“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17 ESV)

The fruit of the Spirit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…” (Gal. 5:22 ESV)

The fruit of light

“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” (Eph. 5:8-11 ESV)

Abide in Jesus to bear much fruit

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 ESV)

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16 ESV)

Therefore…

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8 ESV)

“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matt. 3:8 ESV)

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” (Rom. 6:22 ESV)

Quote:

“It is of no use for any of you to try to be soul-winners if you are not bearing fruit in your own lives. How can you serve the Lord with your lips if you do not serve Him with your lives? How can you preach His gospel with your tongues, when with hands, feet, and heart you are preaching the devil's gospel, and setting up an antichrist by your practical unholiness?” - Charles Spurgeon

“So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” (Acts 14:3)

The righteous are bold as a lion

“The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Prov. 28:1 ESV)

Boldness without hindrance 

“Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” (Acts 28:31 ESV)

Boldness with confidence

“In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.” (Eph. 3:12 ESV)

Filled with the Holy Spirit to speak the Word of God with boldness

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31 ESV)

Therefore..

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 KJV)

“For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. Since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” (2 Cor. 3:11-12)

“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold…” (2 Cor. 3:12 ESV)

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness…” (Acts 4:29 ESV)

Quotes:

“His voice leads us not into timid discipleship but into bold witness.” - Charles Stanley

“When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful.” - Dwight L. Moody

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6 NLT)

Pride is about self focus

We usually think of pride as good thing, but God does not when it’s about self righteousness or conceit. That’s because self pride is the opposite of humility. Self pride puffs up a person and humility does not. Self pride is the sin that entered Satan and got him cast out of heaven. There is a difference between the kind of pride that God hates (Proverbs 8:13) and the kind of pride we can feel about a job well done (Galatians 6:4) or the kind of pride we express over the accomplishment of loved ones (2 Corinthians 7:4). The kind of pride that stems from self-righteousness or conceit is sin, and God hates it because it is a hindrance to seeking Him.

Pride precedes destruction 

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Prov. 16:18 ESV)

Pride precedes disgrace 

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.” (Prov. 11:2 ESV)

Humility precedes honor

“Fear of the LORD teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.” (Prov. 15:33 ESV)

Therefore…

“Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.” (Rom. 12:16 ESV)

“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” (Prov. 27:2 ESV)

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10 ESV)

Quote:

“Humility says you can learn from anyone. You don’t know it all. No one does! That’s why we need to remain teachable, humble, and lifelong learners.” - Rick Warren

“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” (Rom. 16:17-18 ESV)

Sowing discord among brothers is listed among the things God hates

“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” (Prov. 6:16-19 ESV)

Causing divisions is among the works of the fresh 

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:19-21 ESV)

“As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him…” (Titus 3:10 ESV)

Therefore…

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9 ESV)

Quote:

“Satan always hates Christian fellowship; it is his policy to keep Christians apart. Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly intercourse than we do. Since union is strength, he does his best to promote separation.” - Charles Spurgeon

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8 NIV) 

Agape love: Agape is the term that defines God's immeasurable, incomparable love for humankind. It is his ongoing, outgoing, self-sacrificing concern for lost and fallen people. God gives this love without condition, unreservedly to those who are undeserving and inferior to himself.

The greatest kind of love

The greatest kind of love is called  Agape love, which expresses itself in loving action toward others. God demonstrated it by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us to provide the free gift of eternal life for all who will believe (John 3:16-17). This kind of love is a new commandment given by Jesus and is how people will be recognized as His followers.  

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35 ESV)

Measure your love by comparing it to God’s love definition...

• Love is kind 

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” (1 Cor. 13:4)

• Love is not self-seeking

“ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Cor. 13:5)

• Love always rejoices in truth

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (1 Cor. 13:6 NIV)

•  Love always perseveres

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”  (1 Cor. 13:7 NIV)

• Love never fails

“Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” (1 Cor. 13:8 NIV)

Therefore...

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13 NIV)

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7 ESV)

“Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Cor. 16:14 ESV)

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 ESV)

Quote:

“In the New Testament, love is more of a verb than a noun. It has more to do with acting than with feeling. The call to love is not so much a call to a certain state of feeling as it is to a quality of action.” - R. C. Sproul

“And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze.” (Exo. 35:31-32 ESV)

Being able to create things is a wonderful gift from God

You see how God has put the knowledge and ability to create what they need within the nature of the creatures He’s made. Birds instinctively know how to build their nests and beavers know how to cut down trees and build dams. Every creature knows how to do what it needs to do. God has gifted humans to do much more than what animals can do. They can endlessly create as much as they can imagine. The above passage says that God gives us “intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs.” 

God provides creative skill for any sort of workman or designer 

“He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.” (Exo. 35:35 ESV)

The Lord be with you as you work 

“You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The Lord be with you!” (1 Chron. 22:15-16 ESV)

Therefore…

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Rev. 4:11 ESV)

“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3 ESV)

“But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.” (Gal. 6:4 ESV)

Quote:

“Creativity is contagious, pass it on.” - Albert Einstein

“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins…” (Heb. 19:26 ESV)

Watch out, sin is all around you, recognize it and avoid it!

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5 ESV)

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal. 5:19-21 ESV)

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6:9-10 ESV)

Confess sin immediately and turn from it

“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Prov. 28:13 ESV)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV)

Therefore…

“No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:6-10 ESV)

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:21 ESV)

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 ESV)

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Isa. 1:18 ESV)

Quote:

“I’m against sin. I’ll kick it as long as I’ve got a foot, and I’ll fight it as long as I’ve got a fist. I’ll butt it as long as I’ve got a head. I’ll bite it as long as I’ve got a tooth. And when I’m old and fistless and footless and toothless, I’ll gum it till I go home to Glory and it goes home to perdition!” - Billy Sunday

“Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matt. 10:31 ESV)

You are valuable because you were made in God’s image

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:26-27 ESV)

You are valuable because you’re wonderfully made by God

“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” (139:14 ESV)

You are valuable as a child of God!

“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12 ESV)

You are valuable because you were bought with the precious blood Of Christ 

“You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” (2 Cor. 7:23 ESV) 

Therefore…

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Cor. 5:17 ESV)

Quote:

“While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation.” - Maya Angelou

“By ourselves we are not qualified to claim that anything comes from us. Rather, our credentials come from God…” (2 Cor. 3:5)

God makes qualified those whom He calls

God does not call “qualified” people because God’s Word says that there are none that are qualified. “None are good; not even one.” (Rom 3:12). Instead, He makes qualified those He calls by His equipping them by the gifts of the Spirit. Therefore, He is the one who does the qualifying of those He calls, not we. 

Pray that you may become fully qualified 

“And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.” (2 Cor. 13:9)

Qualified to encourage others with sound teaching 

“…holding fast to the faithful Message which he has received, so that he may be well qualified both to encourage others with sound teaching and to reply successfully to opponents.” (Titus 1:9)

Therefore…

“…giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” (Col. 1:12 NASB)

“And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust [as a deposit] to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also.” (2 Tim. 2:2 AM)

Quote:

“God does not choose those who are fit. He outfits those whom He chooses.” – Jack Hyles