Effie Darlene Barba

It is no wonder that the first fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 is love. After all, we know God is Love (I John 4:8).  Within the holy trinity exists a perfect relationship of love.  One that is self-less.  As Jonathan Edwards explained in Treatise on Grace, Jesus Christ is the perfect echoing of the Father-His Word made flesh.  The perfect echoing of God’s own thought.  The Holy Spirit exists as full essence of that perfect love and joy the Father and Son have in each other.    It is no wonder, that when God created mankind in His image, He created us body, soul, and spirit.  This being the aspect of our existence allowing us the ability to reason, to love, and to even have a creative nature.  Yet, our fruit of love apart from the Spirit is bitter and selfish.

Apart from the spiritual nature of our Creator infusing life into our spirit, our fruit of love becomes focused only on self as the primary love.  We become preoccupied with love as “what can this love do to make me feel better about myself.”  This is in direct contrast to the Perfect love of God. It is no wonder we find this very thing called “love” within our human race brings such heartbreak.  Broken marriages and relationships because each person is concerned only with self-fulfillment.  When the other person, with their own brokenness, cannot fulfill our needs or further inflate our ego we must exit in search of another “love”.   In other words, without the Holy Spirit infusion of perfect love, our fruit of love becomes shriveled and bitter. There are times when unbelievers do display unselfish love. Even this is God’s Grace intervening, revealing Himself to the world.

The Holy Spirit’s Fruit of Love

Continue reading “Is Your Fruit of Love Sweet or Bitter?”

For a garden to grow, the soil must be prepared and cared for by the gardener.  This often requires great labor.  Seeds of truth cannot grow on ground that has been hardened by trampling feet.  Nor can it flourish within rocky terrains, where the roots cannot feed upon nutrients within the soil.  Furthermore, when no care is given to destroy the weeds, they will overtake the tender young plants preventing them from being fruitful.  The gardener must with great diligence prepare the soil and protect the plants from invasion of weeds, so they might flourish.  If we are to be fruitful as Christians, we must be ever mindful of God’s Gracious labors to prepare and keep the soil of our hearts ready to receive the seeds of His Truth.

Jesus spoke of these various soils in His Parable of the sower in Matthew 13.  Though I have always considered this in reference to those sowing the gospel seed and the unbeliever’s responses; now, I see that it can be true of the Christian as well.  If the soil of our heart is not prepared to receive His seeds of truth that we may grow; then, how can we ever be fruitful?

The Hardened Soil

Growing up on the farm, I became aware of soil that was hardened into near concrete like paths where nothing grew.  The cows would walk one behind the other from the pond, through the woods and to the pasture where they could eat.  Day after day, they would take the same journey until there was formed a hardened barren path.  Nothing would grow along this path.  If seeds were dropped, the birds could easily swoop in to eat them.  The same is true of our hearts.

So, often we become occupied with life.  We allow our hearts to be hardened to the word of God by filling our lives with work, television, social media, and conversation.  Even if we stop to quickly read His word, we never allow the seeds of truth to penetrate our hearts and minds.  Swayed by all the secular ideologies presenting doubts and lies, we fail to let God’s truth penetrate the hardened soil of our heart.  As Jesus went on to explain,

 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart (Matthew 13:19).

Yet, God labors to till the soil so that it might receive the Word of Truth.  With patience and diligence, He prepares our hearts.  Sometimes it might be sharp edges of the tiller that reaches deep, breaking away the hardness of our hearts.  Then, as the soil yields to the Gardener’s hand the seeds can bury themselves deeply to never be swept away.

What can we do?  Pray that God open our eyes to His truth.  He gives wisdom to those who ask.  Yield to His Gracious tilling of our heart.  Recognize sharp tools must be used at times to transform the soil.

The Rocky Soil

There are areas around the world where rocks and even boulders may stand.  These must be removed in order to till the land for fruit bearing trees to be planted.  Beyond the rocks that lie on the surface, there are many rocks beneath the surface that must be dug up and exposed, so they too can be removed.  This is a painstaking labor for the gardener as he prepares the soil.

Our hearts at times become stony.  Sorrows enter our life. Anger or hatred embitters us. Though we may on the surface appear “ok”.  These rocky stones snuff out any fruit bearing plants at their roots. Furthermore, there are the stones of self, demanding to do it my way or to fulfill the desires I demand.  These stones must be exposed and removed.

I thank God that He has promised: “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.  I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them (Ezekiel 36:25-27).

God desires to perfect us in love.  His goal is that one day I will look like Christ.  Whatever, it takes, He will transform me.  What am I to do?  Be willing to die to self every day.  I am to take up my cross daily, dying to petty desires to reign supreme.  My desire is that He expose and remove every stone of self will.

Weeds that Destroy

Two years ago, along the back fence a “stink weed” began to grow.  By the time, I noticed it had grown quite large and was covered with flowers.  I, not being a gardener, did not recognize it for what it was.  When I did realize it, it was too late.  Its seeds had spread, as had its root.  Cutting it down, I thought it would be gone.  However, its root went deep.

Last year, hundreds emerged from the ground with spikey, sharp thorns.  With great labor, I had to dig up each one with its root.  The roots ran deep into the ground.  Even with gloves, my hands would bleed.  Yet, they had to be destroyed for they had already invaded a large area along the fence, where nothing else could grow.

So, it is when we become complacent.  All is going well.  We may quickly say a prayer each morning of thanks or ask God to bless us.  However, we are not cognizant of the weeds that have begun to grow in our own hearts; until, they over ride our heart.  God desires to transform our hearts into righteous, holy hearts.  Yet, we at times allow sin in.  After all, we are covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  What harm can this one little sin cause?  We become mesmerized by the counterfeit joy, enjoying the beauty of a flower. Then, that flower becomes a seed that grows thorny bushes. That one little sin, much like my “stink weed” will overtake our hearts.

What can we do?  Recognize sin for what it is, a destructive weed bent on our destruction. Run to the foot of the cross with a broken, contrite heart, that God may remove it, roots and all. Because, He will, if only you ask.

Concluding Thoughts

If we are to be fruitful, we must be willing to allow God to prepare the soil of our heart. Study His Word with diligence.  Pray earnestly.  Trust Him to do the work.  When trials come, seek His face.  Let Him reveal the truth of His word in your life; because He loves you.  Whatever comes, trust Him; because He is working in you, transforming you into the image of His son. Praise Him, because He is worthy of your praise, always.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR?

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link.  There is nothing more important than this; Because, He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

ARE YOU IN OF NEED PRAYER?

If you have a prayer request email me by clicking here

Or if you would like to tell me your story or thoughts  comment here

Books Available

If you want to know more about books I have written. Then, please click on this link to discover a world of Book Resources.

Or you can find all my books on Amazon.com, search just by searching Effie Darlene Barba.  Or click this link to be taken there

Furthermore,  for inspirational photos or home decor click here.

Previous Posts to Consider

What Fruit is the Garden of Your Heart Producing?

How to Discern the Voice of God from Yours?

POEMS

Love has Won the Victory

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Credits

Photo by Gabriel Jimenez on Unsplash

Paul wrote in Galatians 5:22-23: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  Our lives are like a garden.  But what kind of garden is your life displaying?  Is it one abounding in beautiful fruit, fragrant flowers, and life-giving foliage?  Or is it filled with thorns, thistle, dead trees, and dry barren leaves that will burn quickly destroying lives? Is the soil so hardened that the seeds of God’s word cannot grow?  For a garden to grow and bear, it requires allowing the Master Gardener to till the soil, prune the leaves, and remove the dead, barren leaves.  Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other (Galatians 5:16-17).

Jesus said, Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing (John 15:4-5).  The life-giving sap comes from Jesus Christ, who died and rose again victoriously that we might have life in Him.  No branch can produce fruit apart from the vine nourishing it, watering it, and filling it with life.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are given life, a dead branch grafted into the vine.  The Holy Spirit enters our spirit to guide, comfort and produce fruit. Yet, we must allow the Spirit to do His Work in us.

A Garden Abounding with Fruit, or Not

Continue reading “What Fruit is the Garden of Your Heart Producing?”