Joel M Bradshaw

16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.–Galatians 5

Many years ago I worked at a major retail department store. They usually put me in the electronics department. Digital cameras were the big thing back then and I spent time each shift explaining to customers what a megapixel was.

I think of that store every time I read Galatians 5. For they had a computerized system in place that would automatically take stock of everything on the shelves. If I remember the process correctly, when an item was scanned at the register it triggered the computer that the shelves in the store had one less of that item. And the computer would order a replacement to come on the next truck. I’m sure all retail stores do something like this, but I remember then being fascinated by it.

Picture your life here as a tree with branches. On those branches are fruit. If you don’t like that image, then remember John 15 when Jesus used the image of a vine with branches that had fruit on them. What is the fruit on the branches of the tree that is your life?

Paul gave us two lists. The first list is fleshly, selfish fruit. These most likely describe the former you before Christ. The second list is fruit that the Holy Spirit grows in your life. These should describe the current you in Christ.

1. When you see fruit on your tree that shouldn’t be there, then it is time to REPENT.
2. When you don’t see fruit on your tree that should be there, then it is time to PRAY.

God sovereignly places you in situations that grow fruit. A wife complains about her frustrating husband, but needs to be reminded that God is growing patience on her branches and using him in her life to do so. A man with purity issues has a daily prayer for the Spirit to grow self-control on his branches. In both cases, prayer is partnered with discipline.

Take stock of your branches. What’s there that shouldn’t be there? What’s not there that should be?–JMB