FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT : PART 8

GENTLENESS What comes to your mind when you think of gentleness? A common misconception is that gentleness is weakness or passivity. True gentleness, however, is just the opposite. It requires great strength and self-control. Gentleness comes from a state of humility. Therefore, someone who lacks gentleness is often prideful and easily angered, or feels the

FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT : PART 7

FAITHFULNESS The seventh fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness. What exactly is faithfulness? The Holman’s Bible Dictionary defines ‘faithful’ as “steadfast, dedicated, dependable and worthy of trust.” Interestingly, the word ‘faithful’ comes from the same Hebrew root as the word ‘amen,’ which, as Christians, is a word we use frequently to show our belief in

FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT : PART 6

GOODNESS The sixth fruit of the Spirit is goodness. What exactly is goodness? The word ‘good’ is used so frequently in our everyday lives that it almost loses its meaning. For example, how many times a day do we say, “good morning” and “good luck” and “good work”? But, the Bible tells us that the

FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT : PART 5

KINDNESS The fifth fruit of the Spirit is kindness. True kindness is taught to us in Ephesians 4:31-32, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each another, just as in Christ God forgave you.” So, just how

FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT : PART 4

PATIENCE The fourth fruit of the Spirit is patience. The word ‘patience’ is mentioned in Scripture nearly 70 times. But, really, who has time for patience? All of us have been told at some point in our lives to just be patient. In our age of instant gratification, nobody enjoys patiently waiting. For most people,

FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT : PART 3

PEACE One of the strongest human desires is for peace, whether it be peace between nations, peace between neighbors or even peace within our own minds. Peace is listed in the top three characteristics of the fruit of the spirit. Without love, joy and peace, the rest of the fruits are not possible. God has

FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT : PART 2

JOY In English, joy has many synonyms, such as happiness, pleasure, gladness and delight. But how these words are used today does not necessarily reflect what the Bible means. The second fruit of the Spirit is joy. The word ‘joy’ appears nearly 200 times in the Bible, which helps us understand just how important this

FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT : PART 1

LOVE Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “The Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control.” You may have heard about the fruit of the Spirit and wondered what it is and how it relates to our Christian faith. In this series, each fruit will be explored and related to our everyday lives.

PSALM 90 – 4

Now run that around the block in your thoughts. When someone we love deeply lies in a hospital bed and we don’t know what’s going to happen, God is in control. When the economy – national or personal – is on a slide, God is in control. When we’re lonely and the phone doesn’t ring

PSALM 90 – 3

F. He can do whatever He pleases Ps. 135:6: “The Lord does whatever He pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depths.” Jeremiah 32:27: “Look, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?” G. He orchestrates all things Isaiah 14:24: “The Lord of