Orchards: A Study of the Fruit of the Spirit

John 15:5-8 (ESV) - "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. 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. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."
It seems so simple - abide in Him, and you will produce fruit. That mindset is flawed, because most people soon find that abiding is either a lot tougher than they expected, or something happens that steals their precious fruit away. Maybe it is as the beautiful bride urges in the second chapter of Song of Solomon: "Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that are ruining the vineyards, while our vineyards are in bloom." What little fox is out there stealing our fruit? What is ruining the harvest before it even begins? This book looks at each aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit and what it takes to abide with God. Every chapter walks through different aspects of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control using scripture, personal stories, and real-world experiences. It has never been more important for us to powerfully, effectively partner with God to produce this fruit.