As we have examined the Fruit of the Spirit, I have been reflecting on which Fruit I would like to grow more of with the help of the Holy Spirit. Paul describes the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
GALATIANS 5:22-23 (NASB)
More Peace
And while I want and need to grow more in all of them, I think I want to grow more in peace lately. When you have the peace that passes all understanding, you can walk through life more courageously fully relying on God for strength. When you have peace from the Holy Spirit, you can be content with what you have – whether it is a little or very much. When you have this kind of peace, you can face trials and testing focusing on Christ, knowing that He is the One that holds tomorrow and that He cares for you.
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
1 Peter 5:5-9 ESV
Join in on the Conversation!
I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post or start a conversation on X.com/sarahderinger88.
What fruit of the Spirit do you hope to grow more in?
What fruit of the Spirit do you want to learn more about?
What fruit of the Spirit do you struggle most with?
How may I pray for you? (If you would like to private message me a prayer request, please feel free to message me via Instagram, Facebook, or X.com. I will gladly pray for you.)
We are looking at the Fruit of the Spirit in this series, and recently we looked at the fruit of faithfulness, and now we are going to learn about the fruit of Self-Control. The Holy Spirit is the One who develops the fruits of the Spirit in us, and we cannot produce this on our own. We rely fully on Him for this to grow, but we can add this through obedience to Christ (not a working for our salvation but from our salvation). The full list of the fruit of the Spirit is found in Scripture:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
GALATIANS 5:22-23 (NASB)
Gospel Self-Control
This time, we will look at how the Holy Spirit develops self-control in us and in our lives. We must believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ to have self-control begin growing in our lives.
God so loved the world in this one particular way – He sent His Son Jesus to live a sinless life on earth, to die on the cross taking the punishment for sin (also called substitutionary atonement) and paying the debt we incurred when we sinned. And not only did He die on the cross but He resurrected (came back to life) and appeared to over 500 people before ascending to throne where He reigns presently and forevermore. By believing in Christ for salvation and repenting of our sins (agreeing with God that sin is sin), we are then able to have the hope of eternal life with God through Christ Jesus. This is the ONLY way; there is no other.
Then, when we believe in Christ for salvation, we are granted the Holy Spirit and are sealed with Him. This is when the transformation (or sanctification) begins, where the Holy Spirit begins to make us more and more like Christ everyday. Through that process, He produces His fruit in our lives (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). The process involves: reading the Bible, prayer, being active in a local church that preaches sound doctrine, living in such a way that glorifies Christ, repenting each day as we sin yet again and fighting against that sin, and doing the good deeds that God has prepared for us (see Romans 8).
Self-Control
What is self-control, and how do we have more of it in our lives? The world has a counterfeit self-control of being driven for the promotion and benefit of oneself over others. This kind of “self-control” is not loving to others as it is self-seeking.
If I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13 NASB
Self-control such as this is the kind that will push others down to lift oneself up. You can see this type of self-control in the workplace, where many workers are undercutting each other to get the boss to recognize their talents and give them a promotion. This selfish pettiness is unbecoming to the believer in Christ, and this type of behavior should not be found in the Church.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:25-26 NASB
The Christian should be one that is grateful where God has placed them and understanding that He is Sovereign over their lives. True self-control is being self-disciplined (not to be confused with self-flagellation) in a way that builds up the body of Christ, that is the Church. Self-control is knowing that God is Sovereign and that He will meet our needs, and therefore, self-control is not pushing one’s way to the top or to the front of the line. Self-control is humbly serving others in Jesus’ name for Christ’s glory.
Biblical Example of Self-Control
The ultimate Biblical example of self-control is Jesus Christ. He is our example of humility and serving others. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples as an example to believers of how we ought to serve one another. Washing feet was a dirty job because they had sandals and dusty roads. However, Jesus did not feel that He was above stooping down to clean His disciples’ feet. The apostle Paul and Timothy encouraged those in Philippi (and ultimately all believers) to have a similar attitude as Christ:
Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:1-13 NASB
Final Fruit of the Spirit and Closing
Self-control is the last of the fruit of the Spirit in the list. And to each of them, against such things there is no law. This means that we will not be doing anything illegal when we are growing in the fruit of the Spirit. While we may face persecution for being a believer, there is no charge that anyone can bring against us as we are growing in sanctification. As we close this series on Fruit of the Spirit, reflect on how you can grow more in the Fruit of the Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit is ultimately the one who grows the fruit in you and me, but you and I have a responsibility to meditate (fill our minds with, not empty our minds) on God’s Word on what self-control and each fruit of the Spirit is. What is one way that you and I can show the self-control of Christ this week?
Join in on the conversation!
I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.
What fruit of the Spirit do you hope to grow more in?
What fruit of the Spirit do you want to learn more about?
What fruit of the Spirit do you struggle most with?
How may I pray for you? (If you would like to private message me a prayer request, please feel free to message me via Instagram, Facebook, or X.com. I will gladly pray for you.)
What are your favorite examples of self-control in the Bible?
Who is someone in your life that shows the self-control of Christ to those around them?
Today is Good Friday, the day that Jesus was crucified and died for our sins so that when we believe in Him, we can have eternal life. What we call Holy Week was a series of events leading up to the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday and goes through Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday (also known as Easter Sunday).
Palm Sunday
On Palm Sunday, Jerusalem was busy preparing for the Passover feast, which commemorated when the Lord went to kill all the firstborns in Egypt to get Pharaoh to release His people and for the Lord to passover a home the Hebrews had to take passover lamb’s blood and paint it on their door posts (see Exodus 11-12). During the first Passover, the Lord was showing Egypt, the Hebrews, and all the world that their false gods were no match for Him, and that He is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. During the Passover feast that was being prepared in Jerusalem, Israel did not fully understand that their Messiah was in their midst or what He represented; however:
“The large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD, even the King of Israel.” Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him. So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. For this reason also the people went and met Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look the world has gone after Him.”
John 12:12-19 NASB
Jesus and His disciples retrieved the donkey and colt in Bethphage, which is the east of Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives. They traveled to the Golden Gate, which is where the Triumphant Entry happened.
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me,teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”
Matthew 15:8-9 ESV
Israel had their Messiah that they had been waiting for their whole lives, and they did not see Him. And if they did see Jesus, they did not understand the mission that He was on.
Jesus then went to the temple, which is located on Mount Moriah, and saw that they were making it a money exchange rather than a place of worship and prayer. Therefore, He turned the tables over and ran the money exchangers out of the temple. This was the second cleansing of the temple that He had done. That night, He and the disciples stayed in Bethany which is towards the east of Jerusalem.
Holy Tuesday
On Holy Tuesday, Jesus and the disciples went back into Jerusalem to the temple. Jesus spoke in some parables, which angered the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees questioned Jesus’ authority to teach:
When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the people; for they all regard John as a prophet.” And answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” He also said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Matthew 21:23-27 NASB
At the end of the day, Jesus and the disciples returned to Bethany at the Mount of Olives, where He spoke the Olivet Discourse. For more info on the Olivet Discourse, you can look at these resources:
Jesus went and taught in the temple, made preparations for the Passover, and at night went to stay on the Mount of Olives (Luke 21:37-38). That evening the Sanhedrin plotted to kill Jesus (Luke 22:1-2).
Maundy Thursday
On Thursday, Jesus made more preparations for the Passover Supper, which was that evening. It is also known as the Last Supper because it was the last meal that He had before He was crucified. The Passover Supper which Jesus and the disciples ate was in the Upper Room in a home in Jerusalem; it is traditionally believed to be in the Essene Quarter. In the room, Jesus gave what is called the Upper Room discourse, where He was preparing His disciples on what would come next – His death, His Resurrection, and the new covenant. After dinner, Jesus and the disciples went to the Mount of Olives to pray, where Jesus sweat drops of blood due to the stress He was under. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane that He prayed that the Father would take the cup of wrath away but resolved to do His Father’s will above all else:
“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.’ And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.'”
Sometime in the morning hours close to midnight on Friday, Judas Iscariot came with the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees into the Garden of Gethsemane, which was near the Kidron Valley, to arrest Jesus. Since it was near midnight, it was dark, so this crowd had lanterns, torches, and weapons. According to Bible Ref, the Roman cohort (Greek word speria) had up to 600 soldiers, and the officers could have been several people as well (according to Bibleversestudy.com).
Even though there were that many people in the Garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus, He was still fully under control of the situation:
So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Therefore He again asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” to fulfill the word which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”
John 18:4-9 NASB
Jesus was not begging for the lives of the disciples to be spared; He was telling the large crowd to let them go. It was a command; Jesus was totally in command and sovereign. This was a King willingly going to the Cross to give His life to take the punishment for our sins that we would believe in Him and live.
The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret. Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.” When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?” So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
John 18:19-24 NASB
Then, Caiaphas sent Jesus bound before Pontius Pilate at the Praetorium. When Pilate questioned the Jews about Jesus, the Jews told Pilate that they could not put anyone to death. After Pilate questioned Jesus, he found know fault in Jesus. Because Jesus was a Galilean, Pilate sent Him to Herod:
Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently. And Herod with his solders, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate. Now Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.
Luke 23:8-12 NASB
This exchange shows how much the Jewish leaders had a deal with Rome, which was another indictment against them for not bearing fruit in accordance with repentance. When Jesus returned to Pilate, Pilate still did not see guilt in Jesus, so he tried releasing Him with the tradition at the Passover feast where they released one prisoner. However, the crowd chose to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus; when Pilate condemned Jesus, it was about 8:00 am.
The crucifixion was at approximately 9:00 am, after Jesus was beaten in the Praetorium by the Roman soldiers. Jesus was lead through what is now called the Via Dolorosa (the way of suffering) in the Old City, a part of Jerusalem, to Golgotha (the place of the skull). Golgotha is the hill directly outside the city walls, and it was shaped like a skull, which is why it was called the Skull. Jesus hung on the cross from approximately 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, and there was darkness from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm, when Jesus died. At that time, the veil of the temple was torn in two, meaning that the Gentiles in the farthest part of the Temple could see all the way into the Holy of Holies. There was also an earthquake. And people in the tombs who were dead came to life:
The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.
Matthew 27:52-53 NASB
Jesus’ death was an event that should have had the whole city of Jerusalem saying what the centurion proclaimed, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54). However, there were still some who looked on and still did not believe.
That evening Joseph of Arimathea received the Jesus’ body from Pontius Pilate. Joseph prepared the body for burial and laid the body in his own tomb. He rolled a large stone in front of the tomb, which Pontius Pilate sealed and had Roman guards protect.
Holy Saturday
Saturdays were the Sabbath, so Jesus’ body was in the grave and the people were resting. It is possible they went back to the Upper Room to hide out.
Resurrection Sunday (Easter Sunday)
That morning the women went to the Garden Tomb to take the prepared spices to Jesus’ body, but the stone was rolled away, His linen wrappings were folded lying there, and an angel told them to go tell the disciples that Jesus is risen. Jesus appeared to many before ascending to heaven to reign, and He will return. Death and the grave could not hold our King! He is Risen! Praise God! And because He is risen, we have hope (see 1 Corinthians 15).
Resources on Resurrection Sunday (Easter) and Holy Week
While there is the Israel – Hamas war going on, you can still plan your travel to Israel. One tour group that my Mom and I have looked at (before the war) to take a tour of Israel is Footsteps Ministries; it looks like they are planning for 2025.
Another place to keep an eye for tours of Israel and Biblical places is Ligonier Tours.
Join in on the Conversation
I always love hearing from my readers. Feel free to comment below, or join the conversation on X.com by following my account (x.com/sarahderinger88).
Have you ever been to Israel?
Have you ever been to Jerusalem or any of the places that Jesus walked?
Every summer from May – July, churches everywhere select a week to give their all to teaching children about Jesus is a hyper, focused environment called Vacation Bible School. Many adults feel that it is a long, tiring week, and it is … to an extent. However, it is so rewarding, and when I think about the impact it could have on generations to come for the glory of God, I get re-energized. Vacation Bible School is a very important week for churches and for children because it is a time where children can get to know who Jesus is outside of hearing about Him as a curse word. Vacation Bible School is a time where children can reunite with their friends outside of school at their local church, have a meal or at least a snack, sing songs about Jesus, play games, and hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Benefits of VBS
Fellowship for children
Children hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Church serving the community
Children getting food (meals or snack)
Children getting to hear and sing songs about Jesus
Children getting to invite their friends to VBS and learning how to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.
Children getting to play games, make crafts, do science experiments, and all kinds of other fun.
Impacting the current generation and generations to come for Christ’s glory
Children getting to hear that Someone loves them
Children getting to get out of their home, which may or may not be a hostile abusive environment in some cases.
Church opening their doors to the public
Church fulfilling the Great Commission.
By the way, here is a shameless plug for my church’s Vacation Bible School! First Baptist Church Paoli (Indiana) is hosting their Vacation Bible School on Monday, June 3, 2024 – Friday, June 7, 2024 from 6:00 pm EST to 8:00 pm EST. This is for children and teens. We are providing a full dinner. This event is free. The theme is the Great Jungle Journey, which is a VBS created by Answers in Genesis. If you and your family is near Paoli and you would like to join us that week, please do!
Join in on the conversation!
I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post or start a conversation on X.com/sarahderinger88.
What are your favorite parts about Vacation Bible School?
Is your church hosting Vacation Bible School this year? If yes, how many days are you all doing?
What is the biggest struggle for your church’s VBS?
How may I pray for you? (If you would like to private message me a prayer request, please feel free to message me via Instagram, Facebook, or X.com. I will gladly pray for you.)
Do you know of any other benefits of VBS that you would add to this list?
Letter’s in the mail! I received a letter recently from Burusi in Kenya. I sponsor Burusi through Compassion International. Burusi is 13 years old now.
In this letter written in January, Burusi writes that he had had a headache the previous week but got healed. He is now in the sixth grade, and he enjoys home science the best. His favorite meal to cook is rice. He loves playing football (soccer) with his friend during break time.
He drew me a colorful picture of a building, which could be his house or his school.
Join in on the conversation!
I love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post or start conversation on x.com/sarahderinger88.
Do you or have you sponsored a child before?
What are your experiences with sponsoring a child?
What organizations do you sponsor through?
What is your favorite thing that your sponsored child has written about?
Sponsor a Child Through Compassion International
Please consider sponsoring a child through Compassion International. By sponsoring a child for $43 per month, you can impact a child’s life by helping them through difficult times. You can also help provide them an education, school supplies, food, clothing, shelter, health care, and most importantly, the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What better way to shine a light during these dark times than to give someone the opportunity to hear the hope that we have in Christ Jesus? Please sponsor a child today!
Last September, my cousin Stephen (who is also my pastor) and I were fortunate enough to go to the G3 Conference in Atlanta. I almost thought I would not get to go on the trip due to work; however, my boss let me off for the trip. I enjoyed the conference and traveling very much – listening to their pastors and theologians speak, see a lot of people that I normally only view on X.com, Facebook, or Instagram, spend time with my cousin, and shop the book store.
We flew in to the Atlanta Airport, which is massive and very busy. We got our luggage, walked to the tram that would take us to the rental cars, and then drove our rental car to our hotel. We stayed at the Hotel Indigo Atlanta Airport in College Park, which had a fence around it for safety. The staff there were very kind. They had breakfast in the mornings and a small selection of snacks to purchase during the day. My room had a walk in shower, a comfy chair and table, a comfy bed, and a tv. They also had free wifi.
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
The G3 Conference theme was the Sovereignty of God. We ate at Ruby Tuesday’s, and then we decided to go register at the Georgia International Convention Center on Thursday during the pre-conference. While we were there, Dr. James White was speaking. At each of the sessions we typically sat at the back of the room where people were not hogging the chairs (saving the chairs for their friends). G3 gave away some really nice Legacy Standard Bibles. We also tried checking out the bookstore, but they were not open at that point. Stephen met Chocolate Knox from CrossPolitic too, which was cool.
Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The government is under His Kingship. The Church has a role in speaking to the government.
Dr. James White
Dr. James White referenced Psalm 2, Psalm 110, and Acts 17 and urged the pastors and churches at the conference to “build toward the future for His glory” and “build a foundation for the next generation.”
For dinner, we ate at Manchester Arms, which is a British pub in the College Park neighborhood. The food was really good, and I definitely recommend it! It had a great atmosphere. We also found John Calvin Avenue while we were driving to the restaurant.
Thursday, September 21, 2023
The next day was when the rest of the conference started. Josh Buice opened the conference with talking about how God cannot be manipulated.
Our God is a God who can’t be treated as a puppet on a string. He is Sovereign – over our salvation.
Josh Buice
Josh Buice called the Church to faithfulness and not to allow fear and anxiety to overcome them, and remembering God’s Sovereignty can help overcome our fears and anxiety.
Owen Strachan was up next, and he discussed the spiritual warfare that we are in, and the believer needs to strengthen their focus on God’s love for them to grow their faith.
The less secure you are in your faith on the love of God, the less stable your life will be. The more you know you’re loved the more secure you are and the more joy you can live.
Owen Strachan
Owen also encouraged the Church to “pray big because God is not getting smaller.”
After that, I tried getting into a breakout session, but those rooms were packed. Therefore, I was in the group that watched Just Thinking Live, where they were talking about race and how the Gospel changes your heart to understand that, “Wokeness is about envy. Social justice is another term of envy. … Race is a social construct; it’s not Biblically correct.” They referenced Acts 17:26.
We went out for lunch and also watched the Live Show when they were interviewing Phil Johnson.
After that I watched the G3 Church Network Panel, which talked about the importance of being a member of the local church. The panel agreed that, “The local church will determine the directory of your whole life.”
That evening, Dr. Steven Lawson preached with power referencing Psalms 93-99, 103, 115, 135, and 33 as well as Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4. Besides Dr. James White, Steven Lawson was probably my favorite preacher and theologian to hear at G3. His preaching that night was on point; he was telling the audience the glory and sovereignty of God.
There is no room for any other king. He dwarfs any other rule.
Dr. Steven Lawson
Friday, September 22, 2023
On Friday at the conference, Pastor James Coates taught on the Sovereignty of God in Election (Salvation). He referenced Romans 9 and 11 as he talked about God loving Jacob and rejecting Esau.
If you reject God’s sovereignty in election you are rejecting His essence and the full manifestation of His glory.
Pastor James Coates
Next up was Dr. James White, who talked about God’s eternality. He referenced Romans 8 and 9, Isaiah 40-49, and 1 Corinthians 6.
My God did not create a universe where there is random meaningless evil. All of it will resound to the praise of His glorious grace. God has sovereignly decreed His glory in all that He has done.
Dr. James White
The final sermon we were able to hear was Voddie Baucham; his sermon title was The Sovereignty of God and the Sanctity of Marriage. Voddie referenced Genesis 1:26-31, 2:18-25, 3, Romans 1, and Romans 5.
The slippery slope starts with ‘there is no God’, which is rooted and grounded in not acknowledging God. When arguing against sin, you much use Scripture because the root is that they refuse to believe in Him. That’s the last stop – we know it’s wrong but we give approval. The answer is the Gospel. We don’t just want people to stop doing what they’re doing. We want them to become righteous by faith. … Christ is Lord over all. Our God doesn’t deal in half measures. We must live like we’re pushing forward in our day and time.
Voddie Baucham
When Voddie was finished preaching, he was selling and signing books. So Stephen and I went to get his book; it is still on my desk waiting to be read with all the other books I have yet to read. In God’s sovereign providence, after getting the book signed by Voddie, we left to go get dinner (McDonald’s). Right before the showing of the Essential Church movie, there was a bomb threat and they had to evacuate the conference. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and they found the one who made the bomb threat. G3 Conference 2023 in Atlanta was a great time, and I cannot wait for the next one.
If you would like to listen to all the sermons that were preached during the conference, G3 has this YouTube playlist:
The G3 2023 Conference Playlist
Join in on the Conversation
I always love hearing from my readers. Feel free to comment below, or join the conversation on X.com by following my account (x.com/sarahderinger88).
Have you ever been to G3 Conference?
What was your favorite part about the trip?
Who were your favorite pastors and theologians to listen to?
We are looking at the Fruit of the Spirit in this series, and recently we looked at the fruit of peace, and now we are going to learn about the fruit of Kindness. The Holy Spirit is the One who develops the fruits of the Spirit in us, and we cannot produce this on our own. We rely fully on Him for this to grow, but we can add this through obedience to Christ (not a working for our salvation but from our salvation). The full list of the fruit of the Spirit is found in Scripture:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
GALATIANS 5:22-23 (NASB)
Gospel Kindness
This time, we will look at how the Holy Spirit develops kindness in us and in our lives. We must believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ to have kindness begin growing in our lives.
God so loved the world in this one particular way – He sent His Son Jesus to live a sinless life on earth, to die on the cross taking the punishment for sin (also called substitutionary atonement) and paying the debt we incurred when we sinned. By believing in Christ for salvation and repenting of our sins (agreeing with God that sin is sin), we are then able to have the hope of eternal life with God through Christ Jesus. This is the ONLY way; there is no other.
Then, when we believe in Christ for salvation, we are granted the Holy Spirit and are sealed with Him. This is when the transformation (or sanctification) begins, where the Holy Spirit begins to make us more and more like Christ everyday. Through that process, He produces His fruit in our lives (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). The process involves: reading the Bible, prayer, being active in a local church that preaches sound doctrine, living in such a way that glorifies Christ, repenting each day as we sin yet again and fighting against that sin, and doing the good deeds that God has prepared for us (see Romans 8).
Kindness
What is kindness, and how do we have more of it in our lives? The world has a counterfeit kindness of being “nice.” It is the kind of “nice” that has no boundaries, no courage to stand up for what is right, and is all about “loving” your neighbor with no truth. The world’s counterfeit kindness has its focus on being accepting of everyone no matter what, rather than understanding that the Gospel is exclusive. God makes it very clear in His word that there are some things He does not tolerate:
And just as they did not see fit [u]to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30 slanderers, [v]haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32 and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
By choosing only to accept everyone and not tell them the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are not being kind. Biblical kindness, the fruit of the Spirit, is an active love for God and neighbor that is both loving and truthful. Kindness seeks out ways that you can help others, and not only serve yourself. Kindness chooses to put others before yourself. Kindness defers to the other person. This kindness is something that you can do even in the most difficult of circumstances. True kindness is showing Christ’s love for the people around you.
Biblical Example of Kindness
A Biblical example of kindness can be found in Boaz when he continued giving to Ruth, the Moabitess. Ruth had followed her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem after her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law died in Moab. Ruth went to harvest in the fields and happened across Boaz’s field. Boaz protected Ruth, gave her extra food, and then redeemed her for his wife (See the book of Ruth). Boaz was a foreshadowing of Jesus, who lavishes His grace and mercy on believers. And while God may not be calling you to marry whomever you are called to show kindness to, there are plenty of opportunities to bring aid and kindness to the vulnerable around you.
As we go through these next few weeks of delving into what the Fruit of the Spirit is in our lives as believers, reflect on how you can grow more in the Fruit of the Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit is ultimately the one who grows the fruit in you and me, but you and I have a responsibility to meditate (fill our minds with, not empty our minds) on God’s Word on what kindness and each fruit of the Spirit is. What is one way that you and I can show the kindness of Christ this week?
Join in on the conversation!
I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.
What fruit of the Spirit do you hope to grow more in?
What fruit of the Spirit do you want to learn more about?
What fruit of the Spirit do you struggle most with?
How may I pray for you? (If you would like to private message me a prayer request, please feel free to message me via Instagram, Facebook, or X.com. I will gladly pray for you.)
What are your favorite examples of kindness in the Bible?
Who is someone in your life that shows the kindness of Christ to those around them?
Ark Encounter is a family-friendly, Biblical theme park in Williamstown, Kentucky. The Ark is a full-sized replica of the ark that Noah built when God told him about the coming flood (Genesis 6-9). My mom and I visited it back in November 2021, and it has grown since then by adding a carousel. Kids ages 10 and under get free admission into the park, and there are plenty of things for kids to do. There is a zoo, where you can see some cool animals and walk through a couple of animal enclosures to get closer to the animals. There is a Rainbow garden symbolizing the rainbow that God put in the sky for the Noahic covenant to show He would not destroy the world by flood again (Genesis 9). One of the special features of the entire park is that it is handicap accessible, so if you have anyone in a wheelchair or any older loved ones who want to go but are not up for walking a lot, there is a way for them to enjoy the entire experience.
Once in the parking lot, walk to the bus station and board a bus that will take you to the entrance.
Enter the Answers Center, which is at the bus drop-off area. Here, there is auditorium, breakout rooms, a lab, and a gift shop.
Next, make your way to the Ark which is a walk around a pond. On the way is the new carousel which was not completed when we were there, a few food options at Noah’s Village, a playground, a virtual reality experience, and lots of other activities.
Learn about the building of the ark, the many animals that were on the ark, Noah’s family, and so much more while you are there. Also, see how the story of Noah was a foreshadowing of the rescue mission Christ accomplished for believers.
Walk through the Ararat Ridge Zoo and see lots of animals.
I really enjoyed the Gospel presentation that happens at the Ark Encounter because it is rare to find a theme park that shares the Gospel like the Ark Encounter does.
Ark Encounter is a great place to take your family to point them to Christ and help them learn that the Bible is true. It is always exciting to see how big the Ark is in real life; it is huge! Also, I found a beautiful nativity Christmas ornament for my Christmas tree and a good children’s book on Noah’s ark in the gift shop. Plan on stopping in the gift shop, and expect long lines there. It is worth it though!
Join in on the Conversation
I always love hearing from my readers. Feel free to comment below, or join the conversation on X.com by following my account (x.com/sarahderinger88).
Have you ever been through Ark Encounter?
What was your favorite part about the trip?
What adventures does your family enjoy?
Do you know of any more Christian theme parks or attractions?
We are saying good-bye to Edith, our oldest Compassion International child, who is graduating from the program. It is bitter-sweet to say good-bye because we have enjoyed getting to know Edith and learn about her family throughout the years; however, we know that she is entering her adult life with her new husband and family. We received a letter from Edith and a letter from her mother saying goodbye and thank you.
Our Goodbye to Edith (Edited to leave out identifying facts)
Dear Edith,
Congratulations on graduating from the Compassion program! Happy birthday a few days ago as well! Congratulations on marrying your boyfriend, which is what I read in the letter from your mom. I am so happy for you! I pray that your marriage will be very blessed and that God will use you and your husband to make a positive difference in the lives of everyone around you for God’s glory. I pray that you will succeed in university and learn everything you need to find a good job that will support your family.
I am so proud of you – how hard you have worked in school, how much you have grown and learned, how God has shaped your heart and life. I wish I could continue following your life, as I know there is a beautiful purpose for you to discover. I wonder what it is? Even if you make mistakes, you were not created by accident. You were made to experience love, life, and joy. I can only pray that you discover this joy.
Please remember that no matter what, even if we never hear from each other again, we still think of and pray for you. You will not be forgotten. We have felt so privileged to be part of your care. We have also been changed by having the chance to love you in the little ways we did.
Live your life and never lose hope! Know that God is with you always, even in the most difficult circumstances. Be brave, strong, and kind. We love you always! Thank you for letting us be a part of your journey in life. I pray that our friendship has blessed you as much as it has blessed us. My special Bible verse for you: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10 … Rely on Christ’s righteousness and His grace.
Love, The Deringer Family
The Deringer Family
In the coming days, months, and years, we will continue sponsoring the other children that we have. We will also pray for Edith and her family. Some sponsors choose to share their contact information so that they can continue hearing from their sponsored child in adulthood. We have chosen not to do so.
You can get involved in sponsoring a child through Compassion International as well, and if you sponsor a child long enough, you might see them graduate from the program too! It is such a great way to share the Gospel with children around the world.
In light of the Roe v. Wade decision being overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States, there are resources available that can help mothers – whether they do not want to be mothers or whether they are in need of assistance in obtaining resources, such as diapers and formula. Please do not feel as if you do not have any options because there are more options to you than just abortion. There are so many Christians who are willing to help.
For those mothers wishing to give their child(ren) up for adoption and / or in need of resources for their babies, there are a few great resources that I know of that are willing to help:
Lifetime Adoption: Go to the website and click through the prompts to get information about giving up your child for adoption.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes: Go to any of their locations to give your child up for adoption. This option allows the mothers to be completely anonymous, no questions asked. Once you place your child in that box, the child goes to DCS, where they will be placed with a foster family for 30 days where they verify that all parental rights are given up. Then, the child will be adopted immediately.
Miriam Pregnancy Counseling Center: This is a chain of resource centers that are Christ-centered. They have counselors, resources, and a network of support for mothers. There are locations in Indianapolis as well as Texas.
Hope Resource Center of Bedford, Indiana: This is a resource center where they have counselors ready to help you through the process of giving your child up for adoption. They also have many free resources such as a ultrasound machine to take pictures of the baby growing in your womb, free diapers, free clothing, and lots more.
LIFE Family Resource Center of Orange County, Indiana: This resource center has counselors ready to help you through the process and look at your options. They also have many free resources, such as free diapers, free clothing, free baby wipes, free pregnancy tests, and so much more.
For Christians who are looking to adopt, there are many options as well:
If you need any assistance in finding a pregnancy resource center near you or if you need prayer or someone to talk to, please comment below or contact me. I am willing to help.
P.S. I am willing to adopt your baby, and I know of many families in my church that are willing to adopt your baby.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Welcome, friend. I know this life can be heavy and hard. My desire is that my words would bring you hope, healing, truth, and rest; that my words would be a reminder to you that you are not alone, that God is good, and that there is hope.
Sarah B. Deringer 