Simple…month 1
Day 29
Fruit of the Spirit – recap
There truly is something eternal in the fruit of the Spirit. It takes an eternal perspective to fully grasp them. What did God mean by each of these words? Here is a recap of what we have learned through our journey through all nine of these traits found in the fruit of the Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
- Love – acting in someone’s best interest
- Joy – focusing upon the reward to come
- Peace – a calm settledness, a quiet confidence
- Patience – holding the weight of a burden for a certain time
- Kindness – seeking God in relationships, looking for God in someone.
- Goodness – desiring the things of God (righteousness)
- Faithfulness – remaining true to beliefs (beliefs guide actions)
- Gentleness – remaining open to God’s teaching in any situation
- Self-Control – balancing self for the community
“Believers are not dependent upon circumstances. Their joy comes not from what they have, but from what they are; not from where they are, but from whose they are; not from what they enjoy, but from that which was suffered for them by their Lord.” (Spurgeon)
On a side note, this is one fruit. The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives creating the fruit of the Spirit. If we allow Him to work in our lives, all of these things is THE outcome of His effort…every time. There is an inherent promise here that is unavoidable from His work. God is always faithful to keep His promises…always. Put your trust in Him and see.
Do you want to know why there is the word, but, in Galatians 5:22? Read Galatians 5:16-26. Spend some time today asking God to guide you closer towards His eternal and perfect Spirit. Thank Him for always behaving and being the fruit of the Spirit with you. Ask Him to help you be more and more like Him.
Day 28
Self-control
Verses:
- Proverbs 25:28
- Acts 24
- 2 Peter 1:3-11
- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
- Galatians 5:22-23
Challenge:
Self-control or self-discipline – whatever word you use, it isn’t often seen as an enjoyable process. The idea is seen throughout almost all religions, from Islam to Buddhism to our faith. The idea of self-sacrifice often brings up the notion of self-denial. The actual greek word used in the fruit of the spirit is temperance, meaning balance. It is the ability to utilize everything you have been given at the right time for the right purpose. It is also the ability to not use those same gifts when it is the inappropriate time and the inappropriate purpose. The idea here is balance. Lastly, the guiding principle for self-control is how your use of talents, passions, abilities, power and effort influences others towards God. Community is very important here. As you read these verses, ask yourself how much of your power you use to point others to God. How well do you use your effort to come alongside God in his
Day 27
Gentleness
Verses:
- Philippians 4:2-9
- 1 Timothy 6:11-21
- 1 Peter 3:13-22
- Matthew 11:28-30
- Galatians 5:22-23
Challenge:
Gentleness is also called “meekness.” Gentleness could be seen as an extremely passive and powerless concept. Nothing could be further from the truth. It leans upon the power to choose to increasingly trust God’s involvement in your life and takes a great deal of effort. More than this, it the choice to view this presence as good and perfect, whatever the case may be. It is the willingness to learn from a situation, being taught, and be open to healthy evaluation. Gentleness or meekness is the opposite of self-assertiveness, self-interest, or self-preservation. This fruit in your life relies upon your increasing trust in God and as it grows in your life, this trust becomes more and more visible. As you read these verses, allow God’s good and perfect presence in your life to grow and teach you the power of gentleness in Him.
Day 26
Faithfulness
Verses:
- Hebrews 11
- Matthew 8:5-13
- Romans 4:16-25
- James 2:14-26
- Galatians 5:22-23
Challenge:
Faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) It is the ability to act on your beliefs, which often involve attempting to see the unknown. To be full of faith means that you are conscious of the unknowns in your life and desire to see these unknowns as God sees them. Often we say that faithfulness would mean trustworthy or loyal, keeping your promises. There is nothing more trustworthy than acting in agreement with your beliefs. If our promises match our beliefs and we follow through on our promises, then we are in fact faithful…to our core. As you read these verses, think about our level of faithfulness. Do we come through on what we believe? Spend time with your God who never acts out of step from what He believes. That is my we call Him Faithful.
Day 25
Goodness
Verses:
- Exodus 33:19
- Psalm 23:6
- Ephesians 5:8-21
- Romans 2:7-11
- Galatians 5:22-23
Challenge:
Goodness is very similar to kindness, with the exception that goodness is more individual than relational. Increasing one’s integrity, honor, and humility are pivotal to this part of the fruit of God’s spirit. There is a desire for the goodness of God in one’s life. As you read these verses, take a gut-check moment to rate your goodness. Where do you need an influx of God’s goodness?
Day 24
Kindness
Verses:
- Isaiah 63:7-19
- Romans 11:22
- 2 Peter 1:5-8
- Colossians 3:12-14
- Galatians 5:22-23
Challenge:
Kindness is a social sense of what is upright and righteous. It is a drawing of the heart towards the things of God in your relationships. Kindness, when in action, seeks the opposite of what is harmful in any situation. As you read these verses, spend some time seeking these things of God. Ask God to speak into your life today and then, watch them grow into the fruit of Kindness; watch your relationships grow.
Day 23
Peace
Verses:
- Psalm 85
- John 14:25-27
- Ephesians 2:11-22
- Philippians 4:4-9
- Galatians 5:22-23
Challenge:
Peace is another fruit of the Spirit. Peace is a mindset, a focus, that if we can find will drastically alter the way we go through our lives. It goes beyond understanding. Peace is a calm, settled positivity; a quiet confidence that everything will be just as it should. Lastly, it is important to remember that this type of peace that the Bible talks about is slightly different from “a calm relaxed state of controlled breathing.” Peace is a fruit of the Spirit of God. This type of peace is supernatural; you cannot have this type of peace unless you begin to grasp who God is and what He is capable of doing to fix whatever situation you find yourself in. There is a trust in the Almighty and in Jesus that is required to feel this peace. And so, with the peace that passes all understanding, with as much depth as you can muster, spend some time reading these verses, asking God for a larger portion of this fruit of His Spirit.
Day 22
Patience
Verses:
- Psalm 37
- 2 Peter 3:14-18
- Galatians 5:22-23
- 1 Corinthians 1:3-11
- James 5
Challenge:
Patience is defined in the bible as long-suffering. It is the ability to hold the weight of a burden for a certain amount of time. Many would refer to this as stress, yet for some reason, the bible calls this a fruit of the spirit. What are some techniques that make holding these burdens easier? Read through these verses and read through the strategies that God gives us in His word. Spend some time talking with Him about a few areas in your life where the weight of the burden feels too strong to hold any longer. God is faithful to bring you through.
Day 21
Joy
Verses:
- Psalm 16
- Isaiah 49:8-13
- Luke 10:1-23
- Colossians 1:9-14
- Galatians 5:22-23
Challenge:
Joy can so often seem fleeting and just out of grasp. We can easily base our joy on our ideals rather than THE Ideal. Another fruit or gift given to us from the Spirit if we are willing to ask for it is joy. It flows into us from the Holy Spirit and flows out of us in our lives.
“Believers are not dependent upon circumstances. Their joy comes not from what they have, but from what they are; not from where they are, but from whose they are; not from what they enjoy, but from that which was suffered for them by their Lord.” (Spurgeon)
Spend some time today reading through these verses, asking God to share a little more understanding of the joy that He has desired to give you all along.
Day 20
Lover of enemies?
Verses:
1 John 4:20
- Matthew 5:46-47
- 1 John 3:18
- Romans 5:10
- Galatians 5:22-23
Challenge:
Jesus loved people on a whole other level. He loved His family, His disciples, His friends, His followers, and even complete strangers. He also had the ability to love someone in the midst of frustration and even abuse. We see this in the words that He said, the things that He did, the pain that He endured, etc. It seems that the way Jesus saw love as something that He did without paying attention to what the other person might do or feel in return. This ought to confound us a bit. We are in luck: love is a fruit of the Spirit. Spend some time today allowing God to speak love into your life. This may stretch you, but you will be stretched for the better. Sit back and watch for the fruit of love to show itself more and more like the level of love that Jesus showed.
Day 19
Verses:
The book of 1 John
Challenge:
God has a lot to tell His people in this book of the Bible. He talks about who He is, who Jesus is, and who we are in Christ. There is an emphasis on what we can be confident in, what we can find hope in, and what we should run from. As you read this, allow God to highlight any words or concepts that catch your attention. Maybe you can highlight these places in your Bible. Then spend some time praying through these ideas, asking God to show you what He meant when He wrote them.
Day 18
Others
Verses:
- Proverbs 10:17
- Proverbs 11:25
- Matthew 7
- Romans 12
- 1 Corinthians 13
Challenge:
God has a lot to say about how to treat others. A very large part of the New Testament is letters to churches addressing how exactly we ought to view and help our neighbor. Spend some time today allowing God to teach you about loving others well. Allow Him to tell you how you are doing well and what could stretch you.
Day 17
Hope
Verses:
- Psalm 62:5-8
- Isaiah 40:28-31
- Ezekiel 37:1-14
- Romans 15:1-13
- Hebrews 6
Challenge:
The hopeful can quickly become the hopeless. The weight of the world can bring us down. Our best intentions can so often become skewed by our own negative perspectives. With this said, how can you and I maintain hope in a world that aims to leave us hopeless? As you read these verses, look for how God seems to think that you can remain and become exceedingly hopeful.
Day 16
God – Elohim, Adonai, and Yahweh
God is our Creator, Master, and Judge. These words added together are used a total of 8,953 times in just the Old Testament. The writers of the Old Testament understood who they were talking to and about. Over the past week, we have looked at the different words that the Bible uses to describe our God. We now know more about the God who we talk to and about.
Today, I want to point to a resource by a pastor in California who I know named Francis Chan. He has a great way of painting who God is in relation to us. Go ahead and for today’s time with God, read this excerpt from his book. Then spend time thanking God for showing a little more of who He is.
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god_article.php?id=7543&print=true
Day 15
God – Mekoddishkem
Verses:
- Leviticus 20:8
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23
- Psalm 139
- John 17
Challenge:
Another name for God is Mekoddishkem, which means ”the Lord who sanctifies you.” The idea here is that the only one who could make us holy, must first be holy. Lucky for us, our God is holy. There is a dependence upon Him to “perfect,” “cleanse,” “purify,” and “consecrate” His people. Those reading these verses would have understood God’s role and His character as being one and the same. Our loving God who desires for you to be in relationship with Him, will go to great lengths to bring you to Him and then keep you there near Him, growing holier each day. As you read today’s verses, ask “Where is God working in your life?” “How have you been recently growing closer to Him?”
Day 14
God – Shaddai
Verses:
- Psalm 91
- Amos 5:14-15
- John 5:19-30
- Acts 5:29-32
- Revelation 1:7-8
Challenge:
Another name for God is Shaddai, which means Lord God Almighty, the most powerful. Pull apart the word Shaddai and it also means “to deal with violently,” “to devastate,” and to “destroy.” There is nothing and no one bigger, stronger, faster, louder, tougher, and smarter than our God. There has always been a healthy understanding that our loving God is quite powerful and capable of beginning and ending life. As you read these verses, hold on to the concept that when we see God flex His muscles in the Bible, it was FOR His people. How have you seen your Almighty God fight for you? How does He fight for others whom He loves? What are you willing to do to join Him in that fight?
Day 13
God – Olam
Verses:
- Jeremiah 10:1-16
- Isaiah 26:4
- Psalm 29
- Hebrews 13:8
- 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Challenge:
Yet another name for God is Olam, which means “Everlasting” or “Eternal” or “Forever.” This infiniteness of God is a very deep and awe-inspiring concept. Long before there was an earth, long before there was a word “before,” God existed. The God that we know so well was exactly the same as He is now, way back then. Our God was strong and capable and loving and honorable and good prior to whatever we could come up with. We are the new ones on the seen. Imagine for a moment how silly our momentary requests could be to this everlasting God, and yet He tells us that these momentary concerns are His concerns as well. As you spend time today reading these verses with your infinite God, take a step back and marvel at who He really is, what He is capable of, and what He has truly desired from the beginning of it all.
Day 12
God – Rapha
Verses:
- Exodus 15:26
- Jeremiah 17:5-18
- Psalm 103
- Matthew 9:1-12
- Luke 18:35-42
Challenge:
Another name for God is Rapha, which means “The Lord that Heals.” This name could also mean to restore, repair, make healthful or to cure. This restorative quality of God paints a picture of God longing for His people to be alive, whole, complete, healthy, and vibrant. The characters who we read about in the Bible who were close to God seemed to intimately grasp this concept and cried out to be restored and healed on a regular basis…and God came through time and again. Where have you been restored? Where do you need healing? As you read these verses, don’t hold back from putting down you Bible and crying out to God to cure once and for all whatever He needs to so as to make you whole and healthful.
Day 11
God -Jireh
Verses:
- Genesis 22:1-19
- 1 Peter 4:7-11
- 1 Timothy 6:17-19
- Acts 14:8-20
- Psalm 111
Challenge:
Another name for God is Jireh, which mean “provider.” This was a very important concept to those in the days of the Old Testament. Someone calling God their provider would have been taking a stand against all other gods of that day who were said to be capable of providing. On a personal level, calling God provider would symbolize utter dependence upon Him. As you read these verses, think through the gods that we “depend” upon and about instances when God’s provision has been undeniable. Look forward to your upcoming day and talk to God about His provision for what you will encounter on this day.
Day 10
God-Raah
Verses:
- Psalm 23
- Ezekiel 34:11-15
- Matthew 18:12-14
- 1 Peter 2:25
- John 10:1-21
Challenge:
Another name for God is Raah. It literally means shepherd. When this name was used of God, it would have meant that God leads or feeds his sheep and that we are His sheep. But there was also a meaning that would have confused most people here. When we read Raah, we can also get a sense that God is looking for a relationship. This word also means “friend” and “companion.” The Lord, my friend, is another meaning of this word. No other god of that day (or this day) would have had this name because no other god was this approachable. The Lord is my shepherd and friend. He looks out for you and longs to spend time with you. So as you read these verses, spend some time with your shepherd and friend, God.
Day 9
God – Nissi
Verses:
- Exodus 17:8-16
- Isaiah 11:10
- Psalm 20:5
- Isaiah 42:13
- 1 Timothy 6:11-16
Challenge:
Another name for God is Nissi. It means our banner. This may seem rather meeger as names go, but rest assured there is great power in the concept of our God being our banner. You see, in battle, armies would fly their banner. It was the battle cry. It would stand for who they were fighting for. It would encourage these soldiers to press on and it would give them hope to carry on. As long as that banner flew, there was hope. Our God is our eternal banner. As you read these verses, think of your God as your encouragement to fight the good fight. How do you and I live under this banner in our everyday lives? Spend some time talking to Him. He will be there, flying out ahead of you, encouraging you today.
Day 8
God – Qanna
Verses:
- Exodus 20:5
- Exodus 34:14
- Deuteronomy 4:24
- Song of Solomon 8:6
- 2 Corinthians 11:2-4
Challenge:
The Bible has many names for God. One of those names is Qanna. It means jealous. As you read these verses try to understand how jealousy can be a Godly characteristics. Also how do you relate to your perfectly jealous God? Spend some time asking God to forgive you for instances when you have tested his jealousy. God wants you to love him more than anything, because it is best and healthier for you to love him that way…like an all-consuming fire.
Day 7
Prayer
Verses:
- James 5:16
- Proverbs 15:8-9
- Psalm 34:15
- Acts 12:1-17
- Matthew 6:5-15
Challenge:
Prayer is one of those things that’s very often misunderstood. And when we apply it to our lives, we can find confusion for a myriad of reasons. There was a very clear confidence in the prayer lives of the church during the time of the disciples. Read through these verses. When you read the passage from Acts, ask yourself who was fervently praying and what were they praying for? How does this challenge your prayer life? What are we earnestly praying for? Who knows it may show up on our very doorstep. God is at work. God help us talk to you confidently both individually and as a connected church. Maybe you could talk to someone today about the topic of prayer and see what happens.
Day 6
Sustain
Verses:
- Psalm 55:22
- Psalm 37:23-24
- Matthew 19:26
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
- Matthew 7:7-11
Challenge:
Our God is our provider and our sustainer. Not only does He give you every good and perfect thing, He also accompanies and empowers you as you enjoy these gifts. He provides in the good times and bad, the easy and difficult, the placid and turbulent, the busy and the boring. Today as you read through these verses, think through both the burdened and the blessed areas of your life. Sustenance requires trust. It calls for a release that Jesus understood well. Re-read Matthew 7:7-11 and listen for the grandiose trust that Jesus had in His Father…we can assume that Jesus believes we can have this same trust. If He didn’t, we probably wouldn’t have these verses to read. Ask God to show you how to lean into His sustaining power more today than yesterday?
Day 5
Words
Verses:
- Colossians 4:6
- Ephesians 4:25-29
- James 1:19
- Proverbs 31:8-9
- 1 Peter 4:11
Challenge:
Today, allow God to plant some seeds of truth into your vocabulary. As you read these verses, there will be requests, suggestions, and commands made of you regarding your communication skills. There is also an understanding that God is hard at work in this part of your life, alongside and within you, guiding you towards what is best for you. As you go through your day today, ask God to walk with you and your words. How can what you say today be “salty”?
Day 4
Faithful
Verses:
- Hebrews 11:1-2
- 2 Timothy 2:13
- Psalm 33:4
- Numbers 23:19
- Hebrews 11:11
Challenge:
Hebrews 11:1-2 gives a great definition of faith. It is the ability to see the unseen. According to verse 2, we even honor and respect those who do this well. Perhaps, this is because we realize how difficult real faithfulness can be. Spend some time reading through the rest of these verses. As you do, think of times that God has been faithful. When has He seen the unseen in you, even if you can’t? Thank Him for His unfailing faithfulness, in every season of your life. Find someone to talk to about this.
Day 3
Anxious…
Verses:
- Philippians 4:6
- Proverbs 3:5-8
- Psalm 73:21-28
- 1 Peter 5:7
- Philippians 4:7
Challenge:
List some anxieties that you have in your life right now. Knowing these will help you as you take the advise of these verses and cast these cares upon Him. Spend some time honestly walking through these stress- causing issues with God. Ask Him for insight about how best to walk with Him through today. Now re-read Philippians 4:6-7 and look at God’s gift to you in verse 7.
Day 2
Glory
Verses:
- John 8:54
- 2 Corinthians 3:18
- 2 Corinthians 4:17
- Hebrews 1:3
- Revelation 19:1
- Ephesians 3:14-21
Challenge:
Take a few moments to remind yourself of God’s glory. Perhaps writing down a few moments in your life when God has shown you just how glorious He is could help this moment be more personal. Spend some time with Him thanking Him for these times and for what He plans to show you about Himself today.
Day 1
Trials and Perseverance
Verses:
- James 1:2-4
- 1 Peter 1:3-9
- Romans 5:1-5
- Galatians 5:22-23
- Psalm 119:49-50
- 1 Peter 5:10
Challenge:
Read through these verses again, slowly, asking God to give you a fresh perspective about these verses. Look for what the authors here are trying to communicate and who they are trying to communicate to. Funny thing is all 5 authors are saying the same thing about God and God’s promises in tough times. What is it? Maybe the regiment of a new week after this mission trip has you a bit down; maybe you’re ambivalent; maybe you’re excited to get back to the grind. Make sure you take a few moments today to talk to your God about all of this throughout the day.
Please feel free to share any insight or encouragement or prayers that you may have.
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Thanks Steve,
I’m at work already but will find time to read these verses through out the day today. This is a great way to start the day.
So, suffering makes us stronger and allows our Faith to shine even brighter. It doesn’t feel like that while in the middle of a trial but I do know the joy of coming out on the other side and I need to remember that more when in the midst of a storm. I love the thought of being refined.
I look forward to having new verses to read throughout the busy day. This will make me (hopefully) to take the time to meditate on God’s word daily. I like structure!!! Thanks for putting this together for us all. And the pic makes me a little homesick for Costa & everyone.
More of a Night Time Devotion for me this day, but what a great one! Thank you. I never compared the writings of Paul, James, Peter, Psalms like this before and I really enjoyed it! God’s different ways of telling us the same thing reaffirms to me that God REALLY wants us to get this point about trials leading to endurance leading to character and ultimately joy and other fruits of the Spirit. Good night for now!
What a great way to start the day. Thank you Steve. I just have not taken the time before to sit and read from the Bible in the mornings. This is a practice I want to keep in my life.
What a blessing to have the daily reading along a theme laid out and waiting each morning it is a powerful way to read life’s manual! Since I can’t always read an actual bible it may be helpful to others to use this link (Click the lookup multiple passages and you can see them all at once by simply cutting and pasting from Steve’s verses!)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/
Glory to God All-Ways
I think all of us probably struggle with this, especially the way the economy is today. It’s hard to trust the Lord totally and give him the control when you are having trouble in business, etc. However, Proverbs 3:5-8 became a standard verse in our household 3 yrs. ago when we went through some very rough times and now it is all over our house! – I even found a pillow with the verse written on it. It reminds us daily – not to be anxious, that HE’s in control!
PS – Love the new set-up, Steve. Easy access. Thanks!
There really isn’t anyone who would be more trustworthy to place in control than our God…but for some reason it truly is so often very difficult to remember that. Personally, I am a white board guy. There are dry-erase marker-ings everywhere reminding me of God’s trustworthiness. Linda, you are absolutely right, He is in control!