| Good Morning Everyone, Our theme for this month: “You have been set free” Our Bible verse for today: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23 Our thought for today: “Live like this and people will notice.” We started our study of being set free by considering the similarities and the differences between our constitutional freedoms as citizens of the USA, and our Biblical freedoms as Christians. We also learned that although we have great freedom, both constitutionally and spiritually, neither our constitutional freedoms nor our spiritual freedoms are unlimited. Our constitutional freedoms are necessarily limited and constrained by the rule of law. Our spiritual freedom is necessarily limited and constrained by Biblical principles. We then spent some days considering what it is we have been set free from, spiritually. We have been set free from the penalty for our sins; we have been set free from living with a pervasive sense of guilt; we have been set free from legalism; and we have been set free from the burden of unforgiveness. Now we will shift our thinking to the impact our spiritual freedom should have on the way we live. In doing so we will also circle back and finish where we began, considering the manner in which our spiritual freedoms and constitutional freedoms overlap, and the ways in which they don’t. Included in that discussion will be the understanding of our being “salt and light”, as Jesus meant it in the Sermon on the Mount. In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul gave us what is without question one of the most helpful passages in the New Testament. This passage describes the results of the work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life. Overtime, as the Spirit slowly molds and shapes the individual into the man or woman God intends for them to be, the more the “fruit of the Spirit” will be evident in that person’s life. The more these attributes are evident in the person, the more spiritual maturity the Spirit has been able to bring about in their life. Although it is the work of the Spirit, that work is aided by the cooperation of the individual. Our cooperation includes things like frequent prayer, daily Bible study, fellowship with other Christians, worship, acts of service in the name of Jesus, and the other basic disciplines of practicing the Christian faith. The character traits of Galatians 5:22-23 then become something of a spiritual marker that help us to assess how we’re doing in our spiritual growth. The more you embrace your freedom in Christ in an appropriate Biblical manner, the better, fuller, and more enjoyable your life will be. Also, the more the character traits of Galatians 5:22-23 describe you, the more of a positive impact for Christ you will have in the world around you. People will be blessed, encouraged, and influenced in a positive way, because they had an encounter with you. And the more Christians there are who are living like that, the better our society will be. You have been set free by Jesus to live fully in the Spirit. Do the things necessary in order to cooperate with the Spirit as He cultivates the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Live like this and people will notice. God Bless, Pastor Jim |
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