Syllabus Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Lesson 4 Lesson 5 Lesson 6 Lesson 7 Lesson 8
The Fruit Of The Spirit - Part Two (Introduction and Lesson One)
Introduction
The Missing Fruits
Have you ever had to spend time around someone who was: grumpy, grouchy, impatient, mean, unkind, worried all the time, sad all the time, rude, dirty minded, selfish, stingy, inconsiderate, insensitive, always complaining, cantankerous, argumentative, unreasonable, snobby, greedy, loses their temper often, or smokes like a chimney etc...?
The truth about that person, according to God’s Word, is that person is lost. Whether that person is your spouse, your parent, your child, your best friend, your preacher or the person in the mirror and you’ve just resigned yourself to put up with it or go around with a headache all the time because of it, it is a fact that must be admitted and recognized. Christian and all those words above, just are not synonymous.
Fruit Inspection
Christ said, "...by their fruits you will know them." (Matt.7:20) If the fruits of the Spirit are: "Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control" and we know them by their fruits, a simple comparison will tell you that those in the first list are bearing the fruits of somebody other than the Spirit. In the same context, Christ said, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire". He also said that, "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit." (Matt. 7:15-23)
They Just Don’t Mix
So much for the idea that I can just mix the two and get to go to heaven. "I’’ll be kind and loving to everybody, but I am depressed all the time". "I’ll be generous with my giving and that will buy the right to be inconsiderate." "I’ll be very patient and gentle, but I won’t hold to all the teachings of Christ in my beliefs." According to this verse, we have deluded ourselves, if we believe these statements to be true.
Examining The Fruits Of The Spirit
Have you ever given "The Fruits of the Spirit" much thought? In this course, we will explore each of them individually and hopefully examine our hearts more closely, to make sure they are all securely there.In Fruit Of The Spirit Part One we studied three of the nine fruit: Love, Joy and Peace.
In Fruit Of The Spirit Part two we will study the last 6: Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.
In addition, we will conclude our series of studies by considering a list of hindrances to our fruit bearing. This is a list given to us by the Lord. In the final lesson we will learn the prescription, given by Christ, for much fruit bearing.
Lesson 1
God Is Patient
Perfect Patience
It is so hard to be patient! Reflect on how long you've been trying to gain patience, then consider God and all His dealings with mankind since He created us. That is patience!
Man has been going astray and making the same stupid mistakes since we arrived on this planet. God has been there generation after generation after generation enduring it all. Granted, His patience has its limits.
The Divine Longsuffering In The Days Of Noah
God’s patience ran out in the time of Noah, and He destroyed the world with a flood, but not after much forbearance and warning.
1. "...When once the __________ _________ waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water." (1 Pet.3:20)
Not Water But Fire
God's patience will run out again someday. God will destroy the world with fire, but not after much warning and forbearance.
Scoffers Taunt God's Patience
2. "Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own ______, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." (2 Pet. 3:3-4)
God's Patience Ran Out In Noah’s Time
3. For this they ______________ __________: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, (2 Pet. 3:5)
4. by which the world that then existed __________, being flooded with water. (2 Pet. 3:6)
God’s Patience Will Run Out Again
5. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same ________, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Pet. 3:7)
God warns that He is not being slack, just patient, because He does not desire for anyone to perish.
6. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not _______ concerning His promise, as some count slackness, But is ______________ toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to _____________. (2 Pet. 3: 8-9)
Someday God’s Patience Will Run Out
7. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the _______ and the ________ that are in it will be burned up. (2 Pet. 3:10)
Be Ready!
8. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in ______ _________ and _____________, (2 Pet. 3:11)
This Earth Is Going To Burned Up
9. looking for and hastening the coming of the ____ of _____, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on _____, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? (2 Pet. 3:12)
The Righteous Will Dwell On A New Earth
10. Nevertheless we, according to His, look for new ________ and a new earth in which ____________ dwells. (2 Pet. 3:13)
Therefore Be Good!
11. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be ________ to be found by Him in peace, without and ____________; (2 Pet. 3: 14)
12. What did God say He hoped His long-suffering would achieve? (2 Pet. 3:15)
GOD WAS PATIENT WITH ISRAEL
God's patience was tried on a minute by minute basis with the children of Israel. Let's see what we can learn about God's patience in His dealings with this rebellious nation in Psalms 78.
13. Verses 5-7 tell of the Israel God visualized. This Israel would not have tried His patience. Describe this ideal Israel (the one that never existed) portrayed here.
14. From verses 8-11 tell some things that tried God's patience.
15. Do you think God's children ever try God's patience in similar fashion today?
16. From verses 12-16 tell the good things God did for His children even though they tried His patience:
17. What was their response to His mercy, kindness and patience? (Ps.78:17-20)
18. What was God's attitude toward Israel because of their lack of trust and gratitude? (Ps.78:21-22)
19. Though He was angry and His patience was tested mightily, what again was His response? (Ps.78:23-30)
20. When God reached the end of His patience and of trying to win their hearts with love and kindness, He then would chastise them to bring them back in line. What was their immediate response to His chastisement? (Ps.78:34)
21. Did the chastisement last? (Ps.78:36-37)
22. Considering how Israel tried God's patience multiple times, what was the element in His heart that motivated God to be patient and forgiving? (Ps.78:38-39)
God Patiently Tried Different Methods
To Keep Israel Faithful
Psalms 78 spans the many years of time that God spent dealing patiently with the children of Israel. We see the avenues through which His patience worked to keep them faithful which were.
His Law
23. For He established a testimony in Jacob, And ______ __ ____ in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children;...(Ps. 78:5)
24. That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be _____, That they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, but ______ His ________________; (Ps. 78: 6)
25. And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart _________, And whose ________ was not faithful to God. (Ps. 78:8)
His Kindness
26. Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation. Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And _________ the doors of heaven, Had rained down _________ on them to eat, And given them of the doors of heaven. (Ps.78:22-23)
27. Men ate ________ food; He sent them ________ to the full. He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; And by His power He brought in the south wind. (Ps. 78: 25-26)
28. He also rained ______ on them like the dust, _____________ _______ like the sand of the seas; And He let them fall in the midst of their camp, all around their dwellings. (Ps. 78: 27-28)
29. So they ate and were ______ ________, For He gave them their ____ desire. (Ps. 78: 29)
His Compassion
30. But He, being full of ______________, forgave their iniquity, And did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His _________ away, And did not stir up all His _________; (Ps. 78:38)
31. For He ____________ that they were but flesh, A ___________ that passes away and does not come again. (Ps.78:39)
His Chastisement
32. When He _______ them, then they sought Him; And they _________ and sought earnestly for _____. (Ps.78:34)
33. Then they remembered that _____ was their rock, And the Most High God their __________. (Ps. 78: 35)
From their departure from Egypt to their crowning David to be king, God shows His Divine patience with Israel. Ps. 78 ends with God once again blessing them with all the elements of His patience brought together through the heart of one man: David. Verses 70-72
34. He also chose David His __________, And took him from the ____________; (Ps. 78: 70)
35. From following the ewes that had ________ He brought him, To shepherd _________ His people, And Israel His _____________. (Ps. 78:71)
36. So he _____________ them according to the ________ of his heart, And _________ them by the skillfulness of his ________ (Ps. 78:72)
37. What did you learn from God's patience in Ps. 78?