Friday Fruit : Spiritual Fruit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

To my mind, the Fruit of the Spirit is about trying to take on the attributes and characters of GOD.  We have all heard the expressions “The love of God” or “The peace of God…”etc.  These are all fruit of His Spirit, that we can manifest in our own lives in order to become more like him.

So as we try to follow the Holy Spirit, and seek the power and strength of the Spirit, we will see these things come to fruition in our own lives. 

I sort of think that we really have no idea what we are getting ourselves in for when we ask Jesus into our lives.  We receive salvation, but the process of sanctification (becoming pure, and Christ-like) takes longer. 

For this, we need to start developing Spiritual Fruit.

More about these Fruit next week.

What do you think Spiritual Fruit means?

Answer here, or on your own blog, and leave a link below so we can come visit you.

(click here for a full list of Friday Fruit posts on my blog)

Real Marriage–Mark and Grace Driscoll

In Real Marriage, Pastor Mark Driscoll and his wife, Grace, share how they have struggled and how they have found healing through the power of the only reliable source: the Bible. They believe friendship is fundamental to marriage but not easy to maintain. So they offer practical advice on how to make your spouse your best friend – and keep it that way.

 

I reviewed this book over at my other blog, but I also received a DVD companion series to review, which I am doing here. 

The DVD series takes the 11 chapters of the book, and turns them into a very interesting 11 week course.  I feel that it worked very well together with the book.

After reading each chapter of the book, there is a short (10 minute) DVD film to watch in which Mark and Grace talk about that weeks topic.  Then there are discussion questions for group-time, so the material can be looked at in a small group.
Then there is a series of questions for both the wife and the husband to answer separately as homework, and another series of questions to discuss together as a couple.

I liked the fact that there were very practical ways to engage with the book, and also the group-time/private-time/couple-time aspect.  I also liked that each week had ideas for a date night, including such ideas as “Invite a married couple over for dinner, and ask them questions about marriage.” Very practical and fun.

I liked that the weekly sessions were done in a way that there are activities and homework for singles as well, so engaged and non-married persons can learn from this teaching. 

What I did find was this….

This DVD series is NOT a replacement for the book.  The DVD covers about 5-10% of the material covered in the book, and in a lot less depth.  It is not a replacement, but rather a 10 minute discussion of what you have learned to start you talking about it in groups.  Do NOT buy this DVD series without buying the book as well. 

(NB, there is no copy of the book in the box-set, only the DVD and the study manuals. You will have to buy it separately)

Would I recommend this series?  Yes, totally.  It is great for personal study, or a group study.  Just don’t think it will replace reading the book.

Friday Fruit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

 

Join me in looking at The Fruit of the Spirit for the next 10 weeks.  Each Friday we will look at one of the Spiritual Fruit mentioned in this verse, and what we think it means.  Feel free to join in, by posting on a Friday.  You can snag the button either on the side-bar, or using the code below

<a href="http://sbreef.blogspot.com/2012/05/friday-fruit.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="ffthumb" src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc316/davidseven7/GourmetFruitBasket-1.jpg" /></a>

 

Here is the schedule for posts:

• 25 May   – What  “Fruit of the Spirit” means?
• 01 June  – Love
• 08 June  – Joy
• 15 June  – Peace
• 22 June  – Patience
• 29 June  – Kindness
• 06 July   – Goodness
• 13 July   – Faithfulness
• 20 July   – Gentleness
• 27 July   – Self Control 

I will (try to) post a Mr Linky each Friday so that you can post a link to your post. Otherwise you will just have to use the comments section.

Ascension Day

Today is Ascension Day. 

Did you know that?  Did you even know that it existed?  This is the day when we commemorate Jesus rising into heaven after his resurrection. 

I was reading where somebody referred to it as the fourth most important Holy Day in the Christian Calendar.  (After Christmas, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.)  However ever since they stopped it as a Public Holiday in my country, I think it is a bit of a non-event here for many Christians. 

I have to admit I am not a big attender of Church on this day.  I am happy to honour the event, but have never felt compelled to go to Church to do this on Thursday night.  I often do, but I do not see it as a major event.  For me, Jesus kind of pulled of the greatest miracle of all time when he rose from the dead.  Going back to heaven is great, but it is a bit like a magician making a hat appear out of thin air in the middle of an empty field, hanging in the air and surrounded by cameras… and then still expecting me to me surprised when a rabbit climbs out the hat.

Do other people out there still attend Ascension Day services? 
Does anyone else actually get a day off for it?
Is Ascension Day part of your observances over Eastertide?

You try to be supportive…