I trust you've all experienced a time of rest and refreshing at home or away during the summer months [If I might be so bold]. As we begin our autumn programme we celebrate Harvest, 250 years of witness with our Anniversary weekend, Remembrance Sunday and the count down to the Christ child's birth.
I share with you over the next two issues The Fruit of the Holy Spirit.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law." [Galatians 5: 22-23]
When humanity fails to come under control of the Holy Spirit, they produce works of the flesh and the world. When we fail to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, our nature becomes Satan-like causing us to fall into a world of evils. These evils manifest themselves in many disguises from the considered minor misdemeanour to the most serious i.e. One pint too many on a Saturday night to the act of adultery or murder. In contrast when a person submits to the will of the Holy Spirit, life becomes beautiful. When they live in the Spirit, they walk in the Spirit. The quality of their lives exudes love, joy, peace longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We should not confuse the fruit of the Holy Spirit with the gifts of the Holy Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 12: 8-10 "for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues."
Dr W Criswell points out that the "nine gifts of the Spirit are for power, service and ministry"
The fruit of the Spirit results when the individual is under the control and direction of the Holy Spirit.
Love appears at the top of the list in making up the nine facets of the fruit of the Spirit. Paul in writing to
the church in Corinth "and now abide faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love." [1
Corinthians 13:13]
In Matthew's gospel Jesus was asked by the teacher of the law, which is the greatest of all the commandments?
Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your mind." [Matthew 22: 37]
C.S Lewis say's that "To love is to be vulnerable."
"Agape [love] means understanding redeeming good will for all persons.
It is an overflowing love which is purely spontaneous, unmotivated, groundless, and creative. It is not set in
motion by any quality or function of its object. It is the love of God operating in the human heart."
Martin Luther King, Jr
We find Joy when we lead a Spirit filled and directed life. We will only find "real joy" when we are
filled to overflowing by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
When we experience the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives we notice the change from chaos to calm, from turmoil to overwhelming peace.
God by the power of the Holy Spirit will supply our needs. He will give us patience in dealing with others
enabling all to experience the fullness of life.
Patience with others is Love,
Patience with self is Hope,
Patience with God is Faith.
Adel Bestavros