What's your fruit?

I'm continuing my discussion on living "for the praise of his glorious grace" (Ephesians 1:6).  What does this look like?  In my last post I addressed my concern for living for ourselves verses for God.  But now the question is: How do we know we are living for Christ?  You will know by our fruit.

I will admit the first time I heard this I was a little confused.  Because not understanding most spiritual things, I of course starting thinking apples, bananas... really is a tomato a fruit?  Eventually I discovered Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."  So the fruit we bear isn't something we can hold in our hands or eat.  Our fruit is evidenced in how we react and respond to our world around us.  Let's take a closer look at Galatians 5: 16-26:

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, 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.


22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.


25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

As Christians our ultimate desire is to live for Christ.  In order to do this we have to deny our self and our desires of the flesh.  As verse 17 states, desires of the flesh are at war with the desires of the Spirit and vice-versa, making it impossible to live for Christ if we are succumbing to worldly and flesh desires.  These are listed very nicely for us in verses 19-21, "sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies."  These are all a result of the fallen human world.

So how do we overcome them? We see in verses 22-23 how we are supposed to react, with "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control".  Is it possible to simply wake up one day with impure sexual desires gone, alcoholism defeated, all relationships restored, and contentment with what you have? No, no, no and... no.  We need Christ who was crucified for our sins, its through him we "have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (verse 24).  Meaning that we died with Christ to sin.  But we cannot overcome the flesh on our own, it will take a mighty act of God to truly change our hearts.

So what can we do?
1.) Pray.  We need to ask God to do the work and to make the changes of our hearts.
2.) Read.  Dig into scripture, learn more about our Savior Christ Jesus through whom all things are possible (Philipians 4:13).   
3.) Submit.  To Christ and to the church.  We Christians were not placed in this world to do things on our own.  In Christ, we have fellow believers we can turn to keep us accountable, for encouragement, and to share our lives.
4.) Repeat.  It is a never ending cycle of learning, praying and submitting.


In November of 2006 my life didn't completely turn around.  It was a very gradual shift which continues today.  There were sins in my life that were stronger to overcome than others.  I learned the hard way that the fruit ("love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control") isn't natural. I was like many who tried and tried to be a better person, it took awhile for me to realize all I need is Christ.  I needed to give up my sin to Him because he already paid the ultimate price, he took the wrath that I so deserve.  In giving up that control fully to Christ I was able to start seeing the fruit in my life.  Praise to our Father God in Heaven for his glorious grace!

The "elder brother" mentality

"What does it look like to live for 'the praise of his glory'?" I think one of the first things we need to address is, "Who are we living this life for?" When thinking of this I am reminded of the book The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. In this book Keller discusses the Parable of the Prodigal Son from the book of Luke. Jesus tells his audience this parable about 2 brothers who in their own ways rebel against their father. For the sake of context, here is the whole parable starting in Luke 15:11:

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Many times people just end at verse 24 by expressing how God graciously forgives and loves us no matter how sinful and undeserving we are. But this parable is teaching that there are 2 kinds of rebellion against our Father so stopping at verse 24 is a disservice to the audience.  Jesus' original audience contained many Pharisees who were the religious gurus at the time of Jesus' life and also were opposed to Jesus' teachings. In taking a closer look at the final verses (25-32) we see that the Pharisees would not have been appeased by this parable.

The elder son knew there was a party going on and when discovering what and who the party was for we see his true feelings in verse 28, "But he was angry and refused to go in." But the father came out and pleaded with his son to be in celebration and join in his joy because of his brother's return. But the elder son refuses in verse 29, "Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends."

Here are a few points that Keller observes in The Prodigal God.  First of all the elder son shows disrespect to the father as he states "Look," without acknowledging him as father. Second we see his rebellion by stating "I have served you and I never disobeyed,"and is saying what have I gotten in return?  The father's response is, "All that is mine is yours."  The first son is after his father's things but just simply asks for them.  The elder son we see is after his father's things as well but is obedient in order to earn them.  Neither son truly loves the father just the stuff his father can give.  There is so much more this parable offers (so check out the book) but this was the point I wanted to address: What are you after?  God or God's things?

I have to ask myself that a lot.  I find myself pleading with God that I have repented, I remain faithful, I'm a pastor's wife, I sing in praise team and help with youth group so I've earned my spot and deserve the grace that God provides.  But with this mentality I'm striving to earn the stuff God gives verses straining to know and love God for being God.  We get God, that is enough. Nothing we receive from God is a result of our efforts to be obedient.  It is a result of God's own will.

In the parable of the prodigal son the father is loving and gracious towards both of his rebellious sons.  We see the younger son's response of celebration but the story ends before the elder son can respond to his father's love.  What is our response?

I give praise and thanksgiving for the Lord our God who sees my rebellious heart and yet sent his Son to die on the cross in order for my rebellion to be forgiven!

"To the praise of his glorious grace"

My next question: What is the plan and purpose for our life? I'd like to go back to where this adventure all began in Ephesians, this time I'm looking at Ephesians 1:

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.


11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

"To the praise of his glory," this is our purpose. The phrase is repeated, meaning Paul is stressing the importance of this phrase.  In the original Greek language there was no upper or lower case lettering, no punctuation, no bold or italics; in order to stress certain points the authors would repeat words or phrases. I believe this is definitely the case with Ephesians 1:3-14. In verse 6 we see, "to the praise of his glorious grace," and then "to the praise of his glory," in verses 12 and 14. When trying to determine our purpose this verse stresses the importance of all things being for God's glory.

The other phrase we see approximately 8 times throughout this verse is, "In him" or "In Christ." "In him" we are chosen or predestined to be "holy and blameless" by being adopted as sons through his Son Jesus Christ. "In him" we are released from and forgiven of sins by his grace. "In Christ" we discover God's mystery plan as verse 10 states, "to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."  He will accomplish this "in him" by sealing us with the Holy Spirit, "who is the guarantee of our inheritance."

So what do I think about this?  I'm filled with joy and peace, not because I live the "holy and blameless" life that is worthy to bring God glory but because through Christ I am presented as "holy and blameless".  This is cliche but I do have a past that I am not proud of.  I lived for my own satisfaction and my own glory by giving into temptation and living of this world.  But God revealed himself to me, he called me to repentance, he adopted me as his own and filled me with the Holy Spirit in order for my life to praise his glory.  My life isn't perfect.  I still have days where I want to live for me or I get stuck on worldly things, but God is faithful in reminding me in whom my faith needs to remain.  Through prayer and scripture my hope is that my heart continues to point towards Christ and all of his glory.

Our purpose, isn't really "ours" at all. Its God's purpose, God's plan. All things are done "in him" for "the praise of his glory". AMEN! Thanks to God our Father who works all things "to the praise of his glorious grace"!

"For I know the plans I have for you"

Its been awhile since my last blog. I don't think its ironic that my last post was titled "As we make plans, life happens". My 'plan' was to blog at least once every 1-2 weeks, but as I said life happens. Then I am reminded of Jeremiah 29:11.  Its a favorite verse to many. I actually have a bracelet with the words quoted,

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

The point of this post is to express my concern about the absence of context. Many times we hear a verse that stands out as encouraging and leave out the words that are before and after or what is known as context. The context is what gives us the meaning of the verse. Its very easy to read Jeremiah 29:11 and think God wants us to have the "good" life that we all dream to have, but when we read the context of chapter 29 we realize that perfect life is a few years off for the original audience. Jeremiah 29:1-23 states,

1 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

15 “Because you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,’ 16 thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your kinsmen who did not go out with you into exile: 17 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, behold, I am sending on them sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like vile figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue them with sword, famine, and pestilence, hand will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19 because they did not pay attention to my words, declares the Lord, that I persistently sent to you by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the Lord.’ 20 Hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 21 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall strike them down before your eyes. 22 Because of them this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: “The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,” 23 because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and they have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. I am the one who knows, and I am witness, declares the Lord.’”

The people of Israel were exiled from Jerusalem by God. Verse 19 explains why they were sent away, "Because they did not pay attention to my words, declares the Lord, that I persistently sent to you by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the Lord."  God tells his people to make themselves at home in verses 5, "Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce." They are called to "multiply there, and do not decrease" by taking wives and having children in verse 6. God tells them find peace in Babylon in verse 7, "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." God is telling his people to get comfortable because his plan was to keep them in exile for 70 years. God's promise is found in verse 10-11, "For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." And of course when it comes to Scripture it doesn't just end there. We learn in verses 12-13 what it will take for God to fulfill his promise, "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." This is the call to all Christians to seek God full heartily, to pray earnestly with faith knowing that God keeps his promise. 

There is more in this Scripture that could be unwrapped but I think I have made my point as far as seeking the true meaning of a single verse.
Here's my last point I want to make looking at Jeremiah 29:11: God's promise is fulfilled in his Son Jesus Christ who was sent to be a sacrifice for our sins in order to bring God glory. Our welfare or peace is not found in worldly things but in relationship with Christ our Lord who is our only hope in a broken world. I thank God for his plan for his people to humble us through suffering, for the cross that will ultimately restore his kingdom and for his unending love and mercy he bestows daily. Praise to God our Father who is the almighty creator and 'planner' of his universe!