Thought for February 28

 History:

• 1646: Roger Scott tried for sleeping in church
• 1749: First edition of "Tom Jones" published
• 1784: John Wesley charters the Methodist Church
• 1827: First commercial railroad in US chartered--B&O
• 1854: Republican Party formally organized in Ripon Wisconsin
• 1933: First female member of the Cabinet--Frances Perkins Secretary of Labor
• 1953: Francis Crick and James Watson discover the structure of DNA
• 1983: Final episode of MASH
• 1988: British TV program "That's Life" honors Nicholas Winton and he is surprised when the audience is filled with children he saved from German occupied Czechoslovakia. You can view this on You Tube. One of the great stories of what one person can do. 
• Born: Linus Pauling, Frank Gehry, Mario Andretti, Zero Mostel, Gavin MacLeod ["Love Boat"],  Bubba Smith, Jason Aldean, 
• Died: Paul Harvey, Mr. Ed, the talking horse, Jane Russell, 

Thought:

I have underlined Matthew 3:8--"Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance." Notice the context. John the Baptist is preaching. His message--"Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." [3:2]

This morning I am thinking about these two verses. It seems to me that the whole gospel is summarized here. First repent, turn from the direction you are going and follow Christ. This is a daily choice and necessity. Salvation is a one time occurrence/event--but growing into the likeness of Christ, dying to self so that He can live in us is a process. Then, having received the gift of eternal life, be fruitful. 

What kind of fruit? Fruit consistent with the repentance I claim. Certainly, the fruit of the Spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control. Here is the challenge. Am I bearing this fruit in my life today. Am I a channel of love, a conduit of joy, a peacemaker. Or do I refuse or neglect to love some because I do not like them? Do I carry bitterness or let my circumstances dictate my joy level? Am I at peace and a maker of peace? Do I seek unity in the body of Christ or do I sow seeds of disunity. 

There is other fruit that Jesus talks about in Matthew 25--feeding the hungry, sharing water with the thirsty, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the prisoners. Fruit in keeping with repentance. 

This morning I am thinking about fruit in my life--is it in keeping with repentance. Does it reflect the Holy Spirit living in me? Is it evidence of the transformed life Paul writes about in Romans 12? Lord, show me those places where the fruit is not evident in my life and help me grow into a person whose fruit is in keeping with repentance. 

Blessings

Larry