• Topic > Spiritual Growth

    Discover how kindness is actually a substantial quality we can really sink our teeth into!

    “The fruit of kindness” sounds a bit mushy, doesn’t it? Of all the godly fruit to cultivate, kindness seems to be the weakest of the bunch. More from our study on the fruit of the Spirit.

    It’s Worth It

    I can’t do it,” Robert said, throwing his pencil down in despair. “It’s just too hard!” Reading, writing, and spelling seemed impossible to our dyslexic 9-year-old. At last, a solution was offered. But it was tough. We had to do reading and spelling practice with him for 20 minutes every evening—without exception. Sometimes we just didn’t feel like doing it, and at times we despaired of seeing progress. But we were committed to getting Robert’s reading age and his chronological age to match, so we battled on.

    Discover biblical ways to cultivate patience

    Whether it’s standing in line, waiting in the doctor’s office, or putting up with people who push our buttons, we have plenty of opportunities to develop patience. But it still seems to be the hardest fruit of the Spirit to grow! It’s an important fruit for spiritual health!

    Gain an appreciation for the biblical characteristic of peace

    We tend to think peace is the absence of conflict. But what if peace is quiet confidence in the midst of daily struggles? Let’s explore another fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5.

    Too Late To Change?

    There are sayings in many languages about the difficulty of changing long-established habits. In English, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” In French, “Ce n’est pas à un vieux singe qu’on apprend à faire la grimace” (You can’t teach an old monkey how to pull a funny face). In Spanish, “El loro viejo no aprende a hablar” (An old parrot can’t learn to speak).

    Take an honest look at the character of love

    There are times when love comes naturally. On our wedding day or at the birth of a child love is easy. Discover that the fruit of the Spirit is most evident when we love when it’s hard!

    Discover how to develop the fruit of the Spirit in your life

    Love, joy, peace, patience; just a few of the fruits of the Spirit that we want more of in our lives. But how do we go about developing these qualities? Discover sound wisdom on biblical gardening. And the first step is to let God do the planting!

    Discover the purpose of the fruit of the Spirit

    You can hold an apple in your hand, and admire its color, size, and smell. But you’ll never know how good that apple is unless you take a bite! Hear a fascinating study on the fruit of the Spirit.

    What does it look like to be more like Jesus?

    According to Scripture, you look like Jesus when your life resembles a fruitful orchard! Let’s begin a new series in Galatians 5, the Bible’s guide to growing the fruit of the Spirit!

    Assembly Required

    When our daughter and her fiancé began receiving wedding presents, it was a happy time. One gift they received was a bench cabinet that had to be assembled—and I volunteered for the task because they already had so much to do to prepare for the wedding. Although it took a couple of hours, it was much easier than expected. All of the wooden pieces were precut and predrilled, and all the hardware for assembly was included. The instructions were virtually foolproof.

    How to Make Decisions That Please God [Part Two]

    “Many, through wishing to be great, have failed to be good.” —Charles Spurgeon Ambition, goal setting, and practical use of our time are good things, but we shouldn’t develop tunnel vision and lose sight of others in the process. There’s a well-known story of a seminary that secretly conducted a […]

    How our very brokenness is what makes us candidates for serving the Lord!

    Ever feel like all the flaws in your family history make you ineligible for God’s work? Maybe you’ve heard God’s call for your life, but don’t feel qualified to accept. A “best of” conversation coming up.

    How to Make Decisions that Please God [Part One]

    We should always seek God’s will, wisdom, and guidance. Yet when He seems to be silent for the sake of letting us grow, there are some practical tips I’ve learned that help us not only to make good choices, but also enable us to be at peace with them instead […]