The Good Fruit
We have entered another year as per the solar calendar. In its’ time bank we have 365 days to our credit. So what are we going to do? The past years have been spent fruitlessly, or were they fruitful? How do we plan to spend the days ahead? In Matt.7: 16-20 we read,’ by their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Like wise every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down. Thus by their fruit you will recognize them’.

To form a fruit, the plant has to grow, flower and later on fruit.  It takes a lot of time, labour, and protection of the seed. If the farmer is not patient and neglects the plants, they may perish without fruit. Good fruit is the ultimate source of joy which gives food to man and strengthens his body. If the fruit is bad, then it is thrown away, useless. Every farmer takes care that he brings the best fruit out of the plants.

Isaiah.5: 2, ‘ He dug it up and cleared out its’ stones, and planted it with the choicest vine…he expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.’ In this passage we see a farmer took pains to plant a good vineyard but unfortunately the fruit borne was very bad.

Sometimes we work hard in our lives and still do not bear the fruit or it is bad fruit. So what do we do? Does God (Yah) want our lives to be fruitless? Is our labour wasted? No! Those who fear the Lord are blessed. Isa.65: 22-23,’ they will build houses and dwell in them, they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit, they will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune, for they will be people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendents with them’.

King David enjoyed this blessing and he wrote it in Psalms.128: 1-3,’ blessed are all those who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways. You will eat the fruit of your labour, blessing and prosperity will be yours, your wife will be as a fruitful vine, your sons will be like olive shoots around your table’.

In John.15: 1, Messiah says, “I am the true vine, and my father the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that bears fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful…no branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine…without me you can do nothing”. In verses7-8 He says, ‘if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given. This is to my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit, show yourselves to be my disciples.

As His disciples we have to grow in His vineyard to produce good fruit. The Father is pruning and cutting us through trials and tests. Are we passing these tests successfully and are we developing strong spiritual roots so that our faith is not shaken? Is the word of God (Yah) sown in our hearts? Are your hearts fertile to receive them? In Luke 8:5-15, we read the parable of the sower who went to sow the seed. Some fell on the wayside where birds picked up the seed and it did not grow. Some fell in thorns, which choked the seeds, and they perished. Some fell on the rocks, which were on dry ground, and the seeds could not take root. He seeds, which fell on the fertile ground, grew and gave good fruit.

If your hearts are fertile, the word of God (Yah) directs your daily lives, which will be successful, i.e. every work you do will be blessed and fruitful. People will recognize the blessings of good fruit.
Apostle Paul writes in I Cor.3: 6-9, ‘I planted and Apollos watered, but God (Yah) gave the increase, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything but only God (Yah) who makes things grow. The

man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour. For we are God (Yah)’s fellow workers, you are God (Yah)’s vineyard.

Psalms.1: 3. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in it’ season, whose leaf shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper

Even in the eternal kingdom we see a tree of life, which bears fruit every month for twelve months. Rev.22: 2,”In the middle of it’s street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its’ fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of nations.” The Lord wants us to be like the ‘tree of life’, to build our lives to be fruitful and help others to grow and be victorious in life.

Gal.5: 22 describes the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. To have the fruit of the spirit in our lives, we have to grow by meditating and studying the Word, apply it in our daily lives, digest this spiritual food, walk in His word each day, enjoy these characteristics and show them in our lives.

May the Lord help you to grow faithfully in Him this year and bring glory to His majestic name by your changed wonderful lives! May the fruit of the spirit be seen in you and people recognize you as God (Yah)’s child!

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