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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NASB
When we look at the list of the fruit of the Spirit, there is one that jumps out to me more than the others. It lands right in the middle of the list and it's called 'patience'. The other term for patience is "long-suffering". The word means waiting sufficient time before expressing anger or passion. Hence the term "long-suffering" or "suffering a long time". The word implies that some sort of suffering or trial has come upon us and we are suffering longer than most before "exploding", or perhaps never exploding. Only God Himself expresses patience perfectly, but the Holy Spirit inside of us is producing the fruit of patience in our life. But here is the interesting thing about this specific fruit: it requires trials and sufferings in order to be expressed. All the rest of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 can be exercised at all times, in good times and bad. We can be kind in good times and bad, we can be joyful in any season of life, we can be gentle at all times. But the very word "patience" requires suffering or trials to take place in order to be produced. Jesus told us that we would have trouble in this life (John 16:33), and Peter reminds us to not be surprised by the fiery trials that come upon is (1 Peter 4:12). One of the reasons why to not be surprised is not only because Jesus said we would experience trials, it goes deeper than that. We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us desiring to conform us to the image of Christ by producing His fruit through us. That means that the Spirit must allow trials and suffering to happen so that the precious fruit of patience will be produced in us. What does this look like for us today? If our patience is being tested right now, it means that we are in a season of growth. Patience is always linked to growth, and growth is impossible without patience. In the book of James, we see the reason for trials is so that our endurance and patience may come to completion and maturity. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 NASB The Holy Spirit wants us to grow up into the full stature of Christ, and He is working endlessly to see that happen. This means that we need to find encouragement and joy in the midst of our seasons of trial, knowing that something big is right around the corner for us. The trials and sufferings that Christ experienced were meant to destroy Him and keep Him from the cross. Yet, Jesus said: "I have overcome the world". The same Holy Spirit that was in Christ is now living in us desiring to accomplish the same type of victory in our lives. Look beyond the trials and see the sovereign plan of God at work in your life. Questions to Consider: 1. Are you facing trials right now in your life that you are struggling to patiently suffer through? How can you be encouraged that the Holy Spirit has a plan to produce patience in you? 2. Out of the list of the fruits of the Spirit, my biggest struggles right now are patience and self-control. Which ones are you struggling with the most right now?
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“I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat. Mark 8:2 NASB
According to Matthew's account of this story in Matthew 15:29-31, this crowd of people were gathered to receive healing from Christ from all sorts of infirmities. But the people don't leave after receiving healing but instead stay with Jesus for 3 whole days. Three days where they did not have anything to eat. Jesus says that these crowds of people have “remained with Me”. These three words are actually one word in Greek. The Greek word means to “remain in place, with a person, persevere in, abide, be with, cleave unto, and remain faithful to.” Acts 11:23 uses the same word when Barnabas is sent to Antioch to see the Greek people who are believing in Jesus. Barnabas encouraged the church at Antioch by telling them: “Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord. The word "remain" that Barnabas uses there means to abide with the Lord. This crowd of predominantly Gentile people could have received their healing and then left to go back to their lives having been made whole. Instead, we see them abiding and cleaving unto Jesus to the point of hunger. Healing was a by-product of their abiding with the Healer. They are fulfilling the words that Jesus gave to His disciples in John 15 where He said “abide in Me and I in you” before they were ever spoken by Jesus. They are remaining faithful to Jesus and Jesus feels compassion for them. This crowd is not simply there to receive something from Christ, they are there to be with Christ. What can we learn from this? #1: What we need is not something from Christ, we need Christ Himself. Colossians 2:9-10 says: For in Him (That's Jesus) all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; These verses show us that when we get Christ we get everything that Christ has and is. Sometimes we look for things from the hands of Christ in the form of blessings, never realizing that what we need is Christ Himself. #2: Experiencing Christ leads to a hunger for more of Christ. These crowds stayed with Jesus for 3 days without food. Being in this revival atmosphere overwhelmed their sense of hunger for physical food. When people truly meet the living Christ, there is always a sense of awe and expectation. Questions to Consider: 1. We often pray for God to give us things or to help us with the trials of life. He asks us to! But when was the last time that we prayed just to experience and know God more? Would you take sometime to do that today? 2. What does your daily time spent with the Lord look like? 33Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; 34and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” 35And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. Mark 7:33-35 NASB
Why did Jesus heal this way? The crowds brought to Jesus a deaf and mute man asking Jesus if He would lay His hands on him. Instead, Jesus is going to take the man aside, put His fingers into the man's ears, spit, and then touch the saliva to the man's tongue, look up to heaven with a deep sigh, use an Aramaic word that means "be opened". The result is that the man could hear and speak plainly in an instant. But the let's be honest, that is a very unique, and weird way to administer healing! Why did Jesus heal this way? Jesus was God in the flesh. We see the evidence of this through what Jesus said about Himself (which eventually led to His death), and the things that He did. The disciples said of Jesus in John 16:30, "We know that You know all things." The attribute of being "all-knowing" is something that can only be said of God, yet the disciples are attributing that attribute to Jesus. But we also see that Jesus was also led by His Father through the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit. We see evidence of this in Acts 10 and Luke 4. “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 NASB “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” Luke 4:18-19 NASB (quoting Isaiah 61:1-2) Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to do the works that He did. Why is this important? Because as Jesus was standing before this deaf and mute man, and since Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19), in that moment, He was led by the Holy Spirit to use these unique means to administer healing to this man. This is what it looks like to be led by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will lead us to do things that may seem odd, or even embarrassing, but He is in it. He will lead us to take steps of faith that are risky that will remove our own ability to make things happen. This is an important principle for all of us to learn. We cannot be fully led by the Holy Spirit if we still desire to look dignified and “pleasing” in the eyes of men. Because as soon as the Holy Spirit speaks to us, those words will pass through a filter we have in our minds labeled "the fear and opinions of man". In that moment, we will justify our disobedience and rationalize away the very words that the Holy Spirit spoke to us. To be led means to be surrendered; to be surrendered means to be led. We are living in a time where the church desperately needs to be led by the Holy Spirit again. Our man-made methods and ideas have, and will only produce man-centric results. Let us look to Christ as our example of how to walk in intimacy with the Holy Spirit. Questions to Consider: 1. Have you ever felt the Lord lead you to do something unique or weird, and you struggled to obey it? What were the motivating factors causing or influencing you to disobey? 2. What are some things that the Lord is leading you to do in your life that may seem odd, but you feel the desire to obey? Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis. 32They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. Mark 7:31-32 NASB
The Greek word used in Mark 7:32 for 'speech impediment' (or “spoke with difficulty”) is only used twice in the entire bible. Here in Mark 7 and the other is found in the book of Isaiah chapter 35. Isaiah 35 is a great Messianic prophecy that described and foreshadowed the coming Messianic age. But, in Isaiah 34, the prophet brings a rebuke and a gloomy message of vengeance from God. The prophecy is spoken against God's people and the nations of the earth. Vengeance is coming from the Lord, and the land will be given over to jackals, snakes, hedgehogs, pelicans and all sorts of animals. This would have been a very dark, gloomy, and overwhelming word from the Lord. It would have stirred up fear and anxiety in the people as they thought about these dark days that were coming upon them and their children. In the midst of this gloomy, prophetic word, the Lord brings forth a message in Isaiah 35 of how He will offer a way of salvation in the midst of the darkness that was coming. Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.” 5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah. 7The scorched land will become a pool And the thirsty ground springs of water; In the haunt of jackals, its resting place, Grass becomes reeds and rushes. 8A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. Isaiah 35:4-8 NASB The Lord is revealing to His people and to the nations of the earth a path of light that will shine forth in the darkness of their reality. In the midst of darkness, "He will save you". What are the indicators that this salvation has come? Look at verses 5 & 6: The eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf will be unstopped, the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. Fast forward to Mark 7:32, not only do we see the exact same word for “spoke with difficulty” being used, causing us to "perk up", but we see the entirety of these prophetic signs specifically fulfilled. These prophetic signs that the Messiah has come are described in even more detail in Matthew's parallel account from Matthew 15: 29Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. 30And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them. 31So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel. Matthew 15:29-31 NASB If we are experiencing and living in a time of gloom and darkness, we must take courage that our God is unafraid to step into the darkness of our lives. We must rest assured that the light of Christ always shines brighter against the backdrop of darkness. Trust in the Lord today that He will step right into our mess, because He is the Light of Life. He will save you. Questions to Consider: 1. What are some of the dark areas of your life that you are trying to hide from the Lord of others? Will you open up and let the Light of Life shine into those areas? 2. The word of God is alive and active! Will you take the time this week to share the word of God with someone that you don't know? They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. 33Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; 34and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” Mark 7:32-34 NASB
Look at what the crowd is asking of Jesus. They are begging (imploring) Jesus to lay hands on this man so that he is healed of his issues. They are asking for something specific, namely “lay hands on him”. They believed that if Jesus would just lay hands on this man he would be made whole. We know that Jesus is going to heal this man, but notice that Jesus is going to use a completely different means to bring healing to this man. Have you ever asked God to move in a situation in your life but you had an idea in mind of what it should look like? We often raise up a standard in our mind of what it should look like when God answers our prayers, then when He does answer through a different way, we miss it. "Lord, I want you to heal my marriage, and this is what that will look like". "Lord, I want you to restore that broken relationship, and that must look like them coming to me asking for forgiveness." "Lord, I want you to heal my body, and this is the way I want You to do it." We can get so caught up, and even idolize the process of God moving instead of looking and surrendering to the results which are in God's hands. This is why it is important for us to be completely surrendered when we are asking God to act on our behalf. A surrendered heart is a humble heart; a humble heart is a heart that God is drawn to (James 4:6). One of the greatest examples of this is found in a familiar Old Testament story. 1 Kings 19:11-13 says: So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. 13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” A random, great and strong wind passes by the mountains breaking the rocks into pieces. Surely the Lord is in that strong wind! "The LORD was not in the wind." An earthquake, out of nowhere come and shakes the very foundation where Elijah stood. Surely the Lord is in the great earthquake! "The LORD was not in the earthquake." Out of nowhere a burning fire appears. Surely God is in that fire! "The LORD was not in the fire." After all of these amazing, earthshattering events take place, the sound of a gentle blowing passes by Elijah. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. The LORD was in the sound of the gentle blowing breeze that passed Elijah by. Most of us would have settled for the mighty wind, the earthquake, or the burning fire believing that God's presence was in all of those things. But we would have missed out on God Himself. God’s ways are not our ways. He knows your cry and He is not slow to act. But we must be careful that we do not raise up a standard in our feeble, human minds that places God in a box labeled "My Expectations". If we do, we will consistently miss out on seeing God move and dishonor the glory that is due unto His name. Questions to Consider: 1. What are some things that you are currently asking God for in your life? 2. Resting and trusting in God is difficult to do when you are living in a time of chaos. What are some ways that you have learned to rest and trust God in the midst of trials?  Scripture Reading: Philippians 2:1-11 NASB95 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, [2] make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. [3] Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; [4] do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. [5] Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, [6] who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. [8] Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9] For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Scripture Reading: James 5:13-18 NASB95
Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. [14] Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; [15] and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. [16] Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. [17] Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. [18] Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. Let me start with a confession: "My prayers are not very impressive." No stain-glassed voicing. No impressive seven syllable words. My prayers are short and to the point. This is embarrassing because pastors are generally expected to be people who have perfected the art of prayer. That said, according to James, the length or impressiveness of a prayer is not what makes a prayer effective. When Elijah faced off against the prophets of Baal it was 450 prophets of Baal against 1 man of God. The prophets of Baal had the numbers on their side. They could make the most noise. They had the more impressive presentation. But--Elijah had a relationship with "I AM." Effective prayer is dependent on the relationship that a person has with God. The prayer of a righteous man, a person who is truly connected to God will be effective. The prophets of Baal had been crying out, dancing and making a spectacle out of themselves for hours and no fire fell from heaven. When it was Elijah's "turn," he said a short prayer and "boom!!!" Fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice on his altar. So, what is the bottom-line? We don't need to "develop" a more artistic approach to prayer; instead, we need a closer relationship with the One who hears our prayers! Questions to Consider:
 Scripture Reading: James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, [3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. [4] And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
I do not think that most people like to have their faith tested. Can I get a witness? And yet, God testing our faith is a well-documented experience among God’s people. From Old Testament heroes like Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David and Daniel, all the way to the twelve disciples of Jesus. If you are living and pursuing God you have probably experienced a testing of your faith. According to James, this is a tool in which God refines His people. James tells us to meet the trials of life with joy. How is that even remotely possible? James goes on to tell us that there are blessings associated with trials that we "know." So, what do we know?
When we are going through a time of trial and tribulation, rather than asking God "why me?" We need to remind ourselves is that behind the trial and tests that we go through, God has a purpose. James tells us that rather than complaining we should face each trial with joy. We experience "joy" because we know what God is doing. We experience joy because we trust in God. Questions to Consider:
 Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
John 3:16,17 God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. How can we reconcile the seeming difference between the actions of God in the Old Testament and the teaching of Jesus in the New Testament? The Apostle John describes the essence of God in one word. "God is agape." (Which means love, specifically, the love of God) If God is love, why did He call on Israel to destroy other people groups that were living in the Promised Land when Israel came into the land? (Refer to Deuteronomy 7:1,2) Let's start answering this question with more of a pro-active approach. As inexplicable as it might seem, all-knowing God had a reason. (And God's reason would have birthed from a heart that is both loving and just) Perhaps, in His foreknowledge God knew that the people living in the Promised Land were irredeemable. In spite of the instructions given to Israel to destroy the seven kingdoms of Canaanites, God redeemed some. Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute helped the Israelite spies that Joshua sent to "check out" Jericho and found favor with God. When the walls of Jericho fell, Rahab and her entire household were spared. Rahab went on to become the mother of Boaz and a part of Jesus' linage. This tells us--that the God of the Old Testament saved those that could be saved. God would rather save than condemn. God would rather redeem than judge. God would rather rescue than discard. In the parable of the vine in John, Chapter 15, the Father gathers up the branches that have died, fallen to the ground, and burns them. (Please note that these branches were not cut off from the vine when they were alive; they died and fell off on their own) What is the Father heart of God all about? His heart is to go after the one lost sheep. His heart is to bring the hope of salvation. His heart is full of love, mercy and grace. Questions to Consider:
 Scripture Reading: Mark 7:23-30 NASB95
[24] Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice. [25] But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. [26] Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. [27] And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” [28] But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” [29] And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” [30] And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left. For the only recorded time in the public ministry of Jesus, He steps outside the borders of Israel. He was on a mission from God, and He is extending the scope of His ministry to include a woman who came from a people group who were traditional enemies of the Hebrews. Mark does not tell us the reason Jesus departed from Galilee, but it is clear that He wanted to get away from the smothering crowds that followed Him everywhere. Jesus' fame had even crossed over the border and being anonymous was simply not possible. A Syrophoenician woman came to the house where Jesus was staying, fell at His feet and asked Him to deliver her daughter from a demon that had possessed her. (She was persistent and continued to ask for Jesus' help) At first glance, Jesus' response to the woman seems rather rude, but Jesus was examining the woman's faith. Jesus said, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." What Jesus stated was true. To cast a demon out of a non-believing Baal worshiper might lead to heavier possession. Jesus needed to determine "who" the woman had faith in. She replied to Jesus, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under that table feed on the children's crumbs." This was her declaration of faith. In essence she was stating, "Jesus, I believe in You and You are the only one who can save my daughter." Jesus recognized her faith and the woman's daughter was delivered! Questions to Consider:
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