by Jerry Lewis

It’s Sunday. The first day of the Christian week. The day that sets the tone for every other day. Perhaps Sunday has come to mean many different things to you. Could I challenge you to see it as the necessary beginning to a good week, the necessary first of many seconds, thirds, twentieths…you get the point.

I’ll see you soon.

by Jerry Lewis

On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. At the command of the LORD the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the LORD they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp.

Numbers 9:15-18

Trusting God, walking by the Spirit, is nothing new.  Israel, when leaving Egypt and headed toward the promised land also learned to trust God.  Their trust was moment-by-moment.  God used a cloud to guide them.  The cloud was cloud-like in the daytime, like fire at night.  Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, the people pulled up camp and moved.  They stayed as long as the cloud stayed.

Been camping lately?  Remember how hard it was to pull up camp at the end of the week.  Multiply that by 600,000–men!  Plus women and children!  Perhaps two million people on the move.  When the cloud lifted, two million people pulled up camp.  Moses goes on to say that sometimes the cloud stayed a day, sometimes a year!

Are you willing to follow God anywhere, do anything?  Are you so in tune with His presence that when He says to do something, you’ll do it…without asking why?  Or how?

Today, learn to listen to God.  Henry Blackaby says that God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, circumstances, the Church and prayer to reveal Himself.  I imagine that every morning when the Israelites woke up, they looked at the tabernacle to see the Presence of God.

We should, too.

Take time today to seek God–to truly seek His perspective, His heart, His glory.  And then walk in light of His presence.  Simply do what He says.

by Tony Ledbetter

I recently heard a story told on WMIT.  A lady was stopped at a red light.  The light turned green, but the car in front of her evidently stalled and did not move.  The light turned red again.  The lady became very frustrated because she was already running late.  She began to honk her horn and yell out the window.  The next thing she knew there was a police officer standing at her window.  She was asked to pull her car into the parking lot, where she was asked to get out of the car, put in hand cuffs, and taken to the police station.  

The lady sat in the police station for approximately an hour.  She was still fuming.  Finally the police officer came back.  He was very apologetic as he removed her handcuffs.  The lady, still a little angry asked in a heated tone: “just exactly why was I arrested?”  The police officer said “mam, at that red light you were yelling obscenities out of the window, honking your horn, and making some bad gestures.  Then I saw the ‘follow me to church,’ and ‘honk if you love Jesus’ bumper stickers, and chrome fish on the back of the car.  I assumed you had stolen the car.”

I think we all at times struggle with self-control.  Self-control may have to do with temper, eating, or almost any part of our lives.   Just this morning I got some news I did not like.  My voice started to raise in volume with the person on the other end of the phone. This is a person God has put on my heart to plant some seeds with.  What kind of witness would it be if I became angry and yelled at the person I am trying to reach for His kingdom!  Thankfully the Spirit helped me realize almost immediately what I was doing, and that it was not the Godly thing to do. I fall short in this area far too often.

In a quick search I found 21 references to self-control in the Bible.  In those passages self-control is viewed as Godly or good and lack of self-control is associated with evil or sin.  

Jesus always showed self-control.  Think of the night of His betrayal in the garden (Matthew 26:50 – 53):  

And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.  Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place.  For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.  Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?

Jesus knew what was coming next and yet instead of fleeing or encouraging his group to fight, or even calling down legions of angels he remained calm (self-controlled).  Luke 22:51 even says that Jesus touched the ear of servant and healed him. 

Not only did Jesus maintain His self-control, He took mercy on the one who was against him by healing him. He continued to show self-control through his trial and his crucifixion. If the creator of the universe and our Savior can show self-control in submitting to the mockery of a trial and a cruel death, how much more should we exercise self-control when something does not go our way?

Heavenly Father thank you for giving us the ultimate model of self-control in your son Jesus Christ.  Thank you that He was in full control in the garden, during his trial, and as He was crucified.  Help us to remember that self-control when we are faced with much lesser trials in our daily lives.  Grant us strength through The Holy Spirit to not only remain self-controlled, but to show the same grace that Jesus showed us through his death and resurrection.  In Jesus holy name.  Amen.

by Jerry Lewis

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

galatians 5:17

The Spirit is God’s agent of prevention.  Without the Spirit, no one knows what you might have done by now.  The Spirit “keeps you from doing the things you want to do.”  Someone has already irritated you this morning.  You want to tell them about it.  The Spirit says “no.”

Why is He qualified to speak to such matters?  He knows their heart–you don’t.  He knows what kind of morning they had–you don’t.  He knows them and He knows you.

This is why the war within shouldn’t catch us by surprise.  As a matter of fact, if you can continue in sin without the war, you’re in trouble.  The ability to sin uninhibited points to the absence of the Spirit in your life.  If the Holy Spirit isn’t preventing you from sinning, He will not also prevent you from spending eternity in Hell.  The Spirit who drew you to Jesus is the same Spirit who will prevent you from sinning.

What a great gift we have in the Spirit.

Father, thank you for the gift of the Spirit. Holy Spirit, thank you that you reside in me, that since I’ve been born again, I’ve never again been alone. Thank you that I walk with a traveling companion, with someone by my side (thank you Jesus!) and someone inside (thank you Holy Spirit!). Help me to listen today, to trust, to obey, to do what you’re calling me to do. In Jesus’ strong name. Amen.

by Shane Holland

One thing that seems to be missing from human interactions in the world today is gentleness. I can understand unbelievers not showing gentleness since it is a fruit of the Spirit given to us from God, but it seems like many Christians too struggle to exhibit this fruit. Paul’s letter to Titus gives believers a reminder of how gentleness should be an integral part of our interaction with others.

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy to all people.” 

Titus 3:1-2

There are so many good nuggets of wisdom in these two verses, but we will focus on the last three points.

If you are like me, I enjoy a good debate; however, I have to be careful because I tend to push hard to win.  My desire to win an argument is my pride flaring up and me not wanting to be proven wrong. As I have matured in my faith, I have learned it is impossible to win someone over if I approach them with anger and not gentleness. As I have grown older, I now see anger as a lack of confidence instead of the passion I thought it showed in my youth.  As Christians, how can we hope to show someone the gift we have been given if we show them in a quarreling way instead of a gentle way?  The act of being gentle can diffuse a situation and show unbelievers our confidence in the relationship we have with our Lord. 

To “show perfect courtesy to all people” is a must for Christians. We are tasked with showing God’s love to all people, but not affirming life choices that go against God’s plan. This can be difficult at times, but we must remember as believers all that we have been forgiven. Christ has and continues to show us grace when we fall short and His example reminds us to extend grace and show “perfect courtesy” to others. 

Additionally, we must follow the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:29-30.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for you souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

Jesus

 If we continue to try and carry all our own burdens, our hearts are too heavy for us to show a spirit of gentleness. Only by turning our burdens over to Christ are we able to be gentle in heart so that others see Christ in us. 

Father God, thank you for showing us, by your example, how to be gentle with unbelievers and believers. Thank you for allowing us to turn our burdens over to you so that we can be gentle and not overburdened in our hearts. Forgive us for trying to carry our burdens on our own and deal with people in our own prideful ways. Father, helps us to continue to turn our burdens over and allow us to share your good news with gentleness and confidence. 

by Jerry Lewis

Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace. Streams of mercy never ceasing, pour forth songs of loudest praise.

Robert robinson

Robert Robinson wrote this hymn in this 1600s, and it is still sung today in all kinds of worship venues. The story of the hymn mirrors the story of Robinson’s life, and ours too. His conversion was both instantaneous and ongoing. After a drunken bout with some friends, God convicted him of his sin and he found himself listening to the great George Whitefield preach on “the wrath to come.” Here are his words about that night…and a couple of years that followed.

Robert, son of Michael and Marise Robinson. Born in Swaffham, Norfolk, on Saturday, Sept. 27, 1735. Reborn on Saturday, May 24, 1752, through the powerful preaching of George Whitefield. And having tasted the pains of renewal for two and seven years, I found full and free absolution, through the precious blood of Jesus Christ (Tuesday, December 10, 1755), to whom be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

The reality is that God saved Robinson on May 24, 1752 and he came to a fuller awareness of what it meant to walk by grace in the next few years. Our salvation is called a new birth for a reason: you don’t know everything when you’re born…you’re born and you grow and know. So it is with living the Christian life. If you ever stop growing physically, you’re dead. If you ever stop growing spiritually, you’re dead.

Are you growing? Are you seeing fruit?

A prayer to the God who saved you and also sanctifies you. And, no, these aren’t my words. Listen and pray this song:

by Kevin Burleson

“Gracious Heavenly Father, I am reminded that today I am going to come into contact with some difficult people along the way. Help me to be….Patient.”

I know when I ask for that part of the fruit of the Spirit I could well be asking for a hard ride.  I hesitate even to ask God for patience sometimes because my experience leads me to believe an inevitable trial or test will be attached to my need to be more patient. (Somebody I have been avoiding will cross my path, or I will get behind the slowest person in McDowell County when I’m late). But to be patient is as much a fruit of the Spirit as love or kindness.

Patience “…is the capacity to be wronged and not retaliate. It is the ability to hold one’s feeling in restraint or bear up under the oversights and wrongs afflicted by others without retaliating. It is manifest by the quality of forbearance under provocation.”

sermonindex

It is part of the defining evidence of the character of Christ being formed in us. So we need to ask God to help us bear His fruit of patience. And He helps us by demonstrating how incredibly patient He is with us. We read in scripture that He suffers a long time with our faulty failing flesh just as He continues to exercise patience with the difficult people we will meet along the way who desperately need Jesus (Romans 9:22). We read in the Old Testament how patiently God worked with Israel even as they kept turning away from Him. We see how Jesus patiently taught and led His disciples who too frequently didn’t seem to get His plan. So we, following the example of our Lord, should seek to be patient with people. We are to persistently endure harshness with a view toward bearing other fruit like kindness, gentleness, and love. 

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for the many times you have patiently put up with my faults, my impatience, and my stubbornness. Thank you that you give me the opportunity, by the power of your Holy Spirit in me, to share your gracious fruit of patience with people today. Help me to not avoid difficult people but suffer long with them knowing you have done the same toward me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

by Jerry Lewis

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Psalm 122:1

These lines are the first of a psalm sung as God’s people traveled the Jericho road to Jerusalem to worship. They didn’t go often, only once a year, and they joined thousands of others, throngs of worshipers, who came to the temple to worship. They wore white, traveled with their family, slept in the cold at night and battled the heat of the day.

Psalm 122 is one of the Songs of Ascent, a song sung while ascending the hill to Jerusalem. Their physical ascent symbolized their spiritual ascent. Not only did their bodies have to be ready for a trip like this, so did their hearts. These Psalms lifted their hearts to Jerusalem, and ultimately to heaven.

Today we will worship. As you drive in (none of us walk to worship…how blessed we are), prepare your hearts to encounter and be encountered by the almighty God who is also your Father, who sent his Son to be your Savior, and the Holy Spirit to be your traveling companion.

I can’t wait to worship with you!

by Tina Laughridge

Love – the greatest fruit of the Spirit.  We say it so frequently but do we mean what we are saying?  In John 15:12, Jesus told His disciples…

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”.   

JESUS

But how do we love?  It’s easy to say these three little words but sometimes it’s hard to show it when we’ve been wronged by someone or if we know the person is considered by society to be a bad person.

I have to confess that I have shunned one particular young man that I know simply because of his life choices.  I wanted nothing to do with this young man knowing all along that I was not being the Christ-like person God called me to be.  This young man was treated like a leper by his friends, family and worst of all me.  

Then God spoke to my heart.  

I realized this man needs help – not the help I can give but the help that God can give through me.  

This is where I can show him God’s kind of love – Agape love.  Will you join me in praying that this young man will be receptive of God’s love–and that it will shine through me. And will you think of people just like him in your life too. And ask God to show His love through you to them?

by Janis Bolick

As we are spending time seeking to know more about the fruit of the Spirit, it is good to remember the gentleness of our heavenly Father. After all, we deserve His wrath, yet by His sacrifice, we can be assured of His love. (Romans 5:8) We continuously reject Him but He gently carries us in His arms! (Isaiah 40:11)

I don’t know about you, but for me sometimes gentleness is hard. We tend to live in our flesh and when someone is frustrating me….well I might just lose my gentleness. Yet Jesus calls us to be like Him. The Spirit of Jesus who lives inside us teaches us how to be gentle, yet the irritation of our flesh can completely distract us from hearing the Spirit’s teaching.

The ministry of Jesus overflowed with such a spirit of caring and gentleness for the very people who would eventually torture and crucify Him. Still we often struggle to simply be kind to someone who irritates us in some way.

On Monday, February 27th, my father suddenly passed away. Daddy was such a gentle man and I have so many fond memories of him guiding me through decisions and heartaches with wisdom and gentleness. One of his favorite passages comes from John 14 verses 1-3.

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.”

John 14:1-3, CSB

There is such gentleness in what Jesus says. Right now my heart is heavy and I am sad because I miss my dad. But because of Jesus, I know that Daddy is not sad and that I will see him in eternity. Until that day comes, I pray that I will allow the Holy Spirit to teach me His gentleness and that my life will reflect the gentleness of both my earthly father and my heavenly Father. I pray that for you as well!

Abba, Father, Thank You for the unbelievable gift of Your Spirit that we have received through Jesus. Thank you for treating us gently when we so often ignore and mistreat You and each other. Jesus, thank you for showing us how to be gentle and for being our perfect example. Spirit, teach us how to show gentleness to others and help us to grow to be more and more like Jesus. Amen