Moments For You

The Apostle Paul describes “the fruit of the Spirit” as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These qualities reflect God’s character and the behavior of those living according to God’s Spirit. When we become connected to God through Jesus Christ, we’re like new branches that... Read more →

Within the greatest commandment are two imperatives: “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart … you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:28-31). Love is the core of the instruction. But what does it mean to love? We use that word rather loosely in our... Read more →

When it comes to joy, we are all about it. And this is not problematic; God has created us to be joy seekers. The problem is when we seek joy in the wrong places. We are looking at the fruit of the Spirit—fruit that grows and flourishes not because of... Read more →

Peace is “the way things ought to be.” Peace with God begins with a right relationship with Him. It is evidence of the Holy Spirit working in us. Peace comes as we live life with God, loving and knowing Him. God’s peace comes because we trust who He is. “My... Read more →

To be longsuffering is to have patience and self-restraint while one is in a challenge. Romans 5:3-4 adds, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Rejoicing in our sufferings is not usually our first response.... Read more →

“Be kind” campaigns have been popular in recent years. The phrase often pops up on yard signs, event banners, and social media hashtags. The idea is simple enough, communicating the desire for a more peaceful society in which we choose to be nice to others, rather than mean, vengeful, or... Read more →

Being faithful to God means that there will be some evidence of our faith in God. A faithful Christian will produce fruit. Faithfulness does not mean that we will be perfect. It does not mean that we won’t struggle or that we won’t make poor decisions. It does mean that we... Read more →

The shift in American culture from character to image has turned vanity and pride into virtues. The strong, the beautiful, the powerful, the intelligent, and the privileged take every opportunity to put themselves forward. Probably the least admired character quality in America is meekness. And yet the greatest Person who... Read more →

It’s not a flashy concept or an especially attractive idea. It doesn’t turn heads or grab headlines. It can be as seemingly small as saying no to another Oreo, French fry, or milkshake—or another half hour on Netflix or Facebook—or it can feel as significant as living out a resounding... Read more →