Health experts urge us to eat apples because they are very nutritious. Apple production begins when apple seeds are planted in the ground. Down in the earth, sunshine, rain, and carbon cause seeds to sprout and grow. It’s hard to see this transforming process with the naked eye, but the resulting delicious apples prove that it happens. This process illustrates what happens to a person who invites Jesus Christ into his or her life. In response to our faith in Him, God plants His Spirit within us and we begin to show signs of life. Our appetites begin to change. We begin to shun things that God dislikes and desire things He likes. Here is how the Apostle Paul describes this new life that comes by faith in Jesus Christ. In Galatians 2:20 we read, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” The very idea of God Almighty, Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit living inside of a human being is mysterious, but oh so wonderful. The more we, in faith, rely on that truth, the more fulfilling and productive our lives can become.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
