REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES OFFERS FOUR THEMES FOR CONTEMPLATION EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR.
EACH OF THE FOUR POWER-PACKED THEMES ARE A 12-MONTH STUDY SERIES ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH. IN MONTHS WITH FIVE FRIDAYS I’LL BE REVIEWING TOUCHING INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC.
On the second Friday of each month in 2021 we’re studying the Holy Spirit. We will learn who the Holy Spirit is, about His gifts and fruit given to us as believers and how to walk those out in our life each day. This is the eighth post in The Holy Spirit Study series.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! ~ Galatians 5:22-23
While the gifts of Holy Spirit are virtues, the fruit are the resulting moral actions that flow from those gifts. With the help of Holy Spirit we are able to walk in these fruit during our daily lives and display them to those around us. In today’s post we will focus on the fruit of goodness and kindness.
GOODNESS: excellence; moral virtue; expressing itself in deeds
KINDNESS: goodness in action; hospitality; benevolence; charity
Living our life while operating in our fleshly, worldly nature, we represent the antithesis, or complete opposite, of the qualities of Christ which flow in and through us when the Holy Spirit has complete control of our life.
The behavior of the self-life is obvious: Sexual immorality, lustful thoughts, pornography, chasing after things instead of God, manipulating others, hatred of those who get in your way, senseless arguments, resentment when others are favored, temper tantrums, angry quarrels, only thinking of yourself, being in love with your own opinions, being envious of the blessings of others, murder, uncontrolled addictions, wild parties, and all other similar behavior. ~ Galatians 5:19-21
We don’t have to look very far to see examples of ungodly behavior in our culture today. Sadly, even among people who claim to follow Christ. God truly wants more and better for all of us. If we will only give him full reign in our life.
Scripture tells us it is the kindness of God that causes people to turn to Him. Unfortunately, some people never experience kindness and goodness in their life. When we express the kindness and goodness of Christ in our lives, we are truly being the hands and feet of God to those around us.
You’re kind and tenderhearted to those who don’t deserve it and very patient with people who fail you. Your love is like a flooding river overflowing its banks with kindness. God, everyone sees your goodness, for your tender love is blended into everything you do. ~ Psalm 145:8-9
As a beneficial by-product of allowing Christ to have control of our lives, the Holy Spirit produces the beautiful character traits of Jesus in us, known as the fruit of The Holy Spirit. We have no control over how we get them. We can’t obtain them on our own.
If we want them to grow in our life we must know Jesus, love Jesus and imitate Jesus. When we do we will be living examples of Christ’s character that is so desperately needed in our world today.