Pastor's Corner

A particular orchard along the Snake River (Penawawa), offers sweet peaches. Still productive, generations have availed themselves to the delicious fruit, coming back year after year. For many it started when they were young children climbing up into the lower branches of the tree, propping themselves in place as they devoured the delicious peaches, letting the juice drip down from their mouths onto their dresses and white T-shirts. The peach stain became a reminder of how sweet the peaches were and the memory brings them back year after year.

God's children enjoy the fruit of God's Spirit within their life. The joy of a personal relationship with Him brings a delicious sweetness to the heart and expresses itself through what the Bible calls "the fruit of the Spirit."

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law" Ga. 5:22-23.

Such an experience brings fulfillment of the statement "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him" Ps. 34:8.

Believers taste of this fruit in their spirit and bear the fruit to others in the form of their character, attitude, and service. We are not the producers of the fruit. The Holy Spirit is the producer. We "bear and share." All to His glory, we rejoice that His outpouring is eternal, rich, and practical.

Fruit bearing is the ongoing blessing of living in faith and yielded obedience to Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain (abide) in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing" Jn. 15:5.

Pastor Greg Brownell,

Dayton United Brethren Church