And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 What is your first reaction to the word gentleness? Perhaps, like me, you connect the word with weakness. I believe society has taught us to view gentleness as a liability and covered up the real power of being a gentle giant. The fruit of…

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:21 Do you believe in God? Do you base your faith on what God does or who He is? I have been meditating on this difference, and God has been challenging me to see and live the difference this week. I have been praying about a particular situation and expecting some great revelation from God on which direction to take. I expected my feelings to go…

They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty – and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works – and I will proclaim your great deeds. They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. Psalm 145:5-7 Goodness vs. kindness, what is the difference? Last week we looked at the kindness of God and how He nurtures us and shows compassion. This week, as we look at the goodness of God, we will discover how His goodness encompasses all of His creation, His Kingdom, and how He treats others. In Psalm 145, we hear David praise God for His…

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Luke 6:35 I love my job. If you ask me what I do for a living, I might answer by sharing that my job is to be kind to people. I work in service, where I help others in the company do their jobs. I take between 40-60 calls a day, assisting others to be the best they can be at their jobs. When I wake up in…

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door. James 5:7-9 Yesterday I had to endure one of my least favorite activities. It involved dealing with a long line of mostly impatient people, waiting in the heat, and praying I had all the documents the state employee would require. I spent most of yesterday morning…

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace. Ephesians 2:13-14 Life is unbearable without peace. Life is unbearable without peace. Without peace, you have turmoil. In the story of Job, we see a man who is blameless and upright, fears God, and shuns evil. The narrator even goes so far as to say Job is the greatest man among the people of the east. He was a good father to seven sons and three daughters. So, Satan, who had been out roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth, comes before God…

Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. Psalm 43:3-4 How does your family celebrate special occasions? Our tradition for birthday celebrations is to go out to eat. The birthday person gets to pick the restaurant of their choice. Sometimes we even have to make a reservation to get into an elegant restaurant. Joy is the second characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit. The Greek word for joy is chara, which means rejoicing, gladness, enjoyment,…

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:2-8a Love Love forms the foundation for all the other fruits. It is the first one listed and the foundation upon which each of the other characteristics builds upon. There are four different types of love mentioned in the Bible. But for today’s lesson, we are going…

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 Do you desire to live a life with Christ? Are you willing to abandon your agenda and live for Christ? Can you survive outside of your comfort zone? Will you endure the pain of death? If you seriously decide to live a life alive in Christ, you must be willing to live a life crucified to self. This is possible for us to do, only by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can live a life with Christ, and in doing so, we…