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FRUIT

A new study released by the Barna organization found that 45 percent of Americans say they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. The Barna Polling Company says based on the criterion they use, the numbers are accurate. The survey found 53 percent of Baby Boomers meet the definition of "Born again." Using the same criteria, nine percent of adults are classified as Evangelical, because they are both born again, and agree with seven other core beliefs found in the Bible. Study results found 36 percent of Americans are what could be called "Notional Christians", describing themselves as Christians but not meeting the survey's born again definition.

Many church leaders find the results confusing. They say if 45 percent of Americans were living the reality of what they profess, the country would be different. If half of the population lived a truly transforming Christian life, divorce rates, teen pregnancy rates, and other social ills such as alcoholism would be impacted more. Survey author George Barna says, "What we're finding is that there's still a lot of superficiality related to the fact that a lot of people have recognized that the spiritual dimension of their life is important." Barna agrees that not all born again Christians, by his definition, are bearing fruit.

—http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0040656.cfm, May 30, 2006. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

John 15:5 (NIV) "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

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FRUIT

When 31-year-old Terence Tao received the mathematics world's version of the Nobel Prize, the Fields medal, he found himself in prestigious company. Tao earned a PhD from Princeton at age 21, and was a full professor of mathematics at UCLA by the age of 24. He was recognized for making contributions to harmonic analysis and numerical theory. Tao said he likes to split problems into smaller problems and explained, "If I experiment enough, I get a deeper understanding."

Tao said he is most interested by the connection between math and the real world. When asked why he devoted himself to pushing the boundaries of the discipline, Tao remarked, "Because it's fun." One of Tao's colleagues, John Garnett, former UCLA college chair of mathematics recently placed Tao on a level with Mozart-"except without Mozart's personality problems." Referring to Tao, Garnett said, "Mathematics just flows out of him."

—Agence France Presse, Number cruncher Tao waves math's flag for Australia, August 22, 2006. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.

What flows out of you?

Matthew 12:33 (GW) "Make a tree good, and then its fruit will be good. Or make a tree rotten, and then its fruit will be rotten. A person can recognize a tree by its fruit."
 

FRUIT

When our son Benjamin was quite young we planted an apple tree in the backyard. As soon as it was planted, he called his grandfather and explained, "Pop-Pop, we just planted an apple tree and now we're going to put apples on it!"

—"Lessons in Dadhood" by Tim Wesemann 1997; CPH Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

We often think that we bear fruit by ourselves. That is not possible unless we are connected to the source of nutrition, the vine, Jesus Christ. Through him come our lives of faithfulness and service.

Galatians 5:22-23 KJV "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

For more information on Lessons in Dadhood, go to http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0570048850/fm082-20

In Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit, Francis Chan writes, “Do you exhibit more kindness and faithfulness than the Mormons you know? Do you have more self-control than your Muslim friends? More peace than Buddhists? More joy than atheists? If GOD truly lives in you, shouldn’t you expect to be different from everyone else?” 

-- Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit p. 146. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson

Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (24) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (25) Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” 

ABIDING

In the book, The God Who Knows Your Name Max Lucado writes, “The Father tends. Jesus nourishes. We receive, and grapes appear. Passersby, stunned at the overflowing baskets of love, grace, and peace, can’t help but ask, “Who runs this vineyard?” And God is honored. For this reason fruit bearing matters to God.”

— Jesus: The God Who Knows Your Name by Max Lucado, pg. 88.

John 15:8 (CSB) “My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.”