So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Galatians 5:16-17 (NLT)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…
Galatians 5:22 (NIV)
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. . . When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
John 15:5, 8 (NLT)
Kindness and Goodness…
1) Diffuses Conflict
A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
Proverbs 15:1 (NLT)
A good man will rebuke me in kindness.
Psalm 141:5 (NLT)
2) Takes Action Abigail lost no time…
Abigail acted quickly. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred cakes of raisins and two hundred cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.
1 Samuel 25:18 (NIV)
3) Attracts Others
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the lord, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin.” Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife. When the messengers arrived at Carmel, they told Abigail, “David has sent us to take you back to marry him.”
1 Samuel 25:39-40
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
