Excursis on Fruit of the Spirit

 19The  acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; 20idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  Galatians 5

******************
When I was a younger man I used to take the family on camping trips especially in the fall.  We used to like to go to a camp ground outside of Hendersonville near one of the many apple orchards there- and pick apples.   There were apples on the tree that you knew were good.  But there were also apples on the ground.  A few of these apples had just fallen, but there were rodents and birds that especially liked the fallen fruit- so you just didn't pick the fallen fruit- it was decaying and damaged and would not taste as fresh or good. 
So Paul was saying there are two different kinds of fruit from the way we live.  The acts of the flesh- are basically decaying, temporary, rotting fruit.  It may seem easy to do and get, but it is not what we really want in the end.  But then there are the fruits of the Spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control.  There is no law that says these are wrong, and there also is no law that can make you- love or have joy, or have peace, etc.  It would indeed be legalistic to say "you have to have peace in your life."  Yet we all want that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control. We also don't want to jettison the law altogether    (otherwise we would not know the acts of the decaying flesh were wrong).  But no law can make us have the fruits of the Spirit, but the Spirit can make these fruits grow in our lives.  So be filled with the Spirit!  Do not blaspheme, grieve, or quench the Spirit of God- but rather be open to the Spirit coming into your life and working through you.  Then when you have this love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control- you know it is not something you can make yourself do by trying harder.  Rather- we develop it by simply abiding in God the Holy Spirit, and letting His life-giving self flow into our hearts.  
    

Lenten Devotional

I will be on my way to Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya for a while. 
In the meantime, Here is a Lenten Devotional- day by day 2/13- 4/1. 

The theme of the Lenten Devotional is "Bearing Fruit and Finding Peace." 
It has a focus on the Fruits of the Spirit. 

Please say a prayer for Dr. Sloan and the Trinity Presbytery South Sudan team as they minister to the South Sudanese in the refugee camp in Kenya.  Pray for them to bear fruit and that there will be more peace in the camp and in South Sudan too. 

Note: Ash Wednesday (2/14) there will be a worship service (sanctuary) at 7 PM
Each Wednesday there will be a meal and a worship service in the Fellowship Hall.
Blessing will be at 5:45, worship 6:20, Programs 6:30 nursery and children's program provided. 

Holy Week we will have our meal and worship on Maundy Thursday 3/29 worship at 7. 

8-7-14 Galatians 5

16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever^c you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5)

Thoughts: There is living for the temporary and there is living for the eternal.  There is living for the body (flesh) and living for the spirit. You can live like an animal, or you can live for God.  The person who has the Spirit of Christ in them- cannot continually live for the things of this world.  They would be like a fish out of water.
      What are the things of this world?  They fall into categories of immorality (sexual, drunkeness, orgies), evil emotions (hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy), and false worship (idolatry and witchcraft).  People who do not seek or listen to the Spirit of God pursue such things- and move away from heaven and God. 

But there is a fruit of the Spirit- that shows a different way of life.  The Christian virues stand in contrast.  Hate vs. love; witchcraft vs. joy; hatred vs. peace; patience vs. fits of rage, etc.  The way of God is different from the ways of the world.  The world's ways make sense.  The world's ways fit in well with our animal instincts.  But the Spirit's way is a way of faith- that by its nature does not make worldly sense.  Selfishness is common- universal- usual; but selflessness is not.  The word "holy" applies not only to the Spirit but living for the Spirit.  Today, live for the Spirit of the Creator.  It is a better way. 

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to liv e for you.