“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, emphasis mine)

One of the most common questions of the Christian life is this: how do I know God’s will for my life? It’s a very important question.  As Christ-followers we want to be obedient.  We know that God has a plan for each of us and we know that His plan is for our good. So why doesn’t God just write out His plan so we can dive in? And what are we supposed to do until He reveals His plan?

It can be easy to slip into a never-ending holding pattern thinking, “I’ll just stay right here until I get a very clear direction from God.  Preferably in writing.  In triplicate if possible.” When we stand still, at least when I stand still, it’s often out of fear more than piety.  (Or if I’m being really honest, I stand still because I’ve heard something I don’t like the sound of so what I’m really doing is waiting to hear God say something else.)  But time and again in the Bible we see God telling people to start moving and His plan is revealed along the way.  When God calls Abram in Genesis 12 He says, “go to the land that I will show you.” He doesn’t tell him his destination until later.

So how do we start walking? The other night at small group we were talking about this very topic and our leader told us that the when they launch the space shuttle the navigation system doesn’t kick in until it leaves Earth’s atmosphere.  Why? Because there’s nowhere to go but up.  Until the space shuttle enters orbit they don’t need to direct it because there is only one way it can go.

It’s the same for us.  If we do the basic things God has asked us to do, we can be sure we’re headed in a good direction. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the spirit and then ends with this phrase, “against such things there is no law.”  If you are actively pursuing love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and asking God to develop these things in your life, you can’t go wrong.  You will be headed in the right direction. As you are walking God will continue to reveal His plans for you.

In that same small group meeting our leader quoted another pastor who said that “God uses what’s in your hands to get to what’s in your heart.”  So if you are wondering what God’s will for your life is, look at what you have in your hands. Are you an excellent financial planner? Do you love horses? Are you really good at making people feel welcome? Do you have a great voice? Take the things that are in your hands and look for a way to use them for God.

God created each of us specifically for the good works he planned in advance for us to do.  (Ephesians 2:10) Ask God to show you how to use what you have.  Pursue the fruit of the spirit in your life and you can rest assured that you are pursuing God’s will for your life. Walk forward in confidence, abiding in prayer. There’s nowhere to go but up.

Father, Give me the courage to start walking.  Remind me that You will come with me and that You know the way, even when I can’t see it.  Amen.

Question: What holds you back when God tells you to start walking? Have there been times when you stepped out in faith? What happened?

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

We all need two kinds of peace in our lives. We need inner peace with God but we also need peace with others. God addresses both. He tells us what to do to find that peace.

Inner peace is a gift of the Holy Spirit and our thankfulness and faith impacts it.  It’s a choice to focus our mind on Jesus and all He is. Peace is the natural result of that choice.

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is focused on You because He trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3)

Inner peace hinges on my trust in God. Inner peace is there for the choosing.

The second kind of peace, peace with others, starts with the understanding that God has called us to be peacemakers in our world.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Notice that the call is to be “peacemakers” and not simply “peacekeepers”?

Sometimes “peacekeepers” will do anything just to keep peace. That is not what God is asking of us. He is calling us to be “peacemakers”.

Is there somewhere in your own world where you can help make peace?
Is there an invitation that needs to be extended to smooth over a fractured family relationship?
Is there an apology to be made or a silence to be broken that has stood as a barrier for too long?
Is there an issue that needs to be addressed with loving-kindness?
Is there a boundary that needs to be extended to help make a relationship healthy?

Don’t miss the blessing God promises in your life as you respond to His call to be a peacemaker in your own circle.

We can help bring peace to our world one heart at a time.

Prayer of action:

Lord,

“Make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
and Where there is sadness, joy…
Divine Master;
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen”

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Question: Take a look at the questions above. How is God calling you to be a peacemaker?

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.”  (John 16:13a)

In my house growing up, “getting it right” was important. We were encouraged to stand up, help, act, even if you were afraid, tired, hungry, or cold.  Growing up I developed a strong super ego, as Freud would say.  When I was with friends or family, I continue to fight that super ego to show compassion instead of judgment in difficult life situations.

Recently I was talking with my sister and our emotions starting getting the best of us. I wasn’t sure what the “right” response was, and I said a quick silent prayer for God’s intervention.  God gave me a gentle answer to share, which took her off the attack and me off the defense.  With those soft words, we were able to come to an agreement.

I did it the “God way”, not the “right way” according to our family’s inherent code of ethics.  This outcome brought peace to her and to me instead of the tension and anger that often prevails in a fight.  I came out of that potentially World War III battle unscathed, thanking God for his wisdom and direction.  His guidance lead me to a new behavior that I would never have found on my own.

I thank God for the times I’m wise enough to open myself to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. The Spirit has made my family something it could never be left on its own.  I’ve learned to be supportive and helpful and forgiving in ways I’d have never imagined possible, just by listening to that still small voice in the midst of tension and frustration.

Father, When emotions run high remind me that You are the God of Peace. Help me to be quick to come to You and swift to give Your peace to others.  Amen

Questions: How are you doing? Are you doing things your way or God’s way?

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Jesus has given you a promise and a gift. YOU have been given this gift.  It’s the gift of peace. Do you want more peace in your heart? The peace Jesus gives is unlike any thing the world calls peace. It is peace IN the turmoil of day-to-day living. It is a peace that steadies you and a calm that encases you even with life is not calm around you.

Jesus told His followers that after He returned to Heaven God the Father would send them the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, who would teach them all things and remind them of everything Jesus had said. Jesus knew that His followers would need a Helper, an Encourager and a Comforter to keep them sharp in their faith and to fill them with this peace. He knew that they, and eventually us, you and I, would need to be reminded of the things Jesus taught and of the peace that He has for us.

He gives us one instruction as He promises this peace. He tells us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

“Do not let ….” Here again it sounds like we have a choice to make … and we do. We can choose to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with this peace and we can choose to remember all Jesus taught us about living in His strength.  We choose. Faith and fear cannot occupy the same space nor can peace and turmoil occupy the same place in our hearts.

A number of years ago a dear friend of mine received some challenging news about her health. She ran to the Lord and asked the Holy Spirit to fill her with peace. Daily she traded in the fear that came to rob her and daily she received the peace that the world could not understand. Her doctor even told her she was in denial. Yet she wasn’t. She was simply living in the promise of peace that has been given to each of us as Jesus’ followers. The world cannot grasp this kind of peace.

Today if peace is short in your heart and mind remember that Jesus has given it to you. His Holy Spirit is there to remind you and to teach you how to live in that peace. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with peace.

When fear comes to nibble at your heart or rush through your door to trouble you – stop and remember that you can make a choice. “Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Though the trouble may remain the peace of Jesus and the help of the Holy Spirit pouring peace over your heart, will carry you through.

Prayer of action: 

Father God,

Today I need the help of the Holy Spirit in allowing Your peace to fill my heart and soul and mind. May I not live in turmoil but choose to trade in my fear and my troubled heart for Your amazing peace and strength. It’s a gift I receive from You by the power of Your Holy Spirit. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Question: How can you choose peace today?

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Salvation is a gift from God and marks the beginning of a new relationship with Him. It is through faith and the bloodshed of Jesus we are saved from the penalty of sin, sealed with the Holy Spirit, and inherit everlasting life.

We become children of God and are summoned to grow in Christ-likeness. In 1 Peter 2:2-3 we read, “Like newborn babies, crave spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” As born again believers, we are not to remain babes in Christ. We are to grow and mature in God’s ways, through reading, hearing, and obeying His word, which will lead us triumphantly to the next level of our spiritual journey with Him.

Sanctification is the process of becoming holy; set apart from sin and used by God. God’s indwelling Holy Spirit brings forth the continual sanctification process that needs to take place within every believer’s heart, mind, and life.

The apostle Paul wrote, “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13) It is impossible for this blessed transformation to take place without full reliance on God’s Holy Spirit.  His Spirit working within us produces godly change and leads us into the good works we are to fulfill.

A servant of the Lord, a slave to God – this is what all Christians are to become. In Romans 6:22 we read, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.” Upon salvation, God destines us to have eternal life with Him but while still here, He wants us to serve Him with all our heart, mind, and life. The Lord delights when we move out of the realm of sin, step into righteous living, and begin to operate in the place of service He has for us.

We must remember that Jesus came as a servant. He did not come to be served and we are to follow His example. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) Seek to serve the Lord and others so you may hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant, with you I am very pleased”.       

Dear God, Salvation is a gift so great I can barely comprehend it.  Thank you for saving me! Show me the things You have for me to do.  Help me to grow in my faith, becoming more like You in thought, word and deed.  Amen.

Question: What do these explanations of salvation, sanctification, and servants mean to you today?

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Being filled with the Holy Spirit

“Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [and instruments] and making melody with all your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:18-19, Amplified Version)

In the small drawer of the old sewing machine was an even smaller can of oil with a long, pointed tip that could reach into nooks and crannies of the motor. I can still recall the scent of the oil when my mother would carefully drip it into whatever secret places only she knew needed attention. She would wipe up spilled residue and go on with her project, turning square of fabric into a colorful dress for me or a pair of crisp new curtains.

That old sewing machine outlived my mother, discarded only when I discovered that replacements parts were no longer being manufactured. When it was finally traded in for a new machine, the little oil can—many times refilled over the years—was still in the drawer.

Oil in the Bible has always indicated God’s Holy Spirit. The prophet Samuel obeyed God when it was time to anoint a new king,“Rise and anoint him…this is the one…and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came on David in power.” (1 Samuel 16:12-13)

Today we don’t need Samuels for anointing. Jesus said, “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Advocate…the Spirit of truth.” The Holy Spirit comes into our lives upon our invitation as we submit to the call of Christ. While He takes up residence within us, Paul describes the frequent “oiling” we need, “[E]ver be filled and stimulated with the Holy Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18, Amplified version)

With such attention, beautiful bounty will result – “rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38) Father, Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit and work in my life. Teach me to listen when You instruct me, to respond when You guide me and to be quick to repent when you convict me.  Amen.

Questions: Have you been “oiled” with the Holy Spirit? What are some ways that your life emulates being filled with the Spirit?

“Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.”  (Proverbs 28:14)

Did you know that the month of February is “American Heart Month”? Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of nearly 500,000 American women a year. In an effort to raise awareness, the American Heart Association created a campaign to dismiss myths pertaining to heart disease. Prior, many believed heart disease was an “old man’s” disease. However, it is actually a number one killer amongst women.  Unfortunately, even with all this awareness, many women remain in the dark regarding vital facts pertaining to heart disease.

Likewise, our spiritual hearts are in need of assessment and attention as well. In Jeremiah 17: 9-10 we read, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure…I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” It is crucial that we seek God on a regular basis regarding the condition of our hearts. It is unwise for us to lean on our own assessment. We must rely upon His Holy Spirit to probe, guide, and lead us into truth, knowledge, and revelation, which then will reveal the true condition of our hearts.

Several characteristics of an unregenerate heart is evil (Genesis 6:5) rebellious (Jeremiah 5:23), perverse (Proverbs 11:20), wicked (Proverbs 6:18), callous (Psalm 119:70), hard (Ephesians 4:18), dark (Romans 1:21), unrepentant (Romans 2:5), and far from God (Mark 7:6).

A regenerate heart is one that: cries out to God (Psalm 84:2), seeks God (Psalm 119:2, 10), loves the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:5, Mathew 22:37), praises the Lord (Psalm 9:1), rejoices in salvation (Psalm 13:5), is grateful to God (Colossians 3:16), obeys God’s law (Psalm 119:34), is pure (Mathew 5:8), is sincere (Hebrews 10:22), loves others (1 Peter 1:22).

Thankfully, God, our Great Physician, knows the condition of our hearts and offers a great exchange. In Ezekiel 11:19 we read, “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” Through conviction, repentance, and correction our hearts become pleasing to God. As we seek to maintain a pure heart, live in obedience and uprightness, then we reap a healthier life in Christ, which brings honor and glory to God.

Heavenly Father, I pray that you would search my heart. I do not desire a stubborn unreceptive heart. Holy Spirit, guide me into truth so I can dispel any falsehood. In Jesus name, Amen

Question: When was the last time you went to God for a heart checkup?

The Holy Spirit is the power source of the Christian life

“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…” (Hebrews 12:1)

At the beginning of each New Year, multitudes of people make a resolution to change a particular area in their life that needs improvement. The most common ones are to lose weight, reduce debt, and stop smoking. Most have every good intention to correct the problem, but many give up by February, if not sooner.

As followers of Christ, often we too set out to renounce particular habits and behaviors, along with solemn promises to embark a more dedicated walk with the Lord. We might pledge to read our Bibles and pray on a daily basis, to faithfully attend church and tithe regularly, or to serve in a particular church ministry or outreach. However, just like the majority of people who break their New Year’s resolutions, we too may have fallen off track, abandoning our commitment and forfeiting the victory we earnestly desired.

If this sounds all too familiar, today is the day to get back on track! Do not allow the enemy, your flesh, nor guilt and shame to keep you disqualified from that which you wholeheartedly desire. Get back in the race so you can achieve the goals you set out to attain on behalf of God, yourself and others.

In Proverbs 24:16 we read, “for though a righteous man (woman) falls seven times, he (she) rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.” Refuse to allow the enemy to bring you down into calamity, eliminating you from receiving that which God desires to see you win.

With determination and self-control, realistic goals, continuous reliance on the Holy Spirit, an accountability group (if needed), and fixing your eyes on Jesus, you’re on the way to victory. In Hebrews 12:1 we read, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Ask God to reveal the ‘weight and hindrances’ that are entangling you. Pray that the Holy Spirit will aid you in overcoming fleshly desires and the works of the enemy so you can come out a winner. Remember, it is never too late to get back on track, become victorious in all that He seeks to accomplish in and through you, and pass some of your victory unto others that are struggling.

Heavenly Father, pardon me for my shortcomings. May Your Holy Spirit empower me to live a victorious life that brings honor and glory to Your name.  May I run this race with perseverance in hopes of bringing others into the victory lane as well. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen     

Question: Is there a certain area of weakness you have been battling?