1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Can I possess nice things and still love God? Sure I can, but if you think this is the point of the verse, you have missed the mark. This isn’t about how much I love God. It is about the Father’s love, not ours. We judge ourselves by a measure of love given. Am I good enough? Have I given enough? Do I measure up?

What is the first fruit of the spirit? According to Galatians 5:22 where they are listed, it is love. We know that the spirit is given to all who accept the free will offering of Jesus Christ and believe on him by faith. That spirit is the third person of the godhead. He is the one who produces fruit. We are but the branches which exhibit the fruit. In us is the fruit shown.

Since He is God and His nature is God, then the fruit of the spirit which is love is God’s love. The vine, Christ, is the source of the spirit and that spirit must flow through the branches to produce fruit. If we allow love of the world, which is not God, to flow in us, how much have we cut off the flow of the spirit?

Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

Not all the fruits of the spirit are produced at one time. Our concerns about who we are in Christ might have something to do with the fact that the last fruit developed is self-control.