“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” — John 14:26 (NASB 1995)
We often think it’s our job to explain every detail of Scripture to our children—but the Holy Spirit is their Teacher too.
When we pray before reading, when we invite the Spirit to illuminate the Word, we model humility and dependency on Him. And when our children begin to experience His help themselves, they build a lifelong relationship with their true Teacher.
Family Talk:
Have you ever had a Bible verse come to mind when you needed it?
Let’s pray before reading today and ask the Spirit to teach us all.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, we welcome You into our time together. Teach us what we don’t understand, remind us of Jesus’ words, and make our hearts soft to learn. Amen.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” — Galatians 5:22–23 (NASB 1995)
The fruit of the Spirit is not something we manufacture; it’s what the Spirit produces in us as we remain in Christ.
You may try to be more patient or kinder in your own strength, but the results will always fall short. The Spirit brings the fruit—He does the growing.
Your part? Stay close. Walk with Him. Obey Him. Trust Him to shape your character from the inside out.
Reflection: Which fruit do you need the Spirit to grow in you most right now?
Prayer: Holy Spirit, I don’t want to fake fruit—I want real change. Cultivate Your fruit in me as I stay close to You. Amen.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” — Galatians 5:22–23 (NASB 1995)
Did you know God can grow things in your heart? Not apples or bananas—but love, joy, peace, and more!
The Holy Spirit helps us grow to be like Jesus, and that means we start showing more love, more patience, and more kindness every day.
Try This: Draw a fruit basket and write one word from Galatians 5:22–23 on each fruit. Ask God to grow those in your heart!
Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank You for helping me grow good fruit in my heart. I want to be more like Jesus. Amen.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” — Galatians 5:22–23 (NASB 1995)
Culture teaches us to “fake it till we make it.” But God offers something better—authentic transformation.
The fruit of the Spirit isn’t a checklist; it’s the evidence that you’re walking with the Holy Spirit. It’s not about forcing behavior—it’s about growing in relationship.
When you’re close to Him, the fruit shows up.
Challenge: Pick one fruit (love, patience, etc.) and ask the Holy Spirit to grow it in a real way this week.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, make me real. Let Your fruit show up in my life, not because I’m trying to look good—but because I’m walking with You. Amen.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” — Galatians 5:22–23 (NASB 1995)
The fruit of the Spirit is not about performance—it’s about presence. When the Spirit is welcomed and obeyed in a home, the fruit of His presence becomes visible.
As mothers, we cannot force our children to bear fruit—but we can cultivate an environment where the Spirit is honored and His Word is lived out.
And as we walk with Him ourselves, our children will taste the fruit from our lives.
Family Talk:
Which of the fruits in Galatians 5 do we see in our home?
Which ones do we need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us grow?
Prayer: Holy Spirit, fill this home and grow Your fruit in each of us. Let our words, actions, and relationships reflect Your presence here. Amen.
Not all who teach the Bible teach the truth. In every generation, voices rise with persuasive speech, passion, and promises—but not all speak for God. Scripture warns of false teachers and doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1). The solution isn’t suspicion, but testing.
The Bereans weren’t skeptical; they were faithful. They received Paul’s message eagerly—then examined the Scriptures daily to see if what he said was true (Acts 17:11). They didn’t test to reject; they tested to follow rightly. That’s the posture God honors.
Scripture Focus:
“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21, NASB1995
Teaching Must Be Tested, Not Trusted Blindly
It doesn’t matter who’s preaching. If it contradicts the Word, it must be rejected. Scripture is the standard—not popularity, credentials, or tradition.
Jesus warned of wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). Paul told the Galatians that even if an angel from heaven preached a different gospel, it was to be accursed (Galatians 1:8). We test everything—not to be critical, but to be careful.
Examine Carefully, Not Casually
Testing is not passive—it’s diligent. The Greek for “examine” (dokimazō) implies testing metals, proving what is genuine. That means:
Searching the Scriptures in full context
Letting the Spirit confirm or correct
Asking questions of the text, not just the teacher
The Bereans searched daily. They let the Word be their filter.
What to Hold Fast To
Once tested, truth must be held tightly. Truth isn’t a buffet—it’s a foundation. The Bereans clung to what aligned with Scripture. Today, we must:
Hold fast to what the Bible plainly teaches
Let go of what’s built on inference, tradition, or system
Walk in obedience to what is clear
How the Early Church Modeled Discernment
The Ante-Nicene believers weren’t easily swayed by clever speech. They weighed everything against the apostles’ teachings, preserved in the Scriptures. When heresies arose, they stood firm—not with arrogance, but with conviction rooted in the Word.
They were not passive hearers. They were active testers.
Today’s Urgent Need: A Berean Heart
We are flooded with podcasts, sermons, and books. Not all are evil—but not all are true. The Church doesn’t need louder voices. It needs sharper listeners.
God still honors those who examine everything and hold fast to what is good.
Return to the Word. Test What You Hear.
Not everything that sounds biblical is. Test it. Search it. Compare it. And when it proves good, cling to it like treasure.
Be discerning. Be devoted. And let the Holy Spirit and the Word be your guide in every teaching you receive.
“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.” — Isaiah 42:8 (NASB1995)
When Good Things Replace God
The Church has always been vulnerable to a subtle enemy: the glory shift.
It starts with something good:
A respected leader
A structured tradition
A theological framework
A growing ministry
But over time, what was once a vessel for God’s glory becomes the focus of it. The system gets the spotlight. The teacher becomes the authority. The institution defines truth.
And God’s glory is slowly redirected.
The Early Church Guarded God’s Glory
The Ante-Nicene Church didn’t build their identity around:
Famous bishops
Systematic theology
Church politics or titles
They built around Christ alone. The Scriptures were central. The Spirit was their teacher. Their gatherings exalted the Lord—not men.
“Let not one among you say, ‘I am of Paul’ or ‘I am of Peter.’ Christ alone is our boast.” — Ignatius of Antioch, c. AD 107
They rejected anything that threatened to take glory from God—whether it was idolatry, institutional pride, or religious elitism.
How Systems Steal Worship Today
We may not bow to graven images, but we often:
Exalt pastors or scholars as the final voice
Defend denominations more than we proclaim Christ
Quote theologians more than we quote Scripture
Celebrate ministry growth more than God’s holiness
These shifts are often unintentional. But they are real. And when left unchecked, they rob God of what belongs to Him alone.
“No man, no movement, no message is worthy of praise unless it bows at the feet of Christ.” — Athenagoras, Plea for the Christians, c. AD 177
What True Glory Looks Like
When God is rightly glorified:
His Word is honored above all
His Son is exalted above all
His Spirit is trusted in all things
His people decrease so that He increases (John 3:30)
The early Church lived with one passion: that Christ would be magnified whether by life or by death (Phil. 1:20).
A Call to Recalibrate
God will not share His glory. He is patient. He is kind. But He will not let His bride be distracted.
So let us ask:
Am I part of a system that celebrates itself more than Christ?
Is my faith shaped more by leaders and legacy than by the Word?
Do I find more joy in being right—or in being surrendered?
Kingdom Discipleship Reflection
Have I unknowingly given glory to man, movements, or institutions?
Do I speak more of church names, theological tribes, or authors than of Jesus?
Is Christ truly central—or merely included?
This week, read Isaiah 42 and Colossians 2. Ask the Spirit:
“Have I robbed God’s glory through misplaced trust or pride?”
Then return to the only One worthy of all praise:
“To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” — Romans 11:36
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” — Galatians 5:16 (NASB 1995)
Walking by the Spirit isn’t a sprint—it’s a steady, daily pace of surrender.
When Paul says “walk by the Spirit,” he means letting the Spirit govern your thoughts, words, and choices. This walk guards you against the flesh—those old patterns that still whisper, “Take the easy path.”
But walking in the Spirit is how we live free. It’s how we glorify God and live out His will, one obedient step at a time.
Reflection: Are your steps today led by the flesh or the Spirit? Ask Him to help you slow down and listen.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me walk with You today. Let every thought and step be led by You, not by my flesh. Strengthen me to obey and walk in Your freedom. Amen.
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” — Galatians 5:16 (NASB 1995)
Children don’t just watch our words—they imitate our walk.
Paul says to walk by the Spirit so we don’t give in to the flesh. This is something we must model before we teach.
When your children see you pause to pray before reacting, or choose patience over frustration, you’re teaching them how to walk in the Spirit by example.
We’re not perfect, but we’re being made more like Christ.
Family Talk:
What does walking with the Spirit look like in our home?
Can you think of a time when we saw God help us say “no” to something wrong?
Prayer: Holy Spirit, help this home to walk closely with You. Let us follow You more than our feelings, and grow in obedience and love. Amen.
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