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Friday, June 8, 2007

The Fruit of "Love"

Hello!
I got a good nights sleep and I feel a little more on my game - finally!

Family update:
Lauren is doing good, a little testy about the fact that she is on a liquid diet, but doing well.
We still don't have an address from Matt and haven't heard from him since last Saturday.
Mark is traveling this weekend, he went through the storms in Wisconsin yesterday and we now have golf ball to baseball size hail damage to the motorhome! He saw several semis and cars with busted windshields so he was thankful that didn't happen to them.


I've been thinking a lot lately about how I can honor the Lord with my life.
I want so badly to give Him all of me and be a reflection of Him to others.
I keep coming back to the fact that LOVE is what He is all about. Loving Him first and then loving others.

I want people to see HIM in me and be drawn to Him.


Galations 5:22-25
22 But the fruit (the evidence that He’s there) of the Spirit is
love,
joy,
peace,
patience,
kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
23
gentleness and
self-control.
Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
NIV



How do we know what an apple tree is? We see apples on it.
You know what kind of tree it is by the fruit that is hanging on the branches or vines.

The same is true of our lives.
The fruit or “what is being produced” in our life, is the evidence of what kind of a tree we are.

Matt 7:16
16 By their fruit you will recognize them.


A look at the fruit of LOVE.

First, love God.
Deut 6:5-8
5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
NIV


Impress them on your children.
Do your children know what you believe?

It is our job as parents to teach them the Word of God. Sunday school and youth group should enhance that, but WE are the ones God has appointed to teach these children the Word of God.

We love God first, then we are to love others.

Matt 22:37-39
37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'


Paul told us very clearly what it looked like to love people:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

4
Love is patient,
love is kind.
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
5
It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
6
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
7
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.
8
Love never fails.


There it is, I can't say it any better. This verse makes me take inventory of my life.
I fall really short- but our God is faithful and doesn't call us to do it alone- thank You Lord!
His mercies are new every morning.

Lord, help us to live a life of love that beautifully reflects who YOU are!

16 comments:

PandaMom said...

I love your insight on things! I just tagged you for a meme! Hope you can do it, because I'd LOVE to read your answers! ; )

Sharon Brumfield said...

We were just taking about the vine and the branches on Wednesday night in church. We are in the book of John. We flipped over to the passage on the fruit of the Spirit and talked about that for awhile.
I think the verse is Deut is great-to think that I could love God with all of who I am --it's amazing. When I am full of the love that He shed's through my heart--it can't help but spill over every day. His mercies are new every morning--praise God it never stops.
The sweet thing about God is when we are really producing fruit--most of the time we won't even recognize it. Others will--how can you not notice when the hand of God touches you?
Keep loving on Him daily--I see the fruit in your writing and the heart you share.

Jen said...

Good to hear things are looking good! I have been saying a prayer for Lauren and your entire family.

What you said about Honoring the Lord with your life so that others might see Him in you and be drawn to Him..that same thing has really been on my heart this last week..thanks for pointing out the scripture that reminds us it is all about Loving Him and others.

Blessings on your day!
Jen

Roo said...

yes my friend
EXCELLANT reminder.
and one that i needed!

LOVE. Let love guard and rule our hearts. IN EVERYTHING. it's easy to love those that pat us on the back and "speak the same language" but may it also be found towards those that misunderstand us as well!!! THAT HE MAY BE SEEN!!!

Anonymous said...

Sue,

I'm praying for you and also feeling a little ashamed of myself -- whining about my boy being gone for just a few short days! I'm praying that you will hear from your boy very soon.

Blessings,
Dori

Truly Blessed said...

Hi,

I just found your blog (courtesy of Panda-Mom) and wanted to pop in and say hello.

I also took a peek at Lauren's travel page, and was so happy to see your entire crew at the Forbidden City. Like you, week took our three sons with us when we went to pick up their little sister and it was the single best thing we did for our family of six. Expensive, yeah. Worth it? Absolutely!

Now I need to dig in a little and see what your blog is all about. From the little I've seen (and read) so far, it looks like my kind of blog!

You have a beautiful family.

Anonymous said...

Interesting lesson we've heard along the way: be sure that the fruit is not simply glued on to the tree. In other words, outward appearances can give the impression of a fruitful vibrant tree, when actually it has not produced good fruit. In other words, behavior change is not the answer -- it has to be a heart change, at the root level. Root to fruit...

Thanks, Sue, for the post. Back to basics! I know that I need to continually check my life against the truths you posted.

Leigh @ intentslife said...

I know from experience that you love well and are well loved.

Leigh

Me said...

Amen to that! I have to pray for authentic fruit. If only people outside of my family see fruit, then I am simply putting out the bowl of fake fruit. While it may be pretty, it isn't real and contains no nourishment, so I pray that I bear authentic fruit.

Thank you for sharing your fruit!

Monkey Giggles said...

Your words always speak to my heart. Thank you for posting this.

Susan said...

Since the girls and I are currently doing Beth Moore's Living Beyond Yourself and it is all about the Fruit of the Spirit...I loved this post! I must admit that I'm even seeing (and loving) my husband in an entirely new light. LOVE that!
Hugs. Glad to hear Miss Lauren is feeling well enough to be a bit cranky!

Praise and Coffee said...

Dori, don't feel bad! It's always hard when they go away from home, especially when they're little.

truly blessed, I have to confess, we didn't bring our kids. They had alot going on with school and couldn't be gone that long!

Nise' said...

Good news that Lauren is doing better and you are getting much needed sleep. Glad hubby survived the storms. I hear that I flew over them yesterday and got in and out of Minneapolis before they hit there. Needed the reminder to love and allow God to love through me.

Steffie B. said...

I've been thinking of you....thank you for all these beautiful reflections and verses that I can now ponder!

Theresa said...

Haven't been able to check in this week due to Victory Celebration at our church, but thanks for stopping by to check on me. :o)

Have a blessed Sunday.

Cathy said...

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

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