Christian Foundations
DEVOTIONAL ARCHIVE
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
--Galatians 5:22-25
There’s a story about a farmer who planted two fruit trees on opposite sides of his property. One tree hid the unsightly view of an old landfill, while the other tree provided shade near a cool mountain stream. As the two trees grew, both began to flower and produce fruit.
The farmer gathered fruit from the tree that hid the landfill near his house first, and noticed that each piece was a little deformed. But the fruit still looked edible, so he took a bite only to discover it was extremely bitter.
He threw the rotten fruit away and picked up some fruit from the tree planted by the stream. As he bit into it, he discovered that it was sweet and delicious.
The fruit from the two trees was greatly affected by the nutrition of the root. Just the same, we as believers have a choice regarding the kind of fruit that is produced in our lives.
If we plant ourselves in the soil of fleshly pursuits and sinful nature, then we will naturally produce rotten and bitter fruit. But if we plant ourselves in the soil of Jesus Christ, then we will bear the sweet fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 1:1-3 says, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. …He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.”
Where you’re rooted influences what kind of fruit your life will bear. So plant yourself in Jesus Christ so that you can produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit!
PRAYER CHALLENGE: Pray that your life would manifest the fruit of the Spirit, and commit to root yourself in Christ Jesus.
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