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A Vine-Ripened Life: Spiritual Fruitfulness through Abiding in Christ
The grace that stimulates the fruit and maturity of a sanctified life comes to us through Jesus Christ. We bear much fruit only as we abide in Him. In A Vine-Ripened Life, author Stanley Gale points us to Jesus, the Vine of life of John 15, in whom we, as branches, must live and grow to bear the fruit of a grace-grown life. He explains, “Having begun in Christ we remain in Christ, continuing to draw our life from Him and maturing in grace.” With pastoral sensitivity and an engaging style, Gale teaches readers both about the fruit of Christian character and how to cultivate it. Questions at the end of each chapter make this an ideal study for individuals or groups.
Author
Stanley D. Gale serves as senior minister of The Reformed Presbyterian Church, West Chester, Pennsylvania. He is the author of numerous books and articles, leads seminars on various topics, and is the founder of Community Houses of Prayer (www.CHoPministry.net).
Endorsements
“A Vine-Ripened Life will encourage, empower, and equip you to be all you can be in Christ so you are able to produce fruit in accordance with God’s Word and will. Stan Gale has whet my appetite, and I look forward to devouring his next publication!” — Leslie Montgomery, author of The Faith of Condoleezza Rice and Redemptive Suffering
“Faith, the writer of Hebrews insists (11:1), comes with evidence. You can see faith as it flowers, comes to fruition, and offers itself to others for their benefit. The fruit of faith comes from the indwelling Spirit of Christ, who, working with the Word of God, anchors us in the glory of the Lord and transforms us into the image of Jesus. The result is glorious spiritual fruit to bless the world. What’s our role in this? Simply put: abide. Abide in the Vine, whence flows the spiritual nourishment and renewing water to enable us to realize our potential as ingrafted vine-dwellers. Intrigued? Then read this book. Stan Gale knows a thing or two about abiding in the Lord Jesus, and this little volume brings his profound, winsome, and penetrating insights to entice, enrich, and enlarge your experience of Jesus Christ, our Vine.” — T. M. Moore, principal, The Fellowship of Ailbe, and content manager for the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview
“Looking for a Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered vision for spiritual growth and maturity? That’s what you will find in A Vine-Ripened Life. In this compelling and challenging book, Stan Gale guides us through a study of the fruit of the Spirit that connects our active growth in Christian graces to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus had a reason for calling Himself the vine and us the branches. This fine volume explains why. If you want to grow in your walk with Christ, a prayerful and attentive reading of A Vine-Ripened Life is an excellent place to start.” — Rhett Dodson, pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church, Hudson, Ohio
“An authentic Christian is ‘rooted’ in Christ, the Vine, and the result will be ‘fruit, more fruit, and much fruit.’ If there is a root, there will be fruit. Nurturing a growing, fruit-bearing life is called discipleship. Here is a volume that not only outlines and defines the ‘vine-ripened life’ in Christ but also provides an effective disciple-making tool. With no hesitation and with great anticipation I recommend this biblically accurate and discipleship-friendly volume thoughtfully prepared by Stan Gale for the reader and the disciple-maker.” — Harry Reeder,pastor of Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and author of Embers to a Flame
“This was too important to read just once. The possibilities for growth were too good to pass up, so I read it again.
Author
Stanley D. Gale serves as senior minister of The Reformed Presbyterian Church, West Chester, Pennsylvania. He is the author of numerous books and articles, leads seminars on various topics, and is the founder of Community Houses of Prayer (www.CHoPministry.net).
Endorsements
“A Vine-Ripened Life will encourage, empower, and equip you to be all you can be in Christ so you are able to produce fruit in accordance with God’s Word and will. Stan Gale has whet my appetite, and I look forward to devouring his next publication!” — Leslie Montgomery, author of The Faith of Condoleezza Rice and Redemptive Suffering
“Faith, the writer of Hebrews insists (11:1), comes with evidence. You can see faith as it flowers, comes to fruition, and offers itself to others for their benefit. The fruit of faith comes from the indwelling Spirit of Christ, who, working with the Word of God, anchors us in the glory of the Lord and transforms us into the image of Jesus. The result is glorious spiritual fruit to bless the world. What’s our role in this? Simply put: abide. Abide in the Vine, whence flows the spiritual nourishment and renewing water to enable us to realize our potential as ingrafted vine-dwellers. Intrigued? Then read this book. Stan Gale knows a thing or two about abiding in the Lord Jesus, and this little volume brings his profound, winsome, and penetrating insights to entice, enrich, and enlarge your experience of Jesus Christ, our Vine.” — T. M. Moore, principal, The Fellowship of Ailbe, and content manager for the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview
“Looking for a Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered vision for spiritual growth and maturity? That’s what you will find in A Vine-Ripened Life. In this compelling and challenging book, Stan Gale guides us through a study of the fruit of the Spirit that connects our active growth in Christian graces to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Jesus had a reason for calling Himself the vine and us the branches. This fine volume explains why. If you want to grow in your walk with Christ, a prayerful and attentive reading of A Vine-Ripened Life is an excellent place to start.” — Rhett Dodson, pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church, Hudson, Ohio
“An authentic Christian is ‘rooted’ in Christ, the Vine, and the result will be ‘fruit, more fruit, and much fruit.’ If there is a root, there will be fruit. Nurturing a growing, fruit-bearing life is called discipleship. Here is a volume that not only outlines and defines the ‘vine-ripened life’ in Christ but also provides an effective disciple-making tool. With no hesitation and with great anticipation I recommend this biblically accurate and discipleship-friendly volume thoughtfully prepared by Stan Gale for the reader and the disciple-maker.” — Harry Reeder,pastor of Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and author of Embers to a Flame
“This was too important to read just once. The possibilities for growth were too good to pass up, so I read it again.
155 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2014
8 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Stanley D. Gale
17 books1 followerStanley D. Gale serves as senior minister of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He has authored a number of works on spiritual warfare, including Warfare Witness: Contending with Spiritual Opposition in Everyday Evangelism.
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September 15, 2014
A Vine-Ripened Life seeks to show that spiritual fruitfulness is a result of connection to the vine; that bearing Christian fruit is inextricably linked to our abiding in Christ. Adding humility as the “chlorophyll” of “the garden of Galatians 5” and seeing the grace of Christ as central to all production, Gale leads the reader in understanding how love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and humility are results of the presence of God’s Spirit in the believer and one’s abiding in the Savior.
Love:
"This is radical love, the sort that distinguishes Christian love from the world’s notions of love. It is impossible to grasp the full extent of Christian love apart from the transaction of the cross. Such love defies all sensibilities. It exceeds all expectations.
God’s love is the starting point for the fruit of the Spirit we are called to demonstrate. Jesus is our exemplar. We are to love as we have been loved. We emulate the illustration held up for us. We cannot exhibit such love in our natural strength. Love is a catalyst of abiding for the formation of greater love."
Joy:
"Joy is nurtured through the exercise of faith in communing with our Lord Jesus."
Peace:
"The fruit of peace is grounded in the fact of peace. Without that reality of union with Christ, peace is presumptuous. It is no more real or enduring than the relief given through pharmaceutical painkillers that treat the symptoms but not the cause.
When Paul addresses the Philippian church in the salutation of his epistle, he greets them with “grace…and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:2). Those words are not empty sentiment or mere formality. They are rich with meaning. They communicate a reality, the reality of redemptive, reconciled relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ as Lord.
From that foundational reality flows the fountain of tranquility."
Patience:
"One of our challenges in understanding patience is to see its potency and potential as a deal breaker for cultivation of the other fruit of the Spirit: little patience, little rest of the fruit…Patience is not merely a social grace. It is a driving force for growing us in the character of the Vine."
Kindness:
“(S)ensitivity to need and practical expression to meet it is what kindness is all about.”
“The fruit of kindness not only adorns our lives with Christlikeness; it also sweetens a world reeling under the effects of sin. It introduces this world to the age to come. It carries an agenda, taking into account a need and acting to meet that need. Our Father Himself sets the bar for us in the kindness He has shown us by meeting our deepest need through the giving of His Son, that we might not perish but have everlasting life.”
Goodness:
“Paul is not bidding us to put on tights and a cape and embark on a quest of good works. He is describing ordinary life lived for Jesus Christ, life expressive of the Vine into which we have been grafted by God’s grace. As such, our lives are fragrant to God, ourselves, and others with the aroma of grace.”
Faithfulness:
“Like a skeleton of steel rebar reinforces concrete, so the faithfulness of God upholds us in our lives as Christians.”
Gentleness:
"The fruit of meekness/gentleness is anything but. As we look at Jesus, we see gentle strength. It is power and authority restrained with love and grace. Gentleness does not use its strength or authority to crush, but to handle with care."
Self-control:
"Self-control is more than an internal police force(willpower). It manages the operation center of the believer’s heart… As citizens of heaven, those in the world but not of it, we are to seek the kingdom of God in all we do. That speaks to our ethics, our values, our priorities, our ambitions, our actions, our words—even our thought life. The twists and dangers of the path before us require that we make constant choices in which we are called to deny self and follow Christ. Self-control relates not just to the denying of self but also to the following of Christ.
Gale also devotes a chapter to humility, and he gives a compelling reason to do so:
"Humility acts as chlorophyll to a plant. Chlorophyll serves two primary purposes. One, it gives the plant its distinctive green color. Two, it enables the absorption of light and conversion of that light into energy, a process called photosynthesis.
As chlorophyll works in a plant to give it its distinctive color and allow it to grow and function in God’s design, so humility gives believers their distinctive hue and helps them to thrive in the Vine. Every fruit of the Spirit is touched by humility. It is an essential element necessary for the production of the fruit of new life in Christ. Humility enables our abiding, drawing us to Christ, driving us to prayer, and drawing on the word of Christ to dwell in us richly. In that sense, it is not numbered among the listed fruit of Galatians 5, but it is present as a nutrient to all."
Many books that address this topic just make you feel bad. You are left defeated and deflated, with little-to-no desire to grow in these areas. “I am not patient, I am often unkind. Does ‘goodness’ describe me? Usually not…not to that degree, at least. Why even try? I’ll never measure up.” I guess that would be ok if the passage on fruit of the Spirit were a passage of law, designed to show you your failures and drive you to the Lord as Savior. But it is not.
It is a declaration. “These are the Fruit of the Spirit.” And a promise. “This is what you will bear if you are united to me, filled by my Spirit.” So it was encouraging to see these fruit addressed in a manner that left the reader hopeful and excited, rather that overcome with guilt or despair. Convicted about areas of life that were hindering healthy, proper fruit-bearing, yes. Guilted to the point of despair over not producing fruit in the manner the author or the reader or whoever feels is appropriate, no.
"To the degree we are negligent in prayer, we are derelict as students of grace. Either we don’t show up, or we show up unprepared and unreceptive. Without prayer, we see ourselves in the mirror of God’s Word, but we quickly forget what He has shown us of ourselves in it. If prayer is not a tool of our learning, the doctrine we learn becomes cold, dry, insipid, and irrelevant. We have left our first love. We may be attached to the Vine, but we are not abiding in it for the fruitfulness our Father desires.
Prayer reminds us that abiding is not merely connecting to a source of power, like a plug to an outlet. Abiding is more than drawing upon resources outside of ourselves. To abide is to commune with our personal, living Lord. Without ceasing, we seek His care and wisdom and strength in the trenches of life. We engage Him in sweet fellowship, expressing to Him our fears and failures and frustrations. We cry out to Him and hear the assurances of His presence and peace and provision, as He reminds us that He is the Vine in whom we have been grafted by grace."
This is a work that strikes a difficult, but necessary balance. Gale writes in a manner that encourages a pruning and cultivation that leads to a greater relationship with the vine and that produces more and healthier fruit. But it does so in a way that does not lead to despair in “failure” or self-congratulatory arrogance in “successes.” We bear fruit when we are attached to the vine. Gale encourages us to abide in that Vine. This is a helpful book.
I received a review copy of this book.
Love:
"This is radical love, the sort that distinguishes Christian love from the world’s notions of love. It is impossible to grasp the full extent of Christian love apart from the transaction of the cross. Such love defies all sensibilities. It exceeds all expectations.
God’s love is the starting point for the fruit of the Spirit we are called to demonstrate. Jesus is our exemplar. We are to love as we have been loved. We emulate the illustration held up for us. We cannot exhibit such love in our natural strength. Love is a catalyst of abiding for the formation of greater love."
Joy:
"Joy is nurtured through the exercise of faith in communing with our Lord Jesus."
Peace:
"The fruit of peace is grounded in the fact of peace. Without that reality of union with Christ, peace is presumptuous. It is no more real or enduring than the relief given through pharmaceutical painkillers that treat the symptoms but not the cause.
When Paul addresses the Philippian church in the salutation of his epistle, he greets them with “grace…and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:2). Those words are not empty sentiment or mere formality. They are rich with meaning. They communicate a reality, the reality of redemptive, reconciled relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ as Lord.
From that foundational reality flows the fountain of tranquility."
Patience:
"One of our challenges in understanding patience is to see its potency and potential as a deal breaker for cultivation of the other fruit of the Spirit: little patience, little rest of the fruit…Patience is not merely a social grace. It is a driving force for growing us in the character of the Vine."
Kindness:
“(S)ensitivity to need and practical expression to meet it is what kindness is all about.”
“The fruit of kindness not only adorns our lives with Christlikeness; it also sweetens a world reeling under the effects of sin. It introduces this world to the age to come. It carries an agenda, taking into account a need and acting to meet that need. Our Father Himself sets the bar for us in the kindness He has shown us by meeting our deepest need through the giving of His Son, that we might not perish but have everlasting life.”
Goodness:
“Paul is not bidding us to put on tights and a cape and embark on a quest of good works. He is describing ordinary life lived for Jesus Christ, life expressive of the Vine into which we have been grafted by God’s grace. As such, our lives are fragrant to God, ourselves, and others with the aroma of grace.”
Faithfulness:
“Like a skeleton of steel rebar reinforces concrete, so the faithfulness of God upholds us in our lives as Christians.”
Gentleness:
"The fruit of meekness/gentleness is anything but. As we look at Jesus, we see gentle strength. It is power and authority restrained with love and grace. Gentleness does not use its strength or authority to crush, but to handle with care."
Self-control:
"Self-control is more than an internal police force(willpower). It manages the operation center of the believer’s heart… As citizens of heaven, those in the world but not of it, we are to seek the kingdom of God in all we do. That speaks to our ethics, our values, our priorities, our ambitions, our actions, our words—even our thought life. The twists and dangers of the path before us require that we make constant choices in which we are called to deny self and follow Christ. Self-control relates not just to the denying of self but also to the following of Christ.
Gale also devotes a chapter to humility, and he gives a compelling reason to do so:
"Humility acts as chlorophyll to a plant. Chlorophyll serves two primary purposes. One, it gives the plant its distinctive green color. Two, it enables the absorption of light and conversion of that light into energy, a process called photosynthesis.
As chlorophyll works in a plant to give it its distinctive color and allow it to grow and function in God’s design, so humility gives believers their distinctive hue and helps them to thrive in the Vine. Every fruit of the Spirit is touched by humility. It is an essential element necessary for the production of the fruit of new life in Christ. Humility enables our abiding, drawing us to Christ, driving us to prayer, and drawing on the word of Christ to dwell in us richly. In that sense, it is not numbered among the listed fruit of Galatians 5, but it is present as a nutrient to all."
Many books that address this topic just make you feel bad. You are left defeated and deflated, with little-to-no desire to grow in these areas. “I am not patient, I am often unkind. Does ‘goodness’ describe me? Usually not…not to that degree, at least. Why even try? I’ll never measure up.” I guess that would be ok if the passage on fruit of the Spirit were a passage of law, designed to show you your failures and drive you to the Lord as Savior. But it is not.
It is a declaration. “These are the Fruit of the Spirit.” And a promise. “This is what you will bear if you are united to me, filled by my Spirit.” So it was encouraging to see these fruit addressed in a manner that left the reader hopeful and excited, rather that overcome with guilt or despair. Convicted about areas of life that were hindering healthy, proper fruit-bearing, yes. Guilted to the point of despair over not producing fruit in the manner the author or the reader or whoever feels is appropriate, no.
"To the degree we are negligent in prayer, we are derelict as students of grace. Either we don’t show up, or we show up unprepared and unreceptive. Without prayer, we see ourselves in the mirror of God’s Word, but we quickly forget what He has shown us of ourselves in it. If prayer is not a tool of our learning, the doctrine we learn becomes cold, dry, insipid, and irrelevant. We have left our first love. We may be attached to the Vine, but we are not abiding in it for the fruitfulness our Father desires.
Prayer reminds us that abiding is not merely connecting to a source of power, like a plug to an outlet. Abiding is more than drawing upon resources outside of ourselves. To abide is to commune with our personal, living Lord. Without ceasing, we seek His care and wisdom and strength in the trenches of life. We engage Him in sweet fellowship, expressing to Him our fears and failures and frustrations. We cry out to Him and hear the assurances of His presence and peace and provision, as He reminds us that He is the Vine in whom we have been grafted by grace."
This is a work that strikes a difficult, but necessary balance. Gale writes in a manner that encourages a pruning and cultivation that leads to a greater relationship with the vine and that produces more and healthier fruit. But it does so in a way that does not lead to despair in “failure” or self-congratulatory arrogance in “successes.” We bear fruit when we are attached to the vine. Gale encourages us to abide in that Vine. This is a helpful book.
I received a review copy of this book.
August 26, 2015
In his book A Vine-Ripened Life: Spiritual Fruitfulness through Abiding in Christ, Stanley Gale explores the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23. His goal is to have the reader come away from this study with a deeper knowledge of Christ and more profound dependence upon Him (Kindle location 141).
Mr. Gale begins his book by looking at the sanctification process. He then devotes a full chapter to each fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The book ends with an inspection of humility and grace. I found the author's chapter on peace very helpful. He states that "it is clear that the battleground for the prize of peace is the mind," (Kindle location 833). I was spurred to memorize Philippians 4:4-8 as a reminder to rest in God and trust His providence in all areas of my life. The author's call to apply God's Word to our lives is a good, daily reminder for all Christians.
In addition, I found Mr. Gale's chapter on goodness to be edifying. He notes that Christians do not gain goodness by meritorious works, but by emptying themselves and finding goodness in God alone. He adds a very convicting quote by Charles Spurgeon: "Our imaginary goodness is harder to conquer than our actual sin," (Kindle location 1212).
In spite of the plethora of biblical references and personal anecdotes, Mr. Gale also uses many worldly examples when explaining the different aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. Even though the contrasting works of the flesh are specifically listed in Galatians 5:19-21, the author does not address these verses, but looks to the world for illustrations. I found his secular references, which include The Far Side comic strip, the Pink Panther films, Greek mythology, The Wizard of Oz, The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, and even the vague reference to Miley Cyrus, to be extremely distracting and not helpful to his overall goal of helping the reader to know Christ more deeply. Christians are not be conformed to this world (Rom. 12:2), but they are to come out and be separate (2 Cor. 6:17).
While Mr. Gale's worldly references might help explain a particular virtue, the presence of morality in a person does not indicate that the person is a Christian. For example, the author talks about the gentleness exhibited by his dentist (Kindle location 1584), but he does not state whether or not his dentist is a Christian. Just because his dentist is gentle, does not mean that he is a person to be emulated by all Christians; and while the author does not specifically state this, the inference is there. Christians are to look to Christ alone as the role model and example of godly behavior that we are to imitate. Paul encourages Christians to follow him as he follows Christ (1 Cor. 11:1), and Matthew Henry warns that "We should follow no leader further than he follows Christ." There are many moral, lost people in the world, such as the Mormons; they make great neighbors, but they are not a model for Christians to follow regardless of how virtuous they look. The danger of holding the things of this world up as good examples of virtue is that it may lead Christians away from Christ, not toward Him.
In cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in my life, I am encouraged by Mr. Gale's reminder that "Our standing is in Christ, and our strength is in Christ...One of the primary ways by which we abide in Christ for the bearing of fruit is prayer," (Kindle location 1887). Therefore, I recommend this book for all Christians because it is helpful in the on-going process of Christian sanctification. Christians living in the Spirit should also walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25), and as the author notes, "The fruit that proceeds from a new heart is manifold. It brings glory to God," (Kindle location 1936).
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Mr. Gale begins his book by looking at the sanctification process. He then devotes a full chapter to each fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The book ends with an inspection of humility and grace. I found the author's chapter on peace very helpful. He states that "it is clear that the battleground for the prize of peace is the mind," (Kindle location 833). I was spurred to memorize Philippians 4:4-8 as a reminder to rest in God and trust His providence in all areas of my life. The author's call to apply God's Word to our lives is a good, daily reminder for all Christians.
In addition, I found Mr. Gale's chapter on goodness to be edifying. He notes that Christians do not gain goodness by meritorious works, but by emptying themselves and finding goodness in God alone. He adds a very convicting quote by Charles Spurgeon: "Our imaginary goodness is harder to conquer than our actual sin," (Kindle location 1212).
In spite of the plethora of biblical references and personal anecdotes, Mr. Gale also uses many worldly examples when explaining the different aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. Even though the contrasting works of the flesh are specifically listed in Galatians 5:19-21, the author does not address these verses, but looks to the world for illustrations. I found his secular references, which include The Far Side comic strip, the Pink Panther films, Greek mythology, The Wizard of Oz, The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, and even the vague reference to Miley Cyrus, to be extremely distracting and not helpful to his overall goal of helping the reader to know Christ more deeply. Christians are not be conformed to this world (Rom. 12:2), but they are to come out and be separate (2 Cor. 6:17).
While Mr. Gale's worldly references might help explain a particular virtue, the presence of morality in a person does not indicate that the person is a Christian. For example, the author talks about the gentleness exhibited by his dentist (Kindle location 1584), but he does not state whether or not his dentist is a Christian. Just because his dentist is gentle, does not mean that he is a person to be emulated by all Christians; and while the author does not specifically state this, the inference is there. Christians are to look to Christ alone as the role model and example of godly behavior that we are to imitate. Paul encourages Christians to follow him as he follows Christ (1 Cor. 11:1), and Matthew Henry warns that "We should follow no leader further than he follows Christ." There are many moral, lost people in the world, such as the Mormons; they make great neighbors, but they are not a model for Christians to follow regardless of how virtuous they look. The danger of holding the things of this world up as good examples of virtue is that it may lead Christians away from Christ, not toward Him.
In cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in my life, I am encouraged by Mr. Gale's reminder that "Our standing is in Christ, and our strength is in Christ...One of the primary ways by which we abide in Christ for the bearing of fruit is prayer," (Kindle location 1887). Therefore, I recommend this book for all Christians because it is helpful in the on-going process of Christian sanctification. Christians living in the Spirit should also walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25), and as the author notes, "The fruit that proceeds from a new heart is manifold. It brings glory to God," (Kindle location 1936).
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 6, 2014
Each Chapter starts with a verse and a description of Vine Ripened Life starting with the Vine. It ends with questions on cultivating growth. Each chapter is deep with description of our relationship as the fruit and Christ as the vine. The following are the titles of each chapter with a brief description.
The Fruit of the Vine-Jesus being our source and the whole counsel of God being his word that we should be drinking deeply from.
My Father, the Gardener-As the gardener, God deals with our sin and our heart. For our benefit, we must embrace his discipline for our good.
No Ordinary Love-What does the love of God look like when a Christian is abiding in Christ? Because God is a holy God, he must punish sin. However, He shows mercy. Instead of wrath, he lavishes grace. Against all expectations, he gives the Son to die for those that reviled him. (kindle location 406) Love is perfected in us as we abide in Christ. Not so much as the do not but the instead of.
Joy Inexpressible-Is not in our circumstances, but in who God is. His goodness and holiness. The anticipation of what God will do and his purpose for the redemption of mankind.
Peace Beyond Understanding-Peace is resting in who God is. When our confidence is in God's rule and reign instead of our flesh. Psalm 3 For you oh Lord are a shield about me. You are my glory, you lift my head. Impatience is full of self and humility empties self.
The Leaven of Patience-Out of patience comes gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. The hope of the Gospel is the result of patience.
Not so Random Kindness-The Christian kindness is redemptive and is not about your gain, but the gain of the gospel.
Gracious Goodness-The goodness of the gospel is expressed in terms of the righteousness of the law. (kindle location 1198). Goodness does not go against the character and design of God.
A Great Faithfulness-Faithfulness is the work of God. Our faithfulness is to be true to who we are in Christ and to those he has called us to. (family, church, etc.)
Gentle Strength-Is mercy and grace shown to others. It is servant leadership and realizing the grace that God has given to us that we are compelled to show grace and mercy to others.
Self-Control or Willpower-Willpower is a secular version of self-control. Self-control is trusting in the strength of Christ. Our resolve is not found in us but God's character. Self-control is about protecting our freedom in Christ. Self-control is not a slave driver but a freedom fighter (location 1690)
Potent Humility-The fruit of the spirit that is true is grounded in humility. Less of me, more of Christ. The supremacy of Christ and our dependency on him.
Grace Grown-we grow in grace as we acquire new motivations. God is not a burden, but the air we breathe.
You will begin to realize what a vine-ripened life should look like and a vine-ripened life is a life is a heart after God.
A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own
The Fruit of the Vine-Jesus being our source and the whole counsel of God being his word that we should be drinking deeply from.
My Father, the Gardener-As the gardener, God deals with our sin and our heart. For our benefit, we must embrace his discipline for our good.
No Ordinary Love-What does the love of God look like when a Christian is abiding in Christ? Because God is a holy God, he must punish sin. However, He shows mercy. Instead of wrath, he lavishes grace. Against all expectations, he gives the Son to die for those that reviled him. (kindle location 406) Love is perfected in us as we abide in Christ. Not so much as the do not but the instead of.
Joy Inexpressible-Is not in our circumstances, but in who God is. His goodness and holiness. The anticipation of what God will do and his purpose for the redemption of mankind.
Peace Beyond Understanding-Peace is resting in who God is. When our confidence is in God's rule and reign instead of our flesh. Psalm 3 For you oh Lord are a shield about me. You are my glory, you lift my head. Impatience is full of self and humility empties self.
The Leaven of Patience-Out of patience comes gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. The hope of the Gospel is the result of patience.
Not so Random Kindness-The Christian kindness is redemptive and is not about your gain, but the gain of the gospel.
Gracious Goodness-The goodness of the gospel is expressed in terms of the righteousness of the law. (kindle location 1198). Goodness does not go against the character and design of God.
A Great Faithfulness-Faithfulness is the work of God. Our faithfulness is to be true to who we are in Christ and to those he has called us to. (family, church, etc.)
Gentle Strength-Is mercy and grace shown to others. It is servant leadership and realizing the grace that God has given to us that we are compelled to show grace and mercy to others.
Self-Control or Willpower-Willpower is a secular version of self-control. Self-control is trusting in the strength of Christ. Our resolve is not found in us but God's character. Self-control is about protecting our freedom in Christ. Self-control is not a slave driver but a freedom fighter (location 1690)
Potent Humility-The fruit of the spirit that is true is grounded in humility. Less of me, more of Christ. The supremacy of Christ and our dependency on him.
Grace Grown-we grow in grace as we acquire new motivations. God is not a burden, but the air we breathe.
You will begin to realize what a vine-ripened life should look like and a vine-ripened life is a life is a heart after God.
A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own
September 16, 2014
About the Book:
Paul spoke of laboring among the Galatians that "Christ might be formed in them." Later, he speaks of the development of Christian character in their lives, what he calls the "fruit of the Spirit." The question is, how is Christ like character cultivated in our lives? The contention of this book is that such fruit is produced naturally and organically through abiding in Jesus Christ.
The starting point is not Galatians 5, but John 15. There Jesus informs us that it is as we abide in Him that we bear fruit much fruit, fruit that will last. After laying the groundwork of God's grace to us in Christ as the Vine of life, we will see how our Father tends us for the production of fruit in our lives. We will explore each fruit, gaining insight into its makeup and looking at practical application for its outworking in our lives through abiding in Christ.
About the Author:
Stanley D. Gale serves as senior minister of The Reformed Presbyterian Church, West Chester, Pennsylvania. He is the author of numerous books and articles, leads seminars on various topics, and is the founder of Community Houses of Prayer.
My Review:
I learned something in the study that I had never really gave much thought to. The author referenced Galatians 5:22, in it Paul talks about the fruit of the Spirit. It reads like this "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,..." In this verse the word Spirit is singular and I never noticed that before, so needless to say the fruit of the spirit is wide and vast and only available to you through the vine.As you move along throughout the book you are introduced to each of the different types of fruitfulness and it is taught in a way to bring you closer to the act of "abiding" in Him.
First and foremost we have to rely on the Holy Spirit to receive the full embodiment of the fruit of the Spirit. It isn't something that we are gifted with upon birth such as you are the gifts of the Spirit for example the gift of service or maybe the gift of music. It is something grown in you over time that you allow the Holy Spirit to grow and cultivate in you.
The premise of the book, I believe is to show us how to abide in Him as the verse from John 15 states. In order to live in Christ we have to become more and more like Him in every area of our lives. The author explores each fruit and examines it to show those of us lacking in these areas just how we are to become fully sanctified and living a life full of God's grace for us and towards others.
If you are interested in learning more, you can purchase the book at this link.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Cross Focused Reviews.
Paul spoke of laboring among the Galatians that "Christ might be formed in them." Later, he speaks of the development of Christian character in their lives, what he calls the "fruit of the Spirit." The question is, how is Christ like character cultivated in our lives? The contention of this book is that such fruit is produced naturally and organically through abiding in Jesus Christ.
The starting point is not Galatians 5, but John 15. There Jesus informs us that it is as we abide in Him that we bear fruit much fruit, fruit that will last. After laying the groundwork of God's grace to us in Christ as the Vine of life, we will see how our Father tends us for the production of fruit in our lives. We will explore each fruit, gaining insight into its makeup and looking at practical application for its outworking in our lives through abiding in Christ.
About the Author:
Stanley D. Gale serves as senior minister of The Reformed Presbyterian Church, West Chester, Pennsylvania. He is the author of numerous books and articles, leads seminars on various topics, and is the founder of Community Houses of Prayer.
My Review:
I learned something in the study that I had never really gave much thought to. The author referenced Galatians 5:22, in it Paul talks about the fruit of the Spirit. It reads like this "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,..." In this verse the word Spirit is singular and I never noticed that before, so needless to say the fruit of the spirit is wide and vast and only available to you through the vine.As you move along throughout the book you are introduced to each of the different types of fruitfulness and it is taught in a way to bring you closer to the act of "abiding" in Him.
First and foremost we have to rely on the Holy Spirit to receive the full embodiment of the fruit of the Spirit. It isn't something that we are gifted with upon birth such as you are the gifts of the Spirit for example the gift of service or maybe the gift of music. It is something grown in you over time that you allow the Holy Spirit to grow and cultivate in you.
The premise of the book, I believe is to show us how to abide in Him as the verse from John 15 states. In order to live in Christ we have to become more and more like Him in every area of our lives. The author explores each fruit and examines it to show those of us lacking in these areas just how we are to become fully sanctified and living a life full of God's grace for us and towards others.
If you are interested in learning more, you can purchase the book at this link.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Cross Focused Reviews.
December 31, 2014
This book, another small paperback published by Reformation Heritage Books, has as its subject one of the most important passages from the Bible for the believer, John 15.
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser.2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
The author carefully draws from the different aspects of this important chapter, creating thought-provoking and heart-searching chapters in his small paperback book. The book is separated into thirteen chapters:
1. Fruit of the Vine
2. My Father, the Gardener
3. No Ordinary Love
4. Joy Inexpressible
5. Peace beyond Understanding
6. The Leaven of Patience
7. Not-So-Random Kindness
8. Gracious Goodness
9. A Great Faithfulness
10. Gentle Strength
11. Self-Control or Willpower?
12. Potent Humility
13. Grace Grown
I personally was delighted with this book. It was so easy to concentrate on and give my full attention to. Not only were the chapters of reasonable length, but the author also has a way of writing which engages the reader's full mind. The chapters were not dry or above the reader's head. Instead, they went straight to the heart. To mine at least. The author, Mr. Gale also writes with many illustrations including stories from his own life which especially help the reader apply the lessons.
I highly recommend this book! It is perfect to give as a gift to Christian friends, and its small size makes it wonderful for reading on travels.
''We must abide in Christ so that the fruit of character change in our lives is not the product of self-will or best effort. Such efforts at love or joy or patience will be meager and short-lived....We want the fruit of a changed life to grow from the inside out by the hand of our God. ''
Click HERE to read more reviews about this book!
I was pleased to receive this complimentary book in exchange for my honest review.
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser.2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
The author carefully draws from the different aspects of this important chapter, creating thought-provoking and heart-searching chapters in his small paperback book. The book is separated into thirteen chapters:
1. Fruit of the Vine
2. My Father, the Gardener
3. No Ordinary Love
4. Joy Inexpressible
5. Peace beyond Understanding
6. The Leaven of Patience
7. Not-So-Random Kindness
8. Gracious Goodness
9. A Great Faithfulness
10. Gentle Strength
11. Self-Control or Willpower?
12. Potent Humility
13. Grace Grown
I personally was delighted with this book. It was so easy to concentrate on and give my full attention to. Not only were the chapters of reasonable length, but the author also has a way of writing which engages the reader's full mind. The chapters were not dry or above the reader's head. Instead, they went straight to the heart. To mine at least. The author, Mr. Gale also writes with many illustrations including stories from his own life which especially help the reader apply the lessons.
I highly recommend this book! It is perfect to give as a gift to Christian friends, and its small size makes it wonderful for reading on travels.
''We must abide in Christ so that the fruit of character change in our lives is not the product of self-will or best effort. Such efforts at love or joy or patience will be meager and short-lived....We want the fruit of a changed life to grow from the inside out by the hand of our God. ''
Click HERE to read more reviews about this book!
I was pleased to receive this complimentary book in exchange for my honest review.
September 18, 2014
What does it mean to be a fruitful christian? Growing up as a christian, I knew that fruit bearing was important, but what fruits am I to bear? That was always thoughts that surfaced in my mind as I grew up and over time such thoughts slowly disappeared. Until I did a bible study on the fruit of the Spirit that made me grew in my understanding in this area. Now, after reading this book, I’ve gained an even deeper understanding of it.
Stanley Gale has attempted to write about the fruit of the spirit in a very unique way. He not only teaches each of the characteristics of the fruit of the spirit. But he teaches it in an expository way, for each of the characteristics, Gale would centre his teaching on one particular text, focusing on how God has first shown the particular characteristics on us, and how we are then to live out that characteristics.
Gale then proceeds to shown 2 important characteristics that are ‘missing’ from the fruit of the spirit, humility and grace. It might seem weird at first as to why the author has added these 2 chapters, but, on further thought, it certainly does make sense. If one grows in the fruit of the spirit, it may cause one to grow in arrogance or pride despising those who aren’t living up to what the fruit of the spirit says. Wouldn’t this be the un-working of the fruit of the spirit? I must say that often, Calvinist and those who are puffed up with knowledge are in desperate need of this chapter. I certainly see that this together with the last chapter of grace were the best part of the book.
The last chapter on grace teaches us on will keep us growing in the fruit of the spirit: Grace. Surely Paul was right! It is only God who can let us grow in the grace-enriched soil.
This book is especially helpful if you want to grow in the understanding of the fruit of the spirit, and would be good for groups as the author has produced very short and helpful discussion questions that will help summarise and consolidate what the readers have learnt in each of the chapters.
Rating: 4.25 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Stanley Gale has attempted to write about the fruit of the spirit in a very unique way. He not only teaches each of the characteristics of the fruit of the spirit. But he teaches it in an expository way, for each of the characteristics, Gale would centre his teaching on one particular text, focusing on how God has first shown the particular characteristics on us, and how we are then to live out that characteristics.
Gale then proceeds to shown 2 important characteristics that are ‘missing’ from the fruit of the spirit, humility and grace. It might seem weird at first as to why the author has added these 2 chapters, but, on further thought, it certainly does make sense. If one grows in the fruit of the spirit, it may cause one to grow in arrogance or pride despising those who aren’t living up to what the fruit of the spirit says. Wouldn’t this be the un-working of the fruit of the spirit? I must say that often, Calvinist and those who are puffed up with knowledge are in desperate need of this chapter. I certainly see that this together with the last chapter of grace were the best part of the book.
The last chapter on grace teaches us on will keep us growing in the fruit of the spirit: Grace. Surely Paul was right! It is only God who can let us grow in the grace-enriched soil.
This book is especially helpful if you want to grow in the understanding of the fruit of the spirit, and would be good for groups as the author has produced very short and helpful discussion questions that will help summarise and consolidate what the readers have learnt in each of the chapters.
Rating: 4.25 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2014
My Kindle has a "voice-to-text" feature, and I absolutely love to use it when I am at the gym or doing housework. The robot-sounding voice is not extremely engaging, but for non-fiction books it does quite well and is a great way for me to fit in some extra Bible study time. I have "read" many non-fiction Christian books this way, and I they have always kept my interest, even with Mr. Robot reading it to me.
I found this was the case for the most part with the book A Vine-Ripened Life. It uses many Scripture references to explain how the various fruits of the Spirit are to be manifested in the life of a Christian through The Vine - Jesus Christ. Each "fruit" is given its own chapter as well as there are chapters dedicated to humility and grace.
While I was mostly attentive to this book, there were times I did find my mind drifting while I was listening to it. (Maybe I need to re-read the chapter on self-control?!) While some of the stories and metaphors were engaging, some of them seemed to be a bit of a stretch. I think I would have gotten much more out of this book if I had done it as a group study rather than just reading it straight through, especially with the great study questions at the end of the chapters.
Overall, I really loved how everything in this book always pointed back to Christ and the gospel. This book abounded in Scripture references, and it reminded me a little bit of books by Jerry Bridges - especially how it repeatedly made the point the apart from Christ, we can do nothing.
See my complete review here - http://shoopettesbookreviews.blogspot...
I found this was the case for the most part with the book A Vine-Ripened Life. It uses many Scripture references to explain how the various fruits of the Spirit are to be manifested in the life of a Christian through The Vine - Jesus Christ. Each "fruit" is given its own chapter as well as there are chapters dedicated to humility and grace.
While I was mostly attentive to this book, there were times I did find my mind drifting while I was listening to it. (Maybe I need to re-read the chapter on self-control?!) While some of the stories and metaphors were engaging, some of them seemed to be a bit of a stretch. I think I would have gotten much more out of this book if I had done it as a group study rather than just reading it straight through, especially with the great study questions at the end of the chapters.
Overall, I really loved how everything in this book always pointed back to Christ and the gospel. This book abounded in Scripture references, and it reminded me a little bit of books by Jerry Bridges - especially how it repeatedly made the point the apart from Christ, we can do nothing.
See my complete review here - http://shoopettesbookreviews.blogspot...
January 20, 2015
I liked everything about this book; the format, the content, the balance of teaching with scripture, it's all good!
The chapter on patience all by itself was worth buying the book for as the insights of Pastor Gale were incredibly profound.
Patience is in fact different than every other fruit in the sense that it is the deal breaker; totally agree with Pastor Gale's assessment on that. The final chapter on humility effectively communicates the essential need of prayer to truly abide in Christ & not relegate all we learn to the 'stored information' shelf.
This would be an excellent choice for using in a small group or bible study setting as it includes well guided, on topic questions after each chapter.
All in all I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who's looking to put the subject of biblical fruit under the microscope in order to evaluate one's own personal growth & maturity!
Plan to read this one again.
The chapter on patience all by itself was worth buying the book for as the insights of Pastor Gale were incredibly profound.
Patience is in fact different than every other fruit in the sense that it is the deal breaker; totally agree with Pastor Gale's assessment on that. The final chapter on humility effectively communicates the essential need of prayer to truly abide in Christ & not relegate all we learn to the 'stored information' shelf.
This would be an excellent choice for using in a small group or bible study setting as it includes well guided, on topic questions after each chapter.
All in all I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who's looking to put the subject of biblical fruit under the microscope in order to evaluate one's own personal growth & maturity!
Plan to read this one again.
November 24, 2014
Helpful discussion of the fruit of the Spirit
December 30, 2014
Excellent content, but needs vigorous editing.
I reviewed this book on my blog.
I reviewed this book on my blog.
August 31, 2015
wonderful!
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