Monday, March 30, 2015

Spiritual Fruit and Gifts Without Measure

UV 1369/10,000 Spiritual Fruit and Gifts without Measure
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
John 3 v 34
God had sent Jesus, His Son to speak His word. Jesus is filled with the fullness of God even during His earthly sojourn as He is now in heaven. It is written about Him that He was full of grace and truth. Jesus manifested the fullness or completeness of God’s plan of salvation for mankind. He was given the Holy Spirit without measure. While all other men and women of God from Abraham downward to this day are given the Spirit by measure.

Yet Jesus said that He did not speak His own doctrine but only what He heard from God the Father. He did not do anything in His own authority but only by the power and authority given by God. Jesus according to the parable of tenants was the son of the landlord of the vineyard of Earth, God the Creator. He had been sent by the landlord to collect the fruit. The fruit is the work of character in our lives. This is the legitimate and due rent that we pay to the Lord in terms of character, gratitude and worship. Jesus whose love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, self control and wisdom is absolute and infinite or immeasurable wants to see a measure of these spiritual qualities that are called the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. The similitude of our character to that of Jesus honours God. But not finding much fruit in mankind, Jesus plants the seed of love in our hearts by willingly and knowingly ascending the steps to the cruel cross and pay for our deficiencies.

Today as believers, we need to increase in the measure of our fruitfulness for the Lord. We need to grow in wisdom, in influence, in the spiritual qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. We need to increase in grace and our knowledge of the truth. Jesus as He ascended gave gifts to mankind. We need to increase in the use or application of these gifts of preaching, healing and deliverance side by side or in proportion to the growth of the spiritual fruit of character. We have been given fruit and gifts in proportion to our faith and our knowledge and application of the Word. Our fountainhead continues to be Jesus whose resources, fruit and gifts are limitless and He will give us grace for grace to fill up the gaps in our faith, character and work.
Prateep V Philip

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