Galatians 5:13-26 - "Here In Your Presence"

Yesterday as I stood on the stage and looked out over the congregation I felt so blessed.  First of all, I was blessed with everyone who came to our Family Christmas Service.  As I said yesterday there is no way 141 people could fit into the parsonage!  Our theme yesterday was "Presents vs. Presence" and I pray people took something away from the service to enable them to not get caught up in the busyness that comes with the month of December.  I pray they will realize their presence in someone's life is more important than any stuff they may give in a present.  Most importantly I pray they will seek to live in the Lord's presence each and every day.  I love this picture…

Before we can effectively make a difference in someone's life we first must live in the presence of the Lord.  Once we are living in His presence then the fruit of the Spirit will flow from us.  Galatians 5 tells us that we are to "…serve one another humbly in love" and to "Love your neighbor as yourself."  When we do these things, we will "…walk by the Spirit…" As we are doing so the desires of our heart will become more of the desires of His heart.  We will seek to do for others rather than for ourselves.  

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh;rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.  16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

The desire for my heart, which is also the desire for the Lord's heart, is for the fruit of the Spirit to flow from me.  He wants to see "…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" flow from me.  In order for that to happen I must continue to live a life "…in step with the Spirit."  To a lot of people that sounds impossible but to me it is easy to do as I strive to be completely surrendered to Him each and every day.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for yesterday…for all those who came, for the way You multiplied the meat, for the blessing of being with our church family in a different sort of way.  Thank You for laughter and fun.  Most of all, Lord, I thank You for Your presence in my life, each and every day.  Father, more of You and less of me continues to be my prayer.  Bless my efforts in all I do to be You to others.  I also pray today for a healing touch upon the pain in my physical body.  Thank You Jesus for being My Presence.  Amen.