On Second Thought There is a battle taking place in every believer that few people ever witness. It is not fought with visible weapons or dramatic confrontations but within the thoughts, desires, and intentions of the heart. Paul describes this conflict in Galatians 5 as the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. “Stand fastContinue reading “The Battle Nobody Else Can See”
Tag Archives: fruit of the Spirit
The Quiet Fragrance of Faithfulness
As the Day Ends “For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.” — Acts 11:24 As evening settles in and the noise of the day begins to fade, it is comforting to remember that God often works most deeply through ordinary, faithful people. Barnabas was not known forContinue reading “The Quiet Fragrance of Faithfulness”
Awakened to Honor
As the Day Begins “Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” — Ephesians 4:30 There is a sobering tenderness in Paul’s warning to the church at Ephesus. The Greek word for “grieve” is lypeō, meaning to cause sorrow, distress, or emotional pain. Paul was not speakingContinue reading “Awakened to Honor”
Joy That Cannot Be Taken
Living in the Fullness of Christ A Day in the Life “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” (John 17:13) There are moments in the life of Jesus that, if we slow down long enough, begin to reshape howContinue reading “Joy That Cannot Be Taken”
The Hidden Life That Bears Fruit
A Day in the Life “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me, you can do nothing.” – John 15:5 As I walk through the words of Jesus in John 15, I find myself slowing down, almost as ifContinue reading “The Hidden Life That Bears Fruit”
Shining Where It Matters Most
A Faith That Cannot Be Hidden As the Day Begins “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) There is something unmistakable about light when it enters a dark room. It does not struggle to be seen; it simply exists, andContinue reading “Shining Where It Matters Most”
The Exchange That Changed Everything
Walking in His Righteousness A Day in the Life “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21 There are moments in Scripture that do not simply inform us—they arrest us. This is one of them. IContinue reading “The Exchange That Changed Everything”
Love at the Center
Living the Life the Spirit Produces As the Day Begins “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” — Galatians 5:22–23 There is something both simple and searching about Paul’s description of the fruit of the Spirit. He does not say “fruits,” as though these qualities wereContinue reading “Love at the Center”
It’s Not What You Wear
Clothed in Christ, Formed by Love As the Day Begins “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” — Ephesians 2:10 There is something about a foggy morning that strips away clarity and forces us to slow down. The world feelsContinue reading “It’s Not What You Wear”
Called by Name, Sent with Purpose
On Second Thought There is something deeply personal in the way God works, yet something equally universal in how He loves. When I reflect on the call of Samuel in 1 Samuel 3, I am struck not only by the tenderness of God’s voice, but by the intentionality behind it. “The Lord called Samuel: andContinue reading “Called by Name, Sent with Purpose”