The fatal mistake of thousands is to offer unto God the fruits of the flesh—instead of the fruits of the Spirit. Fleshly holiness, fleshly exertions, fleshly prayers, fleshly duties, fleshly religious forms, fleshly zeal—these are what men consider good works, and present them as such to God. But well may He "who is of purer eyes than tobehold evil, and cannot look on iniquity", say to all such fleshly workers, "If you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if you offer the crippled and the diseased, is it not evil?" All that the flesh can do is evil, for "every imagination of man's heart is only evil continually;" and to present the fruits of this filthy heart to theLord of hosts, is "to offer defiled food upon His altar." A broken heart, a contrite spirit, a tender conscience, a filial fear of God, a desire to please Him, a dread to offend the great God of heaven, a sense of the evil of sin, a desire to be delivered from sin's dominion, a mourning over our repeated backslidings, grief at being so often entangled in our lusts and passions, an acquaintance with our helplessness and weakness, simplicity and godly sincerity, a hanging upon grace for daily supplies, watching the hand of Providence, a singleness of eye to the glory of God,—these are a few of the fruits of the Spirit.Pearls from Philpot
