There are times when our faith and drive are insufficient. In these times, God accomplishes His will by His own determination. Our text says the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Bro. Morris recalls times where his faith was lacking, but the zeal of the Lord showed through to work in the situation.

There are times when our faith and drive are insufficient. In these times, God accomplishes His will by His own determination. Our text says the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Bro. Morris recalls times where his faith was lacking, but the zeal of the Lord showed through to work in the situation.

The story from our text is an illustration of how God can work something out in life. When God invites us to His table, it changes all the things that have happened up to that point. The story of Mephibosheth helps us understand the implications of what can happen when we respond to God. When Mephibosheth was just a child, life began to unravel. His father Jonathan, was the son of Saul. David ascended to the throne after the death of Saul. It was traditional that the heirs of the former king would be killed to eliminate any chance of the former king’s family trying to reclaim the throne. David and Jonathan were friends, and as a result of that friendship, David wanted to bless any heirs from the house of Saul. The bible tells us that there was one. Before we even know his name, we know that the man was lame in both feet. Bible scholars believe that the nursemaid fell when trying to escape with Mephibosheth, and that fall crippled him in both feet. Out of fear, Mephibosheth was living in a barren, out-of-the-way place. Ironically, the thing that he feared was not even true. Mephibosheth received a word in Lodebar that the King wanted to see him. This must-have scared him to death. The first words that David said to him were “fear not” and then refers to him as a son. David never mentions Mephibosheth’s lameness. The world knew him as being crippled, but David did not even mention it. The world sees our problems, but God sees the person. He sees us and welcomes us. And He accepts us just as we are. We never read that God healed Mephibosheth. He was still lame, but David welcomed him at the table. God wants us at His table no matter our past and no matter where we are living.

The story from our text is an illustration of how God can work something out in life. When God invites us to His table, it changes all the things that have happened up to that point. The story of Mephibosheth helps us understand the implications of what can happen when we respond to God. When Mephibosheth was just a child, life began to unravel. His father Jonathan, was the son of Saul. David ascended to the throne after the death of Saul. It was traditional that the heirs of the former king would be killed to eliminate any chance of the former king’s family trying to reclaim the throne. David and Jonathan were friends, and as a result of that friendship, David wanted to bless any heirs from the house of Saul. The bible tells us that there was one. Before we even know his name, we know that the man was lame in both feet. Bible scholars believe that the nursemaid fell when trying to escape with Mephibosheth, and that fall crippled him in both feet. Out of fear, Mephibosheth was living in a barren, out-of-the-way place. Ironically, the thing that he feared was not even true. Mephibosheth received a word in Lodebar that the King wanted to see him. This must-have scared him to death. The first words that David said to him were “fear not” and then refers to him as a son. David never mentions Mephibosheth’s lameness. The world knew him as being crippled, but David did not even mention it. The world sees our problems, but God sees the person. He sees us and welcomes us. And He accepts us just as we are. We never read that God healed Mephibosheth. He was still lame, but David welcomed him at the table. God wants us at His table no matter our past and no matter where we are living.

The story from our text is an illustration of how God can work something out in life. When God invites us to His table, it changes all the things that have happened up to that point. The story of Mephibosheth helps us understand the implications of what can happen when we respond to God. When Mephibosheth was just a child, life began to unravel. His father Jonathan, was the son of Saul. David ascended to the throne after the death of Saul. It was traditional that the heirs of the former king would be killed to eliminate any chance of the former king’s family trying to reclaim the throne. David and Jonathan were friends, and as a result of that friendship, David wanted to bless any heirs from the house of Saul. The bible tells us that there was one. Before we even know his name, we know that the man was lame in both feet. Bible scholars believe that the nursemaid fell when trying to escape with Mephibosheth, and that fall crippled him in both feet. Out of fear, Mephibosheth was living in a barren, out-of-the-way place. Ironically, the thing that he feared was not even true. Mephibosheth received a word in Lodebar that the King wanted to see him. This must-have scared him to death. The first words that David said to him were “fear not” and then refers to him as a son. David never mentions Mephibosheth’s lameness. The world knew him as being crippled, but David did not even mention it. The world sees our problems, but God sees the person. He sees us and welcomes us. And He accepts us just as we are. We never read that God healed Mephibosheth. He was still lame, but David welcomed him at the table. God wants us at His table no matter our past and no matter where we are living.

We do not have to look at social media for very long to realize that our world is in desperate need of Gracious Communication. The way that we communicate with each other has a strong influence on our relationships. If we are not kind in our communications, it is likely that the relationship is not good. Communication is important to God. In the opening chapters of Genesis, we see God speaking. The bible says that we are made in God’s image, and communication is one of the characteristics of that. More than a way to speak to each other, it is also a way to interact with God. Speech and communications, being a gift from God, is something to use carefully. When we use this gift to harm or destroy, we misuse God’s gift.

We do not have to look at social media for very long to realize that our world is in desperate need of Gracious Communication. The way that we communicate with each other has a strong influence on our relationships. If we are not kind in our communications, it is likely that the relationship is not good. Communication is important to God. In the opening chapters of Genesis, we see God speaking. The bible says that we are made in God’s image, and communication is one of the characteristics of that. More than a way to speak to each other, it is also a way to interact with God. Speech and communications, being a gift from God, is something to use carefully. When we use this gift to harm or destroy, we misuse God’s gift.

We do not have to look at social media for very long to realize that our world is in desperate need of Gracious Communication. The way that we communicate with each other has a strong influence on our relationships. If we are not kind in our communications, it is likely that the relationship is not good. Communication is important to God. In the opening chapters of Genesis, we see God speaking. The bible says that we are made in God’s image, and communication is one of the characteristics of that. More than a way to speak to each other, it is also a way to interact with God. Speech and communications, being a gift from God, is something to use carefully. When we use this gift to harm or destroy, we misuse God’s gift.

Our text speaks of the fruit of the spirit. The fruit is the result of being filled with the Holy Ghost. Often we misread our text from Galatians as fruits of the spirit. We treat love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance as individual fruits, but the word in verse 22 is singular, not plural. Dr. Hughes looks at the benefits of having and showing these nine characteristics of the fruit of the spirit in our lives.

Our text speaks of the fruit of the spirit. The fruit is the result of being filled with the Holy Ghost. Often we misread our text from Galatians as fruits of the spirit. We treat love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance as individual fruits, but the word in verse 22 is singular, not plural. Dr. Hughes looks at the benefits of having and showing these nine characteristics of the fruit of the spirit in our lives.