July 15, 2001

A tree doesn’t partake of it’s own fruit.  Fruit is for the benefit of others.  The fruit in our lives will create an atmosphere around us others will either benefit from or suffer the effects of depending on whether we’re offering good or bad fruit.

Have you ever been around someone offering bad fruit?  They’re having a miserable time and they want others to partake of that misery.  We need to resist partaking of their ‘bad fruit’ and offer the fruit of the Spirit in return.

The fruit of the Spirit creates a godly atmosphere while the gifts of the Spirit are a call to action.  God desires the gifts of the Spirit to operate in the atmosphere of the fruits.  Just as character and calling go together so do the fruits and gifts of the Spirit.

God wants to reach people through the gifts of the Spirit but He wants it to be done in an atmosphere created by the fruits of the Spirit.  Have you ever had someone give you something but they gave it grudgingly?  You don’t even want the gift because you feel they didn’t really want to give it.  God wants to minister to people through gifts of the Holy Spirit and He wants to do it in an atmosphere of love, joy, peace etc.

As we yield to the Holy Spirit in our lives and allow the fruit of the Spirit to grow, we will be in a position where God can use us to offer His gifts to others.  And of course, we are blessed in the process as well!