05/12/19 - Spiritual Fruit Cocktail - 1 Corinthians 3, Galatians 5:22-23

It's great to be back in the land of free refills! We had a special time together in Isreal and Jordan with a great group of folks from Illuminate. To be where Jesus lived and did ministry makes the Bible come to life in new ways and of course to be reminded of the amazing life of Jesus Christ. I missed you. I don't have much of a sweet tooth but I do like savory things. If given the choice between chocolate cake and hot wings, it's wings every time. There is however one sugary food I do like. I'm certain it has to do with my experience eating it as a kid - the syrup from fruit cocktail in a can. Along with this sweetness comes that magical variety of fruit all mixed together. It's a perfect combination. So it is with the Fruit of the Spirit. It's when all the fruit comes together in your life you know you've hit the sweet spot. In fact, this is what spiritual maturity looks like.  The problem with the Corinthian believers is that they had very little spiritual sweetness because they neglected the fruit that produces it. They were not growing in faith as a result. These believers had much talent but lacked depth. This is a bad combination that leads to pride and quarreling and as a result they looked like those on the outside. One of the great fruit killers is when we allow the gospel of the culture to replace the gospel of Jesus. So together, by God's Spirit, let's make Illuminate this amazing produce section in God's store!