Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

The challenge presented to us by reading the fruit of the Spirit is to live it everyday. Christ did, and if we are to have the "mind of Christ", as He has called us to do, then we must exhibit His fruit. The consolation is that the fruit of the Spirit is available to

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God Psalm 146:5 NIV

I'm glad my hope is in the Lord! I know people who don't have this hope. They hope in a "lucky break". They hope that "all the cards fall into place". They hope that the "stars look upon them". They hope in the chance of life to be in their favor.

My

Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him! Psalm 147:1 NIV

Show me a bad day and I'll show you a day that needs to lift voices in praise! Show me a broken heart, and I'll show you are heart that needs to sing praises to God. Show me a wounded spirit; a discouraged saint; a frightened child;

And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I

Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. Mark 5:29 NIV

Not only did the bleeding stop, but she could physically feel that she was better! Oh, what a blessing the Lord provides to His people when we come to Him with our burdens of life.

I love the word immediately! Some words seem to provide

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?" "You see the people crowding against you," His disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?'" But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell

For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. Leviticus 17:11 NIV

Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. Exodus 12:3 NIV

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22 NIV

There is no other way. Yesterday we saw the importance of blood. Today we see again the importance of the shedding of blood. Without it, there would be no forgiveness. Can you say thank you God for

He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:12 NIV

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers,

God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:25-26 NIV

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

That day when evening came, He said to His disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Mark 4:35 NIV

This week we will look at a very familiar passage of Scripture. I hope we may glean new insight into who God is, who Christ is, and who we are as we relate to them.

Notice the verse says that Jesus said "to His disciples". You need to

Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Mark 4:36-37 NIV

If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, then you need to accept Jesus, just as He is!

The disciples got into the boat by

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:38-39 NIV

"Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

Jesus, don't you care that my heart is

He said to His disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Mark 4:40 NIV

"No, faith. How can you say we have no faith?" I wonder if the disciples ever asked Jesus that question. After the storm was calmed, and the shock and amazement wore off, I wonder if they started to think about what Jesus had asked, "Do you still have NO

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!" Mark 4:41 NIV

Oh, to simply trust the Lord! What a marvelous way to go through life.

I know that intellectually. I know that experientially! I know that in my heart! Oh, but to live that truth everyday, there is the challenge!

The disciples were

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is near." Matthew 4:17 NIV

It doesn't surprise me that Jesus would preach about repentance. After all, Jesus came so that He might give eternal life to all who would repent of their sins and receive His salvation through Him. Christ had a sole purpose in His incarnate

Then the crowd replied to Him, "We have heard from the law that the Messiah would remain forever. So how can You say, The Son of Man must be lifted up?' Who is this Son of Man?" John 12:34 HCSB

It had begun. The crowd was questioning Jesus. There was great interest in Him. His walk to the Cross was almost over, and the anticipation of what was

Bear with me while I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on. Job 21:3 NIV

One of the hardest things for me to do as a husband is to listen without comment. As men, we are generally "fixers". We want to fix the problem. So, when our wives come to us with a problem, our desire is often to provide solutions. Or, at worst, to dismiss the problem as

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Romans 15:1 NIV

My wife and I plan out our days of doom and doldrums. She gets four days to sing the blues one week and I get three. Then the next week, I get four days and she gets three. This keeps both of us from being in bad moods at the same time. The