

Fruit of the Spirit: Faithfulness
“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” — Revelation 2:10 What exactly does “be faithful” mean? The Greek word for “faithful” is pistos — a person who shows themselves faithful in the transaction of business or execution of commands; can be relied on. When I think of that definition, I immediately think of God. Every day, God is good and faithful to us. Every day, we have God’s unfailing love. He can be trusted. So, how can I be faithful and remain fa


Fruit of the Spirit: Love
There are four primary Greek words for love. They are: storge; eros; philos; and agape. True Biblical love is agape love — self-sacrificial love that is determined by our behavior and actions, not just our feelings. It’s the noblest word for love in the Greek language. It originates from God, who is THE very definition of love (I John 4:8). We often go to I Corinthians 13 to define love, where we find “agape” love. Again, that love is not just our attitude, but also our actio


Fruit of the Spirit: Peace
Jesus says in Matt. 5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” As citizens of God’s kingdom, we should be peacemakers. But what kind of peace is Jesus talking about? How can we be sure we are really pursuing peace? How can we be sure the peace we are pursuing truly reflects the nature and character of God? Peter provides a six-point plan for peace in I Peter 3:8-9. Harmony is the goal: The world views relationships as disposable. But in the King


Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness
Mark Twain once said, “Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Kindness is powerful. It has the power to lift up the downtrodden and the power to humble the arrogant. Kindness is what brings people together. And, do you know what the world could use a little more of right now? Kindness. Kindness is defined as the “quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate” (Google). In the scriptures, kindness is a command. Paul writes in Eph. 4:32 to “be