tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21789110.post115400488464595553..comments2023-11-03T04:15:09.033-05:00Comments on Can You Hear Me Now?: No Ugly Fruit Here!kpjarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02425417734069925095noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21789110.post-1154593198620929832006-08-03T03:19:00.000-05:002006-08-03T03:19:00.000-05:00I'm such a comment slacker lately....I've been mea...I'm such a comment slacker lately....I've been meaning to comment on this post ever since I first saw it, but I haven't gotten around to it. I guess I was trying to put my finger on what I wanted to say. But every time I visit your blog I think - Doh! That one post...I was going to comment...So, here's my rambling thoughts (rough draft version).<BR/><BR/>When you were discussing bearing fruit, you said <I>"He wants me to get off my butt, recognize His purpose, and GO FULFILL IT!" </I> I don't want to totally dissect that comment, so please forgive me if I am off-base with my understanding of your thinking. That statement sounded to me like primarily an exhortation to do the work of the kingdom in external ministry, and that understanding of the text is what I wanted to address. It's not <I>wrong</I> to look at this passage as a call to participate in practical ministry (that's probably the most common way that I hear the text preached). But, I don't believe that it really does justice to the context and full heart of the passage. <BR/><BR/>Now don't get me wrong – God is thrilled to have you on His team, and I think He does want your life to bring forth fruit of leading the lost to the Lord, ministering to the needy, etc. That being said, I think we do ourselves a disservice if a call to external service is all we take away from this exhortation. <BR/><BR/>I know (as I believe you also know) that the Lord has something more intimate in store for you than simply putting you to <B>work</B> in His kingdom. He desires to capture the affections of your heart and draw you into an intimate relationship with Him. One where your entire being is given over to Him in such a way that your life begins to look like His - not because you have beaten yourself into submission, but because you have found a lover who is better than any other, and His ways have captured your heart. In other words, that you would be filled with the Spirit of God, living a life displays the fruits of the Spirit in abundance.<BR/><BR/>It is the internal fruit of your heart that I believe is the heart of this passage. You were made to love God, and be loved by Him. This is both His primary purpose for your life, and His primary method of transforming you into His image.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07158631081390497739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21789110.post-1154054126158132702006-07-27T21:35:00.000-05:002006-07-27T21:35:00.000-05:00Thanks Sally for the encouragement. Once again, t...Thanks Sally for the encouragement. Once again, the posts that 'get to me' the most seem to be the least impactful in this blogdom. Perhaps it's God's way of getting MY absolute attention!<BR/><BR/>I hope you're enjoying your holiday and all the sailing!kpjarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02425417734069925095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21789110.post-1154041219663210142006-07-27T18:00:00.000-05:002006-07-27T18:00:00.000-05:00what a wonderful and thought provoking post kim- y...what a wonderful and thought provoking post kim- you have challenged me to the core... thank youSallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01759963926280667938noreply@blogger.com