Longsuffering By Any Other Name
The Fruit of The Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23 In the King James Version the word is longsuffering. The New International Version translates it as forbearance. The New Revised Standard Version uses patience. 1 Corinthians 13 says “love is patient.” We tend to think of patience […]
Spiritual Maturity And The Fruit Of The Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5: 22-23 NIV The fruit of the Spirit is the manifestation of Christ’s life in us. It is evidence of God’s conforming us to the image of Christ. Of our growing sanctification. There are no shortcuts to […]
Random Acts Of Kindness
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 Kindness is a characteristic on display throughout the Bible. It is one of the Fruits of the Spirit, an outward sign of a deepening […]
The Fruit Of The Spirit And Spiritual Maturity
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5: 22-23 (NIV) The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of God’s conforming us to the image of Christ. There are no shortcuts to spiritual maturity. It takes time to be holy. Today’s weakness becomes tomorrow’s strength. […]
On Troubles, Endurance, and Grit
Endurance and perseverance are at the heart of character. Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us–they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust […]
Say The Word: Joy
Consider it all joy. [James 1:2] We are exploring significant words of The Christian Faith in our series ‘Say The Word.’ We come today to the word joy. Webster’s College Dictionary defines joy (noun) as a very glad feeling; happiness; great pleasure; delight; anything causing such a feeling, or the expression or showing of such […]
The Fruit Of The Spirit and Spiritual Maturity
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5: 22 – 23 NIV Fruit Of The Spirit, a compendium: Affection for others (love); Exuberance about life (joy); Serenity (peace); Willingness to stick with things (forbearance); Sense of compassion (kindness); A conviction that a basic holiness […]
Spiritual Formation /4
The fruits of the earth are not brought to perfection immediately, but by time, rain, and care. Similarly the fruits of men ripen through ascetic practice, study, time, and perseverance. As we grow in Christ, our spirtual formation manifests itself through the growth (ripening) of the Fruit of The Spirit in our lives; love, joy, […]
Identified With Christ: Fruit Of The Spirit
Observable and increasing of the fruits of the Spirit in our lives is evidence of God’s conforming us to the image of Christ. Here, from Galatians 5:22-23, is a compendium of the fruits of the Spirit: 1. Love: affection for others;2. Joy: exuberance about life;3. Peace: serenity;4. Forbearance: long-suffering, patience, a willingness to stick with […]
The Fruit Of The Spirit And Intimacy With Christ
The bearing of fruit is always shown in Scripture to be the visible result of an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. It is a joy to Jesus when a disciple takes time to walk more intimately with Him. (see John 15:1-4). Once we get intimate with Jesus, we are never lonely and never lack for […]