Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Galatians 6:7 (King James Version)

In this devotional look at the Fruit of the Spirit, we will examine the three fruits that are designed to enhance our relationships with others.

PATIENCE: There are two words in the New Testament for patience, one which means to “abide under” or “endure” trials. The other word is long-suffering or our more modern translation that talks of a person that has a “long fuse”. I think having a long fuse also pertains to enduring under trials, since having a long fuse would mean that we have a longer ability to wait before we explore or respond inappropriately to our situations and problems. Does it seem strange to you that patience under trials is put with the fruit that deals with other people? Not to me; seems most of my trials or problems in life involve other people. If we are patient with people (Eph. 4:2), we are willing to understand awkward people or disturbing events which involve others. Paul in his first letter to Timothy (1:16) tells us that God gives us the ability to be patient so that Jesus’ example can be seen in us.

What is reaped from sowing patience? First, others gain a perspective of Christ that is often not displayed in others. We gain strength and endurance from God and discover His faithfulness to us through our times of patiently waiting. Last, we learn that troubles are the fruit press of God; life compresses on us so that there will flow from us refreshment for the weary, thirsty world. (1 Thess. 5:14; Rom. 12:12; James 1:2-4)

KINDNESS: Sowing and Reaping… Proverbs 11:17 says it all, “A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself.” Compassion and Mercy are two additional words that mean the same as kindness. Kindness is a compassionate response to people in need. Our best example in scripture is the Good Samaritan story. At the end of the story, Jesus tells those listening to him to go and do likewise (Luke 10:37). We are to be kind to others, because Christ demonstrated that kind of mercy and kindness to us when He chose to come and save us and forgive us our sins (Eph. 4:32). Kindness is love in action (1 John 4:8; 1 Cor. 13:4).

KINDNESS is not a tolerance of wrong; that is a disservice (cleaning a wound is necessary for healing). Kindness entails courage, integrity and selflessness. When the seeds of kindness are sown in our garden – there will be a bountiful harvest of blessings for both us and others. Life can be exceedingly rich.

GOODNESS: We are created for good and that which is beneficial in effect (2 Thess. 1:11; Eph. 2:10; Heb. 13:16). God’s goodness demonstrated to us is our salvation (2 Cor. 5:23), our return to God for our salvation is demonstrating goodness to others. This is not a feeling we experience, it is doing good whether we feel like it or not in order to overcome evil.

How do we know what doing good is? First, we live in obedience to the Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17), and second, we keep eternity and the rewards of eternity in mind (Matt 25:21; John 17:4). We are to do good all the time, but especially when we are wronged (Luke 6:27; Rom. 12:21). If we respond with good to the wrong done to us or the wrong we see in the world, we are acting as God’s agents because God is good all the time and is good to us even when we wrong Him.

Goodness is like a juicy piece of fresh fruit on a summer’s day. It refreshes in the midst of trouble, heartache and the daily chores of life. You become to others a fresh bowl of fruit on the table verses that plastic fake stuff we try to pass off as fruit. So, is your fruit juicy or stale, old or maybe even fake? If it is the latter, then weed out the sin in your garden and pass on to others the gifts you have been given from God.

Being Patient, Kind and Good to others means that we believe in them and we believe that God can make them great. It means that we will see and treat others as God sees them, not as we see them. Finally, it means that we believe with God all things are possible. The impact of producing this fruit in our lives is that they will want what you have. They will want to have your Gardener in charge of their fruit (get it – they will want God). Think of the Harvest for God if we only sowed these fruit on a regular basis in our lives. Happy Planting!

Lynn Jahns
Christian Counselor
Director, KESWICK Institute of Biblical Studies

The main ingredients in our fruit are based on our relationship to God.

Love: is like good seed introduced into good soil, it must come from a source outside the garden. It does not, nor can it ever, spring from the soil of our own souls. Agape Love is God’s love bestowed on us through His Son. I can only have this kind of love as far as I am connected to and have God in my life. Love is the fruit that is found in all the other fruit (1 Cor. 13:1-7). Without Love, the other fruit cannot be fully functional and productive – it will lack that “sweetening” agent. If we have love, it never fails to produce (1 Cor. 13:8).

Beth Moore explains Agape love in her study on the fruit in the following ways.
* Agape is divine capacity to love. Only God is capable of agape.
* Agape is more a response than a feeling (1 John 3:20 – God is greater than our hearts).
* Agape is fueled by the needs rather than the desires of self or others.
* Agape is expressed through me when I surrender to the empowerment and temperament of the Holy Spirit.

Joy: Is “delight – gladness” that is not based on circumstances – Heb. 12:2
The word happiness is found 6 times in the New Testament, and 16 times in the Old Testament. Joy shows up 8 times more than Happiness in Scripture (176 times). Joy is the grand attributes of God Himself, “God of all Joy”. Too often we are looking for Joy when we should just be looking towards Jesus Christ – our Joy is in Him… not in anything else we can find.

Check out the types of Joy that God provides: We are never lacking for Joy when we look for it in the right places.
* Joy of salvation – Psalm 51:12a
* Joy of problems – James 1:12
* Joy of worship – Psalm 12 2:1
* Joy of today – Psalm 118:24
* Joy of restoration – Psalm 71:20; Psalm 23:3
* Joy of prayer – John 16:24; Psalm 16:11b
* Joy of God’s Word – Psalm 119:111

Peace: is not the absence of problems, but the presence of Jesus in the midst of problems.
The fruit of Peace is love standing strong and stable in spite of every insult, antagonism and every hate. We are at Peace with God (Romans 5:1), we are given the Peace of God (Phil. 4:7), which equips us to live at Peace with everyone (Romans 12:18), or at least do our part to be a peace with everyone (Romans 14:19). I love this statement: He who throws dirt only loses ground. Let us keep our soil in our Godly Garden!

Do you need to cultivate the fruit of Love, Joy and Peace? First we need to take a long hard look at ourselves, then cry out to God to change and do what He needs to do to sweeten our fruit, and finally we need to get out of the way (kill the flesh) and give God control. We need to let Him in our fields and hand over the keys to the plow. Being plowed by God will transform your life, your relationships and your attitudes. Allow God to come in and establish His fruit in your life.

Lynne Jahns
Christian Counselor
Director, KESWICK Institute of Biblical Studies

DIGGING DEEPER
Psalm 139: 24
And see if there be any grievous way in me.
And lead me in the way everlasting!

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:8

I am going to attempt to do several Victory Calls on the Fruit of the Spirit. This summer I did a seminar on this topic and we decided to call it “Juicy Fruit”. That is what God desires from us – fruit that is juicy and pleasant, not dry and wilted.

Let us start out with pronunciation; it is FRUIT, not FRUITS. A tree bears one fruit, it may bear many apples, but it is the fruit of the tree. The Holy Spirit in the same way is the source of our fruit. The apple has several parts, such as core, seeds, flesh, peel – but it is all one piece of the fruit. So it is with the fruit of the spirit – it is all one fruit, with many parts. All of the components must be present if we are allowing the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in us. For example, if you examine a cluster of grapes, each grape is the same fruit yet each may differ slightly in size, shape and taste. One fully ripened, full of sweet taste – others less ripe, green, sour, shrunken and shriveled – still they are the same grape growing on a single stem.

As a way of introduction, it is important to know why we bear fruit. The verse above is clear in that our spiritual fruit first, gives glory to God and second, demonstrates that we are His disciples. We shall be known by our fruit. When people see, taste or experience the fruit in our lives they are seeing, tasting and experiencing God at work.

Next, what purpose does my fruit play in God’s grand scheme of things? First, it is designed so that we can be God’s instruments and meet the needs of others. Fruit trees do not eat their own fruit; they bear fruit for our benefit. Our fruit is not for our benefit, but for the benefit of others. Galatians 6:10 tells us to do good to others. In Philippians 4:19 we are told that God supplies our needs – and one of the ways He does that is through our fruit.

Finally, let’s look at the predators of our spiritual fruit. All fruit has predators: cold, bugs, heat, drought, fire, wind, etc… Our spiritual fruit also has predators. Galatians 5:16-17 and Romans 8:5 tell us that the flesh and our sinful desires can destroy our fruit. The next one is no surprise… Satan is looking to destroy us (1 Peter 5:18) and if he can’t destroy us totally, he can render our fruit ineffective for God.

Each succeeding Victory Call on this topic will look at the different parts of the Fruit.

The first 3 relate to our relationship to God: Love, Joy, and Peace.
The next 3 relate to our relationship to others: Patience, Kindness and Goodness.
The last 3 relate to our relationship to ourselves, or what kind of people we are: Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.

I want to end with a poem, maybe it can be your prayer for this study. Source is unknown.

We who were once wilderness can become the garden of God.

My life is a garden.
Your life is a garden.

Is it a waste, untilled and wild?
Like an untaught, untrained child?

Or is it good soil under the Master’s hand?
Is my soul His own cherished land?

Is it thick with thistles and weed?
Or has it been sown with His good seed?

What is the harvest that comes from this life?
Goodness and love, or hatred and strife?

O Lord, take this stony ground of mine.
Make it all, completely Thine!

Only then can it ever yield,
The pleasant fruit of a godly field.

Lynne Jahns

Christian Counselor
Director, KESWICK Institute of Biblical Studies

DIGGING DEEPER
Psalm 139:23
Search me, O God, and know my heart.
Try me and know my thougths!

I love this week’s portion of Scripture. I have prayed it many times, and my guess is if you have been a believer any length of time so have you. We are well past half way through the year with our Digging Deeper focus. Each week we are featuring a passage of scripture that several of the Keswick staff are memorizing and we have invited you to join us on this challenging but rewarding journey. If you have not taken up the challenge yet, this would be a great week to jump on board. The passage is brief AND familiar. Won’t you join us?

Psalm 139:23-24
23S earch me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!

COMMENTARY
“He (David) appeals to God concerning his sincerity, v. 23, 24. ‘Lord, I hope I am not in a wicked way, but see if there be any wicked way in me, any corrupt inclination remaining; let me see it; and root it out of me, for I do not allow it.’ Lead me in the way everlasting.”

Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

Psalm 139:17-22

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain!
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.

Points to ponder: How amazing is God – beyond our comprehension. He is vast beyond measure yet intimately involved with His children.

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. Psalm 42:11

Most of us at some point in our lives will experience some form of depression. It may be mild, moderate or severe but we will experience it. In Psalm 42, it appears that David is struggling with depression. You might want to get out your Bible and read the whole chapter at this point.

I’d like to point out six ways David chooses to deal with his fight with depression.

1. Ask God why? David asked God in verse 9: I will say unto God my rock, why hast thou forgotten me? Why do I mourn because of the oppression of the enemy? The very fact that David went to God with this question tells us that he knew where his help would come from. He took his case directly to God and so should you. Go ahead have a talk with God and leave your entire repertoire of why questions at His feet.

2. Remember God’s steadfast love. In verse 8 he exclaims, Yet the LORD will command his loving-kindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. Although he was going through a terribly discouraging circumstance he held fast to the truth that God is sovereign and His love is steadfast. Sometimes just rehearsing the names of God keeps who He is alive in our lives.

3. Sing to yourself. In verse 8 David says in the night his song shall be with me. This psalm is a song. Oh the power of a song! Oh, the release that takes place as we pour out our souls through the melody of a song. Try singing the words to “It is Well with my Soul.” Maybe you have another favorite; whatever it is there are some mighty powerful songs out there reminding us of God’s constant presence in our lives.

4. Have a good talk with yourself. That’s right – I said have a good strong conversation with none other than yourself and make sure you listen to yourself. That is exactly what David did in verse 5 when he says, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. Take control of yourself by talking to yourself based on God’s Word instead of listening to the garbage you are currently listening to yourself say.

5. Recall past worship experiences. In verse 4 David says When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. During hard times, it is important to reflect on God’s past provisions and times of great worship, which will enable us to believe that He can and will keep His promises to us during our current struggles.

6. Recognize your need for God. In verses one and two David cries, As deer panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? David realized that his greatest need in the midst of this depression was for God’s presence. Are you keeping yourself in God’s presence? Are you searching out ways to be connected to Him? As water fills the thirsty soul, so God can fill our hurting soul.

David, a man after God’s own heart, struggled. Don’t beat yourself up for having “down days,” follow David’s example then watch God work at putting a new song in your mouth!

Lynne Jahns
Christian Counselor
Director, KESWICK Institute of Biblical Studies

DIGGING DEEPER

Psalm 193
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.

Proverbs 15:13 A happy heart makes the heart cheerful, but heart ache crushes the spirit. Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

There are many things that are contagious. If you hang around with someone who has a cold or flu, chances are you will come down with those symptoms. It’s not that we want to share our “germs” with those around us but it happens. While there are illnesses that may be contagious, I have found that moods can be contagious as well. I had a family member who was very rarely in a “good” mood. She complained about everything and everyone. She rarely found joy in anything or anyone. After a visit with her you found yourself moody and grouchy. It was contagious too, just like “germs” due to an illness. I guess in a way this too was illness…that of a hard and ungrateful heart. Most often these are the people we have a difficult time hanging around with. Like the verses say, this tends to crush the spirit and dry up the bones. I love the two verses above from Proverbs. And I find these verses to be so true! I’m not suggesting that we should all go around laughing all the time and never be serious, but smiles and laughter go a long way. As believers in Christ, we have so much to be cheerful and smiling about. I have the privilege of working with one of the most joyful people I have ever known. This man always has a smile to greet you with. He loves to tell silly jokes that make you laugh. Maybe it’s not the joke itself that is so funny but you just can’t help laughing because it is shared with so much joy and sunshine. His life isn’t a bed of roses, he is in pain most of the time as his hands are bent from arthritis. Yet, he can’t hold his joy inside and it spills onto everyone he meets. I call him Happy Feet. His joy comes from the Lord. It naturally flows from the joy of his salvation.

Psalm 71:23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you- I, whom you have redeemed.

He simply can’t contain himself! And you know… that joy is contagious as well. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for us all to be contagious with the joy of the Lord? That others would want to be in our company because of the joy that naturally flows from our hearts? I pray that each of us would catch this “bug” and pass it along to all we meet. Psalm 126:3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mary Ann

MaryAnn and John Kiernan have been married for 36 years, have 2 grown/married sons and are the proud grandparents of three grandsons and one granddaughter! She serves at America’s Keswick as a Biblical Counselor and also as Intake Coordinator for the Colony of Mercy. Her life verse is Romans 8:28.

DIGGING DEEPER
Psalm 139
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain!

Monday and Tuesday’s Victory Calls were not sent out, however, they are available on the website. Go to www.americaskeswick.org and click on “blogs” in the upper right of the screeen.

Wish I had a nickel, no – a five dollar bill, for how many times I’ve heard that said. Maybe then I wouldn’t be so stressed? If I had more money, or God forbid everything I ever wanted. I praise the Lord He hasn’t given me everything I’ve ever wanted. A train wreck comes to mind.

I also praise Him that He has given me everything I’ve ever needed and then some! Yes, I can say I am blessed. I also can say at times, I am stressed. Answers.com records this as one definition of stress: “A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.” Ok, I’ll buy that. But what about the adverse internal influences? I must admit, as is often the case, the source of my stress is…wait for it…ME. Just when I think I’m content- BAMM! Something grabs my attention and I’m back on the wrestling matt with a formidable opponent – Discontented Spirit. It’s my eyes, that’s it. If I could just keep them focused then I wouldn’t end up here again. Maybe I should get blinders like they put on horses. They’d have to be nice of course, no faux leather, I want the real thing.

The truth is I want a lot of things. Uhh, Lord…if I could only be content. Only content? No…He wants more than that. Let’s see just what it is He wants: Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 1 Timothy 6 1-11 (NKJV)

I wouldn’t say I’m too blessed to be stressed. Too blessed? I don’t think anyone can be too blessed. “No thanks Lord…I’m sufficiently blessed today.” I don’t think so. No stress? That would mean I’m in control of all that happens, be it an internal or external source of stress. What I will say is that when I’m stressed I can remember that I am also blessed.

Dina Seaton

Dina serves on staff in Marketing and as a staff writer. She is currently working on her first book, Do It Again, LORD, Do It Again…

DIGGING DEEPER
Psalm 139
17How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.

We continue our mediation this week in Psalm 139.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
O men of blood, depart from me!
20 They speak against you with malicious intent;
your enemies take your name in vain!
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with complete hatred;
I count them my enemies.

Commentary: “This psalm is concerned with God’s all-knowingness and ‘everywhere-presentness’, not in an abstract, but in a highly personal way. God is all-knowing: he knows me through and through, even my thoughts. He has known me from before the day I was born…God is present everywhere: wherever I go, he is there. He is always with me… I will align myself with him in the fight against evil. Let him search out and deal with all that is wrong in me.” Eerdmans Concise Bible Handbook pg.180-181

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

Points to Ponder

13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.

Points to ponder: I know many women struggle with insecurity about their looks or abilities. When you consider that God has formed you as you are intentionally, and with great delight, it seems we can rest in knowing that we are created as we are because it is thus that brings God the greatest glory. He formed you, He knows you and He loves you. He has numbered your days. Praise Him every one of them.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 25 years. She has 2 children, 2+ grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.