Project: Change

(Message by Bro. Vijay Awale. Happy reading and changing!)

Someone has said that ‘change is the only constant’; everywhere around us we see change. Yes, even in our worship and songs, I can look back and see how we have evolved and grown in maturity in our spirit. Few weeks past, our Pastor Joseph gave us the promise for year 2012-the year of change, in accordance to the verses in 2 Cor. 3:18 – a change from glory to glory. And amidst all these changes, there is One who changes not: Mal. 3:6 says, “For I am the LORD, I do not change…”

Everyone and everything else requires change- and so in the promise verse of year 2012, I see a great challenge and a great opportunity for each one of us-for change, which excites me. Our good Lord wants to give freely, liberally, and without partiality, to everyone who is willing-but we have to be ready enough to receive it! Pastor Philip too, shared about how we ought to have an honest appraisal of ourselves at this time of year-remembering where we started and how much (if at all) have we grown spiritually.

Everyone I know wants change-some change, whether the unbeliever, the believer, the successful or the not-so-successful! And I believe this is a gift of God-the knowledge that we can be better! And so we strive to do better, and practice to become better. But, as a believer, our passion to become better must be much more intense; because our spirit part is made alive and it requires changes in those areas of our life, which are otherwise neglected-the deep secrets of the heart. So, for us, it is not just the ‘quality of life’ as the world sees it-in the futile material things, but a fruitful life as the LORD would love us have!

1.       You change by choice

The things that you tolerate in your life will not help you change. Some believers have a satisfied outlook about their spiritual condition. They compare themselves with others and may feel that they are better off, and therefore no need to change. “Why change? I am happy where I am right now”-this is their question. But our only comparison and ideal is, and should be, our Lord Jesus Christ. Heb. 1:3 says that Jesus is our perfect and only example: who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

If you are not willing, God is not going to force you. But, with Jesus as our example, all of us can see a great potential and opportunity for change. And growth NEEDS change; look at any plant in the garden-it is not the same a year from now, and it is an effortless change there! It is natural! And that is the way of the spirit-if you are planted by the rivers of living water, you will bear fruit in its season; and whatever you do shall prosper: this is what Psalm 1 talks about. So, the spiritual change is the result of yielding to His Spirit, rather than striving in your spirit.

2.       You change by grace-the spirit change

1 Thess. 5:23 makes it clear that each one of us are made in three parts-spirit, soul and body. And each part needs change! Our spirit change is in an instant according to 2 Cor. 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

In a way, we can say that this is 1/3^rd the change required in you, in your goal to become like Jesus. The phrase ‘in Christ’ appears more than 300 times in the New Testament-clearly indicating the vital union and relationship of man with God.And so, we are (spirit) saved, by grace, through the ‘faith gift’ of God (Eph. 2:8).

And there is no change in our soul, or the body-immediately. We look the same and feel the same; think about the same old things we used to think about, and practice the things that we used to do before. But once we are saved in our spirit (born-again), we have been made alive to a whole new world-the spiritual realm! As it is written in James 2:26: For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Also in Gal. 4:6 that says: And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

And so, you have the fullness of love, joy, and peace poured out into your hearts (spirit), and all the potential to will and to do His pleasure. But then comes the second part of change that is required!

3.       You change by knowledge-the soul change

This soul part, they say, consists of mind, will and emotions. The Bible clearly talks about renewal of the mind in Romans 12:2. And you can find God’s will in His written word-and align your ways and will accordingly. It is His word that will help us know and help us grow; and produce the change in our soul that is required of us. That is why it is important to read, study, meditate and practice God’s word. God’s word is a mirror that reflects God’s will and purposes for you. And 2 Cor. 3:18 says: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

And our soul must find nourishment from His word-for His words are spirit and they are life (John 6:63). Paul in 2 Cor. 3:18 is referring to the veil over Moses’ face, while coming down from Mt. Sinai, covering the glory of his encounter with God (Ex. 34). The ‘religion’ and 'law' are the veils that Paul is referring to! IF we see with unveiled face, then we can see the grace of God. And we can know that we have not only become brand new and forgiven of our sins, but now have put on the righteousness of God-This is not available in the law of Moses!

A mirror is supposed to reflect and show the person standing before it; in the same way, when we stand in His promises and look at His word, we see the glory within us shining through, and we can be confident of this thing, that He who has begun a good work in us, will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). The veil is taken away, the plain mirror stands before you; the mystery, which has been hidden for ages, is now revealed to His saints, for your soul-change-Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col. 1:27)

All this change in the soul is gradual-from glory to glory, from step to faithful step in obedience. The Bible when it talks about renewal and transformation (of verses in Romans 12:2 and 2 Cor. 3:18) reflects more than just a casual knowledge of the Savior-Jesus Christ. The word is derived from the Greek word which is the root for ‘metamorphosis’, a term singularly used to identify a significant (marked) change-that of a larvae (cater-pillar) to a butterfly. When you look at the cater-pillar and then the butterfly, you really wonder if they are at all related! That is the change possible in the soul- a gradual and sometimes painful process, leading to the visible fruit out of your life-of love, joy and peace.

4.       You become what you behold-the final change

A mirror not only shows how we are, but also helps us think how better we can be. Yes, and the mirror of God’s word reflects His character, and as often as we come before it, we can see the glory of Christ, slowly being revealed in us. The Bible says, as a man thinks in his heart, so is he! [Prov. 23:7]. And so even though our outward man is perishing, we can see the inward man growing. The Psalmist puts this is perspective when he says: As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. (Psalm 17:15) Yes, this is the final change-when we see Him, we shall be like Him!

And so the gradual change must proceed-it is not Sunday sudden ‘revelations’ and spirit-filled worship ‘experience’; it is day-by-day submission to God and His word-‘Not my will, but Yours be done’! I wish I could, but there is no way that I can put this mildly, and acceptable to all ‘believers’. This is the hard truth-change is necessary, change is gradual, change is by submission.

Now, do you want change, and growth? Let us be people who are willing and obedient. And let there be, in this year of change 2012, many butterflies flying up in the sky, growing up and out of those crawling cater-pillar years. Let us do it, in Jesus name. Amen.

Spirit Led Life

(Message: Pastor Dr. S. Joseph, Founder, NLMI. Hoping I haven’t missed much; Happy reading!)

Hallelujah! The Lord is in this place. It’s my prayer today that we have a revelation today and also see Jesus revealed through His word, according to what we read in Ephesians 1. You see, when we came to Him, Jesus not only saved us from our sins, but also delivered us out of religion; that is to say, in Him, not only do we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins (v7) and eternal life, but He also made known to us the mystery of His will and that is revelation. Therefore now, no more sins and no more religion-but newness of life and revelation as He leads us from faith to faith, from strength to strength, from victory to victory and from glory to glory.

All religions (including Christian ‘religion’) only talk about how we can get to heaven; but by revelation we know that it is not about how to get to heaven, but rather revelation is to know how heaven came down. Yes, in Jesus Christ, heaven on earth is a reality. God, in the Old Testament-from Genesis to Malachi, revealed Himself as God the Father; but in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He gathers together all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth-in Him (Eph. 1:10).

As you read further in Ephesians 1, we see how we came to Christ; we believed the word of truth, the gospel of salvation and were sealed with the Holy Spirit. One thing interesting about Holy Spirit is that He is very gentle; although He abides in us, He is not going to influence and impose His will unless you co-operate, agree and yield to Him. The Holy Spirit's work in us is based on our everyday choices-for us to choose faith and obedience.

You see, when we come into the kingdom of God, spiritually speaking, we arrive as small babies-born-again! And if you are not willing to grow up, you will remain as a retarded child spiritually! And if a child, he is no better than a slave. All riches are at his disposal, but he is incapable of handling it all! This is what we read in Gal. 4:1. Apostle Peter also talks about Christian maturity of growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

If you do not mature spiritually, you will be a retarded child and on one hand become useless yourself, and on the other hand you will quench the Spirit, grieve the Spirit, resist the Spirit and tempt the Spirit. And the anointing that you received when you believed, and through effervescent prayer in a seminar or a special meeting, will dry out or leak out. You see, many experience a powerful presence of the Holy Spirit when He descends upon them, but do not realize that He leaves gently, if quenched!

In the Spirit Led Life that I want to talk about today, we are led by God Himself. Romans 8:14 says: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Today, as I was meditating on Psalm 8, I was fully aware as a preacher that I am receiving not just a revelation but also the seed of His word that I needed to sow in people’s lives. In Psalm 8, we find 4 things of God: (i) Creativity – When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars… (ii) Humility – What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that you visit him? (iii) Magnanimity – For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. (iv) Generosity – You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet. This Psalm 8 talks about the authority that Adam and Eve had, but that that was lost after the fall of man. A Paradise Lost as John Milton would say. But the Paradise regained is true as well since the time Jesus came; whatever was lost in Adam, and much more, is regained in Christ!

Hebrews 2: 6-10 goes like this: “But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under the feet.”

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

Perfected through sufferings? Any precious stone has been through suffering; without cross, there is no crown; without death, no life! The thing is none of us wants to go through suffering willingly. We were in fact taught to be overcomers-overcoming anything and everything, always victorious and prosperous. But the truth is, christian maturity will not come if it is not without suffering. I used to ask, “Why Lord the suffering and persecution?” The answer is found in Phillipians 3:10 that we might know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering... Are you worried about sufferings in this world? You may have 101 problems in your life; but if you suffer for Jesus, the Spirit of Christ will be a crown of glory over you!

There was a preacher in Toronto from the Airport Fellowship-John and his wife Carol, laboring hard in His ministry, yet finding meager fruit for their labor. Then they heard that revival has started in one of the states in the U.S-Pensacola. They traveled to U.S and were filled with the desire for God’s anointing in their own ministry. They invited a preacher from Pensacola to come to Toronto. That was the start of revival in Toronto as well, then popularly called as “The Toronto Blessing”! We-my wife and I, went to Toronto to attend the meetings; they asked me “What do you want?” I replied “I hunger and am thirsty for Jesus-I want more of Him”. They said, “Okay, receive it”. That was it-the anointing of the Lord fell upon me like rivers of water. We were floored! There were questions and searches for truth and reason; but now none but Christ can satisfy!

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well: “…whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14) (Spring up, O well! Within my soul and make me whole.) Not long afterwards, Jesus saw the crowds at the Feast of the Tabernacles, stood up and loudly cried out on the last day of the feast: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (Living water flowing, O how nice to see!)

Think about it; the feast of the Tabernacles-it was a religious ritual. A tradition of the Jews handed down and learnt from their forefathers. This is the time when the priest would take a golden vessel, fill it with the waters from Siloam, go around the temple of God singing praises to Him, and on the last day pouring it out on the altar to remember and signify that God’s Spirit would be poured out like waters. That was religion! But the revelation was sitting right there in front of their eyes all those days-the Person Jesus Himself, who would anoint them with Holy Spirit and fire! But the priests were simply blinded by traditions.

At the end of the feast, on the last day, Jesus could not keep silent any longer, sitting there and seeing the ritual. He stood up and cried out the verses in John 7:37,38. Do you now see what religion can do to you? That is why I said that Jesus has set us free from religion and gave us revelation.

It is written, out of our inmost being, out of our hearts, will flow rivers of living water. The invitation is open to all-if anyone thirsts! Are you thirsty for God? If yes, you will be filled. You find lack in this world around you-lack of justice and lack of righteousness (remember Christians’ persecution in Karnataka state and the recent Judicial Commision clearing all the culprits?), lack of truth, and lack of joy; but if you look at Jesus, believe in Him, you will be filled to overflowing with righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

That is why I say, do not be mired in mere religion-where one will measure another with his own measure and judge one another with selfish motives. There is a fullness to be obtained; the unity of the faith is to be preserved. After describing the five-fold ministries-Apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, Paul writes to the Ephesians that we ought to become as a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; and no longer be children… (Eph. 4: 11-14). All this maturity in us is required for (i) equipping the saints and (ii) to edify the body of Christ. And children cannot do these!

As a young preacher, I was thirsty for God. I read the books of many authors – Watchman Nee, Bro. Lawrence, and so many others to know about what it is to thirst for righteousness. Am I saying that I am mature now? No, not yet! But definitely growing up and getting there in Jesus Christ. You see, fame, name and riches cannot give you what Jesus can! The world is running after greed, gratification and self-glory – but in fact, they will gain nothing! But if you thirst for Christ, the river of God is ready to burst forth from your innermost being.

The river of God is ready to flow; it flowed at the time of creation in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:10). It flowed during past times in the wilderness (Psalm 78: 15, 16). It will flow in the future from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev. 22:1)-pure, clear as crystal. But today let me talk about the river of God flowing out from the temple of God. Turn with me to Ezekiel 47.

From the temple of God, the river of God flows out. Consider this-that you and I carry the presence of God and our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The epistles also talk about being knit and built together as the body of Christ with Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone. Maturity is allowing the river to flow out; maturity is allowing the Holy Spirit to measure us. Significantly, the man leading Ezekiel too had a measuring line in his hand and he measured 1000 cubits this way and that.

Ankle Deep

Ezk. 47:3 says: And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came to my ankles.

What does this ankle deep measure signify? It means that you have come to the knowledge of Christ and are now walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16). That is the river flow experience of walking in the newness of life. You are not carried away by influences of worldly knowledge, and peer pressures, but know the truth that has set you free. This is only the beginning of the flow!

Knee Deep

Ezekiel 47:4: Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the waters came up to my knees.

Knees signify prayer-you have now entered the throne room of God in prayer, praying in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18). The Bible also talks to us about how we do not know what to pray and how to pray-but He is there our Helper, the Holy Spirit who makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26). Here is the experience of not only rejecting world-will, but also of knowing God’s will. We begin to pray according to God’s will. But come deeper!

Waist Deep

Ezekiel 47:4: …Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist.

Waist signifies service to the Lord; you can serve His purposes or you can serve your purposes. You can work for the Lord; but you can do better if you can work in the Lord. Paul talks about his service in Acts 20:19: “serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me…” Waist deep is serving the Lord with all humility! Otherwise too, you can serve the Lord-to fulfill your own ambitions, your exaltation; it will only result in confusion and division within the body of Christ.

Full flow

Ezekiel 47:5 “Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”…

This is the Spirit Filled, Spirit Led experience. Eph. 5:18-20 says: And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…

Two things happen in the flow (i) Equip the saints - speak to one another in spiritual songs and (ii) Edify yourself – making melody in your heart. There will be a blessing wherever the river flows; there will be healing and there will be bounty (fishes in Ezk. 47:8-10). Son of man, have you seen this? This is what the river of God that flows out of your inmost being will do!

Let me close now as time runs out; but I love this and want to finish off with the verse further down in Ezekiel 47:13. Thus says the Lord GOD: “These are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. …”

Double portion blessing! This is what God is calling you to today, as you walk the river and come to its full flow. May God mature us, as we allow Him place in our trials and sufferings. Amen.

Fruit of the Spirit

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph. One fruit... Got it? Happy reading!) 

Would you turn with me to Ephesians 5? Reading from verses 16 to 26:

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy murder, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

Paul is writing this letter to BELIEVERS; about walking according to the flesh and according to the Spirit: and the deeds of the flesh and the deeds of the Spirit. You see, we may be born-again believers, baptized in the water and baptized in the Spirit…but as long as we are here in flesh, there is always going to be a struggle; on one side the pull of the flesh and on the other the pull of the Spirit…

And we have a choice everyday… either to give-in to the pull of the flesh or to give heed to the voice of the Spirit. And yes…they are in exact opposite directions…contrary to one another (v17). And we can’t have BOTH ways - one leg here and the other leg there!

Apart from once in a life-time repentance and one time baptism, there are a few thing in the Christian life that are repetitive…and some repetitions are in a day-to-day basis. If we look at Luke 9:23, it reads: Then He {Jesus} said to them ALL, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY, and follow Me.”

That brings us again to the choice we have to make: saying ‘No’ to one-self; and ‘Yes’ to the Lord. You know, it is quite simple to say ‘No’ to others… but here, Jesus calls us to say ‘No’ to our own SELF. It is a conscious decision to say ‘No’ and take up our cross daily! The pull of our self is toward the world and its ways… and the leading of the Holy Spirit is towards obedience to God and His word.

But now the DEEDS or WORKS of the flesh are evident... Galatians 5 lists more than 15 of them and then there is also the FRUIT of the Spirit. On the one hand the pull of the flesh leads to the works of the flesh, and on the other hand, the leading of God’s Spirit towards the fruit of the Spirit.

What a contrast in works! Notice that it is written ‘works’ of the flesh – in plural; while it is singular ‘fruit’ of the Spirit (not fruits). It is just ONE fruit with nine facets to it… and these are listed too.

On the one hand, the list goes on for the works of the flesh…for Paul writes in the end “… selfish ambitions, dissensions…drunkenness, revelries, AND THE LIKE’; on the other we have a full-stop after the 9 fruit signifying the list is complete.

On the one hand, the works of the flesh is manifest in various forms… a person may not commit adultery, but may be given to drunkenness; or he may not murder, but commit fornication. A person may refrain from idolatry and sorcery, but may have outbursts of wrath and ceaseless contentions… so the works of the flesh is manifest in parts. But, the fruit of the Spirit is really only ONE fruit. One cannot say, ‘I have lots of love, but I can’t be patient’; or ‘I am full of joy, but no self-control’. These statements are NOT true when we say ONE fruit; either you have it ALL or NOT AT ALL.

So the fruit is not just love, joy, peace…it is also long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Paul also lists the deeds in a specific order… let us go over and compare them quickly. On the one hand the pull of the flesh and on the other, the fruit of the Spirit.

Deeds of the flesh	Fruit of the Spirit
Adultery Fornication	Love

The world teaches differently about love… a disguised lust that will last just a little time. And there is the pull of the flesh to immorality… On the other hand, we come to know of the agape love in God. Day by day, it leads to fulfillment and purpose of living…

Uncleanness Lewdness

Joy

The world teaches that there is pleasure and enjoyment in these works… they coin a catch-phrase Life is short, enjoy to the fullest; the sad thing is that it is false happiness leading to pain and sorrow …but you know what, real joy is found in God, in knowing Jesus and the power of His resurrection, and the knowing the riches in the kingdom of God…righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Idolatry Sorcery /witch-craft Hatred / enmity Contentions / strife Jealousies

Peace

As God’s children, we cannot provoke God to anger by our idolatry… we cannot partake of the table of the Lord on Sunday and go about partaking in the table of demons the rest of our week-days… that is why we do not ‘take-in’ any ‘prasad’ offered to idols. Jesus Himself has become our peace… and now there is no other sacrifice or appeasement required to have peace with God.

People of the world practice witch-craft against those they hate… against their competitors… they show forth their hatred by their acts. But as children of light we can make a choice to be at peace with all men; not bickering and quarrelling over any matter... nor striving, with our perceived competitors, in rivalry and jealousy. (Yes, these things happen even within a household; between spouses; between siblings.) The Bible says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God’. It says, ‘Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you…’ and ‘God’s sun rises on the just and the unjust…’; so whether in work or at home, whether in church (yes, even in spiritual ‘service’) or at school, we can be peace-makers in God…

Outbursts of wrath

Longsuffering / Patience

We can make a choice whether to shout-down everyone else or to be patient… 2 Tim. 2:24 says, ‘… a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient…’

Selfish ambitions / disputes

Kindness

Do we wish to promote our own self? Do we have to dispute every thought, idea and be critical of others? Then we are behaving as children of the world pulled by the flesh… On the contrary, we can express kindness and show genuine concern in other’s well-being

Dissensions / divisions

Goodness

It is Satan’s work to bring dissensions and divisions among brethren… do we want anytime to be part of it? The choice is ours… this is also true in believers’ gathering… banding and grouping together with few chosen members… this is playing the ‘church politics’. Or we can choose to be good to all and especially towards our brothers and sisters in Christ… we can be good to even those against us.

Heresies / false doctrine

Faithfulness

Envy Murders

Gentleness / meekness

Envy is another blot of the flesh, always having an ill-will or ill-feeling towards the other person(s). But we can make a choice by His presence to follow in meekness. Meekness is surrendering to God and His ways. The Bible says, ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth’ Strange to hear the world saying we must fight for our rights to inherit, conquer and establish… but it is REALLY the meek who shall inherit the earth.

We may feel hurt when injustice is meted out to us, or when people talk against us slanderously… maybe we feel we must defend our name. But you know what! Jesus said, if any man speaks against the Son of Man it SHALL be forgiven him… When we hear Jesus say THAT, we can pause and learn to forgive…for the Spirit of God always leads us in the foot-steps of Jesus…(1 Peter 2:21). Jesus entrusted everything to God who judges righteously.

Drunkenness revelries

Self-control

Finally, we can exercise self-control or behave out-of-control. Our mind is being renewed and our spirit is willing. The Bible warns, that those who practice the works of the flesh, make a habit of it, will NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD…

Understand the fruit of the Spirit…either you have it ALL or NOT AT ALL… Love without patience, joy without self-control, meekness without joy, patience without goodness - CANNOT BE the fruit of the Spirit!

You MUST desire for and have the GIFTS of the Spirit…but FRUIT is absolutely ESSENTIAL. Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits…” (Matt. 7:15). That is how I identify a true prophet from the false… it does not impress me one bit how many varied gifts they exhibit… I am going to heed to Jesus’ warning to discern deception… In these last days, we are called to be discerning and wise.

Galatians 5:25 says, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. What about you today? Have you been walking years of Christian life and yet now remain carnal? Or do you abound in the fruit of the Spirit - the agape love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self-control?

May God help us to be fruitful sons and daughters in the kingdom of God. Amen.