The Bible is Essential Part 1 - Studying and Abiding in God's Word

Read: Psalm 119:105, John 8:31-32, Deuteronomy 8:3 , John 15:1-17,  1 John 2:1-6, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12

The more we walk with Christ the more we should have a desire to know Him, The Holy Spirit and His Word more. 

Unfortunately, I continue to see the trends and statistics that state that there are a large amount of people who identify as Christians, those who even attend a Church somewhat regularly, who rarely pick up the Word of God to read and study it for themselves. (See several links to statistic examples below this communication)

They often can't even name basic things like the 4 Gospels or other very rudimentary things about The Scriptures...things that the average "Sunday School" aged child could answer...not that many churches even have Sunday School anymore for kids or adults anymore. It's as if some give an intellectual nod to the Bible but they don't really own their faith.  

They don't honor God's Word nor give it the proper place in their lives that they should. 

The Source of Your Identity

Dear Friend, 

I wanted to take a moment to simply remind you that if you are in Christ, you are a new creation and your identity in Him is what matters plain and simple!

No one's opinions defines you nor does your past!

"When we finally understand and are confident and secure in our identity in Christ, our past as well as the opinions of others regarding us will not shake or define us!" -Randolph Koch

To learn more about your identity in Christ, Dive into God's Word and abide in Christ and you will discover your true identity!

True security and identity will only be found in Him! He is truly the source of who you are!

For further encouragement from God's Word, Please check out this post and pass along the Truth of God's Word about who you are in Christ: http://www.ashepherdsheart.org/2012/03/who-you-are-in-christ.html

In Christ Alone,
Your brother and servant,

rlk

PS: Check out this new page on A Shepherd's Heart: 
http://www.ashepherdsheart.org/p/ministry-service-offerings.html which is a growing basic list of areas where I may be able to serve you!


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The Fruit of The Spirit - Patience

Read: Galatians 5:22-24, Romans 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 1:15-17, Ecclesiastes 7:8, Romans 12:12, Galatians 6:9, Proverbs 14:29, Ephesians 4:2, Genesis 6:9-9:17, Psalm 145:8

They say patience is a virtue but if we’re honest, it’s not a virtue that many have or are working to develop. It’s definitely an area of growth!

1 Corinthians 13 says that love is patience but we have to ask ourselves… is our love patient?

We have to remember that we serve a God who is very patient with us and in turn through His example, we can learn to be more patient too as it is one of the Fruit of The Spirit that He wants to grow in and through us! 

Here are a few examples of how He’s patient with us:

The Fruit of The Spirit - Peace

Read: Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Corinthians 14:33a, Matthew 5:9, John 14:27, John 16:33, Isaiah 26:3, Romans 5:1, 1 Peter 3:10-11, 1 Peter 3:10-11, Romans 12:18, Colossians 3:15, Isaiah 48:18, 1 Peter 5:7  

Peace. It's something everyone deep down wants. Why wouldn't we?! Who really likes conflict, turmoil or anything else that is the opposite of peace?! 

We want peace in our home lives and work lives. 

We want peace during war time and peace in the world overall. 

We want peace within ourselves as we face much turmoil in this life. 

We want peace in every circumstance, however, the peace society has bought into isn't true peace because it's based on shifting standards.

So, what is peace and what is the Spiritual fruit of peace? How can we experience it? Do we have a responsibility to pursue it or can we go on "auto pilot" and let the Holy Spirit do it all?

The Fruit of The Spirit - Joy

Read: Galatians 5:22-24, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Romans 12:12, Romans 16:25, Nehemiah 8:10, Acts 2:46, 13:52, 1 Peter 1:8, Luke 2:10, Luke 1:47, Luke 1:44, John 15:11

When it comes to joy, there will be times when you are filled with joy and hope and then there will be times when you’re not. It's pretty much a guarantee in life that we'll experience both ends of the "joy spectrum". 

As you crack open God’s Word we see that He says a lot about Joy! 

In fact, depending on the specific translation, it refers to the words Joy or Rejoice (where we get our word for Joy) over 300 different times!

God’s Word teaches us a lot about joy in part because He created us to live in a joyful relationship with Him and He wants us to experience the true joy that is found in Him!

You may be asking, What's the difference between Joy and Happiness? 

Let's take a brief look at the difference as well as some of the things that can increase or decrease joy.

The Fruit of The Spirit - Love

Read: Galatians 5:22-23, John 3:16, Mark 12:30–31, John 15:13, 1 John 3:11, Romans 5:8, Luke 6:35, 1 John 5:3, John 13:35.

For the believer, when it comes to The Fruit of The Spirit, Love is one of the hardest fruits to bear as it doesn’t come naturally to us.

In the landscape of culture, background, upbringing and more, it can mean many things to each person.

To add to the confusion, it also doesn't help that what is called "love" is also skewed by what we often see represented in multiple venues such as movies, TV, books and even people around you that you may know. 

It may also be personally hard for you accept, receive and give to others because of how you were raised, the horrible ways you've been treated as well as the false examples of love you've experienced. 

If your/our idea of love falls into any of the before mentioned examples that we see in the culture, or the negative ones you've experienced first hand, we need to work hard to reject these ideas in order to see true love, the perfect love that God replaces the worlds love with. 

Because of how prevalent the culture and our sinful nature is, we need to rethink and re-calibrate what love really is. 

God's Love including the Love that comes through the Fruit of The Spirit, are completely different than the love we can experience and that we see exhibited in the world.  

The Fruit of The Spirit - Get Ready To Grow!

Read: Galatians 5:22-23

If you follow God and take Him at His Word, You will see that He always provides a better way. 

He always has something better in store. This doesn’t mean it’s always going to be easy but it does mean it will be better for you. 

In the case of the Fruit of the Spirit these are examples of the good fruits He wants us to bear and He equips us to bear in place of the bad fruit He speaks about Galatians. 

Let me ask you, have you smelled bad fruit? It’s not a pleasant smell is it? Well, much like bearing bad fruit I want you to remember the stench of the bad or rotten fruit you’ve smelled before? 

Depending on type of fruit, it may smell sickly sweet when it starts to go bad but if you ate it…it wouldn’t be pleasant. Or, worse yet, have you taken a bite of an apple or other fruit that looks good but when you take that bite…you find it’s not so good? 

Again, not so pleasant. 

Conversely, think of your favorite type of fruit (like a peach or maybe a mango, etc.,) for a moment that you enjoy and you take a bite and it tastes amazing! 

Now consider the contrast between the good and bad fruit we bear.  One is pleasing to God and can be pleasing to others and ourselves because we’re operating God’s way while the other isn't pleasant to anyone as we're not operating God's way.