The LORD God is the Creator of the ends of the earth. He has established laws in nature which govern all the processes of life–planting, growth, cultivation and harvest. These principles give us insight on how to conduct our lives, families, churches, and societies (to continue reading this essay, click on image above).
The Harvest of Peace: Reaping What We Sow, Gal. 5:16-26
Spiritual transformation operates according to God’s unchanging principle of cultivation. We who desire spiritual fruit must sow to the Spirit which in turn will inevitably manifest its abundance in our lives and relationships. Just as a farmer who tends good soil and plants quality seeds can expect a bountiful harvest, believers who deliberately walk by the Spirit create the conditions for peace to flourish in every dimension of their existence. We must reject fleshly inclinations and patterns, putting such ways to death through our identification with Christ’s crucifixion—and keep in step with the Spirit’s leading in daily choices and attitudes. Let us examine whether our thoughts, words, and actions are producing the Spirit’s fruit of peace or the fleshly works of discord, asking God to help us align our thoughts and deeds with the Spirit’s work in our lives.
Our Focus Today
The Daily Tending of Spirit-led Living, Gal. 5:25-26
Since “we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit,” avoiding the conceit, shallowness, and envy that disturb the Spirit’s leading, the life God intends for Christ’s people.
Invocation
Gracious Father, please teach me what it means to keep in step with your Spirit in my daily relationships and interactions. Give me insight into who I really am, one who lives by the Spirit, and then help me to recognize when my attitudes and actions are out of sync with who you say I am, or how you are leading me. Help me see that living by your Spirit is real, not some private mystical spiritual experience but a daily demonstration of his power humble, encouraging, and content hearts. Let your Spirit show me any areas where conceit, provocation, or envy are interfering with your will for me and make me more like you. Amen.
Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, amen.
Chronological Scripture Readings for Today
These Scriptures allow us to read through the entire Bible in one year in chronological order.
Saturday: Mark 13.32-37; Matt. 24.36-25.46; Luke 21.34-38
Psalms and Proverb for Today
These Scriptures allow us to read through the Psalms and Proverbs each month.
Saturday: Psalm 27, 57, 87, 117, 147 and Proverbs 27
The Daily Tending of Spirit-led Living, Gal. 5:25-26
Since “we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit,” avoiding the conceit, shallowness, and envy that disturb the Spirit’s leading, the life God intends for Christ’s people.
Reflection
Every disciple of Jesus is indwelt by the Spirit of God, united to Christ by faith. Living by the Spirit affirms that reality and we should respond in faith and hope—we have received spiritual life and now must learn to synchronize our daily steps with the Spirit’s rhythm and direction. Spirit-led living shows itself most clearly in our relationships with others; as we walk in him, he produces humility, encouragement, and contentment in us rather than -centered attitudes that upset genuine community. Paul mentions three ways this selfishness can be seen—conceit, provocation, and envy. When we fail to depend on the Spirit we can allow fleshly patterns to disrupt the Spirit’s unity and love among God’s people. We must strive to keep pace with the Spirit’s leading, examining whether we are building up or tearing down others through our words and attitudes.
Engaging God’s Word Today
Have you seen any of Paul’s three prohibited areas—conceit, provoking others, or envy—in your own attitudes and actions with other believers? What specific steps might the Spirit be calling you to take today to align your conduct with who you really are, i.e., one who lives by the Spirit?
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, The Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God,
Begotten of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God,
Begotten not created, of the same essence as the Father,
through Whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary and became human.
Who for us too, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried.
The third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver,
Who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
Who together with the Father and Son is worshiped and glorified.
Who spoke by the prophets.
We believe in one holy, catholic, and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sin,
and we look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the age to come. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen.
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.
Benediction
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for indwelling my heart and my life. Grant me the grace to walk in perfect step with your leading, listening to you and responding to your promptings each day. Enable me to display humility instead of conceit, encouragement instead of provocation, and contentment instead of envy. Let the character of Christ be seen in every interaction and relationship I have, and bring peace and unity wherever I may go. Make my daily conduct a living testimony to your transforming power, showing others the fruit of that abundant life that Christ has won for every believer everywhere. Amen.
Scripture Memory for this season
James 1.2-4 (ESV): Perseverance through Faith
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Scripture Engagement
As disciples of Jesus, the Churches of Christ the King strongly seek to engage the Scriptures to discover the centrality of Christ and his Kingdom in the prophetic and apostolic writings. You will find a rich treasure of resources on engaging Scripture at the Center for Scripture Engagement of Taylor University.
Book Reading
• As A Man Thinketh, James Allen (during seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany)
• The Way of the Heart, Henri Nouwen (during seasons of Holy Week, Lent and Resurrection)
• Atomic Habits, James Clear (during seasons of Ascension and Coming of Holy Spirit)
• The Seven Laws of the Harvest, John Lawrence (during seasons of Headship and Harvest)
• Get Your Pretense On!, Dr. Don Davis (during the seasons of Hope and Remembering the Saints, Exalting the King)
Book Reading Reflection: The Seven Laws of the Harvest
(Reading “The Seven Laws of the Harvest” during seasons of Headship and Harvest)
Law #6: We reap the full harvest of the good only if we persevere: the evil comes to harvest on its own.
Everyone who tills the ground knows that a vegetable garden cannot be planted and then forgotten. If it is, very little will come from the planting. What a garden requires is much labor and work in order to reap an abundant harvest. In God’s program of things, this is not true of the weeds. When the thorn and briar seeds are sown, they have the ability to come to a harvest on their own without anyone doing a thing.
Now, what is true in the spiritual realm is true also in the spiritual realm. The only way we will enjoy the blessings of a full harvest of the good things sown is to persevere and not faint. Once the evil is sown, however, it comes to fruition on its own; but the good will never produce an abundant harvest without constant attention. What this is saying, then, is that there are going to be problems and difficulties; and we can expect them and depend on upon them. Even though we sow to the Spirit (Galatians 6:8), this does not mean that there will not be opposition. Somehow, we have the feeling that if we do things right, there should be no problems. This is not so. Even the Son of Man who sowed the good seeds had an enemy come along behind and so tears (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43). If this happened for him, how can we expect less? Whenever the Saints say, “Let’s rise up and build!”, the enemy will be right behind to rise up and oppose. Whenever there is a great door and ineffectual open to us, there will right along with it be many adversaries (1 Cor. 16:9).
~ Lawrence, John W. The Seven Laws of the Harvest. Kregal Publications, Grand Rapids, MI, 1975, 1995, p. 86.
Seedling Focus for the Season: Perseverance through Trials
Description: Storms may bend or break the branches, but they also strengthen the roots, James 1:2-4.
On Eagles Wings Prayer Focus: A Long Time Comin‘
Sowing Generosity: Overcoming Stinginess, 2 Cor. 9:1-15.
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