea of what we want. We are to ask for God's will for us, for His purposes.
Luke 1:38 "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her."
Notice in the account of Mary's encounter with the messenger from God, the messenger told her what was to be the will of God and she submitted. No where in the Word will you find someone who commands God as to what He will do in them. We seek the Lord for His will and He will do it in us.
Bottom Line: Seek the Lord for His will and obey when you hear Him.
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