The Fruit of the Holy Spirit...Craig Denison Ministries

 The Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

As believers, we’ve been given the Holy Spirit as a Helper, Teacher, Friend, and seal for the promised inheritance of eternal life with God. His presence, guidance, and wisdom in our lives is our greatest gifts while here on earth. Through him we have access to direct connection with our heavenly Father. Through him we receive spiritual gifts to empower us. And through him we are able to bear the incredible fruit of abundant life. Open your heart and mind to all that the Holy Spirit would give you, show you, and lead you to this week.

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

Devotional:    

The fruit of the Spirit passage in Galatians 5:22-23 gives me tremendous hope for my own life. Scripture says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” When I read that list I receive a vision of who I long to be. I long to be a person full of love, joy, and peace. I long to have patience, kindness, and goodness. I long to be marked by faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Who wouldn’t? I see within those incredible characteristics the marks of a fully abundant life. I see Jesus.

At the same time, I see myself in light of these incredible fruits of the Spirit. I see all the ways in which my life doesn’t line up with what the Holy Spirit desires to birth in me. How can we, in all our sin and brokenness, live a life marked by these characteristics? How can we be a people so full of the Spirit that our very being portrays the Spirit of God who dwells within us?

God longs to tell you and me today that by his grace, a life marked by the fruit of the Spirit is entirely possible—but only by his grace. In and of myself, I can produce none of these wonderful characteristics. In my own strength, I will only produce selfishness, laziness, and pride. “But with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). The Bible calls these characteristics fruit for a reason. They are birthed out of the glorious working of God in us. They come entirely by God’s grace.

So how do we allow the Holy Spirit to work at the core of our being and produce these wonderful fruits? How do we become children of God marked by the working of the Spirit in our lives? It comes from being connected to our source, that he might plant seeds that grow within us. As we spend time with God we become like him. In his presence our heart transforms into a greater reflection of his glorious love. He can do incredible and miraculous things in us if we simply open our hearts and spend time abiding in him. The more time we spend receiving his love for us, the more areas of brokenness and sin become healed and transformed. If you want to bear the fruit of the Spirit—if you want to be a person marked by the working of God at your core—then you must spend time each day simply being loved by God.

There is no shortcut to holiness. There is no trick to godliness. Jesus has made a way for us to enter into the holy places and see the face of God. God will do magnificent things in you today if you will follow the path laid before you by Jesus and spend time resting in the presence of your heavenly Father. Receive his love. Allow the words he speaks over you to transform the way you view yourself and the world around you. Spend time in prayer meditating on his word and allowing your heart to become more like Jesus’ today.           

God longs to tell you and me today that by his grace, a life marked by the fruit of the Spirit is entirely possible—but only by his grace. In and of myself, I can produce none of these wonderful characteristics. In my own strength, I will only produce selfishness, laziness, and pride. “But with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). The Bible calls these characteristics fruit for a reason. They are birthed out of the glorious working of God in us. They come entirely by God’s grace.

So how do we allow the Holy Spirit to work at the core of our being and produce these wonderful fruits? How do we become children of God marked by the working of the Spirit in our lives? It comes from being connected to our source, that he might plant seeds that grow within us. As we spend time with God we become like him. In his presence our heart transforms into a greater reflection of his glorious love. He can do incredible and miraculous things in us if we simply open our hearts and spend time abiding in him. The more time we spend receiving his love for us, the more areas of brokenness and sin become healed and transformed. If you want to bear the fruit of the Spirit—if you want to be a person marked by the working of God at your core—then you must spend time each day simply being loved by God.

There is no shortcut to holiness. There is no trick to godliness. Jesus has made a way for us to enter into the holy places and see the face of God. God will do magnificent things in you today if you will follow the path laid before you by Jesus and spend time resting in the presence of your heavenly Father. Receive his love. Allow the words he speaks over you to transform the way you view yourself and the world around you. Spend time in prayer meditating on his word and allowing your heart to become more like Jesus’ today.           

It’s vital that you understand these characteristics are not something you strive toward in your own strength, but they are a natural result of being loved by God. You will never be able to be consistently faithful, gentle, or anything else good in your own strength. It takes the work of the Spirit to be marked by the Spirit. Engage with the Holy Spirit throughout your day. When you find yourself in a situation and are struggling to be a person full of the fruit of the Spirit, take a minute and ask for the Holy Spirit’s help. Ask him to share with you his perspective and heart. He is with you in every moment and longs to help you live your life to the fullest. Enjoy his love today and live your life out of the abundance of God’s presence available to you.

Extended Reading: Galatians 5

God Holds You on Your Hardest Days...KATIE FARIS

 God Holds You on Your Hardest Days

KATIE FARIS 

“even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:10 (ESV) 

Sunlight danced on the walls of my dining room as my heart sank and my head fell to the table. I was undone. Pent-up grief, built up inside over the previous month, overflowed as I tried to wrap my mind around what was unthinkable but true.

I’d just spoken on the phone with the pediatrician. After one son's diagnosis a few weeks earlier, I now knew that two more of my children had the same genetic condition, one that could seriously impact their livers or lungs.

Questions swirled in my head. Was this really happening? What did this mean? Where was God in all of this?

Minutes later, with tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat, I greeted my husband on our front porch and repeated the doctor’s message. Then, as our children played inside the house, we held one another close and cried.

I don’t know how long we sat there, weeping and asking questions of one another and God. But in our grief, the Lord met us. When we didn’t even know how or what to pray, “the Spirit himself intercede[d] for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26b, ESV). The Holy Spirit led us to open our hearts to God, commit our family to His care and ask Him to work for His glory in our family's suffering.

Even on one of our hardest days, God led my husband and me. As we clung to one another, His hand held us. And that’s just what our key verse promises: “Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:10).

This verse is found right in the middle of Psalm 139, in which you and I are repeatedly reassured that our heavenly Father knows all about us. God knew us before we were born (v. 16) and He knows what we're going to say even before we say it. (v. 4) And no matter where we go or what happens, He goes with us, leading us and holding us with His right hand. (v. 10)

Though it shocked me, my children’s genetic condition wasn’t a surprise to the One who knitted them together in my womb. (v. 13) And the diagnosis, which seemed like darkness covering me, wasn't dark to Him. (v. 12) He rescued me from despair and led me closer to Himself.

The following days were hard. There were specialists to see, medications to administer, grief and questions to navigate. But the Lord held me through it all. Looking back, I can answer one question with confidence. Where was God in all of this? He was right there with me.

That is God’s promise to His children: “Even there your hand shall …” (Psalm 139:10). Even in places we don’t want to go to, He will lead us. Even in places that seem beyond His reach, He will hold us.

Whether our “there” is a diagnosis or job loss … unwanted singleness or a struggling marriage … the loss of a loved one or any number of other hardships … the Lord knows and cares about His own children. Even on our hardest days, in our darkest moments, the Lord who knows us meets us. His hand grabs hold of us and doesn’t let go.

Dear Lord, I can feel abandoned on my hardest days, but the Bible tells me that the very opposite is true. Instead, You are right there with me, holding and leading me. Help me believe Your Word and trust You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Invest Your Time—Don’t Just Spend It...Dr. Charles Stanley

 Invest Your Time—Don’t Just Spend It

Dr. Charles Stanley

Ephesians 5:15-17

Time is a most valuable commodity. Since it’s irreversible and irreplaceable, we ought to give careful consideration to how we spend our days—and even our minutes. Time is a gift from God. That means we are not owners but stewards and will one day be held accountable for how we used what was entrusted to us. According to verse 15, there are only two possible ways to live: wisely or foolishly.

Let’s first consider what is involved in using our time wisely. Those who realize that their days belong to God are careful how they live. Their goal is to understand the Lord’s will and align their schedules and activities with His purposes. As they seek guidance each day through intimate fellowship with Him in the Word and prayer, their spiritual eyes are opened to discern which opportunities are from the Father and which are not a part of His plans for them.

But those who are foolish do not give adequate thought to the way they live. Some become unproductive and lazy, living for their own pleasures while missing out on God’s purpose for their lives. However, others may be very busy and extremely successful by worldly standards, but if their days are occupied with activities that aren’t God’s will for them, they’re wasting their time.

To make the most of your opportunities, begin each day with the Lord, submitting to His will and asking that He direct your activities. After all, none of us want to get to heaven and discover that even though we’ve been busy spending our time,we have failed to invest it for eternity.

Our Sufficiency Comes from God...By: Anne Peterson

 Our Sufficiency Comes from God

By: Anne Peterson

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God - 2 Corinthians 3:5

We live in a world overflowing with information. If you don’t know something you can Google it, and you’ll have the information you need within seconds. But sometimes we can depend on the information we get and lean on it.

At other times we’ve gone through circumstances, learned a few things and when a similar situation arises, we lean on our experiences.

2 Corinthians 3:5 reminds us we are not sufficient of ourselves but instead, our sufficiency is of God.

The world tells us God helps those who help themselves. Which is not found in scripture anywhere. 

Or it says, pull yourselves up by your own bootstraps. 

The world tells us, You’ve got this!

And then life happens, and we soon discover we are helpless. And often those feelings of helplessness lead us to feeling hopeless. But the good news is we have a loving Father who did not leave us alone, no matter what we’re going through. He makes us sufficient for whatever we face.

We read the story of Peter and how he got out of the boat and walked on the water to come to Jesus in Matthew 14. Can you imagine what that must have felt like? And Peter did fine with his water walking until he took his eyes off the Lord. He noticed the wind, the waves and he immediately went down. What I love most about this passage is how quickly Jesus reached out and saved him. There was no chastening. There was no shaming. Peter called and Jesus answered. And it’s the same for us. God makes us sufficient for whatever we face. And when we fail, he picks us up.

We don’t have control over many of the circumstances in our lives. But we do have God’s hand guiding us, providing for us and giving us the ability to work through and overcome whatever our circumstances may be. He makes us sufficient. 

Some things will seem monumental. Sometimes we’ll be fearful. But as we learn to lean on God and what He tells us in his Word, we’ll remember we’re not alone. God is close enough to collect our tears. And when we make it through to the other side, we can look back and say, “we were not sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency was from God.”

His Hand

I don’t know what tomorrow holds,
or what I’ll have to face.

But I know God is well aware,
and He will give me grace.

And when I start to worry, 
Or I don’t understand,

I’ll call upon my Jesus, 
and I’ll take his outstretched hand.

- Anne Peterson

Praying for God’s Plans in Our Children’s Lives..By Meg Bucher

 Praying for God’s Plans in Our Children’s Lives

By Meg Bucher

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 NIV

Though parenting is a great blessing we undoubtedly treasure, it often causes us to worry and pray the most. Kids are only containable and controllable to a certain extent. When I am overwhelmed, scouring through Scriptures to pray on their behalf and desperate for God to shield them… He is faithful to remind me that control over their lives is not ultimately mine.

Abba, Yahweh, loves them infinitely more than I ever could. I often need to take my own advice and pray and be patient while God works out the details of their days in His sovereignty. He’s never given me a reason to doubt Him, and I needn’t worry He’ll fail to be faithful.

We, as Solomon wisely wrote in Proverbs, have a tendency to plot and plan the course of our lives, and those of our children. Then, we ask for God’s blessing. But God’s will for our lives is to obediently follow His lead to the best of our ability.

But the LORD, significantly and purposefully written in all caps to remind us who the LORD is, determines our steps. He alone knows what’s up next in our lives. When we are good stewards of the time, talents, and treasures He blesses us with on earth, we have nothing to worry about… nothing to fear… for His plans for us, and our children, are more than we can ask for or imagine.

Faithfully following Jesus is the greatest example we can set for our children. His love never falters or fades. Jesus meets us right where we are and walks with us. By the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in every believer of Christ, we will walk out the steps the LORD determines, for His glory and honor.

Let's pray:

Father,

Thank You for the reminder of Your sovereignty and our place as Your children. You chose us, created us, and purposed us …and our children! When we are tempted to worry and request Your blessing over our plans instead of aiming to hear Your will for our lives, grab our attention. Convict our hearts and remind us who You are, and who we are in Christ. Sons and daughters of the One True God.

Yahweh, let the repetition of saying Your name calm us in the midst of worrisome circumstances and challenging moments as parents. Let the weight of perfection fall off of our shoulders, and the weightless and limitless freedom of grace rush through our lives. Let our daily lives honor You, God.

Bless our role as parents, and give us the wisdom we need in order to release the grip of control that so deceitfully sneaks into the cracks of our lives when we fear the decisions our children are making. Help us release them into Your hands. Protect them from those who wish to harm them. Shield and soften their hearts, Father.

Over everything we plan and worry about, we pray Your will for our lives. You are good. We trust You, LORD.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

The Danger of Getting Too Comfortable...By Laura Bailey

 The Danger of Getting Too Comfortable

By Laura Bailey

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15-16 NIV

During college, I waited tables to earn extra money. Most people think that waitresses have the most challenging position in a restaurant, but I know differently---it’s the kitchen staff. The kitchen staff manages multiple orders, ensuring they are sent out timely and accurately. The food they plate should taste and look good. One of the first lessons they taught me was to always divide the order into hot and cold items. Making sure that everything arrives at a customer's table at the right temperature is a delicate balance because no one wants his hot food cold or cold food hot. Few things are worse than watching someone eagerly bite into a seemingly warm dish or sandwich only to spew it out because it was unexpectedly cold.

Although I've read Revelation 3:15-16 many times, it wasn't until I related it to my restaurant workdays that the imagery John used became meaningful. In context, these verses are a part of a series of letters John wrote to the newly formed churches in Asia Minor after his revelation or encounter with Jesus. The last letter mentioned was to the Church at Laodicea. In it we read that Jesus wasn't pleased with their current condition, for nothing escapes His attention. Their deeds were lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, and because of this, John described Jesus spitting them out of his mouth.

What, exactly, had happened in the church of Laodicea to warrant such a disgusting image? Well, the crux of the matter was that like the Church at Ephesus, they'd abandoned their "first love" (Revelation 2:4); they'd become comfortable and complacent, their hearts cooled and indifferent to the power of the gospel to transform lives. How easy it is to criticize the Church of Laodicea and feel that we're surely different from them. But truth be told, many professing Christians sit in similar churches today, having lost their passion and devotion for the things of God. 

Pasting on a smile, we trudge through the motions of Sunday morning while hoping the service will soon end so we beat the restaurant crowds for lunch. We participate in the Lord's Supper robotically, rush absentmindedly through our quiet time and at the table quip " Lord, bless this meal" as if we're on autopilot. We possess intellectual knowledge of the Lord but little intimate knowledge because of our straying hearts.

Although we often fail to heed Paul's advice Romans 12:11, "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord," the Lord never forsakes us or leaves us without hope. In verses 18-22, the imagery John penned clearly demonstrated the Lord's desire to restore the communion and fellowship broken by sin: white garments to cover their shameful, spiritual nakedness, healing salve to open their eyes to their passive and lethargic condition, and His knocking at the door to once again reunite and commune with them intimately. Ever faithful Jesus stood ready to forgive and forget to renew fellowship with His children if they confessed and repented of their unfaithfulness. Although the church had wandered away from the Lord, He still loved them and wanted them to return to Him with open hearts and souls on fire fully devoted to following Christ.

In the restaurant, we often discovered that when complaints about the temperature of the food arose, the worker responsible for checking the meals before they left the kitchen had become too nonchalant in that role. It started by leaving one plate unchecked until the pre-check process was abandoned altogether. The same holds true for our spiritual lives. It is easy to become complacent when things continually go well and lethargic when they fall apart. Both break fellowship with Christ. Neutrality has no place in the Lord's army, for we are either "with Him or against Him" (Matthew 12:30); "hot or cold." As the Bride of Christ, let us keep the fires of our hearts ablaze, open and longing for sweet, intimate communion with our glorious bridegroom, until we united with Him at the marriage feast of the Lamb.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Thinking about your spiritual walk, are you a soul on fire for the Lord, or are you currently in a season of lukewarm faith? Ask the Holy Spirit to expose areas where you are simply "going through the motions," helping you rediscover and reinstate your genuine love for the Lord.

Further Reading:

• 1 Chronicles 16:11 
• 2 Timothy 4:7 
• Hebrews 11:6