Dwelling on the fruit of the Spirit, the book of John has been such an encouragement to me lately. One thing that particularly strikes me about the way John writes of love is that he is described as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:20).
It's got me thinking...to be LOVED teaches one how to know LOVE for themselves. Therefore, let us not only receive God's LOVE as we abide in Him, but also let us LOVE one another with His LOVE and see how it multiplies...and multiplies!!!
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another." John 15:1-2, 4-5, 12-13, 16-17
So, I pour myself out (again and again) and I encourage my family to do the same
so that together and by the grace of God, we might abide in a home filled to
overflowing with LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS,
GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. (Galatians 5:22-23)
"The fruit of the Spirit is...LOVE."
Galatians 5:22
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."
1 John 4:7-12
