The Fruit Of The Spirit

The fruit branch never struggles to produce its fruit. As it abides in the vine and allows the life of the vine to flow through it, the fruit is automatically produced in the branch. Jesus is the vine, we are the branch.  

In the life of the believer the Spirit always produces fruit. Matt. 7:20.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

LOVE—Jesus first, others second, and you and me last. JOY—The reflection of the light of God in our hearts. 

PEACE—When the Spirit rules in our lives we will experience peace with God, with others and with ourselves - Phil. 4:7; John 14:27. LONG-SUFFERING—Willing to accept and bear injury, Matt. 18:21-35; Luke 17:3-5. 

GENTLENESS —A sweetness of attitude - Easy to get along with and easy to please. 
GOODNESS—A willingness to do good and help others, Matt. 7:12. Christian love in action  1John 3:18; James 2:15-16. FAITH—Ability to trust in God and to be trusted by God and man, Mark 11:22; Heb. 11:6; Rom. 14:23; 1 Cor. 4:2.

MEEKNESS—Restraint - Power under control. Not weakness.  TEMPERANCE—Self Control. A life submitted to the will of God, all weights and hindrances laid aside and besetting sins dealt with, Heb. 12:1-2.

Are you allowing the Spirit to produce fruit in your life?

— Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed written permission.

In Love With Jesus

Thank God, there is help for those who seek the power of God—who want to know the Lord in His fullness.

When we are walking in Him and in His love, He works in us and through us to accomplish the things He desires in our lives. 

In other words, it doesn’t fall to us to make the Christian life happen. Our duty is to yield to Him. When we do, His power transcends our weakness and enables us to live for the Lord and to accomplish great things for His glory.

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

If we will praise the name of Jesus and be head over heels in love with Him, God will be glorified by our lives. 

If we can bring that attitude to church, God will be glorified by our church.

— Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed written permission. 

Private Prayer

In contrast to the hypocrites who liked to pray in public places to be seen of others, Jesus tells His people to go into a private place to pray.  

Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

As believers, we have the privilege during our times of private prayer to step out of this world and enter the presence of God, to commune with Him. That’s why private prayer is so precious and powerful.  

When we pray in private we can freely pour out our hearts to the Lord about personal matters that might embarrass us if others heard.  

In private prayer we can call out names of people that burden us. We can humble ourselves and be honest with the Lord—be who we really are.   

There is nothing wrong with praying as a group. In Matt. 6:9 Jesus tells us to say “Our Father.”  This implies open prayer. 

Do you keep a regular time of private prayer with the Lord?

— Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed written permission. 

Faith

Faith is not a blind leap into the dark but a confident leap into the arms of God. Often the end is not in view, but the landing is never in doubt. Faith has the capacity to see what the eyes can’t see. 

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

It takes faith to stand when others are falling, to follow God into an unknown or a blind man looking for a miracle. 

Faith is the knowledge that God is in absolute control of all the situations of life and that He is working in every thing all the time, Rom. 8:28; Eph.  

Faith cashes the checks God has written in His Word. 

There is only one life that pleases the Lord and it’s the life lived in faith, Heb. 11:6. The secret to experiencing and enjoying God's best is to let go of your life, place it in His hands, and live it His way.

— Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed written permission. 

God Works In Mysterous Ways

Psalm 143:8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

William Cowper, the great hymn writer, lived with depression. One day he hired a carriage driver to take him to London Bridge where He planned to throw himself into the river and end his life. They rode for hours in dense fog.

Frustrated, Cowper demanded that the driver stop and let him out to walk. When he stepped from the carriage he was shocked to find that he was standing at his own front door. 

It became apparent to him that the Lord still had a use for his life. He entered his home and penned the words to that famous hymn, “God Works In Mysterious Ways”.

“God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform;

He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill,

He treasures up His bright designs And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take The clouds ye so much dread

Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower.

 Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.”

When we are in the valley we need a fresh encounter with the Lord. 

— Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed written permission. 

Standing On The Promises

An old man who was dying couldn’t remember God’s promises but was reminded that God never forgets.

The promise of His presence has the power to drive away fear – 2 Tim. 1:7. We can count on these following promises:

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 

God will strengthen us—give us grace for every need when we need it in the exact proportion that we require it; Phil. 4:19.

He will get us safely through the journey until we reach Heaven. 

Here is a reality: If God is our God and has done mighty deeds and hasn’t changed; (Heb. 13:8)—why do we fear, fret or faint? 

Our journey may be long or it might be short, but whatever we face, I am thankful that we can stand on God and His promises. 

— Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed written permission. 

Green Pastures And Still Waters

Psalm 23:1-2 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

The Shepherd tenderly leads His sheep to places of greatest safety and nutrition.

It’s a great picture of what Jesus does for His children. He leads us into the green pastures of His Word, allows us to graze on the riches contained therein, and shelters us while we rest in His amazing grace.

The Shepherd leads his sheep beside still waters because he knows they won’t drink from a running stream. They fear the water because they are not designed for swimming. 

The Great Shepherd also knows that believers need the cool waters of His grace to make it through this world. He knows that we need places of stillness where we can rest and reflect upon Him and His blessings.  

He cares about the things we are facing today, and He provides a place of rest, peace and safety from them, Heb. 4:15,16; 1 Pet. 5:7; Matt. 11:28. 

— Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their expressed written permission.