Let your beauty not be external—the braiding of hair and wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes—but the inner person of the heart, the lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit, which is precious in God’s sight (1 Peter 3:3–4 NET) Peter addresses the women in the verse above but the timeless truth applies Read More
Fruit of the Spirit
Cultivating a faithful spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (Galatians 5:22 ESV) How does the Holy Spirit manifest in our lives? We are more accustomed to the outward manifestations of gifts, such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, etc. Yes, gifts are a prominent outward manifestation of the Spirit, but that Read More
Fruit of the Spirit : faithfulness
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (Galatians 5:22, ESV) Faithfulness is one of the “fruit of the Spirit”. We often hear about love, joy, peace but there is more. The word “fruit” here is figurative language to describe our character. It is always important to identify figurative Read More
How spiritual gifts work together with the fruit of the Spirit
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7, ESV) The last two devotionals have focused on spiritual fruit and gifts. Let me conclude this mini-devotional series by discussing a fascinating truth about the relationship between spiritual fruit and gifts. Spiritual fruit has to do with our character, Read More
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1, KJV) There are two important dimensions of our Christian life: daily Christian living and service. The fruit of the Spirit has to do with our day-to-day living, Read More
Two Attitudes that God Really Likes
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious (1 Peter 3:3–4, ESV) The Read More
Fruit Meet for Repentance
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance (Matthew 3:8, KJV) John the Baptist exhorted his converts to “bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance”. His baptism was a baptism of repentance, which essentially means a change of mind. For example, someone might have fixed his or her mind to do what God has commanded us