Church Blog (Page 22)

The Fruit of the Spirit Day 7: Faithfulness I was sitting across the table having a conversation with a friend of mine. Well, actually it was a man who would become a friend in one of the toughest seasons of his life, that was beginning at that moment. Honestly, he was a man that I admired from a distance. However, he had paid a high price for the public life he had created. In the moments we had together, he…

The Fruit of the Spirit Day 6: Goodness The word used for “goodness” in Galatians 5:22 is the Greek word “agathōsynē,” which Blue Letter Bible defines as uprightness of heart and life, goodness, kindness.1 This word only appears 4 times in the New Testament. Once in Ephesians 5, where a similar call as Galatians 5 is given, calling believers to put aside desires of the flesh and embrace the ways of the Spirit. It also appears in 2 Thessalonians as…

The Fruit of the Spirit #5: Kindness Practice Non-Random Acts of Kindness  “Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see” (Anonymous). You have probably seen the bumper sticker that reads, “Practice Random Acts of Kindness.” The point is that acts of kindness will neutralize random acts of violence. Biblically, acts of kindness are not meant to be random, but via the Holy Spirit, they are to be a way of life (Galatians 5:22). “Kindness”…

The Fruit of the Spirit #4: Patience Have you heard the phrase, “Patience is a virtue”? It comes from a narrative poem by William Langland (1360 – 1387). I like the one, “My patience is wearing thin.” My last devotional was about confession. So, I confess, over the past 6 or 7 months, patience was not a virtue — it was worn thin, and therefore, I’ll do my best to share some thoughts. Acts 26:3 — “[E]specially because you are familiar with…

The Fruit of the Spirit #3: Peace (Romans 8:1 – 11) “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). Believe it or not, I have not always made the best decisions in my life. I was saved at a young age and I grew up in a solid church with a desire to honor and please God. When I was in high school, however,…

The Fruit of the Spirit #2: Joy Definitions JOY “A feeling of great pleasure and happiness” REJOICE “Feel or show great delight” Bible Verses Galatians 5:22 – 23 THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT INCLUDES JOY But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. James 1:2 – 3 PURE JOY IN TRIALS Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many…

The Fruit of the Spirit Day #1: Love Freedom from versus Freedom in Paul continues a theme in Galatians 5 that he began to develop in the previous chapter of his letter. He focuses on freedom from the law and the new life found in the Spirit for the believers in Galatia. As he develops what it looks like for a believer to live free in the Spirit, he takes time to speak to how that freedom of every believer…

6 Devotionals on What Our Prayers Are to Include #6: Boldness 1 John 5:14: “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” Have you ever prayed a prayer that you didn’t think God would answer? I’m not talking about the prayers we prayed as kids for A’s on tests we didn’t study for or for our sports team to win the game. Have you ever gone…

6 Devotionals on What Our Prayers Are to Include #5: Openness Honest to God According to Herbert Lockyer’s classic book, All the Prayers of the Bible, “the Bible records no fewer than 650 definite prayers of which no less than 450 have recorded answers” (Page 5). He also writes, “What is prayer? Simplified, is it not the desire, opportunity and privilege of talking with God?” (Page 17). To answer Lockyer’s rhetorical question: “Yes.” When I go shopping to pick up…

 6 Devotionals on What Our Prayers Are to Include #4: Supplication When we are praying, what exactly are we doing? Some people pray formally as if they are asking some hierarchy to intervene in their private affairs. Others pray the same prayer over and over and are so repetitive that they really are not praying to God. Others pray as if they are talking to a friend. We need to echo Psalm 143:1, “Hear my prayer, O Lord, Give ear…