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"Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, "and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as [our] father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Matthew 3:8-9 NKJV
John the Baptist called out the religious leaders of his day. Dressed in camel’s hair and a leather belt, he reminded them that God doesn’t need leaders who take pride in their position as God’s children. After all, God can “raise up children” from rocks if He wants to.
Do you ever descend into this way of thinking? You start believing you’re special because you had something to do with becoming a believer? John reminds his readers that their work is to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance,” rather than to luxuriate in the fruits of repentance.
What fruit is John describing? Paul summarizes it this way: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s helpful to ask at lunch every day, “What fruit is God producing in and through my life?” If you spend time looking for evidence of love, joy, etc., you’ll find it, and the Spirit will also use your thoughtfulness to show you other fruit to work on. Maybe self-control? Maybe gentleness?
Prayer: Father, help me join the work of Your Spirit in producing fruit in keeping with repentance.
John the Baptist called out the religious leaders of his day. Dressed in camel’s hair and a leather belt, he reminded them that God doesn’t need leaders who take pride in their position as God’s children. After all, God can “raise up children” from rocks if He wants to.
Do you ever descend into this way of thinking? You start believing you’re special because you had something to do with becoming a believer? John reminds his readers that their work is to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance,” rather than to luxuriate in the fruits of repentance.
What fruit is John describing? Paul summarizes it this way: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). It’s helpful to ask at lunch every day, “What fruit is God producing in and through my life?” If you spend time looking for evidence of love, joy, etc., you’ll find it, and the Spirit will also use your thoughtfulness to show you other fruit to work on. Maybe self-control? Maybe gentleness?
Prayer: Father, help me join the work of Your Spirit in producing fruit in keeping with repentance.