But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. ESV (Galatians 5:22-26)
Spirit-Filled Singing has an extremely specific target audience. The book is primarily for worship leaders, church musicians, church choirs, etc. Or perhaps expanded to those in the process of studying to become professional musicians who also happen to be Christian and are considering working in churches. The book DOES unpack, if you will, Galatians 5:22-23--the fruit of the Spirit. But it does so specifically through the lens of how that fruit of the Spirit might apply directly to church musicians, song leaders, worship leaders, choir members, etc. It is not a general book examining the fruit of the Spirit. Nor is it a book about how the HOLY SPIRIT is essential to worship. (I saw the title Spirit-Filled Singing and immediately made the jump that it was about the role of the HOLY SPIRIT in worship). Though I don't think the author would argue that point that the Holy Spirit IS very much essential to worship.
ONE point that I thought was great was that she argues that ALL the fruits of the Spirit can be summed up in one--love--and ties that with 1 Corinthians 13. Read about love's description in that famous chapter and you can find traces of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The book is weighty in musical expertise. I don't necessarily think this book is for non-musicians. It's a whole other world. That being said, it's not bad that this book is specifically for musicians and only musicians. There are probably dozens if not hundreds of other books about the fruit of the Spirit that are for the rest of us.
We're told to forgive, and that means anger has to go, whether we've decided our anger is "righteous" or not.Yes, the world is broken. But don't be offended by it. Instead, thank God that He's intervened in it, and He's going to restore it to everything it was meant to be.What about being angry at sin, Brant? Of course, we're supposed to be angry at sin. It's probably worth noting that, usually, when this question is asked of me, it's about something more specific. By "sin" we mean other people's sin. Are we to cling to anger at their sin? God took out His wrath on Jesus for other people's sin. And I believe Jesus suffered enough to pay for it, and my sin too. I'm so thankful for that. He will deal with others' sins; it's not my deal.We cling to our self-righteousness and can't possibly imagine giving it up. We think it's how we're supposed to live. Wait: We're supposed to surrender the idea that we know others' motivations? We're supposed to give up thinking we know everyone's spiritual temperature?But rules don't change anyone's heart, ever. Grace does.Being offended is a tiring business. Letting things go gives you energy.An emotion is just an emotion. It's not critical thinking. Anger doesn't pause. We have to stop, and we have to question it.Anger is extraordinarily easy. It's our default setting. Love is very difficult. Love is a miracle.God knows others' private motives. We don't. God knows our private motives. We don't. We think we can judge others' motives. We're wrong. We should abandon our "right" to anger, simply because we can deceive ourselves so easily.It is the essence of ministry. It finally occurred to me that we can't be agents of healing in people's lives unless we're ready to bear their wounds for them and from them.Seek justice; love mercy. You don't have to be angry to do that.We simply can't trust ourselves in our judgments of others. WE don't know what they're really thinking, or their background, or what really motivated whatever they did. And since we don't know, let's choose ahead of time: we're just not going to get offended by people. If we don't need to be right, we don't have to reshape reality to fit "The Story of My Rightness."
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 1 Timothy 1:15
And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:11-13
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10The Best Christmas Pageant Ever provides an inside-out look at the nativity story, and captures best why Christ came in the first place.
They knew that Christmas was Jesus' birthday, but everything else was news to them--the shepherds, the Wise Men, the star, the stable, the crowded inn. It was hard to believe. At least, it was hard for me to believe--Alice Wendleken said she didn't have any trouble believing it. "How would they find out about the Christmas story?" she said. "They don't even know what a Bible is." (55)
I couldn't believe it. Among other things, the Herdmans were famous for never sitting still and never paying attention to anyone--teachers, parents (their own or anybody else's), the truant officer, the police--yet here they were, eyes glued on my mother and taking in every word. (59)
When we got home my father wanted to hear all about it. "Well," Mother said, "just suppose you had never heard the Christmas story, and didn't know anything about it, and then somebody told it to you. What would you think?" (68)
But nothing she saw in the sparsely shops looked right for Anders. Nothing said, I know you and want to know you more. Nothing said, I want this to be the beginning of forever.She'd been falling in love with him step by step, letter by letter this past year, after admiring him for years before that but deeming him unknowable.She was, without question, the only woman ever to touch his heart in a way that made him dream of forever by her side.
The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
as long as I live.
Psalm 100
Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.
Acknowledge that Yahweh is God.
He made us, and we are His —
His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal;
His faithfulness endures through all generations.
John 1:1-5
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
All things were created through Him,
and apart from Him not one thing was created
that has been created.
Life was in Him,
and that life was the light of men.
That light shines in the darkness,
yet the darkness did not overcome it.
John 3:16-21
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.
“This, then, is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”
John 14:1-6
“Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.”
“Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where You’re going. How can we know the way?”
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Writing a man who lived a thousand miles away had seemed safe enough. The two of them would never meet. He worked at Harvard, for pity's sake. She had nothing to fear in striking up a friendship. And when the letters had become more personal? Well, it was like living in her very own novel. A place where she could pretend to be beautiful and clever, the type of woman to engage the interest of a scholarly gentleman. A gentleman she'd come to respect and esteem. Perhaps even love.Besides, God had arranged her features the way he'd seen fit, and she'd not argue with the Creator over his artistic inclinations. He hadn't given her beauty, but he'd given her other blessings--ones she wouldn't trade even if offered the choice. A loving home, a supportive faith community, a passion for learning, and an empathy for others struggling to find their way. Things that carried lasting value.Her insinuation made his jaw clench. He looked her straight in the eye and refused to let his nervousness divert his gaze again. "You're right. There is a reason you haven't yet had a suitor. Because until today, I was in Massachusetts. I apologize for my tardiness." Now it was her turn to blink. Once. Twice. Three times. "You're in earnest?" He nodded. Then, just to ensure there was no misunderstanding, he added words. "I am.""Don't let fear steal your chance for happiness, Miss Barrington," Annabelle whispered. "If God can make a path through the Red Sea, he can clear a way through whatever obstacles stand in front of you, too. So don't go running back to Egypt just yet."It reminded me that holding tight to something just because it's familiar isn't always as safe or good as one might think. Sometimes we have to try something new to discover blessings only God can see.