Biblically, light has always been a symbol of holiness, wisdom, and God’s promise of revelation. By contrast, darkness has been associated with despair, evil, and sin. God’s promise of light is that he, as a source of light, will bring hope, guidance, and salvation to those who follow him through...
When we read the Bible, one of the consistent themes is God’s love. Scripture reveals that God’s love for us is a love that is eternal and never fails. In His own words, God tells us in Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV), “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” The purifying power of the Holy Spirit...
The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is the characteristic that is formed by the Holy Spirit and is the result of the Spirit’s presence in our life when we accept Christ as our savior. This inner fruit begins in the heart and affects our outward actions, our words, and our activities to...
Being thankful is a clear and fruitful blessing. It doesn’t mean we like everything all the time, but it does mean we can find God’s gifts all the time, every day, in every circumstance. Without gratitude we can become self-centered, believing we achieve everything on our own. Thankfulness keeps...
Self-control is exactly what it sounds like: control of self. Biblically it is the resistance to temptation in the ways of the world. It’s not about depriving oneself but about living a life in harmony with God’s purpose. It’s a reflection of the transformation in our hearts as we seek to live...
Often associated with weakness, gentleness can be challenging to understand and practice. Our culture overlooks the importance of gentleness, yet the Bible presents it as a powerful and important quality. Translated as “meekness”, it does not mean weakness. It involves humility and thankfulness...
Faithfulness is the seventh characteristic listed in the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22 NIV) and is described as a virtue of loyalty, trustworthiness, and a commitment in our relationship with God. It is the belief in what the Bible says about God–his existence, his works, and his character....
Goodness, the sixth characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV), is defined biblically as naturally doing good actions or a zealous activity to do good for another person’s benefit. As Christians we are called to live in a way that reflects the character of Christ and by...
Kindness is the fifth characteristic of the fruit of Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) which results when we allow the Holy Spirit to develop spiritual maturity in us. While kindness is a quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate with good deeds, it is more than a moral principle. It is a...
One of the godly characteristics from the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) is “longsuffering” which is translated as “patience”. When we think of patience, we often associate it with self-control, or restraint while waiting. But the patience listed in the fruit of the Spirit has a different...
One of the strongest human desires is for peace, whether it be peace in our families, peace with our neighbors, peace with our co-workers, peace between nations, or even peace within our own minds. There are many situations in our life and in the world that make us feel we have no peace. At times...
Joy is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV) that comes from God. The joy of the Lord is the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Spirit. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, every believer is to grow the fruit of the...
We invite you to subscribe to our newsletter. Seasonal messages, informative articles, and prayer ideas are all included in every issue.
