22 DAYS TO PENTECOST

22 DAYS TO PENTECOST

TEXT:  GALATIANS 5

¹⁶This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

 ¹⁷For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

 ¹⁸But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

 ¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

 ²⁰Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

 ²¹Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

 ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 ²⁴And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

 ²⁵If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

 ²⁶Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

KEY TEXT: Galatians 5:22 “…But the fruit of the Spirit is GOODNESS…”

REFLECTION:  Modern men are loathe to differentiate between good and bad.  What’s worse, when they do muster the courage to make such distinction they often call good “evil” and evil “good.”  Depravity diminishes and destroys discernment as well as the impulse to do and to be good.

God’s Word clearly differentiates between good and evil.  But it is God’s Spirit who brings: 1. Discernment--the ability to see the difference between good and evil. 2. Desire--to do what is good and shun what is evil. And 3. The strength to do what is good and avoid what is evil. 

Our Lord Jesus urged his disciples to do good.  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). He praised Mary for her good choice, “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42). He instructed his followers, “Love your enemies and do good to them which hate you.” (Luke 6:27).  And He warned, “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.” (Matthew 7:19). 

Christ taught that evil deeds evidence evil hearts.  “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” (Matthew 7:18).  He explained, “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:35)

Yet Christ knew that natural men are powerless to do or to be good.  He urged His disciples to “wait for the Promise of the Father.” He promised that when they were filled with the Spirit they would “receive power.” (Acts 1:8). Certainly this power would enable his disciples to be and to do good.

“Goodness” is the sixth of the nine aspects in the Fruit of the Spirit.  This goodness is a sincere and perpetual desire to not only avoid evil and the appearance of evil, but to do and to be good.  Hearts purified by the Spirit of God are made good and they do good to the bodies and souls of all men to the best of their ability.

The Apostle Paul tells us, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” (Ephesians 2:10).  The Spirit reworks our nature, so that we might work out God’s good, acceptable, and perfect will in our lives.

At the close of life’s day there is no tribute greater than “He was,” or “She was so good.”  That will be undoubtedly true of all who display the “Fruit of the Spirit…GOODNESS.”

PRAYER: Lord God, Truly you Lord are good!  The more we know, the more we see, the more we live, the more we are impressed—You alone are good.  At the same time, the more we know and see ourselves, the more we are distressed—We are not good.  Yet Lord you have not left us without redeeming and sanctifying grace! Through your Holy Spirit we are made righteous, and transformed from bad to good!  We pray that the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in our lives today.  May our thinking, our acting, and our being be good.  All of this we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. “Our Father, &c.”