Summertime

​I love this time of year. As we have just finished the Easter Season, celebrated Pentecost and now we move into the season of the church. This is the season that we look at our responsibilities of living into our baptismal promises. How is it that we are growing in our imitation of Christ. It is a great time to read the Book of Acts, and look at how the disciples took their calling to live as the body of Christ here on earth seriously. They lived with Jesus and saw how he forgave others no matter what. He always looked out for the best of others and did not ask for anything for himself. Then in the book of Acts of the Apostles we see them also sharing the stories of Christ and their faith tirelessly and sharing the gifts that God has given them.

We see from the Book of Acts that everything except faith, hope, and love is temporary. These are the qualities that carry us forward in to eternity. Demonstrating their greater significance in comparison to the other gifts, which bring blessing only in this life.

Gifts are freely given by the Father, not by our merit but by His kindness. We can’t earn them; we can only receive them with a heart of humility. At the same time, there is something the Lord looks for in us, something we are responsible for developing, the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 says “But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. Gentleness, self-control.” Love is reflecting its supreme importance. We must ask ourselves– Have we learned to Love the way that Jesus loves us?

In Acts 10:38, Jesus went about doing good. Love and goodness is the Key aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. If you love others, you will always look out for the good of others. If your desire to develop goodness, consider how you can show kindness and do good to those you encounter. As you do remember you are demonstrating the character of Jesus.

Declare today : “I can do all things through Christ; therefore , I can grow in the fruit of the Spirit in my life.”

You are blessed to be a blessing and the more you bless, the more you will be blessed in return. Love is the soil from which the fruit of the Spirit can flourish. Silence is the language of the Spirit and doing good things is the strength of the spirit. We are called by God to share the Spirit with everyone we meet.
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God Bless,
Rev. Stephen W. Barch