“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law,” Galatians 5:22-23.

How do people really know that we have the Holy Ghost?

What is it about us that assures them that we have truly been born of the Spirit?

What can they feel or see in us that speaks of this kind of experience?

Is it not by the kind of fruit that we produce; the attributes that are describing and demonstrating the Spirit himself?

Could it be, that there was a good reason why that the works of the flesh, were listed first in this passage written by the LORD’s apostle?

There is an urgency here. Many things point to the things that God is about to do among many of us in this hour.

There are many vessels here, as well as in a lot of other places, that are sensing a special move.

In most ways, it will likely not be like what anyone has seen or expected so far. There is a genuine reason why God has brought about so much work in those who are hungry for Him; a divine purpose in all of this training and this intense teaching; and re-teaching.

We are waiting for something; it’s taken a long time to get here. It’s His call.

How far did we go, in days gone by, in defining this particular fruit of the Spirit. If you notice today, it is often quickly stated as self-control.

There is another definition of this word that could have been ignored, or even denied. And it is the word, moderation. It means, not excessive or going to extremes.

I AM acutely aware that the word moderation is almost an ugly word in society today. But we are not talking about politics or the world; we’re talking about the Church and all it’s people.

Consider the other fruit of the Spirit, and know that this last one mentioned, goes right along with all of the others.

Love, joy, peace, goodness, gentleness, meekness etc. The kind of things one would expect to see emanate from those with the Spirit.

But what about this last one. In our walk back down the road, did we go to extremes about some things; about some of the things we taught or that we required of others.

Do we still cling to things that do not manifest the Spirit; the true fruit?

I’m urged that we will have to be specific about some issues to make this real. Women couldn’t cut their hair at all; no loose dead ends at all. No makeup whatsoever. Only floor-length dresses and long sleeves.

Men could not wear short sleeve shirts, no short pants and no sports. No one should have a television and no jewelry of any kind. That’s not the subject here, and it is not for debate or ridicule. I had to register as a non combatant when I joined the military; I chose to change that….

We were afraid to teach our people about moderation. It was feared that if we let the rules slide a tiny bit, we would go wild.

It wasn’t only these things. Please hold on now; the Spirit is asking to speak here; it’s that important.

The way many of us spoke to those not of our faith, was not done in temperance. I hate to say this, but the way many of us spoke to our families, even our brothers and sisters in the LORD, was not always done in a spirit of temperance either.

We hurt each other too.

We are going to have to unite together, if we are going to do the work we’ve been appointed to do, right now.

This has to be said, with gentleness, and with humility. It does not matter what kind of church you belong to, what organization you have a membership with, what your dress codes are, what your doctrinal declarations proclaim or even how you say you were baptized.

Not, if we do not manifest the fruit of the Spirit.

I didn’t say those things aren’t important or even necessary. I declare what Christ and Apostle Paul said. Without love?

The Body of Christ will come together; the true head of His church, declared they will.

We didn’t know just how many wrinkles we had in our garments, and some of us still don’t.

We will love one another again; either as we once did or as we never did. Or, Jesus will leave us here until we do.

I’m not here to push against what anyone believes or to belittle or to take away any of their faith; that is the lack of temperance.

Is it possible that the Spirit is waiting on our attitude?

Have I yet proven to Him that I have changed. Do I have self-restraint?

 

~ Robert Blackburn

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Robert Blackburn

 

 

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