We’ve just finished our last week of Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore. In week ten we studied self-control. Our Bible Cafe™ small groups have been growing in wisdom and friendships. Our study on self-control examined boundaries and protection, with our body as a prime target.
Self-control: Exercising discipline and restraint over one’s emotions, desires, and impulses.
Beth Moore writes, “The key to self-control is the refusal to allow our enemies (the flesh, the world, or Satan) to rule or hold us captive in any way… Christ has given us the victory over our flesh, our world, and our accuser.”
Our self-control reclaims our spiritual territory in who we are and whose we are. Claim it.
In this last chapter, Beth discusses many life areas where we are tempted to lack control. She then offers biblical references to remind us of the importance of standing our ground and walking in faith, not self.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Psalm 119:37
Beth concludes our Fruit of the Spirit study with a checklist of activities to keep you grounded in faith. Imagine tending to your garden as you apply these activities.
It is not God’s will for us to be mastered by anything other than Him. –Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore
Welcome to the Bible Cafe™ for Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore. If you have been reading along with us, we’ve already covered love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. This week we looked at the fruit of Gentleness. We’ll be completing our study next week with a look at self-control.
Gentleness: Showing humility, meekness, and a considerate demeanor towards others.
As we study the Fruit of the Spirit we are given a front-row seat with the Holy Spirit Himself being our tour guide. He is helping us understand each of their divine characteristics.
Beth Moore has helped us see these characteristics of the Holy Spirit. In this ninth week, we learned that Gentleness in the Fruit of the Spirit includes submission, humility, and teachability. Scripture reveals how God the Father provides humility and gentleness toward our rebellious behavior.
The Sword of the Spirit is to injure Satan, not the body of Christ. –Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore
Welcome back to the Bible Cafe™ and week eight of our study on the Fruit of the Spirit. This week in Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore, we focused on Faithfulness. We looked at the idea of believability as it relates to God. Beth Moore gave an amazing example of faithfulness through believing in a God we cannot see.
Faithfulness: Dependability, loyalty, and trustworthiness in fulfilling commitments.
Believing is walking by our faith, not by our sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Yesterday I watched a blind man walk through our city streets, and what I saw amazed me. This man had a huge smile on his face, a bounce in his step, and an attitude of confidence in something he could not see: the sidewalk before him.
As I saw his white walking stick tap and move across the sidewalk and I thought of our Scripture verse. This man walked with JOY and by FAITH that he COULD see.
The blind man was evidence of Hebrews 11:1 -sure of what he hoped for (not falling) and certain of what he could not see (where the sidewalk ends). Do you have as much faith as a blind man?
By faith, we know God loves and cares for us and stands on His promises.
In our Bible Cafe™ small group discussions for Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore, we reviewed prophecies and evidence. God has been faithful to us…unyielding in His love and patience with us. We bring Glory to Him when the fruit of the Holy Spirit reflects in us.
You may not always be aware of another person’s absence but you will quickly be aware of another person’s presence of faith.
And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6
Welcome back to the Bible Cafe™ for week seven of Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore. This week we learned about two more fruit: Kindness and Goodness. Our study examined the cords of kindness and examples of Jesus demonstrating kindness to a mourner, a doubter, and a mocker. As in the past weeks, this study was rich with Scripture verses and practical knowledge.
Kindness: An attitude of benevolence, compassion, and gentleness towards others.
Goodness: Moral excellence and uprightness in actions and character.
Beth Moore writes, “The Fruit of the Spirit is divine. They are impossible goals for the unbeliever, yet attainable-but not automatic graces for the true believer.” Throughout the past seven weeks of our study, we’ve been learning how to grow good Fruit into our spiritual lives.
With God as the Giver, we receive these fruits to do good and benefit those He loves. Pray we’ll use our gifts as God intended, completing the course He has set before us, with the outcome of Kindness and Goodness towards others (Beth Moore).
In the Bible Cafe™ small groups, we talked about our generation and the opportunity to impact it with the Fruit of the Spirit. In our study Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore we have unlocked the importance of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and goodness. In the remaining three weeks of this study, we’ll focus on the fruit of Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. Deut 7:9
We’re on week six of Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore. Welcome to the Bible Cafe™ as we study, connect, and grow. We can’t love people if we don’t have the patience to deal with people or the circumstances we may find ourselves in.
Patience: The ability to endure and persevere with composure in challenging or difficult situations.
We know that we are to exhibit patience toward others because God exhibited patience toward us. Looking at the “ungrateful servant” (Matthew 18), we see the consequences of not exhibiting the patience that is granted to us. What an amazing thought to see ourselves through the lens of the Bible. From the worldview perspective, lack of patience is a commonly accepted behavior.
We are challenged by Beth Moore to consider the world WILL NOT help us in this regard. Again, the world is not prepared to exhibit patience in our fast-paced society, as everybody wants everything right now. We are asked to show God’s patience towards others the way that He shows patience toward us every day.
In the Bible we are asked to bear with one another; to endure…to exercise restraint when dealing with people. That does not mean that we are to be doormats and gluttons for punishment. What that means is that we are to be slow to respond negatively to persecution and hardship. We guard our hearts and mouths against gossip, slander, and anger
In the Bible Cafe™ small groups, we talked about Biblical forgiveness. We learned that we cannot walk in step with the Spirit if we are so busy keeping a record of wrongs. Biblically, we give Satan a foothold as he notices the division between us as individuals and between us and God.
You cannot be free to keep in step with the Spirit when you are encumbered by the load of unforgiveness. –Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore
Welcome back to the Bible Cafe™ and week five of Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore. We saw five Portraits of Peace this week. How comforting, since we also know Satan is roaming the earth back and forth looking to devour our peace. Jesus comes with his sword, the Holy Spirit, and gives us peace. Today we have access to the Father and the authority of spiritual peace.
Peace: A state of inner tranquility, harmony, and wholeness, as well as the absence of conflict.
As we discussed in Bible Cafe™ small groups, peace is not passive and it involves our participation. We must pray, give thanks and trust the Lord in our turmoil. We pour out our hearts to Him and trust Him with our peace.
Beth Moore reminds us, “God is not a proponent of emotional annihilation but He gives us specific instructions regarding emotions.”
The Bible says: We seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:14)
In our reading this week, Beth Moore reminds us there are times when we can be in a complete turmoil of circumstance and yet have a state of total peace. Other times we can have nothing to complain about, yet feel a complete loss of peace.
Christ had perfect peace in the storm. –Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit by Beth Moore
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27
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CHRISTINE ABRAHAM is a Writer Redeemed by Christ. Lifetime Bible Reader. Coffee Drinker. Beach Walker. Mother of Girls. Bible Teacher. Founder at Bible Café™ Ministries.
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CHRISTINE ABRAHAM is a Writer Redeemed by Christ. Lifetime Bible Reader. Coffee Drinker. Beach Walker. Mother of Girls. Bible Teacher. Founder at Bible Café™ Ministries.
