The Fruit of the Spirit: The Essence of the Christian Character

• Lesson 13 for the week of March 20 to March 27

Leading Question: How does one grow the fruit of the Spirit? 1. First things first: Matt. 6:31-34. Jesus is clear: If we seek the kingdom of God first, all the other good gifts will be...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Truth

• Lesson 12 for the week of March 13 to March 20

Leading Question: How certain can we be that we have the truth? 1. Jesus is the way to truth; he is truth: John 14:6. How does the truth in Jesus relate to all the rest...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Righteousness

• Lesson 11 for the week of March 6 to March 13

Leading Question: Is obedience to the law ever a means of gaining favor with God? 1. Gratitude is the key word: Deut. 4:5-8. If defined in terms of its purpose, God’s law was intended as...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Self-Control

• Lesson 10 for the week of February 27 to March 6

Leading Question: To what extent does self-control simply flow from a changed heart, or does it involve blood, sweat and tears as we grapple with temptations, passions and people who irritate us? 1. Two stories:...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Meekness

• Lesson 9 for the week of February 20 to February 27

Leading Question: When Paul asked the Corinthian believers if he should come to them with a stick or with love in a spirit of gentleness (1 Cor. 4:21), how did he expect to find the...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Faithfulness

• Lesson 8 for the week of February 13 to February 20

Leading Question: What is it that inspires us and enables us to be faithful to people, to God? “Saving” faith is a gift of God. But the result of God’s gifts in our life is...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Goodness

• Lesson 7 for the week of February 6 to February 13

Leading Question: How can God expect good things from people who are bad? When we talk about “goodness” under the heading of “fruit of the Spirit,” several tantalizing paradoxes emerge. We can address these under...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Kindness

• Lesson 6 for the week of January 30 to February 6

Leading Question: If we are kind to those who are doing what is wrong, isn’t there a danger that some will conclude that we agree with and even support that which we actually oppose? Some...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Patience

• Lesson 5 for the week of January 23 to January 30

Leading Question: How can we become more patient? 1. Becoming more patient. Is patience genetically determined? Or is it possible for even the most high-strung person to become more patient? Would memorizing key “patience” passages...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Peace

• Lesson 4 for the week of January 16 to January 23

Theme: The Fruit of the Spirit Is Peace Leading Question: Why have the followers of Jesus so often led out in bloody conflict when their Master both taught and modeled the way of peace? 1....

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Joy

• Lesson 3 for the week of January 9 to January 16

Theme: The Fruit of the Spirit Is Joy Leading Question: What is the difference between joy and happiness? Can a believer be unhappy and still be joyful? Not only is joy the second trait listed...

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The Fruit of the Spirit Is Love

• Lesson 2 for the week of January 2 to January 9

Leading Question: When Scripture commands us to love God and love others, including the unlovely, is that something we can choose to do, or is such love simply a gift of God? In his little...

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By Their Fruit

• Lesson 1 for the week of December 26 to January 2

Leading Question: Is it possible to identify true followers of Jesus by their fruit? The basic biblical passage that focuses on the fruit of the Spirit is Galatians 5:13-26. In particular, the nine traits listed...

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Turning Hearts in the End Time

• Lesson 12 for the week of March 18 to March 25

Read: Mal 4:5-6; I Ki 18:21; Deut 30:2-3; Eph 4:32; Mk 11:35; Ps 54:10-12; Lk 1:17; 24:47-48 Turning Hearts in the End Time: The Elijah message, a special message for end time families that turns...

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