I’m a chicken woman. Oh I know, they’re stinky, loud, and trouble to keep, but my pea-sized brain is comparable to theirs, in size and otherwise. I can really relate to a chicken. Weird, I know. I’ve figured out I have a lot in common with chickens. You do too. Sorry. Of course, we don’t look like chickens and we don’t speak chickenese, but just like chickens we loose our feathers, we make our mark. Since last week, I’ve been thinking so much about the marks of my life. You know, the feathers I drop on the path. I’m not sure if it’s because I need to gather some of those feathers that I’ve dropped, if it’s because I’ve got feathers in my hand right now ready to let fly, or if it’s because I need to be mindful of the future feathers that I’ll drop on the path. All three, I’m sure. Have you been thinking about it too? I mean the kinds of marks you’ve made, are making, will make on your path?
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23
The Word tells us so plainly the marks we are to make, what we are to leave behind. Those fruits we should be dropping, the marks we should be making. So, based on Paul’s instructions in Galatians, how’s it going? Are you going UGH! too? I’ve made my mark in a lot of ways, unfortunately, not always fruitful. Our Lord has given us direction and reminders for the path and the marks we are to make. One of those guidelines was the fruits of the Spirit. Or, the feathers of the Spirit, if you will. Notice that the fruits are called fruits of the Spirit. Why? The Holy Spirit must control our lives in order to produce the kind of fruit we’re directed to by Paul and commanded to by Christ. We cannot produce this fruit on our own. We can only produce this fruit when the Spirit lives within us and has control of our lives. We must be obedient to that controlling Spirit. Does the Spirit live in you? Is He controlling your life? If so, what’s your path look like? What kind of feathers are you dropping?
Wednesday
Study Ephesians 1:3-14. Are we united with Christ? What happened when we believed in Christ?
Thursday
Study John 15:26-27. What two names does Jesus use in these verses for the Holy Spirit? Poke around in your Bible and find three more names by which the Holy Spirit is referenced. Using these names, write a sentence that describes who the Holy Spirit is.
Friday
Study Romans 8:1-17. Make a list of everything Paul tells us about the Holy Spirit in this passage.
Saturday
Study Romans 8:18-30. Reread verses 26-27. What does it mean that the Holy Spirit prays with us? Does it mean we don’t have to pray?
Sunday
Spend time in prayer praising God for sending His Spirit to guide, teach, counsel, help us.
Monday
Study Galatians 5:1-15. We are called to Freedom in Christ. Christ came to set us free. Free from what? Free to do what? Free to live lawlessly? Free to remain unchanged? What does freedom look like to you?
Tuesday
Study Galatians 5:16-26. How are we to live our new life in Christ? Do we have the desire to obey the Holy Spirit? Do we want to hear what He has to say? Are we willing to give up control of our lives to the Holy Spirit? What will the Holy Spirit produce in us?