Fruit

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Matt:12:31-32

So I tell you every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven - except the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.

What exactly does it mean to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit? To attribute a definite work of the Holy Spirit to something else like chance or happenstance or luck or 'it so happened'. It can also be nullified attributing it to a result of your hard work and discipline.

So again, if you attribute the Holy Spirit's power to something which has no connection to Him. Even the demons have powers (though a little).

So how do we know? How do we discern? V:33

A tree is identified by its fruit. If it spreads the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, then it is from the Spirit. The enemy comes to steal and kill and destroy. Where as God has come so that we will have abundant life.

Yet, how is it in your life? Claiming to be children of God, claiming to possess the Spirit of God and if you show forth the fruits of sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and the like - then think. Do you blaspheme God's Spirit in you or do you glorify Him?

That is exactly why Jesus began by saying in v:30 - Anyone who isn't with me, opposes me.

Image credit: https://grangettos.com/blogs/fruit-trees-and-vines/add-some-fruit-trees-to-your-landscape

Comments

Crave - a poem

We would not crave evil things. 1Cor:10:6 Despite knowing His love unconditional to me. Despite knowing that it was my wretchedness That nailed Him to the cross. Why would I crave the very things He abhor? The very things my husband hate. I end up desiring, longing for This lover who gave His life and privileges for me. Him, I disappoint yet again. For it is the heart's motive that He looks for. It is the heart's desire that He looks into. What my heart longs for And who my lover yearns for? Selfish; idolator; immoral; gambler Dissatisfied; discontented; complainer. Adulterer in the heart. Murderer in the mind. Every thought in my heart, brings a teardrop in His eye. Why am I tuned like this? Why am I so fallen? Oh! Wretched man, that I am Who will deliver me from this hopelessness. The word "grace" is yet beautiful Favour when I don't deserve it. Difficult as I am, He still loves me. Improbable to be rectified; He still gives grace. He would transf...

Love

But do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Cor:13:2 Love is the center. Love is the core. Paul talks about apostleship, prophesy, miracles, gifts of healing, tongues, interpretation of tongues as secondary to love. 1 Cor:12:32. But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way. Lord, teach me to love - my loved ones - unconditionally. With no tags. Just as you have loved me. Lord, teach me to love - my neighbour, my brother. Just as I love myself. Remove the self tag in my love. Lord, teach me love. Your love. Love that is patient. Love that is kind. Not seeking my own. Not taking into account the wrong suffered. Help me to still love. Bearing all things. Enduring all things. Teach me to love with a love that never fails. Teach me to love with a love that will always be there. No matter what. Lord teach me to love. Image credit: https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/15niky/just_because_youre_mad_at_someone_doesnt_mean_you/

Endure

2 Cor:4:18 For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal. Unless we live with this perspective, there is no hope, there is no strength to endure, there is no sap left to hold on. For endurance depends on your ability to look beyond the physical to the spiritual, beyond the present to the eternal and beyond the visible to the invisible. It is not imaginary. But a reality into which we place our trust. Therefore our afflictions though may appear heavy when we face it, it is in reality light and momentary, for the glory awaiting is much more heavy - far beyond any comparison. So look forward. Look beyond. Focus on eternal things. Store up treasures in heaven and not here in this earth. Set your heart in treasures above. That will help you to face your afflictions here on this side of eternity. That will help you to have faith and put your trust in the One who called you. He will not leave you half way. He who has taken care of your et...

Comfort in sorrow

2 Cor:2:7-8 You should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. When someone is sorrowful. 1. Forgive - forgive him for what He has done unknowingly or knowingly, personally and publically, verbally or physically, out of his sorrow. Just forgive. Just forget. Give another chance. Keep on giving one more. 2. Comfort - tell him it's okay to feel so. To feel overwhelmed. Tell him, I am there for you. God sees you and knows you. 3. Affirm your love to him - tell him I love you. I am there for you through thick and thin. To the best that I can, I will be there. You are not facing it alone. I am praying for you. Do not judge. Do not label. Do not gossip. Image courtesy: https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/child-and-dog-comfort-and-sorrow-vector-61716299

Be a man.

1 Cor:16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in faith; act like men; be strong. Watch out. Look out. Be on the alert. Stand firm in faith. That is what men do. Be strong. Stay strong. Dwindling in your trust in God is what children do. Act like the man you are. Be a man. Stay strong on your faith. No matter what happens, hold fast to your God. That is mature faith. Do not let go to fear or anxiety. Be strong. Faith is trusting God, the Father despite what the circumstances look like. Knowing fully that He is in control. That He will take care and thats enough. He is enough. Image credit; https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/hand-holding-fist-symbol-determination_139829368.htm

Sting

O death where is your victory? O death where is your sting? 1 Cor:15:55 The sting of death is sin. Death is effected through sin. The inevitable. The unescapable. The unavoidable. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. None can escape. I was inexorably dead. I was to die for eternity. The pain of separation for eternity from my Lord was fully mine. Deserving for endless ages. But the cross cancelled it all. The cross dissolved it all. Deleted it all. My trust is on the finished work of Jesus on the cross. God bore all my punishment including the crown of it all, death. And therefore it stands cancelled for me. I can no longer be stung. Immunized. Free. Free from the punishment which was destined for me. Oh! Thank you Jesus. What about you? Are u still stung? Image credit: https://www.alveole.buzz/blog/bee-stings-guide/

Smell good

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 2 Cor:2:15 Do you smell Christ? Do you exuded His fragrance to God, among others? Do you have that sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ? Or do you stink? The knowledge of God and sim cannot stand together. Sin will run in the presence of the knowledge of God. Wash clean of your dirt and apply the aroma. Similarly, wash clean of your sin by the blood of Jesus through confession and apply the knowledge of God. Simple. Image credit: https://gulfnews.com/amp/story/friday%2Fbeauty%2Fyou-smell-nice-choosing-the-perfect-fragrance-learn-the-art-1.1643542938723

The halfbaked Bard

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