Embracing Spiritual Intimacy: The Fruits of Love, Joy, and Peace

Devotional

Day 1: Agape Love: Selfless and Unconditional

Agape love is the highest form of love, characterized by selflessness and unconditional giving. It reaches out to others without expecting anything in return, mirroring God's love for us. This love is foundational to our faith and is the greatest commandment, encompassing our love for God and our neighbors. When we love others with agape love, we reflect God's character and make His love known to the world. This kind of love is not based on feelings but on a deliberate choice to act in the best interest of others, even when it is difficult or inconvenient. [19:50]

1 John 4:7-8 (ESV): "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who may be difficult to love. How can you show them agape love today, expecting nothing in return?

Day 2: Joy in Adversity: Choosing Godly Optimism

Joy, or "cara," is a godly optimism that persists even in difficult circumstances. It is not about ignoring our troubles but choosing to rejoice despite them. Paul exemplified this by maintaining joy through hardships, showing that true joy comes from a deep relationship with God. This joy is a powerful testimony to the world, demonstrating that our hope and happiness are rooted in something eternal. Joy is a choice we make daily, reflecting the joy God has over us and allowing us to face life's challenges with a positive and hopeful attitude. [28:01]

Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV): "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."

Reflection: Identify a current challenge or hardship in your life. How can you choose to find joy in God despite this situation?

Day 3: Peace Beyond Understanding: Trusting in God's Provision

Peace, or "eirene," is a profound sense of well-being and provision that comes from God, not merely the absence of conflict. This peace allows us to see clearly and navigate life's challenges with a calm heart. It is a peace that guards our hearts and minds, enabling us to trust in God's provision and sovereignty even when circumstances are chaotic. This peace surpasses all understanding and is a gift from God that we can experience daily as we trust in Him. [34:23]

Isaiah 26:3-4 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."

Reflection: Think about a situation that is causing you stress or anxiety. How can you trust in God's provision and find peace in this situation today?

Day 4: The Necessity of Spiritual Intimacy: Producing the Fruit of the Spirit

Spiritual intimacy with the Holy Spirit naturally produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. This intimacy is not just for the exciting moments but for everyday living, providing us with love, joy, and peace. It transforms us to reflect God's character and equips us to handle life's challenges with grace and strength. Developing a close relationship with the Holy Spirit is essential for living a life that honors God and impacts others positively. [55:29]

John 15:4-5 (ESV): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit in your daily life? What specific steps can you take to abide in Him more consistently?

Day 5: Living Out Our Faith: Demonstrating the Fruit of the Spirit

Our actions should reflect the fruit of the Spirit, demonstrating our faith through love, joy, and peace. This includes being a blessing to others, serving our community, and showing God's love in practical ways. By doing so, we not only fulfill God's commandments but also become a living testimony of His grace and goodness. Living out our faith means actively seeking opportunities to serve and bless others, making God's love tangible in the world around us. [42:18]

James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Reflection: What is one practical way you can demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in your community this week? How can you be a blessing to someone in need?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today's sermon focused on the importance of spiritual intimacy and its results, particularly the fruit of the Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23. We began by discussing the necessity of doing good, especially to those within the household of faith, and how our church is committed to being a blessing to others. This includes financial support for a church in need and plans to serve our local teachers. The core of the sermon delved into the first three fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, and peace, and how these qualities resonate with God and transform our lives.

Love, as described, is the agape love of God, which reaches out without expecting anything in return. This love is foundational to our faith and is the greatest commandment, encompassing our love for God and our neighbors. Joy, or "cara," is a godly optimism that persists even in difficult circumstances. It is a choice we make, reflecting the joy God has over us. Peace, or "eirene," is not merely the absence of conflict but a profound sense of well-being and provision that comes from God. This peace allows us to see clearly and navigate life's challenges with a calm heart.

We also touched on the historical context of Paul's letter to the Galatians, emphasizing that the fruit of the Spirit is a natural result of a life led by the Holy Spirit, contrasting sharply with the works of the flesh. The sermon concluded with an invitation to enter into a deeper relationship with God, encouraging those who haven't yet made that commitment to do so.

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Key Takeaways

1. being and provision that comes from God, not merely the absence of conflict. This peace allows us to see clearly and navigate life's challenges with a calm heart. It is a peace that guards our hearts and minds, enabling us to trust in God's provision and sovereignty even when circumstances are chaotic. [34:23]
4. The Necessity of Spiritual Intimacy: Spiritual intimacy with the Holy Spirit naturally produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. This intimacy is not just for the exciting moments but for everyday living, providing us with love, joy, and peace. It transforms us to reflect God's character and equips us to handle life's challenges with grace and strength.

5. Living Out Our Faith: Our actions should reflect the fruit of the Spirit, demonstrating our faith through love, joy, and peace. This includes being a blessing to others, serving our community, and showing God's love in practical ways. By doing so, we not only fulfill God's commandments but also become a living testimony of His grace and goodness.

### [34:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:24] - Doing Good to Others
[02:46] - Supporting the Church in Coleman
[04:08] - Serving Local Teachers
[05:27] - Financial Blessings and Giving
[06:44] - Introduction to Spiritual Intimacy
[08:17] - Resonating with God
[09:44] - Paul's Letter to the Galatians
[11:09] - Works of the Flesh vs. Fruit of the Spirit
[12:29] - The Checklist of Fleshly Works
[14:01] - The Nature of Spiritual Fruit
[16:59] - The Necessity of Love
[18:22] - The God Kind of Love
[19:50] - The Greatest Commandment
[21:33] - Loving God and People
[23:17] - Expressing God's Love
[24:50] - The Spirit Empowers Love
[26:24] - Understanding Others
[28:01] - Choosing Joy
[29:37] - God's Example of Joy
[31:14] - The Meaning of Peace
[32:52] - Peace and Provision
[34:23] - Choosing Peace
[36:01] - God's Provision and Our Trust
[37:48] - The Risk of Love
[39:21] - Loving Without Expectation
[42:18] - Living Out Our Faith
[43:45] - The Power of Gratitude
[45:02] - Finding Peace in Turmoil
[46:30] - Peace in Conflict
[47:51] - Letting Peace Guard Your Heart
[49:17] - Embracing Change with Peace
[51:03] - Trusting God in Uncertainty
[52:37] - The Challenge of New Routines
[53:23] - Finding Joy in New Places
[54:06] - The Blessing of Proximity
[55:29] - The Importance of Spiritual Intimacy
[56:20] - Invitation to Relationship with God
[57:08] - Simple Steps to Salvation
[58:03] - Embracing God's Love
[59:16] - Closing Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What are the first three fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23, and how are they described in the sermon? [06:44]
According to Galatians 6:10, who should we prioritize doing good to, and why is this significant? [01:24]
How does the sermon describe the concept of "agape" love, and what makes it foundational to our faith? [19:50]
What historical context about Paul's letter to the Galatians was provided in the sermon, and why was Paul upset with the Galatians? [09:44]

Interpretation Questions

How does the concept of "agape" love challenge our usual understanding of love, and what practical steps can we take to embody this love in our daily lives? [19:50]
The sermon mentions that joy is a choice we make, even in difficult circumstances. How can this perspective change the way we handle adversity? [28:01]
Peace, as described in the sermon, is more than the absence of conflict. How can this deeper understanding of peace influence our reactions to stressful situations? [34:23]
The sermon emphasizes the necessity of spiritual intimacy with the Holy Spirit. How does this intimacy naturally produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives? [55:29]

Application Questions

Think of a recent situation where you found it difficult to show "agape" love. How could you have approached it differently to reflect God's unconditional love? [19:50]
Reflect on a time when you faced adversity. How did you handle it, and what could you do differently next time to choose joy in the midst of challenges? [28:01]
Identify a current stressor in your life. What steps can you take to seek God's peace and navigate this challenge with a calm heart? [34:23]
How can you cultivate a deeper spiritual intimacy with the Holy Spirit in your daily routine? What specific practices can you incorporate to foster this relationship? [55:29]
The sermon encourages us to live out our faith by being a blessing to others. What is one practical way you can serve your community or church this week? [42:18]
Consider someone in your life who tests your patience. What is a short prayer or action you can take before your next interaction with them to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit? [24:50]
How can you make your home or workplace a place where the fruit of the Spirit is evident? What specific changes or actions can you implement to create this environment? [43:45]

Sermon Clips

1. "When God blesses you, you need to be a blessing. Amen? So we're going to do that. I just want to let you know, we are about blessing people. And in that vein, I am going to try to get with, this is another thing that I've wanted to do for a long time, and school has snuck up on me all of a sudden, but I want to do a breakfast or lunch or something for all the teachers before school starts, during their in-service time before school starts. As a church, I want to serve them and give them a breakfast." [02:46] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If we are a blessing, then we are showing this community the love of God, and God will return it to us. And I'm here to tell you, if you are blessed, you can be a blessing, and if you bless, you will be blessed. And so if this church, because I'm looking out for y'all, I want this church to be blessed, and I'm talking finances, okay? I'm just plain up, straight up talking finances. I want this church to be a blessing, because I want this church to be blessed." [04:08] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "When you are this intimate with the spirit, we are going to start acting like the spirit. So there's three qualities that join us to God. Let's look at them. So the fruit we talked about is, is the word karpos, K-A-R-P-O-S, which means offspring. Uh, uh, intimate from an intimate relationship. God is love, joy, and peace. The more intimate time you spend with someone, the more you look like them, the more like them you become." [18:22] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The way you can start pruning off these things is if when you spend time with the Holy Spirit, when you spend time with God, he helps you to pull off, to shed these things. He helps you to shed them. And we cultivate or develop or produce the fruit. The word love. The first one in here is love. It's agape, A-G-A-P-E. It's agape. This is the God kind of love is what anytime you talk about the love of God, it talks about agape." [19:50] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "God loved us because what can we give God that's of any value? He gave us the most precious thing in all of existence and that was his son. And all he asked in return is all of us. I mean, he created us. We were his to begin. He created us, but he says, I just want you. I want all of you. I just want to be with you. I just want to be where you are dwelling daily in your presence." [21:33] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "So this fruit is necessary in our lives for us to live out our Christian walk, our fellowship with him. When you, and I talked about this last week, when you are, when you've been with someone so long, you start acting like them and saying things like them. And we talked about last week, and I know y'all don't believe this, but it happened again this week. Sharon and I, we sniff at the same time so often. It is crazy." [16:59] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "We have to understand this kind of love. Remember the greatest commandment when the, the legal expert, the legal expert of the law came to Jesus and they were trying to trip him up. And he said, master, tell us what is the greatest commandment? He's trying to trip him up because at that time, there were 613 laws in Judaism. And so they're trying to trip him up because if he says one specific one, then they're going to say, oh, but what about this one? What about this one? What about this one?" [21:33] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "So God practices joy over you. He gives us the example. He shows us how to be joyful. He rejoices over us with singing. Anytime you feel doubt, y'all need to write that scripture down. Sorry I didn't put it up there, but anytime you're feeling less than, you're feeling like nobody cares about me, you need to read Zephaniah 3, 17. The Lord your God in the midst is mighty. He's a mighty one who will save, and he rejoices over you with gladness. He's so tickled with you. He's so happy to be with you. He rejoices. He sings over you." [29:37] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "When you are in a relationship, you just, and, and it, and things are going well in that relationship. It's just one of those things where you just feel safe. You feel covered. You feel, you feel like you belong. You feel like you belong. And if, and if you need that feeling, if you want that feeling, you can belong to God. You can, he wants you to, oh, he's just so desperate for you. To, to come into relationship with him." [55:29] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "God will call us to do things that we have to make a conscious decision to say, okay, this is going to be uncomfortable. This is going to be, this is going to be, you know, I'm going to have to get new routines. Come on, people. I've got to get new routines. Because y'all know, y'all don't have all the places that we have in San Marcos. If I need to run to Walmart, I just can go across town. If I need to run to the grocery store, there's actually an H-E-B." [52:37] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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