Come To The Well Foundation, Inc.
A 501c3 Non-Profit Ministry
Email: [email protected] Phone: 941-405-3041
Who is the One who gives us true freedom? In the beginning, we shared in a land free from the ravaging of evil; God created us in His own image, and set us apart for His purpose and good pleasure (Genesis 1). When sin came onto the scene, wrecking this God-given utopia, we found ourselves bound in the shackles of shame, guilt, and fear...all results of a fallen, fleshly nature. Man was banished from the godly garden, suffered a severed relationship with the Lord, and subjected himself to serving a master whose wages result in death (Genesis 3:23; Romans 6:23). Even though it was permitted that we stumble into wrongdoing, God has always placed in our heart the hope-filled desire of a perfect, joyful reunion with Him. All of creation has been groaning since that time of its liberation from enslavement to corruption (Romans 8:20-23). Our first taste of freedom comes the moment we choose to believe in the name of Christ Jesus; calling on Him is a guarantee of being saved (Mark 16:16; Romans 10:13). No matter how many chains someone feels they are imprisoned by, with the Lord nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37). Call on Him, pray to Him, and He will hear you; Jeremiah 29:12-14 promises when we seek Him with all our heart we will find Him, and He will rescue and redeem us from wherever we have found ourself in exile. ‘“I speak eternal truth,” Jesus said. “When you sin you are not free. You’ve become a slave in bondage to your sin. And slaves have no permanent standing in a family, like a son does, for a son is a part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free from sin, then become a true son and be unquestionably free!”’ (John 8:34-36)
Who today will you serve? No one can serve two masters; therefore man must decide between a self-life or a Spirit-life because each one opposes the other. When one yields to the prompting of the Holy Spirit at work within him, he gives up the longings of the flesh, but if he gives into the passions of the flesh, then he will be hindered from living the life God created him for (Matthew 6:24; Galatians 5:16-17). It is for our freedom that Christ has set us free so why submit again to the yoke of sin-filled slavery? (Galatians 5:1) We once lived in a realm of death, held in sin’s grasp, and plagued by a list of indictments. But because of the love of our Savior, who we were in Adam [our sins, our stained soul] was permanently nailed to the cross, providing a public display and reminder of the cancellation of our indebtedness to the enemy (Colossians 2:13-14). We are called to freedom brothers and sisters; use it for good, serving one another, and above all loving your neighbor as yourself (Galatians 5:13-14). If one among us should be in darkness, may this be the opportunity they need to turn from the shadows and rebuke the stronghold of Satan, so they can receive that freeing forgiveness of a loving Lord (Acts 26:18). ‘“So what are you waiting for? Get up and get yourself baptized, scrubbed clean of those sins and personally acquainted with God.’” (Acts 22:16) No more would sin be your master, for by grace you have been rescued into the free nature preserved for you by the righteousness of Christ (Romans 6:8,14).
Receive God’s freedom...and be devoted to Him...He is to you!
We also offer an audio-visual weekly reflection based on our Weekly Encouragement called "Love Letter Lunch." Emailed weekly on Thursday so that you can enjoy a quiet time with Jesus at any time that fits your schedule.
THREE SETS OF SPIRITUAL FRUIT...HOW THEY ARE CONNECTED & WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US AS HIS BELOVED
Love is the central fruit of the Christian life; it is the willful desire to treat others as God has treated us in Christ.
Joy is not the same thing as happiness; happiness comes and goes based on what we are experiencing externally in the world around us, but joy is an inner dwelling of God. By reflecting on our salvation and the goodness of our Savior, we can remain filled with joy through all things!
Peace is an assurance of the soul; a sense of calm amidst the storm. No matter the trials we face, or the tribulations that plague us, we know that we are overcomers in Christ, and that He has the ultimate victory over all things; therefore, we can find spiritual balance which transcends all suffering.
These three fruits are the initial characteristics produced in the soul of a new believer. They all are inner experiences we receive by having a knowledge of God and a relationship with Jesus Christ. In cultivating these foremost elements, we are able to begin our journey of walking in the Spirit.
Patience, also known as long-suffering, is the quality that helps Christians overcome difficulty, hardship, and persecution. We have been told in scripture that we will be hated because of Christ’s name, but through all the unkindness we wait firmly and quietly upon the Lord.
Kindness is a disposition of character that is calm, non-threatening, gracious, and generous. Because we have acknowledged the lovingkindness lavished on us by our heavenly Father, we can reciprocate this to others.
Goodness is very similar to kindness, but there is a key difference. Goodness not only refers to the nature of the person, but what actions they take. Those who exemplify this fruit want good for others, to help them in their troubles, and they behave in a self-less manner.
Patience, kindness, and goodness are the relational fruits. Just as the first three help us to walk in the Spirit along the road, these help us as we encounter others along the road. As love, joy, and peace are manifestations of God’s love inside our souls, patience, kindness, and goodness are the realizations of God’s love in how we interact with other people.
Faithfulness is the attribute of being loyal, trustworthy, and devoted without fail. When we deepen in our faith, committed to the doctrine of our heavenly Father, then we don this spiritual quality that sets us apart. A broken world filled with lies and unfulfilled promises will not be able to turn a blind eye to the difference that is witnessed in a person embodying faithfulness.
Gentleness, also referred to as meekness, is something we see in our Savior, Jesus Christ. He never desired His own will, but to do that of His Father. In an “all about me” world, this can be a tough characteristic to portray. It does not mean that a person is weak, but that they are strong enough to put the well being of others above themselves. The gentle person is not about winning, but rather about conveying the peace of God.
Self-control is the exclamation point on those who submit to the ways of the Spirit in their life. In developing all the other fruits, a person finds inner strength because of their obedience to God’s will and the Holy Spirit’s leading. We are able to not only love ourself, but to love others with completeness, because of our restraint to keep selfish, sinful desires in check.
Faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control come together to reflect the disciplined nature of a person’s Spirit and that it is wholeheartedly devoted to demonstrating to the world the impact that God’s saving grace has had on their life!
Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” These fruits are the outward appearance of an inward change. The moment we receive Christ as our Savior, we are inhabited with the gift of the Holy Sprit (Ephesians 1:13-14). This presence of the Most High God seals us for His good works so that by the production of these fruits His nature can be reflected to those around us (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 2:10). In staying rooted in Christ, the old self is gone and our lives become evidence of the One in whose likeness we were created (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:22-24; Genesis 1:27).
