Search Results for: fruit of the spirit

Fruits of the Spirit in Our Lives

How fruitful is your life? We are told in Matthew 7:16 that we will know others by their fruits. So, what kinds of fruits to you bear? What kinds of fruits do those who you are influenced by bear? Jesus tells us in John 15:1-2, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (NKJV) The fruits of the Spirit as told in Galatians 5:22 are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, … Continue reading →

Meanings of Flowers, Trees, and Fruit on Gravestones

Genealogists who have started visiting graveyards in order to continue their research have likely seen some strange things. While most gravestones contain the name, date of birth, and date of death of the deceased, not all gravestones stop there. There may be poetic inscriptions, or a portrait of the person. Many gravestones also have images carved into them, or depicted on them. It’s not too hard to guess that an angel symbolizes rebirth, or a connection between God and man. Everyone knows that skulls or skeletons symbolize death. But, what about the images that are plants, flowers, and foods? It … Continue reading →

Time and the Wind and Work of the Holy Spirit

Last week my husband and I took a day out of the busyness, as we sometimes do, to just enjoy being together and being out in God’s creation. We went a little further down the coast, enjoying the beauty of the beaches. I snapped lots of photos. I’m particularly keen on photos of water washing over rocks. It’s interesting to see how much the rocks have been worn away and shaped by the waves and also by the wind. Sometimes it can be a bit like that in our Christian life. When we first come to believe in Jesus we … Continue reading →

The Functions and Attributes of the Holy Spirit

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What are the functions and attributes of the Holy Spirit? The day a person receives Christ, I believe the Holy Spirit of God takes up permanent residency in that person. A Christian’s relationship with the Holy Spirit is too often ignored or under-emphasized. Here are a few functions of the Holy Spirit which are laid out for us in Scripture. 1. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin (John 16:8-9). In the unsaved, He convicts of sin to bring them to salvation. In the saved, He convicts of sin to keep them clean and show them how to live for Jesus. … Continue reading →

Shevat: Bearing Fruit

We are currently in the month of Shevat (today is the 4th), and according to Jewish Astrology, this is the month during which we examine the spiritual aspect of eating. The main holiday in the month of Shevat is Tu B’Shevat (the 15th) when we celebrate the new year for trees. It is traditional on this holiday to eat a variety of fruits, particularly those associated with the land of Israel. Pomegranates, dates and figs are favorite fruits for this holiday. Shevat is associated with correct eating, and the letter characterized by Shevat is the Tzaddik. The word “tzaddik” in … Continue reading →

Does the Spirit of God Still Move Today?

The answer to whether or not the Spirit of God moves today depends who you ask. There are some people who believe that the work of the Holy Spirit ended with the passing of the apostles based on 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 which says, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” Others believe that the Holy Spirit is present today and the scripture I’ve just mentioned refers to the second coming of Jesus (“that which is perfect”) as promised. I … Continue reading →

Creating a Healthy and Spiritual Home Environment

In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” it states: “Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. ‘Children are an heritage of the Lord’ (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.” Often when I … Continue reading →

The Spiritual Garden

Years ago I finally decided to return to my roots. I’d grown up with a mother most adept at gardening. Her gardens often stretched over an acre with healthy plants that fed us through the summer and fall. Despite this upbringing, when I looked at a vegetable and a weed, I couldn’t really tell the difference. So weeding was rarely my job. I can’t imagine why. Nevertheless, one spring I decided to plant a garden that I might enjoy the fruits of my labor, so to speak. I broke up ground in the designated area, fertilized it well, added healthy … Continue reading →

Mini Bible Lesson: Long-Suffering

According to Webster’s Dictionary the first known use of the word longsuffering was in 1535.  Today the word is rarely used and mostly misunderstood.  Many believe it is interchangeable with with patience.  While the definitions are similar the distinction is very important. To understand the difference we need to find the biblical definition.  You see it is possible to be patient and not longsuffering.  We must examine this further to know how to walk in the spirit. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;   ~Col. 1:11 As you can see from … Continue reading →

The Church In Danger

Today the church is in danger of absorbing the ideas and values of the world, rather than the ideas and values of God as taught in the bible. We would do well to take note of the book of Colossians, which is written to a church in danger. The Colossian church was in danger from deception and false teaching, Colossian 2:8 and from criticism, Colossians 2:16-18. These Colossian Christians were people who wanted to know God but, having heard and responded to the message about Jesus as given them by Epaphras, they still felt that something was missing from their … Continue reading →