Which Way, Lord?

Psalms 143:8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.

As we near the end of 2020 and look forward to 2021, there is no doubt that this past year has been one that brought many challenges. Many suffered trials, tribulations, and losses. There was great uncertainty, and for many, even for us followers of Jesus, there was stress and anxiety. However, throughout all of the chaos there was one thing that was certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt...God was still on the Throne and still in control. Regardless of what lies ahead in 2021, God will still be God. He will still be the same God who readily hears our prayers. He will still be the God who walks with us, as He will never break His promise to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). He is still the God who will be found by those of us who diligently seek Him. As in the past, when we find ourselves in a place of uncertainty, will still have a God who has the answers, and want to guide us by His Spirit. It will take a commitment on our part, a submission on our part, to walk with Him. We must seek Him in the morning, read and study His Word, pray, apply His truths to our lives, and trust that He will guide us. We must commit to loving Him by obeying His Word, and choosing His ways, rather than our own way; even when His way seems more difficult. Our God did not abandon us in 2020, and will not abandon us in 2021. For even when we are faithless, He remains faithful. He will show us which way we should walk.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

As Much As Depends On Me

Romans 12:17-18 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

"Why can't we just get along?" Well, the simple answer is, because we choose not to. That really is the truth of the matter. We can make all kinds of excuses as to why we cannot get along with someone, and we may even be correct in our reasoning. However, when we look at relationships from Jesus' perspective, the bottom line is that we cannot get along with others because we choose not to be at peace with them. Our pride will not allow us to avoid repaying others with the same unkindness, betrayal, and cruelty, they treat us with. "After all, who are they to think they can just treat us that way, and get away with it?" Seems to me that God, very clearly, told us, "as much as depends on you, live peaceably with ALL men". No... "If it is at all possible," is not a loophole. That means that there is a good possibilty, that all our efforts may not convince the other person to live peaceably with us. Yet, that does not take away our reaponsibility to be at peace with them, and show them the love and kindness we are to show them as ambassadors of Jesus. I am not saying, by any stretch of the imagination, that this is, or will be, easy. What I am saying is that this is not impossible in Christ, as we have the Holy Spirit in us, to empower us and enable us to truly love our neighbor; even if they choose to be our enemy. Jesus never asks us to do something that He did not already do. He did not revile when He was reviled (1 Peter 2:23), and even went a step further and washed the feet of the one who betrayed Him (John 13:5). So, what is our excuse again in not living peaceably with others?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Unconditionally

Matthew 5:46-47 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

There is no doubt whatsoever that some people are easier to love than others. Yet, this is the area where God challenges us most. He clearly calls us to love in a way that is both foreign and strange to this world, and its way of thinking. We can so easily return kindness to those who are kind toward us. We can go the extra mile for a friend or family member that we love. Yet, God calls us to love our enemies, those who use us, and are unkind toward us. He calls us to love the stranger, who is our neighbor, and to love, even more, those we call our brothers and sisters in Christ. In case you have not noticed, not all of God's children are easy to love (self included). Yet, God loves us, loves them, and died for all of us in order to fully demonstrate His love. So, what possible excuse could we have for not loving others with the same unconditional love we are loved with? I would have to say that there is NO excuse. As we celebrate the season of our Savior's birth (regardless of what our opinion might be about when He was born); a true celebration of His love, are we doing all we can to demonstrate that same love toward others? We cannot say we love God, if we are not loving others in the same manner He loves us...unconditionally.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

The Joy of Persecution

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

What a great way to end a chapter that started out with blessings, turned into persecution, but ended with blessings. Quite honestly, if we are living for Jesus, this is the pattern of a life of service to the Lord. There will be moments of blessings, when we intentionally seek out opportunities to serve God. Those opportunities to share Christ, proclaim His Name, and live in accordance to His Word, will not only bring personal blessings, but also open the door to persecution and challenges from the enemy. However, if we prayerfully serve the Lord, keeping His heavenly promises at the forefront of our minds, the greatest blessing will be the joy we will have, as the Lord fills us with His Spirit; enabling us to endure and rejoice in midst of persecution. Barnabas and Paul were separated unto the service of the Lord. They boldly proclaimed Jesus, and the Lord moved in great ways among the Gentiles, bringing the Jews to jealousy, and sparking intense persecution. Amazingly, in spite of such great challenges, the end result was people coming to know Jesus, and Barnabas and Paul being filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Today, as we serve the Lord, we need to hold on to the promise Jesus made about the heavenly reward He has for those who suffer for His sake. In case we have forgotten those words He spoke in Matthew 5:11-12, they were, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Do not let the persecution from God's enemies discourage us from going out to serve the Lord, do good to others, and preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15); for great will be our reward when we finally stand/bow before Him.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Are We Loving As We Should?

1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

One of the last commands Jesus gave the disciples was that they would love one another, as He loved them. By this type of love, the world would know they belonged to Him (John 13:34-35). This command is extended to us today. The fact of the matter is that I see a lot of division, and a great lack of love amongst Christians. We argue over silly things that will not matter when we finally stand before the Lord. This kind of division in Christianity leaves a bad taste, and does nothing to draw the unsaved to Jesus. As a matter of fact, for those of us who claim that we love God, but hate our brother, all I can say is that this is not possible. 1 John 4:20 clearly says, "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" How then is it possible to truly love our brother? It all begins with the only Source of true agape love...Jesus. As born again believers, we have the Holy Spirit, who produces one aspect of His fruit in our lives...love. However, just being born again does not enables us to love each other as we should. It takes close, intimate, fellowship with Jesus for us to find the strength to love as God loves. The love God wants us to have for one another is a love that is supernatural. Therefore, it can only come via our relationship with Jesus. If we are going to make an impact in this world and truly stand apart in the way we love others, we need to get our thinking, our attitude, and our desires, in line with God's; and stop trying to walk that fine line of living for Jesus, living for the world, and living for self. So, the next time we start to boast about how much we love God, we need to stop and examine how we are loving the brethren.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

The Perfect Love Affair

1 John 4:10, 19 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 19 We love, because He first loved us.

If we could choose, what would be our perfect love affair? Would it be someone who loves us unconditionally; someone who accepts us as we are? Would it be someone who was extremely patient with us, and forgave us, no matter how bad we messed up? Would we want someone who would always be there for us, never fail us, and would not be bothered one bit if we came to them at any time of the day or night with our needs and problems? I imagine we could all add something to this "perfect love affair". Well, I have good news!! We already have all that in a very special relationship!! Yes, you guessed it...we have that and more in Christ Jesus!! My question to all of us this morning, however, is this, "Are we taking this relationship for granted?" Are we doing all we can, and putting in the necessary effort to enjoy the wonderfully perfect love affair we can have with Jesus? I know...some of us may be thinking, "Uh, but I'm not perfect, so wouldn't that make it an imperfect love affair?" Humanly speaking, we would be correct. However, praise be to God that in Jesus we have been declared "not guilty", and our perfect love affair with Jesus is dependent on His righteousness, not ours. Knowing that we have such a One who loves us so perfectly, would it not be to our benefit to do whatever it takes to show our love for Him, by obeying His commands? Should not His perfect love for us motivate us to be those living sacrifices we are called to be? Should it not motivate us to take up our cross daily, love each other, and forgive each other, as He does us? Many of us waste a lifetime seeking the perfect love affair, when in Jesus, we already have it. Why? Well, because He loved us first.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Rejoice, Be Calm, Repeat

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Whenever God wants to make us aware of something that is really important, He repeats it. Today's verse has a message that is so important that the Lord repeated the message in the same verse. What message is so important that God would repeat it in one verse? Rejoice! Rejoice! In other words, be glad, be well, be calmly happy. Not only does God want us to rejoice, but He wants us to do it always. How is that possible with so much going on around us these days? Well, there is one very important ingredient in our ability to rejoice always. That most important Ingredient is Jesus! God does not tell us to rejoice in our own strength. No, He very specifically tells us to rejoice in Jesus. For those who do not know, the Apostle Paul wrote this Book of the Bible, whose main theme is joy, from prison; yes, from prison. Not the comfortable prisons we know today, with cable TV, a gym, and a courtyard where they let prisoners get a breath of fresh air. It was a prison environment that today would be considered inhumane. Yet, the Apostle still found the strength, joy, and peace, to write to the church at Philippi, and encourage them to rejoice in the Lord and have joy and peace in their lives. Note in this same chapter of Philippians, verses 6-7, that we are told to bring our concerns to the Lord in prayer, and the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard our hearts and minds. The bottom line is that our response to life's challenges is not about our circumstances, but how we respond in Christ Jesus. If we have Jesus, and we are truly trusting in Him, and living by faith, then we have the ability to rejoice in Jesus, over and over again, as often as needed. So, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!"

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

At Any Moment!

Luke 12:39-40 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

We are living in exciting times! I know some will read this and ask, "Are you kidding me? Where have you been all of 2020?!" Well, I have been right here, seeing all that has been happening in the world, but staying focused on what is happening in the Middle East; especially as it pertains to Israel. Sadly, what I have also seen is a lukewarm attitude from people who should be on fire for Jesus. I have heard being said, even amongst the children of God, what is written in 2 Peter 3:4, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” I say this is truly sad because this is a time when we, the followers of Jesus, should be doing all we can to live for the Lord, knowing that His return is even closer today than ever before. If all we are doing is standing around and looking up, then we are missing the point! This is the time when we should be striving to live pure lives, and doing whatever it takes to tell others about what Jesus did, and what is to come. Jesus, in speaking to the religious people of His day, said this in Matthew 16:2-3, "When it is evening, you say, ‘ It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘ There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?" Are we living our Christianity no better than this? Are we living each day as if Jesus is never coming back, or as if we have "all the time in the world"? First, we are not guaranteed tomorrow, and second, Jesus can, and will, return to get us at any moment! In light of that, can we honestly say that we are doing all we can to live for the Lord, and serve Him, in all we say and do?

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

How Much More Proof?

Colossians 1:19-22 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach

How much more proof do we need, that God loves us? We, who are so unworthy of His love, grace, mercy, or forgiveness; yet, God came to us as Christ Jesus specifically to give His life for us, and reconcile us to Himself. With all that He came and did, with all the suffering He endured, dying a horrific death, and still we allow the enemy to cause us to question God's love and faithfulness to us. When we do not get our way, like spoiled brats, or are allowed to suffer some trial or difficult circumstance, how quickly we question who God is, and whether or not He really cares. We are currently in the season when we celebrate Jesus' birth (and quite honestly, I am not interested in arguing whether or not He was really born at this time of the year, as it will not matter when we finally stand before Him). So, let us stop and consider this...Jesus came as a helpless baby, grew up under human authority, knowing He came to suffer for a creation who does not seek Him, whom the Bible calls His enemies (Romans 5:8). In spite of that, He willingly went to the Cross, after being falsely accused, physically tortured, and experiencing an excruciating death. After rising from the tomb, He now offers us eternal life, which costs us nothing, and costed Him everything. Yet, we still question His love. So, I ask you again, "Exactly how much more proof do we need?"

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

It Is for Everyone

Luke 2:15 "When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, 'Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.'"

I love that God chose to announce Jesus' birth to a group of people that were looked down on, in society. Jesus Himself started out His life here on earth via very humble beginnings. He was not born in a palace, even though He is the Prince of Peace, King of kings, and Lord of lords. He did not go around with His head held high, looking down on the poor, the sinner, or those who were the least esteemed in society. No, our Lord was humble. Philippians 2 described His humility and submission to our Heavenly Father's plan. In Matthew 11:19 Jesus said, "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.'" Throughout His ministry, Jesus sought those who were lost and needed salvation. He does not give eternal life based on background, lifestyle, culture, or any other earthly qualification. He gives eternal life to anyone who truly believes and calls upon Him. God plainly told us that He loves the world, and gave His only begotten Son, because of this love (John 3:16). My questions for us today are these, "What are we doing about this? Who are we sharing Jesus with? Are we being preachers of God's Word, or have we surrounded ourselves, exclusively, with other Christians? Have we formed our own little Christian clubs that only allow other pharisaical Christians to join?" The time is short, and the time of the Lord's return is nigh! If we were living in Jesus' time, based on who we are sharing Christ with today, if at all, would we be criticized as He was? Do others see us as humble servants of Jesus who are known for serving and sharing the Gospel among those whom the rest of society has forsaken? Let me remind us all that the Good News of Jesus, what He did, and what is to come, is the Message that is not exclusive to some. It is the Message for everyone!

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Life's Crossroads

Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me; And those who diligently seek me will find me.

Life has many crossroads. That means that in life we will be faced with making many life-changing decisions. It is at these crossroads that we will choose to stand with one of two allies, "Lady Wisdom" or "the woman of folly". Who we seek, listen to, and follow, will determine the outcome of each decision. Lady Wisdom tells us in today's verse that she loves those who love her, and that she will be found by those who seek her. The woman of folly, on the other hand, seeks us out. She seeks to lead us down the easy path; the path that leads to temptation, sin, destruction and death (Proverbs 9:13ff). One unwise choice at one of life's crossroads could alter our life and sentence us to a life of having to deal with adverse consequences. However, in Christ Jesus we have access to all the wisdom we need to make the right choices, and be able to choose the right path at each of life's crossroads. James 1:5-8 tells us, "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." Not all decisions in life involve sin. Many of life's crossroads involve decisons relative to how we will serve God, where we will live, what career we will choose, who we should marry, and other life decisions. Nonetheless, these types of decisions can certainly either put us in the center of God's will for our lives, or take us far out of it. Our God has not left us out in the world, alone, for us to figure out life on our own. No, He has provided us with all we need to make the right choices. We have, as born again followers of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, God's Word, 24/7 access to the Lord via prayer, and access to all the wisdom we need. Let us strive to make the right, and wise, choices.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13). 

True Peacemakers

Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

Do we really understand what it means to have the peace of God, and be at peace with both God and man? I believe that we often only enjoy half of what God intended for us to enjoy when it comes to having true peace in our lives. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, and the Greek word is eirene. The word means to be tranquil, at rest, but also means to be complete. In other words, to make something whole. It means that when Jesus came and brought peace between God and man, He made us whole. To be made whole, or be at peace with God, is not just about no longer being His enemy. It is also about being in partnership with Him. When we are at peace with God and others, it does not just stop at no longer being in opposition, but it now means to be in cooperation with. Jesus gave us eternal life, not so that we can just sit around being tranquil and doing nothing. Jesus called us to be peacemakers (Matthew 5), and told us that we are blessed as peacemakers. To be a peacemaker means to actively seek peace and make peace with others. As a matter of fact, the Bible tells us that as much as lie within us, we are to be at peace with others (Romans 12:18). So what does that look like? Well, let us take two opposing entities being at war with each other. While they are at war, they continually fight each other. However, when they choose to be at peace, that means that they not only stop fighting each other, but also agree to, and put together, a plan that will outline how they will now cooperate with each other to make each entity complete. Maybe they agree to trade their goods with each other, or agree to provide a work force that will work together to rebuild what was broken while they were at war with each other. So it is when we are at peace with God. We come together with God to follow the plan He has already put together in His Word, so that we can work together to bring others to Him. When we put peace into action, it also puts us in the position to be reminded that God is always with us, always in control, and ultimately enables us to enjoy the peace that passes all understanding, during the most difficult of circumstances. Today, let us not just sit back and enjoy God's peace. Instead, let us go out and put God's peace into action, and enjoy the blessing of being true peacemakers, and sons of God, for the glory of God.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Wisdom Through Obedience

Luke 6:46 "Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?"

Living a life of wisdom is living a life of obedience. Living a life of obedience is living a life of faith. We see throughout Scripture that obedience often led to blessings, while disobedience led to trials, tribulations, and hard consequences, especially for Israel. We see right from the beginning of man's creation that a very unwise decision to disobey God had consequences that still affects us all today. Abraham and Sarah's unwise choice to allow Abraham to have a child with Hagar has also had consequences that have affected the Middle East, and the world. In Luke 6, Jesus continued to explain the difference between those who hear His Words, and do as He says, and those who do not. Those who are obedient build a foundation in their life that is like a rock that will not be shaken, while those who choose disobedience build a foundation that is like sand and will collapse when they face the storms of life. Does this mean that making wise choices and living a life of obedience will lead to a life free of persecution? Of course it will not. However, in the end, there is greater rewards and greater blessings for standing our ground, choosing wisdom and obedience, and simply trusting Jesus for the outcome. Joseph and Daniel were great examples of wise servants, just to name a couple, that chose to be obedient to God, suffered persecution, but in the end gained great rewards and blessings. A life lived in obedience to God is a life that will glorify the Lord, and will prove our love for Jesus; for He Himself told us in John 14:15,  "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." A life of wisely obeying God's Word is a life of loving the One who loved us first.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Choose Wisdom

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

What is our life pursuit? Is it wealth, fame, seeking after the things the world tells us will bring us happiness, comfort, and importance? Are we wasting a life that can be, and should be, lived for the glory of God? Do we truly want to pursue a life that will bring the Lord the most glory and yield the most heavenly reward? Then we need to go after the one thing God says should be a priority in our lives...seeking after wisdom. Proverbs 4:7 tells us, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding." Solomon demonstrated the ultimate wisdom in asking for wisdom to lead God's people, when God asked him what he wanted. That one decision led to Solomon becoming the wisest and wealthiest king alive. The Bible has a lot to say about acquiring and living by wisdom. Today's verse remind us that the fear, or reverence, of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. In other words, a life that prioritizes God is a life of wisdom. A life that seeks God over the things of this world, is a life of wisdom. At this point, I want to issue a warning. A life lived by godly wisdom can certainly put us in a position to receive many blessings. However, just as quickly as we gain those blessing, we can lose them by then choosing to make unwise choices, based on earthly wisdom. King Solomon started out well, but did not end so well, as he allowed his many wives to draw his heart away from the Lord. We must be careful not only to acquire wisdom, but completely rely on God and His Word to help us continue in it.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Choose to Grow

Galatians 5:19-21 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

In the last four devotionals we discussed the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. He produces it in our lives, as He works in us to make us more like Jesus. We know that this Fruit is truly growing in us when we see less and less deeds of the flesh, and more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here is where many of us run into a problem. You see, it seems that the best training ground, and the most fertile ground, for the Spirit to produce His Fruit in our lives is the battleground. Yes, in the midst of conflict, trials, tribulations, and difficult circumstances, is where the Spirit does His best work. It is during these times that we need to remember Romans 8:28-29, which clearly tells us that God will work all things together for our good, and that good is that we come out of it more like our Lord and Savior. Here is where we hit the wall, the wall of excuses "But you don't understand what kind of life I lived." "But you just don't understand what they did, or said, and how that made me feel." "I just can't help it, I have always struggled with this; and besides, I'm not the only one in the world who struggles with this." Excuses, excuses, excuses...we have one for every deed of the flesh we commit. The remedy, the way to victory? Well, it is really a simple one...choose to do right and let the Spirit do His work in us. Romans 13:14 tells us, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Note that putting on Jesus is a choice. We can choose to not give in to the flesh. We can choose to put on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6). We can choose to take up our cross and crucify our flesh. How do we do this successfully? We accomplish this in the strength and power of His might (Ephesians 6:10)! We must choose to grow. We must commit ourselves to prayer, and not just reading the Word of God, but putting it to action in our lives. Far too often, we want to take a passive approach in living out our Christianity. When in reality, our walk with Jesus must be lived out on purpose, making the right choices, and purposely putting down the deeds that seek to enslave us and drag us back down to our old ways. If we want to have victory, and see the Spirit produce His Fruit in our lives, we must stop grieving the Holy Spirit and quenching His power in our lives. How, you ask? Read Ephesians 4:17-32.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Fruit: Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

What kind of reputation do we have, in respect to keeping our word or promises? As the Holy Spirit works in us to make us more like Jesus, He desires that we, like our Savior, become people who are faithful. He wants us to become people who are loyal, and keep our promises. As followers of Jesus, we should be people who can be counted on whenever we say we will do something. He also wants us to be people who are gentle in spirit. Sadly, we have allowed the world to convince us that being gentle with others, or giving a soft answer when others treat us roughly, is somehow a sign of weakness. In actuality, it is quite the opposite. Being able to give a soft answer, or refrain from returning an insult for an insult, or returning good for evil, is a demonstration of great strength. For even Jesus did not revile when He was reviled. Finally, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to make us a self-controlled people. We must not be hasty im our decision making, or desires. Being self-controlled means not "flying off the handle" when others try to make us angry. It means that we are slow to consider the cost when the world tempts us to be covetous, and tries to convince us that we always need the newest, and the next best and greatest thing. We need to be people who are not quick to satisfy personal, selfish, desires that destroy relationships, and ultimately, our lives. We should be known as people who are trustworthy, approachable; who know how to step back, consider a situation, and choose a path of wisdom. Our choices should not be driven by our circumstances or selfish desires, but a desire to glorify Jesus.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Fruit: Patience, Kindness, Goodness

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Oftentimes, we serve God, and others, out of a feeling of obligation, and not out of desire. When we serve in this manner, it often comes through in our attitude, and the way we treat others. We end up coming across like disgruntled Christians who are miserable, but trying to tell others how great Christianity has been since we accepted Jesus as Savior. It is one thing to love others, it is another to love others with the right attitude. If we are going to love others the way Jesus loves us, then we need to be patient with them. We need to show others that we are giving them room to grow in their own walk with Jesus. Being patient with others means being slow to get angry or impatient with them when they do not perform to, or live up to, our standard or expectations. How often do we fall short of God's standard and expectations? It means not being mean-spirited, but kind. It means treating them with the same kindness we treat those who are near and dear to us, so that they never have to fear that we will do them harm. What I am saying is that we should not be known as people who are quick to take vengeance against others for personal offenses. In Christ, we should treat others with the same goodness God treats us with. Jesus told us that God does good to both the just and the unjust. We are called to love even our enemies. To treat others with goodness means to be willing to do good and be a blessing to others, even if they have offended us. We are not to withhold doing good to others based on our personal opinions, or biases. We need to do good to others, simply because we know that God loves them and died for them also. The most challenging time for us to do all this is when we, ourselves, are facing challenging circumstances. Those are often the times when we become impatient, unkind, and do not feel up to doing good to others, because we are to busy hosting a pity party for ourselves. It is during those times, when we are squeezed spiritually, that we find out how much freedom we are giving the Spirit to produce His Fruit in our lives.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Fruit: Love, Joy, Peace

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The reality of growing in our relationship with Jesus, and the Spirit producing His Fruit in our lives, is that we grow most when facing difficult circumstances. The test of how much Fruit the Holy Spirit is producing will become evident by our ability to show others the love of God, while we are in the heat of difficulties. When we truly love, that love will not be dictated by circumstances or emotions, but by the simple fact that we know that God's desire for us is to love as He loves. It is in the midst of trials that we can find contentment in knowing that God is walking with us, and has allowed the circumstances to enter our lives. Having joy does not mean we always have to be "in a good mood". It simply means that in spite of our mood, we are able to trust God through the time of difficulty. Finally, having peace, or the ability to remain calm, while our world seems to be falling apart, is the evidence we have that the peace that passes all understanding is now in effect via the power of the Holy Spirit. This is not to say that we cannot feel sadness, disappointment, or any other emotion. However, our emotions should never be what controls our lives or decisions. The bottom line is that our ability to love, have joy, or have peace, during difficult situations, is completely dependent upon the power of the Holy Spirit, and should not be dictated by our emotions or circumstances.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

Unfruitful Servants

Ephesians 4:11-12 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

What in the world does having spiritual gifts have to do with the Fruit of the Spirit? I am glad you asked. The truth of the matter is that we can use our talents and abilities and still lack fruit. Have you ever met, or seen, someone who is talented and possesses gifts that they use wonderfully for the Lord, and God seems to use them greatly; yet, we later find that the same person is unkind to others, seems to always be stressed about life in general, and not exactly the person we would want to be like personally, as a Christian? Why is that? We might find that another person seems to lack the talents and abilities that others have; yet, he/she is the kind of person who genuinely loves on other, and is continually at peace, regardless of their circumstances. They seem to be the kind of person, although quiet and serving behind the scenes, who simply lights up the room when they walk in. Why is that? Well, it is because God is God, and He can use whomever He chooses. How often do we read in the Bible that God uses even the ungodly? The reality is that we can deceive ourselves into thinking that just because God uses the talents and abilities He has gifted us with, that we are doing okay in our walk with Jesus. We need to understand that Jesus will glorify Himself, in spite of us. The words Jesus spoke in Matthew 7:23 should frighten us, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" This will be in response to those who will stand before Him proclaiming the things they did in His Name. As Jesus' followers, we need to step back and ask the Lord to show us if we are substituting service for real, genuine, growth in Christ Jesus. If we are busy serving and using our gifts for God, but have not grown in our ability to love others, have true peace and joy, be more patient, be kinder and gentler toward others, lacking self-control, then we may very well be hindering the Spirit from producing His Fruit in our lives (Galatians 5).

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).

The War Within

Galatians 5:17-18 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

For any one of us who is a born again believer, it becomes obvious very quickly that there is a war that begins to rage the moment we call upon Jesus to be our Savior and Lord. At that moment, when the Holy Spirit indwells us and seals us, the battle immediately begins. As He begins to work in us, as new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), to make us more like Jesus, we come face to face with how sinful we really are. No longer being slaves to the devil, the world, and our flesh, the war begins in an attempt to recapture us, and oppress us; in order to keep us enslaved to the guilt of our past, and cripple our walk with, and service to, Jesus. The attacks intensify in those moments when we stumble. Praise be to God that in Christ we have the Spiritual Armor we need in order to stand in the battles (Ephesians 6). In the process of making us more like Jesus, the Holy Spirit produces His Fruit in our lives. That Fruit has several parts, much like an orange or grapefruit when it is peeled. The more these parts begin to manifest, the more evidence there is of the Spirit working in us. Over the next few devotionals we will take a closer look at the Fruit of the Spirit, and its makeup. If we expect to be victorious over the flesh, the world, and the devils' attacks, we must be careful to walk in the Spirit every day, so that He can grow His Fruit in our lives.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).