Laura McCue Knowles

 Read:

Ecclesiastes 3:5 “A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.”

 Reflect:

1. What is a reason for throwing away stones or gathering them together?
2. When is a time from embracing?
3. When is a time to refrain from embracing?

 Remember:

In life there is a time for building up walls; for protection, for shelter, to separate or set apart. There is also a time to tear down walls in victory; when there is no more need for protection, shelter, or to be closed off (Ecclesiastes 3:5). The Jews knew a lot about building up walls and tearing them down as they struggled to live perfect lives under the law and failed time after time. Countless times God’s chosen people saw His saving grace and won victories only to tear down the walls of protection, were unfaithful to God, and saw disaster and defeat. Praise be to Jesus Christ that he came to break down the one wall that separated us from God forever. Where other walls protect, the wall of sin separates, and Jesus cast that sin as far away as the east is from the west (forever and ever away). The one true freedom we can have is life and peace in Jesus if we believe and turn to Him.

Turning to God gives us freedom from the law. It also gives us the ability to see what walls to keep in place to protect ourselves from being unfaithful to him until we no longer have fleshly sin to fight. One of those walls we are responsible for is in our relationships. As Christians we will be held accountable with the way we treat our body as the temple of God’s Holy Spirit. We need to put up walls, to keep our body a living sacrifice and testimony to God’s purity, in sustaining from intimacy outside of marriage. When we do this God will give us the desires of our heart as they become the desires of His heart in His perfect time. A marriage free from the weight and haunting of relationships from the past, that went to far, is well worth the wait.

Read:
- Ecclesiastes 3:4 “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.”
- Psalm 30:5 “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
- Psalm 30:11-12 “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing, You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”

Reflect:
1. When was a time in your life you have been really sad (mourning)?
2. Were you ever happy again and why?
3. Who do you give the glory to in your life, with your life?

Remember:
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Why must we endure weeping, pain, grief, trouble? Without the night, we could never see the morning sun. Without the sunlight in our lives we could never see and know the hope we have for tomorrow.

Our Savior and King, Jesus Christ, also endured mourning through His life and in His death. Through that darkness He rose to shine a light that all could see and believe. He is our hope and promise and our reason to dance and sing. To Him be all the glory, honor, and praise for who He is and what He has done! (Psalm 30:11-12)

Read:
- Ecclesiastes 3:3 “A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;”
- Isaiah 53:5 “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed”
- Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Reflect:
1. When is it a right time to kill?

2. Why was Jesus killed?

3. What is something in your life that you need to kill (break down) so that you can be healed to rebuild a new life in Christ?

Remember:
Jesus was beaten and killed for our transgressions and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). There is a time to kill and a time for healing in our lives. In fact, to live a new life in Christ we have to, not just die, but kill the old self within us. Salvation happens in a moment but a new life takes time. Don’t expect to become all that God wants you to be the moment you are saved. First healing must take place and then rebuilding one step at a time. The adventure of life goes on, full of trial and tribulation, but also of an overabundance of joys.

God rebuilds a life that is not conformed to the old ways of the world anymore but that is transformed by the renewing of our mind, to prove His good and perfect will (Romans 12:2). Go therefore and kill the old, let the healing take place and be rebuilt so that Christ is all and in all you are.

Read: (NKJV)
- Ecclesiastes 3:2b “A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted.”
- Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
- John 4:35b-36 “Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”
- Matthew 9:37 “Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Reflect:
1. When was a time in your life when you have planted (sown)?
2. When was a time in your life when you plucked (reaped) what had been planted?
3. What is your drive and motivation in life for what you give and take? Who are you pleasing?

Remember:
All farmers know the correct time for sowing different kinds of seeds and the correct time for harvesting the crop that has grown. In life we also sow different seeds in what we put our effort, time, and energy into. The apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 6:7 that “whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” What are you investing yourself in for the short amount of time you have been given on this Earth. There is a time for everything; how are you spending your time. If you invest in your flesh, in what you want, than you will reap corruption (Galatians 6: 8).
If the motivation that drives us is our sinful flesh, it will only bring about corrupt and fleeting pleasure that leads to pain. If we give our desires and energy to God in total abandonment, than our motivation is His hearts desire. We will sow of the Holy Spirit who lives in us and we will reap everlasting life (Galatians 6:8). What is His hearts desire? God has called us to be laborers in His field. He tells us in John 4:35- 36 and in Matthew 9:37 to labor and plant seeds of salvation for all who would hear and to harvest salvation for those who are ready to be free in Christ. The more we give up of ourselves to God, the more we can understand how much He gave up for us. When we live our utmost for His highest we will rejoice in the prefect plan He has for us, more than we could ever ask or think.

Read: (NKJV)
- Ecclesiastes 3:2 “A time to be born and a time to die,”
- Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…”
- Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
- Esther 4:14 “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your fathers house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Reflect:
1. When do you believe life begins?
2. What are you doing with the life you have been given?
3. One day when you die, what do you think others will say about you?

Remember:
“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get,” is a line from the popular 90’s movie, Forest Gump. Life is full of surprises and we may not know what circumstances wait for us around the next bend but the Bible tells us that we have a God who knows all; past, present, and future. There is “a time to be born and God, the creator of life has a perfect plan and purpose for every human life He creates.
He not only created us in His image (Genesis 1:26), making us different than all His other creation, but He also knew us and had a plan for us before we were formed in our mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5). His plans for us will not be exactly the same as they were for the prophet Jeremiah a few thousand years ago. He makes us each unique, not one the same, and in doing that gives each of us a unique and different calling on our lives.
God does not need us, just like Mordecai told Esther, God’s will would be done with or without her help (Esther 4:14), but if we surrender our lives to Him by following His guidance we will be able to live life to it’s fullest and make a difference for God. God loves us, so much that He gave His one and only Son so that we could know Him and have the adventure of life with Him. We really are here for such a time as this and can fulfill the purpose God has for us.
We don’t know when we will die, but God is in control and He has given us now to know Him and live for Him in all we do. When we leave this world, we will at last be home to live the adventure of heaven for all eternity with our Savior and Lord. The light that we leave behind will forever shine as a testimony to God’s grace, hope, and love, which is the only thing that makes life worth living.

Read:
- (NKJV) Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:”
- (NIV) John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
- (NIV) Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Reflect:
1. What is the purpose of your life?
2. What are some different seasons and times you can think of?
3. If you could put a name on this time in your life, what would it be? Who are you living for during this time?

Remember:
Why are we here? What are we suppose to do? Who do we serve? Who do we strive to please? Is this life all there is? These are a few questions the world has sought the answers to over the ages. The overwhelming theme among all the soul searching endeavors throughout history is a search for purpose and significance in this vast universe. The world today will tell you that you make up your own destiny. There are no absolutes. Do whatever gives you the most pleasure in this short life; seeking money, power, fame, even self righteousness, and live it up while you can. The search turns out to be nothing more than sand slipping through an hour glass. The more the world tries to obtain happiness through their own purposes the more they are “grasping for the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2: 26).
The word of God tells us what our purpose is and gives us the freedom to live every moment to its fullest. We have a creator who has been here since before time ever began (John 1: 1-3). He has ordained times and seasons from the beginning and has a purpose for all of them. He has already shown us His greatest purpose when He sent His one and only Son to be eternal life for us, “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:3). When we know the life we have in Jesus Christ we know the answer to all the questions; why are we here? to know Him, what are we supposed to do? Glorify Him, who do we serve? who do we strive to please? God our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, and is this life all there is? No, we have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It gives a peace to pass all understanding that we can trust in the Lord with all our heart, even when we can’t see what tomorrow holds (Proverbs 3:5-6). Now is the time to fulfill His purposes in us, giving every season we go through to the glory of Him who first loved us.

Laura Knowles

Read:

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

 - John 17:20-22 (NKJV) “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one with Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one…”

 Reflect:

1. How would you define self-control?
2. Why do you think it is the last fruit of the spirit written of in scripture?
3. Can someone be self-controlled outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ? Why or why not?

 Remember:

The moment we believe in Jesus Christ and make Him Lord of our lives we are filled with His Holy Spirit. The very characteristics of God are shown in our lives starting with an unconditional, self-sacrificing love that saved us in the first place. That love fills us with joy and peace that cannot be shaken. Peace in Him gives us longsuffering (patience) to steady our journey through life. Patience produces kindness to share with others. Becoming like Christ with kindness brings goodness in the renewing of our minds. The truth in the goodness of God reminds us constantly of His unending faithfulness. Humility in understanding who He is and what he has done for us teaches us to be gentle in all we do. Being filled with the first eight fruits of God’s Holy Spirit brings us to a place where we can be perfect and complete in him with self-control as we surrender fully to His will for our lives.

God does not want us to be in control of ourselves to become who we want to be. Jesus makes it very clear what His greatest desire for us as Christians is when He prayed just before being betrayed by Judas. In John 17:20-22 Jesus asks God to make us one with Him, just as He is One with His Father. It was the whole reason He came to die, so that we could “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10). When we know Him, we are filled with His Spirit and as we let go of our own sinful will, to do what we want, we are filled with His fruits and will be controlled by His Spirit. It takes full abandonment to the desires of this world and the desires of our flesh. It is giving up every dream, even if it seems like a good dream, if it’s not what God plan is for us. In this total surrender we don’t have self-control according to the world, but we have self-control according to the Spirit who lives in us. If we are filled with the fruit we will be surrendering our way and can trust Him to have His way in us. “And the glory (God’s essence) which You gave me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are One” (John 17:22). We will never be perfect this side of heaven and we will always fight against our flesh, but if we strive to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit we can trust Him to be faithful to complete the good work He began in us (Philippians 1:6).

 Read:

-Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, against such there is no law.”

-Colossians 3:12-13 “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

-Philippians 4:5 “Let your gentleness be made know to all men. The Lord is at hand.”

 Reflect:

1. What do you think gentleness means?

 2. When was a time this week when someone wronged you?

 3.  Why is it so hard for us to forgive?

 Remember:

“As the elect of God” (Colossians 3:12) we are called to become Christ-like in all we do and all we are. To be filled with the gentleness of God’s very own Holy Spirit is not possible on our own strength. Being gentle, many times, goes against every bit of natural instinct in us. Our flesh tells us when we are treated badly or wronged to take retribution but God says to forgive and forget. Frustrations in life tend to put us in a very bad mood and many times make us mean and snappy. Gentleness (meekness) is what comes from humility of the soul. When we understand the faithfulness of God, even to the point of death on our behalves, we can walk in humility. We know that we are unworthy of the gift given to us.

Putting things into perspective and surrendering to the Holy Spirit in us makes it possible for us to be gentle as Christ was gentle. Give up the constant struggle with the flesh, which wants to kill or be killed, and live free to the realization that Christ has already won the battle on our behalves. The judgment seat is not ours to sit in. It’s already taken by the One who has paid our debt in full. He has given us gentle hands now, not to hurt but to heal with His truth and love in all we do.

Read:

Galatians 5:22

Revelation 2:10 (NKJ) “Do not Fear any of those things which you are about to suffer; Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJ) “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Reflect:

1. Name the most faithful person(Besides Jesus), you can think of and what made that person come to your mind?
2. What does the world think of being faithful?
3. What does God say about being faithful?

Remember:

Each fruit of God’s Holy Spirit allows us to live in freedom from our old way of life, under bondage to sin and death. As we are continually filled with the fruits, we can live with a newness of life in Him for all eternity. As we surrender to Him, we are filled with love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness… (Galatians 5:22).

Our flesh does not understand faithfulness; only selfishness. Even when giving of yourself is encouraged in this world, it is with the expectation of getting something from this earthly life in return; money, popularity, a feeling of self-worth. Being faithful in relationships, especially marriages today, is a joke. We live in a do what feels good for the time society. The only way to understand faithfulness is to look to the author and perfector of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), Jesus Christ, who for the Joy before Him, stayed faithful to the end. His joy was the result of His relationship with His Father, the almighty God. On our behalves, He remained immovable and unshakable even to the point of death on a cross.

He stays faithful, not dependant on whom we are, but dependant on who He is. Only when we are complete in Him and have surrendered to His goodness can we be truly faithful. If it were a choice between saving my own life, resulting in less earthly suffering, or giving it all up for His glory, would I stay faithful? His love is a love worth dying for, but it’s also a love worth living for…even while suffering. As we are filled with His faithfulness, we can shine brightly for His glory knowing a relationship that is immovable and unshakable.

 Read:

Galatians 5:22(NKJV) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control, against such there is no law.”

Matthew 19:16-26(NKJV) “Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal Life?”

So He said to him, “why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

He said to Him, “Which ones?”

Jesus said “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.”

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

When His disciples heard it, they were astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

 Reflect:

1. What do you think it means to be good

2. Would you say that other people see you as a good person, and if so, why?

3. If those same people could see what you are doing, saying, and thinking when they are not looking, would they still think you are good (perfect)?

Remember:

The perfect love of God poured out through His only Son, Jesus Christ, makes a way for us to be filled with the fruits of the Spirit. When we accept His free gift of love and Salvation and enter into a relationship with Him we are filled with His Holy Spirit. The love we know gives us joy and peace everlasting. These fruits make us secure and give us patience through life’s trials, which enables us to put our own wants and needs to the side so we have time to show genuine concern and kindness to others. Kindness cultivates in us the very goodness of God by teaching us to become more Christ-like in all we do.

Any goodness we have is not our own. “No one is good but One, that is God” (Matthew 19: 17). There you have it, from the mouth of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not arguing that He was not God and therefore not good. On the contrary, Jesus was pointing out to the man the meaning of the truth he had just proclaimed when he called Jesus “Good Teacher.” God is perfect and is therefore the only One who is good. Christ suffered and became sin that we might become His righteousness (His goodness). The deeper we grow in our relationship with Jesus and understand His truths the more we understand that to bear the fruit of goodness we must surrender our lives, dreams, desires and take up our cross to follow Him. Being filled with the fruit of goodness is becoming more Christ-like, not just in what we do in front of others, but what holds us in the very core of our souls that only God can see. What is God asking you to leave behind to be filled with goodness as you follow Him. His love is worth it.