Devotion of the Day

Galatians 5:22-23

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

Additional Verses

📖 Matthew 7:1-14; James 1:21-27

Have you ever observed that it is so often very easy to tell other people who may be encountering problems to have the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit in order to overcome their challenges, while you yourself are lacking in the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit. For you to effectively practice the works of charity, you need to ensure that your own environment is a manifestation of those works of charity. You can never give to others something that you do not have yourself. For anyone to talk about the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit to another person, it must come from what you possess in your own Spirit. In Matthew 7:3-5 the LORD Jesus Christ says, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye; and look, a plank is in your eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank in your own eye and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” So many children of God want to teach other people to walk the talk which they do not walk themselves. May l remind you that people always look at your life style rather than the many words you may want them to apply in their lives while your life style is a total contradiction of your advice. Be the first convert of the words which you give to others if ever you want people to believe you. If you want to preach a message of salvation to others, you must first preach that message to yourself and be fully converted by it. The LORD Jesus Christ is the only perfect example of what He preached. As the Prince of Peace, He was able to ask the Father to forgive all those who were nailing Him to the Cross. As Wonderful Counselor, even when He hung at that Cross, He was able to counsel His Mother Mary as she stood by the Cross, so torn with grief. Everything that He ever taught to people, Jesus Christ was able to illustrate in His life. I would like therefore to encourage you that before you rush into giving advices to other people, first find time to meditate on the life of the LORD Jesus Christ and learn to live as He lived. In fact allow Him to completely take charge of all your faculties and then when this happens, you will see that when you talk to other people your own life will be a witness of Jesus Christ Himself. Meditating upon the life of Jesus Christ brings an increased measure of God’s presence in your life and once this happens you will be able to bring God’s presence into the lives of others through your words and life style. Alleluia!

Prayer

Dear LORD Jesus Christ, thank You for Your Word which is always correcting me to do the right things so that l may not go astray. I pray that I may have the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit in me so that l will always do right things. In Jesus Christ’s Mighty name l pray. Amen.