FoTS - Kindness

"Be kind to your web footed friends,

For that duck may be somebody's mother

She lives in a hole in a swamp

Where the weather is always damp

You may think that this is the end:

Well, it is!" (sung to Stars & Stripes Forever)

That's an old Boy Scout song from my youth. I'm not sure WHY it came to mind just now but there it is.

'Kindness' is a fruit of the Spirit and stop #5 on our Fruit of The Spirit tour. It's nearest friends are compassion and love, yet, although those feelings are usually reserved for those closest to us, we can also be kind to complete strangers.

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." - Ephesians 4:12

Recently, my wife and I drove to Michigan for a family reunion. During our stay there we visited my uncle and aunt, who are in their 90's.

It's been over a year now since my aunt's cancer diagnosis. She's actually doing pretty good considering her decision not to seek treatment. A year later she is still up and talking with us. Especially my wife.

You see, my wife went out of her way to exhibit kindness this past year by sending my aunt monthly cards with hand-written notes. My aunt appreciated those very much and told my wife that, repeatedly.

It was such a joy watching those two ladies talking with one another!

Questions:

1. How will you exhibit kindness today? This week?
2. Show kindness to a total stranger this week. What was their reaction?
3. Is someone you know struggling with something right now? How could you demonstrate kindness to them?
4. One act of kindness could changed someone's life. Who will you go out of your way to be kind to this week?
5. Open a door for someone this week and greet them with a smile. What was their reaction?

Subliminal

It's hard to see perhaps, due to my poor photography skills, but the above picture is a hand-drawn cross on one of my disc golf putters. Inside the cross are the words to Psalm 23.

As part of the class I teach for the local Parks & Rec Department, we play "Best Shot" on some of the holes at the local course. I use this disc to mark what the kids think is the best shot. And everyone throws from its position. Everyone sees it.

I don't preach the Gospel or tell the kids about Jesus. But I do let my actions, and this disc, do my talking for me.

During the last class one of the dad's picked up my disc and looked at it. And I began to pray a quick prayer.

"What's this say?" he asked.

"It's Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want."

My "conversation starter disc" was working. Soon the dad was telling me about his faith and a program he supports called Project Bible Runners. They give out donated Bibles to anyone in need, anywhere in the world. Sometimes countries don't allow people to import their bibles. That's why they are called 'runners,' because they literally run them in.

Anyway I thought that was cool. Check them out at the link below.

My new friend had a daughter in the class. I taught her to throw a "roller." Soon she was out-rolling the older, stronger boys. You should have seen the smile on her face. 😁

Perhaps she will be the first Bible "roller," spreading to gospel of Jesus . . . and also the gospel of disc golf.

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." - Matthew 24:14

Come, Lord Jesus!

Project Bible Runners

FoTS - Patience

"Why is this car in front of me going so slow? Don't they know I'm late for work?"

"What? My flight is delayed? This is no way to start a vacation!"

Sound familiar? "Patience is a virtue," they say. It is also a Fruit of The Spirit, and stop #4 in our Fruit of the Spirit Bible study.

It is SO easy to be impatient in today's fast-paced world. Our schedules can get pretty full these days and one delay can throw the whole thing off. What to do? What to do?

Is our lack of patience a sign that we don't have the Holy Spirit in us? It could be. Perhaps it might be time to examine ourselves, and our schedules.

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" - 2 Corinthians 13:5

Our patience can be tested when we cram too many things into our day. Can we fully enjoy a conversation with a friend if we are constantly checking our watch because we have somewhere else to go?

Patience has a companion called priorities. They often travel together. As an example, a family might be at a weekend soccer match, but games are running behind. Evening plans need to be changed. Games get postponed until Sunday morning. Now what? Skip worship?

Patiently waiting on The Lord must be a priority in our lives. If we are not patient, do you think that God will try to TEACH us to be patient? Mhmm.

"But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." - 2 Peter 3:8

Uh-oh. I don't have time to wait THAT long!

"But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." - Romans 8:25

Questions:

1. When was the last time you were impatient? Was it worth it? Describe. 
2. When you are impatient, what other emotions come along for the ride?
3. What do you do while you are waiting for God to answer your prayer?
4. Why is God so patient with us, even in our impatience?
5. How can I exhibit patience while others don't?

A 2AM Prayer

It's 2AM. Again. Why can't I sleep Lord? Is there something I have left undone? Is there something that You want me to do?

Why do I find myself wide awake when I should be sleeping, resting? It's like I have left something unfinished. Like a door unlocked or a faucet left running, there is unrest within me.

"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?" - Psalm 43:5

My hope is in You, Lord. There is no one else who can do the things You do. You have power over ALL things. So, why am I awake? Why is my mind not sleeping when that is my desire?

I search in my heart, trying to discover the answer. Is there someone who needs a friend? A prayer? Is there someone I have not loved that you have given me?

So much is happening in this world right now. Such evil and strife. Violence, wars and rumors of wars, hunger, pestilence, earthquakes, floods. What is next, Lord?

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come." - Matthew 24:6

It's 3AM now. Will writing these words for You give me rest? I hope so. That is my prayer.

"Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." - Psalm 43:5

Time to put down the phone. Time to trust. Close the eyes. Rest.

And then this verse came calling.

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." - Ephesians 6:17

And I awoke, and it was morning . . .

FoTS - Peace

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7

Paul wrote that to the church in Philippi. Why was he writing to them about God's peace? It was Paul's first church in Europe. Dear to his heart for sure. The city had been taken over by the Roman Empire - notorious for crucifying and burning Christians. They probably ALL could have used a little peace in their lives back then.

How about you? How's your life going? A little stressful at times perhaps? King David wrote about what HE thought peace looked like - still waters.

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul." - Psalm 23:1-3

It's interesting when we remember that David's descendant, Jesus, would day calm an entire sea.

What does peace look like in today's world? Safety perhaps. Strong doors on our homes with sturdy locks and hinges. It might also come in the form a steady job with an equally steady income. Knowing that there will be food on the table and clothing to wear can bring peace. But that's not the kind of peace that Paul was referring to.

Paul spoke of a peace that could not be understood. A peace that "surpasses all understanding." God's peace.

And how do we attain God's peace? By knowing Him. By "abiding in Him." Knowing that our eternity is sure brings tremendous peace. We might not fully understand it, but we fully receive it.

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, "Peace, be still." And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." - Mark 4:39 

Questions:

1. What are the things that give you peace in your daily routine?
2. Can you recall a time when you felt great peace? What were you doing?
3. In a perfect world, what would a peaceful day look like to you?
4. How can you obtain peace when your world is spinning out of control?
5. It seems that the world is never at peace. Why not?

What I Deserve

This story begins with a Linkin Park song, then proceeds through various images of relationships with friends, and ultimately ends up at the feet of Jesus. Are you ready for today's journey? Better buckle up.

First, the song. Give it a listen, at least until you hear the title for this story.

The New Divide - Linkin Park

It's rather obvious that the singer has suffered a broken relationship or two in his life. Especially in the second verse....

There was nothing in sight

But memories left abandoned

There was nowhere to hide

The ashes fell like snow

And the ground caved in

Between where we were standing

And your voice was all I heard

That I get what I deserve

We've all had broken relationships in our lives. Some were our fault, some were the other person's fault. And some, well, they never had a chance to begin with. The same can be said for our relationship with The Church.

Maybe we've been burned in a relationship with a church, so we left. Or perhaps it was because the church changed and we could no longer keep our relationship going, even though we might have wanted to.

There should be no discord within the church. We ARE instructed to 'love one another.' However, the earthly church is comprised of sin-filled humans. Our sin is also why our relationship with God has failed. We simply can't help ourselves.

Jesus told us of "the new divide" we will be experiencing if we don't know Jesus, and He doesn't know us.

"Between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us." - Luke 16:26

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned we've been on the outs with God. Destined for the bad side of that great divide. We will never be allowed to cross it. Ever. Our only hope is Jesus. He is "the bridge" we must choose to walk BEFORE we die.

Remember, "we get what we deserve."

"All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions." - Ephesians 2:3-5

Praise be to God The Father, and God the Son, by whom and through whom we are saved!

"It is by grace you have been saved." - Ephesians 2:5

FoTS - Joy

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." - John 15:11

Welcome back for Part 2 of our nine-part study on the Fruits of The Spirit (FoTS). There are nine of "fruits" listed in the Book of Galatians. If you haven't guessed by now, today we will be experiencing joy. Hopefully.

One might wonder what "things" Jesus was talking about in that opening verse that will will make our joy "full." Let's find out.

First of all, Jesus was talking to His disciples. He was telling them about His relationship with The Father and also about His relationship with them. In the first 11 verses Jesus uses the word "abide" ten times. Do you think Jesus wanted them to ABIDE in His love?

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love." - John 15:10

What does it mean to "abide?" Got Questions.org describes it this way:

"Abiding in Christ is not a special level of Christian experience, rather, it is the position of all true believers. The difference between those abiding in Christ and those not abiding in Christ is the difference between the saved and the unsaved."

We MUST abide in Jesus in order to experience true joy.

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." - James 1:2-4

And in the Book of Psalms it says we will find joy in the presence of God. And not just joy, but the fullness of joy.

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." - Psalm 16:3

There is joy, and then there is joy, in Christ. There IS a difference. And the difference is amazing.

There is a joy that the world can experience, but joy, in Jesus, is far better. We can experience a tragedy in life, but Jesus makes it better, less painful.

"He (God) has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” - Acts 14:17

Questions:

1. List three examples of true joy that you have experienced in your life.
2. Of those three examples, how many are related to Jesus? Describe.
3. How do you find joy in your struggles?
4. How has God made your joy "complete" (James 1:4)?
5. God has given you specific gifts. When you use them for God's glory, do you feel joy? Explain.