So over the past couple of weeks in Repo we've been talking about the fruit that our lives should and shouldn't produce (Gal. 6:16-26). Tonight while I was praying I was asking God to continue to deal with & clear out the rotten fruit in my life and to produce the fruit of the Spirit in me. 

Galatians 6:22-23a - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

As I was praying through those fruits God stopped me. I had one of those 2x4 moments, you know, when God's word knocks you upside the head and knocks some sense into you. It was then that I realized that Paul didn't just write this in some random order. God isn't random, he's very specific - Paul was lead by the Holy Ghost to write these in this specific order. 

See, you can't expect to have one fruit without the other, but it all starts with love. Without love you'll never have the rest of them. After all love is the greatest commandment (Mark 12:28-31). Its because of love that you can have joy (Hebrews 1:9, 12:2). If you have true joy then no matter what comes your way you can trust God in it and have peace (Philippians 4:7). If you have peace then you can be patient (Ephesians 4:2) Its through patience that you can be kind (1 Corinthians 13:4). From the kindness in your heart goodness will flow (2 Peter 1:5-7).  And as goodness flows you will find yourself living faithfully according to God's Word(2 Peter 1:8). And if you're faithful to God's word you can't help but be gentle (Ephesians 4:2). As all of this is coming from your life you will find that you are living with self-control (Galatians 5:16).

When they get all jacked up go back to love.

I've got some work to do.

Coach Luis