 Photo by Daria Shevtsova THE NINE-FLAVORED FRUIT DEVOTIONAL SERIES But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) THE FLAVORS CALLED “KINDNESS” AND “GOODNESS” This short article is called a “devotional,” but there is a world of difference between words on a page written to encourage the believer in their faith, and a life of devotion to God. Christians can ‘strategize’ their practical lives with displays of Christian characteristics, such as the Fruit of the Spirit found in the letter of Paul to the Galatians, and yet still be far from a life of devotion to God. It is not the characteristics that produce devotion. It is devotion that produces these nine characteristics, and displays them in our lives for all the world to see the wonder of our God! It is when our lives have an attitude of devotion to God that He Himself produces in us the Fruit of the Spirit...the very actions that reflect the nature of God! The nine ‘flavors,’ or characteristics of this fruit include the ‘flavors’ Kindness and Goodness. To measure our understanding of, commitment to and whether Spirit-produced Kindness and Goodness are present in our lives, let’s look at them in “3-D!” 1st “D” - DISPOSITION The word “disposition,” according to Webster, means, “a prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination.” Instead of a natural disposition to react to others on the basis of how we are treated, we ought to seek a spiritual disposition. This will enable us to act in accordance with God’s disposition and attitude He displays toward us. “If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.” Luke 6:33. This disposition of Kindness inside the believer is created by the Holy Spirit and makes us see the needs of others as if they were our own. The Kindness we have toward others will result in doing Good to all men. “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” Galatians 6:10, and even, “...love your enemies, do good to them…” Luke 6:35. 2nd “D” - DEEDS Kindness is the authentic desire for God’s best for others, and Goodness is the action that intentionally results in deeds that contribute to that end. Instead of, or perhaps along with, what we have come to call “random acts of kindness,” perhaps we ought to intentionalize and become proactive as we seek to represent the loving hand of God in people’s lives. Doing good ought to be deliberate, not just impulsive. There is a time for being impulsive, but it is always time to be deliberate! A person is seen as a Kind person, caring about others, not mostly by what they say, but by the Good that they do. 3rd “D” - DISTINCTION As a high school teacher, of theology at that, I would cringe slightly when I would hear one of my Sophomores ask their friend, “Hey, how are you doing?!”then to hear the response of, “Good!” While not an English teacher by any stretch of the imagination, the adverb that should be used is, “Well!” How great would it be if when we are asked, “Hey, what are you doing?” that we would answer, “Good!” Oh, that our lives would be less consumed with whether we are pleased with our own circumstances, and be more filled with Kindness and doing Good, positively affecting the circumstances of others! If I am kind, I will want to do good! Suggested prayer Father, create in me the Kindness that is in your heart for me, so that I can demonstrate the Goodness to others that you have so graciously and mercifully shown to me, that they too can say, ‘I love you Father. Thank you for loving me.’” In the Good name of Jesus, Amen.
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 THE NINE-FLAVORED FRUIT DEVOTIONAL SERIES But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) When God has free reign in our lives as children of His, it is then that His Spirit will produce characteristics in our lives that are supernatural in origin. If we have begun our relationship with God on the basis of faith in His Son, Jesus, why would we think that resorting to human effort would result in Christ-likeness?! What Paul told the Believers in Galatia is applicable to us today. If we first walk in the sphere and the power of the Spirit, we will not succumb to those things that call us to walk away from Christ. It is then that He Himself produces in us the Fruit of the Spirit...the very characteristics of God! The nine ‘flavors,’ or characteristics of this fruit include the ‘flavor’ Patience. “Hurry up and wait!” “Watch pot, never boil.” “Slow and steady wins the race.” “Lord, I want patience, and I want it NOW!” Do you have a favorite saying about “Patience” that you love to hate?! Has the microwave oven become too slow in heating your coffee? Does it take too long to get connected to the Internet? Does that red light seem to love making you wait longer than anyone else?! To measure our understanding of, commitment to and whether Spirit-produced Patience is present in our lives, let’s look at it in “3-D”! 1st “D” - DELAY One burglar that would love to rob us of the ability to display Patience is “Delay.” Whether it is picking the wrong checkout lane at the grocery store, or at a red light, even when we change lanes to be more efficient, our timing and schedule is compromised. It is right after you change lanes the man pulls out his checkbook, which you haven’t seen in forever. Or in traffic, the driver who didn’t see the light turned green because she is on her phone texting. It is easy in either case to almost lose it! When this translates into more important life issues, then the grace we have received so freely from God becomes scarce. We can get a glimpse of how self-centered we really are. Showing patience to others, especially when they don’t deserve it, would display a godliness that is all too rare in these hypersonic times! 2nd “D” - DISAPPOINTMENT Patience is often AWOL when life doesn’t turn out the way we expect. God’s ‘Waiting Room’ is not a very fun place to be, especially for an extended period of time. But remember, your disappointment is second to God’s appointment with you; He has never been late for an appointment. He is always on time! 3rd “D” - DOUBT When waiting, Doubt can make patience evaporate. Doubt really is the notion that we know better than God. The strength of waiting patiently, either for practical or spiritual needs, comes from seeing the faithfulness of God displayed, over and over. It is that, not only is He able, but He is eager to show up on our behalf. Sometimes we are myopic, or short sighted, and do not see that God is much more interested in changing us to become more like His Son than getting us from point A to B. The ability to wait with godly patience comes from believing that accomplishing my goals is not as important as my transformation into the image of Christ! What are you waiting for? Do you trust the Lord to accomplish His purposes in His time? Remember, it is worth the wait! “Love is patient…” 1 Corinthians 13:4a SUGGESTED PRAYER “Father, help me to be more eager for you to change me, than for you to change my circumstances. You have been so patient with me when I have chosen to wander, help me to show your patience to others, when my arrogance, disappointment and doubt would rob me of that blessing. Thank you for making me wait, but thank you for never being late! In the name of the One who is coming soon! Amen”
 THE NINE-FLAVORED FRUIT DEVOTIONAL SERIES But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) Many of us have walked down the Mall in Washington DC on a hot summer day, and climbed the steps to enter into the National Gallery of Art. The refreshing air conditioning revives the body, while the art inside revives the soul! Here are just a few of the masterpieces. If they aren’t familiar, I urge you to plan a trip there either virtually or in person. But how many of us would mistake this painting by the famous Pablo Picasso as real fruit? This fruit, while a very famous still-life painting, is not a realistic substitute for, nor even a representation of fruit. You could not, nor would you want to, pluck an apple from it and expect it to refresh or satisfy. So it is with the Christian life. The satisfaction of it does not come from mimicking the spiritual fruit that the Apostle Paul describes in Galatians 5. You see, the nine characteristics, or ‘flavors,’ are the spiritual product in our lives that God Himself produces. That is, if we walk in the power and presence of the indwelling Spirit of God. The nine characteristics of this fruit include the ‘flavor’ Peace. To measure our understanding of, commitment to and whether Spirit-produced Peace is present in our lives, let’s look at it in “3-D”! 1st “DIMENSION” - PEACE WITH GOD “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 Before we can experience and enjoy the peace of God, we must first be at peace with God. Man once walked with God in perfect fellowship and friendship. But because of sin, man entered into an enemy relationship with God. There is a wall called “sin” between God and man. Man must be reconciled to God, not God to man. Man must be brought back to God as it was man who moved, not God! Because of the person and work of Jesus Christ on the cross where He paid the required payment for sin, man can now be reconciled and justified freely! It is when I was justified by faith (God now looks at me ‘just-(as)if-I’d’ never sinned!) that I can renew a friendship-type relationship with God who, because of my rebellion, had become my enemy. Are you the enemy of God, or the friend of God?! 2nd “DIMENSION” - PEACE OF GOD “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 Once we have made peace with God, it is then that He can give us the very peace of God! The feelings of anxiety plague our hearts and minds. However, we are unable to change how we feel. Has anyone, even a well-intended friend, or Bobby McFerrin himself, ever told you, “Don’t worry, be happy!” or, “Cheer up, Charlie!”? The train of Life, the engine of Fact, and the coal car of Faith will pull the caboose of Feelings. Trying to drive a train with the powerless caboose of Feelings will, quite literally, get you nowhere!! No one can change how they feel by an act of the will. What we can do, according to Philippians 4:8-9, is to think rightly and do rightly, and our feelings of Peace will follow. 3rd “DIMENSION” - PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER “Live in peace with one another.” 1 Thessalonians 5:13b Yes, we are told to live in peace with other people, but what about that parent who just doesn’t understand your circumstances?! What about that ‘bff?’ Who is testing the ‘b’ part, or the ‘f’ part, or the other ‘f’ part?! We must love one another, but if someone is not likeable, that is not our part! While we are to “Pursue peace with all men” Hebrews 12:14a, we are also told in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” God is able to be at peace with you, give you His peace, and be your friend. Don’t you think He might empower you to do the same with others who are hard to live with...just like you?! SUGGESTED PRAYER Father, thank you for befriending me, when my heart was so far from you. Thank you for giving me peace that no one else could give, because only you understand. And father, thank you for __(name of someone I should be a friend to)__ in my life, because, by grace, you have accepted someone like me. In the name of the Prince of Peace, Amen.”
 THE NINE-FLAVORED FRUIT DEVOTIONAL SERIES But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) Paul wrote to the Believers in Galatia, now in modern day Turkey, about the dangers of legalism. He warned them that the gospel, plus works, was no gospel at all! We are also instructed that growing in the Christian life is not a matter of human strength, but of supernatural empowerment. As we ‘branches’ draw our daily life from Jesus, the Vine, the Spirit of God will produce in our lives the nine-flavored Fruit of the Spirit, one of the ‘flavors’ being JOY. This delicious flavor, craved by any who have ever tasted sadness, hopelessness or sorrow, is often disguised and served up as ‘happiness,’ These two flavors, while similar in appearance, can be worlds apart. Just bite into a grapefruit when you are expecting an orange! Remember, “grin and bare it” is not Joy...it is a sham. True Joy is experienced when we see things God’s way. The letter of Paul to the Believers in Philippi mentions the word, form or root of the word “JOY” fourteen times. To measure our understanding of, commitment to and whether Spirit-produced Joy is present in our lives, let’s look at it in “3-D”! 1st “D” - DEMANDED In Philippians 4:4, Paul tells the believers, “Rejoice in the Lord, always; again I will say, rejoice!” Paul does not ask, or suggest that we rejoice. He demands it! Who does he think he is, telling people to be happy?! Wait, he is not telling them to be happy. He tells them to rejoice. Paul was under house arrest, chained to a rotating group of assigned palace guards, and robbed of his freedom. When he was in prison, probably in stocks sitting in his own excrement, what did he do? He burst into song, singing songs of praise to God. He didn’t do this because he was happy, but because his JOY was greater. Happiness is based on our circumstances, on happenstance, on what is happening to us. JOY is based on Who we know. If we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) then we no longer need to be “under these circumstances,” but instead we can live with God’s perspective of our lives...from above, with JOY! 2nd “D” - DELAYED In Philippians 2:16, Paul says how glad and grateful he is the Philippian Christians are clinging to and being faithful to the Word of God, to the end that, in the future, when the Day of Christ comes, that Paul’s JOY will be full, seeing that his life and labor and investing in them was not in vain, and that it mattered! Have you ever wondered if living the life you are called to in Christ is worth it? Thinking no one cares about your faithfulness to Jesus?! Dear brother and sister, Jesus said in Matthew 25:23 that one day, as you have been a faithful servant, He will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant...Enter into the JOY of your Lord!” Even Jesus endured the infinite agony of the cross for future JOY; “for the JOY that was set before Him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) “Runner when the road is long Feel like giving in, but you're hanging on Oh runner, when the race is won You will run into His arms” -Runner by Twila Paris 3rd “D” - DELIGHT True JOY must be expressed. Over and over in the Word we see that JOY is uncontainable! Praise, singing, dancing, shouting and even silence in the face of “indescribable joy”! As we are able to express the JOY that is ours in Christ. In spite of our circumstances, our happiness that has been missing has a chance to rise and join with the JOY that is greater. It will bring a personal reality and gladness that warms the soul! Is there anything more joyous than a wedding? It is comparable to the delight the bride experiences as she unites with her long awaited groom. “Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” (Song of Solomon 2:3) This is the Fruit called JOY. Happiness is wonderful! Joy is greater! SUGGESTED PRAYER “Lord, help me to find my JOY in living my life in Your Word, in my life in light of the soon return of your Son, and in the delight that comes from pleasing you, my Father!”
 “You can get there, from here!” All that could be heard was the soothing, and yet somehow annoying droning of the engines as the plane cut through the evening sky. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I have some Bad News and I have some Good News. The bad news is we are lost. The good news is we are making excellent time!” Have you ever felt as though you were in a hamster cage, running as if your very life and happiness depended on it, only to recognize the obvious?...You are not getting anywhere! All too often, this is the sense of the struggling Christian. With discipline, intestinal fortitude, and good intentions they apply themselves to their life as a follower of Jesus Christ, only to feel that they are no closer to the ‘promised’ “victorious Christian life” then when they began their journey of faith. From ancient scrolled parchments, to folding maps, to trip booklets, to car navigation tools, to the ubiquitous smartphone maps and location apps everyone has access to, anyone can instantly determine where they are...physically. Where are we spiritually? This is a whole nother story. For the Christian, it is very easy to feel confused. Having embarked on their Christian journey by placing their trust in Jesus Christ as their necessary payment for sin, life still seems fraught with the same struggles that were present BC, Before Christ! Maps give information on where you are, where you have been, where you are going, and how to get there. It can provide relief if you are lost, instruction if you are confused and timing of arrival, for a hopeful sense of anticipation! Mapping the Christian Life can provide the same kind of benefits, from a spiritual perspective. Included in this article are two diagrams, or ‘maps.’ Map #1 is completed, from numbers 1 - 22, and Map #2 has numbered blanks for you to fill in yourself if later you would like to test your own comprehension.  Map #1 (Numbered & Complete) Breaking up the Christian Life into three tenses helps greatly. The (#1. Past) is inked in black because we are dead and separated from God because of our sin. The (#2. Present) is inked in red because of the shed blood of Christ for our sins. The (#3. Future) is inked in blue because we will be with Christ in the Heavens. The (#4. R.I.P.), Rest In Peace Tombstone illustrates that, according to Ephesians 2:1, “you were (#5. dead in your trespasses and sins).” Fallen man is not spiritually sick. He is spiritually dead and unable to live any kind of life, especially a perfect life which is required by a perfect God! Why does fallen man behave in evil ways? Because he is a (#7. Slave To Sin), and according to (#6. Isaiah 64:6), even his “righteous deeds are like a filthy garment.” (Look up what filthy garment Prophet Isaiah ben Amoz is referring to!) We all understand the bad things we do are ugly, to say the least. But God says because we are spiritually dead, even our good deeds are ugly as compared to the standard of His righteousness. We can, for a funeral, try to make a corpse in a coffin look alive and well and ‘peaceful,’ but it is not well. It is not sick. It is not peaceful. It is dead and has no life. So it is with man spiritually. He does not need reformation...he needs salvation! He does not need education...he needs resurrection! He does not need resuscitation… he needs regeneration! He does not need “good works”...he can’t do anything! He’s dead! This is the desperate predicament of mankind. This is why social reform is not the ultimate solution to man’s woes and ills. That is also why Jesus Christ came; to be the perfect substitute sacrifice for our sin that we needed in order to be reconciled to God and to spend eternity with Him. This is the Good News! The crux of the matter (lit. cross or resolution of a problem) on the Map of our Christian Life, is in fact the instrument of torture and execution itself was the Cross of Calvary. For the Believer, life and eternity changed there. The moment someone places their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior, the (#11. Penalty of Sin) is completely paid for, (#8. Salvation) is forever secured because of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. (#9. Hebrews 10:11-14) says in part that animal or ceremonial sacrifices “can never take away sins; but He [Christ], having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God...for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” Now, about this word, “sanctification”...what does it mean?! (#13. & #22 Sanctification) literally means “to make holy, to set apart for a particular purpose.” God says that I am holy. But I’m not. But I will be. Which one is it? The answer is, “Yes”! However, while our (#12. Position) spiritually is that we are (#10. Ephesians 1:3) “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,” and are seated “with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6), life often doesn’t seem very “heavenly”! (#12. Positionaly) I am holy in the eyes of God because He has declared me righteous in Christ. But in (#9. Practical) terms, I still struggle in the Christian Life, yes, and still sin. It is a progressive life where God changes me day by day to be conformed to the image of His Son--that is--to become more like Christ, moment by moment. (#14. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) says in part, that “the God of peace Himself [will] sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We are in the process of being fashioned into the (#17. Ultimate) state that is yet to come. No longer should the (#15. Power of Sin) rule over our lives. We have the Holy Spirit residing in us, convincing us of sin, comforting us in suffering, and empowering us in service in the life we are still living in this world! Then, in a moment, whether we pass from this life through the shadow called death, or at the glorious Second Coming of Jesus Christ, we shall be be changed through the (#19. Glorification) of our mortal bodies, we shall be changed to be like Him. (#20. 1 John 3:2) says, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” Here is the great ‘wonderment’: From the (#1. Past) we have been born into God’s forever family by His Son. In the (#2. Present) we are being changed, moment by moment to be like Christ in this roller coaster ride of life, knowing one day in the (#3. Future) we will actually be delivered from the (#21. Presence of Sin) in (#18. Heaven)!  Map #2 (Numbered & Blank Self-test) Do you better understand Mapping the Christian Life, or are you still a little lost?!...To test yourself, here are the answers to fill in: Words to number: __ POSITIONAL __ PRACTICAL __ ULTIMATE __ SANCTIFICATION __ PAST __ PRESENT __ FUTURE __ GLORIFICATION __ HEAVEN __ SALVATION __ 1 JOHN 3:2 __ REST IN PEACE __ SLAVE TO SIN __ DEAD IN SIN __ POWER OF SIN 22 SANCTIFICATION __ EPHESIANS 1:3 __ PRESENCE OF SIN __ PENALTY OF SIN __ HEBREWS 10:11-14 __ ISAIAH 64:6 __ 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23,24 How did you do on your test?! More importantly, how are you doing in your journey through the Christian Life? Remember, you are not where you were. You are closer to your destination. Knowing you will get there can make today an amazing adventure! Press on brothers and sisters! You are making progress, Pilgrim! You’re almost Home!
DEVOTIONAL SERIES: THE NINE-FLAVORED FRUITBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)  Paul tells us in Galatians chapter five that if we are walking in the Spirit we will be manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit who dwells within all those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior. It is not that we are called to “try harder” to produce this fruit in our lives. It is that we are to walk by faith in the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit and He will produce this fruit, supernaturally, in our lives. The nine characteristics of this fruit include the ‘flavor’ Love. All you need is Love, so say The Beatles, and every other love song, in their own way! Love is spoken of so often, and misunderstood and ignored so badly. The next time you tell someone or write on your Instagram or Facebook entry, “Love ya!,” “Love you!,” or “I love yooooou!,” ask yourself, “Do I?!” Depending on the version you use, it is mentioned in the Bible well over 300 times. To measure our understanding of, commitment to and whether Spirit-produced Love is present in our lives, let’s look at it in “3-D”! 1st “D” - DESIGN If you have ever attended a wedding, chances are you have heard someone read from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, “Love is patient, love is kind. It [Love] does not envy; it [Love] does not boast, it [Love] is not proud. It [Love] does not dishonor others; it [Love] does not self-seeking, it [Love] is not easily angered, it [Love] keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but [Love] rejoices with the truth. It [Love] always protects, [Love] always trusts, [Love] always hopes, [Love] always perseveres. Love never fails.” A challenge: First read this passage out loud with the word “Love” used where it ought to be in the text. Next read the passage with the word “Jesus” used where the word “Love” ought to appear. Then finally, read the passage with “your name” where the word “Love” ought to appear. How did you measure up?! 2nd “D” - DEFINITION My working definition of Love is that “Love is wanting God’s best for someone, expecting nothing in return, believing it will probably cost you something.” Love is not about you. It is about the one you choose to love. You can love your enemy this way. You can love your sibling or friend this way. You can love your sweetheart this way! 3rd “D” - DISTORTION Beware! There is much and there are many out there that would fool you into thinking that it is Love that they are peddling! To like someone is not necessarily to love them. You can like someone and not love them. You can love someone and not like them. They might not be likeable! You can want someone and not love them, either! Ultimately it is the example Christ showed us of how we are to love. “This is Love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 Like, want, and trust are not unconditional. Love is. Suggested prayer: “Father, remind me today of how much you loved me by giving me Jesus. Help me to love someone like that, today! I pray in the lovely name of Jesus. Amen”
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)  Photo by Trang Doan One of the great misunderstandings concerning the Christian life is, if we are ‘good,’ then we will be ‘spiritual’ people and will please the God who seems never to be happy with us! True Christians are those who have appropriated, by faith, the substitutionary payment for sin Jesus Christ purchased for them by His death, burial, and resurrection. He never insisted we should attempt to keep the law, which we know to be futile. They often wonder that, if salvation has purchased for them a new life in Christ, then why does victory over sin seem so difficult, and actually impossible? “If only I were a good child, then my parents would love me.” So goes the backwards assumption that only leads to discouragement, a sense of despair, and to defection that leaves the Christian uttering the words of surrender to their spiritual mirage. “If the life of victory is always before me, but never attainable, then why bother?!” If we try to live by the letter of the law, we are doomed to die by it. The solution to this dilemma is very simple, but because this failed approach of merit is so ingrained into our view of life and living, it is not very easy. In Paul’s letter to the believers in Galatia, an area located in modern day Turkey, in Chapter 5, he tells the believers there the formula for what he describes as our Walk in the Spirit. I include the text for verses 16-25 here, because it is the text that imparts truth, power, and the possibility of the victorious Christian life. I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. The formula for fullness in the Christian life is this: Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust, passion, and empty striving of the flesh. It does not say we must try to avoid and triumph over the flesh, and by that, enter into and enjoy the Spirit life. So many who read the words in verse 16, read it in reverse. They understand Paul to be saying that if we do not fulfill the passions of the flesh, then we will walk in the Spirit. No! Paul says the very opposite. He says if we walk, move, and have our lives in the very Spirit of God who indwells every believer from the moment of salvation, it is then that we can have freedom from the sin that so easily controls us. “God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” 2 Corinthians 3:5-6. If we try to live by the letter of the Law, we will fail and die by the law. If we choose to live by the Law of the Spirit, He will succeed and we will live truly spiritual lives. To refer to the child analogy, a child does not need to try to be good so that the parent will love him. When the parent loves the child well, the child’s passion and power come from that love, and the child will then be motivated and equipped to live a life that pleases their parent! It is not that the flesh is evil. It is neutral, yet tainted by the inherited sin nature that Adam passed down to all people...the Ultimate Pandemic! People like to be hopeful and magnanimous and say what is patently false, that man is “basically good.” No, man is basically a sinner and does not need to learn how to be selfish. No newborn child has to learn how to make themself the center of their universe. At salvation the sin nature is not eradicated, although it will be in the future. But for now, we should know that the power and sway of sin over the believer has been broken, as chains off of a prisoner who has been set free. He does not need to live like a prisoner any more. Once bound by shackles, he has been set free. The struggle is described in Galatians 5:17 where the Word says that the battle rages. However, the outcome has been won and the ultimate victory is sure. As it says in verse 25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” How did we receive eternal life and become born again by the Spirit at salvation? By faith (John 3:3-6)! How should we walk about and move and live in the Spirit? Also by faith! It is not by the keeping of the law that makes us spiritual. It is by realizing that we are spiritual creations and living by faith in the power of the Spirit who indwells every believer that we will experience and enjoy victory. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul describes the Fruit of the Spirit. It is not that we have to strive to produce this fruit in our lives. It is that, as we walk by faith in the realm and power of the Holy Spirit of God who resides in us, that He will produce the evidence of His presence by displaying this ‘nine-flavored fruit.’ It is not Yin & Yang battling it out...it is not good versus evil that leads to the victory of the stronger entity...it is not ‘good’ spirit trying to beat ‘bad’ flesh...it is not even God wrestling with Satan! The battle has already been won. Live like it! We have been loved with an infinite love. Respond to it! We have been victorious, through Christ, over sin. Celebrate it! The Fruit of the Spirit is not something for us to strive for. Because of our salvation in Jesus Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God, the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is in fact the evidence that we have ceased from striving, and started truly living! “This I say then: Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
 Photo credit: cdn.pixabay.com One of the great misunderstandings concerning the Christian life is, if we are ‘good,’ then we will be ‘spiritual’ people and will please the God who seems never to be happy with us! True Christians are those who have appropriated, by faith, the substitutionary payment for sin Jesus Christ purchased for them by His death, burial, and resurrection. He never insisted we should attempt to keep the law, which we know to be futile. They often wonder that, if salvation has purchased for them a new life in Christ, then why does victory over sin seem so difficult, and actually impossible? “If only I were a good child, then my parents would love me.” So goes the backwards assumption that only leads to discouragement, a sense of despair, and to defection that leaves the Christian uttering the words of surrender to their spiritual mirage. “If the life of victory is always before me, but never attainable, then why bother?!” If we try to live by the letter of the law, we are doomed to die by it. The solution to this dilemma is very simple, but because this failed approach of merit is so ingrained into our view of life and living, it is not very easy. In Paul’s letter to the believers in Galatia, an area located in modern day Turkey, in Chapter 5, he tells the believers there the formula for what he describes as our Walk in the Spirit. I include the text for verses 16-25 here, because it is the text that imparts truth, power, and the possibility of the victorious Christian life.
The formula for fullness in the Christian life is this: Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust, passion, and empty striving of the flesh. It does not say we must try to avoid and triumph over the flesh, and by that, enter into and enjoy the Spirit life. So many who read the words in verse 16, read it in reverse. They understand Paul to be saying that if we do not fulfill the passions of the flesh, then we will walk in the Spirit. No! Paul says the very opposite. He says if we walk, move, and have our lives in the very Spirit of God who indwells every believer from the moment of salvation, it is then that we can have freedom from the sin that so easily controls us. “God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” 2 Corinthians 3:5-6. If we try to live by the letter of the Law, we will fail and die by the law. If we choose to live by the Law of the Spirit, He will succeed and we will live truly spiritual lives. To refer to the child analogy, a child does not need to try to be good so that the parent will love him. When the parent loves the child well, the child’s passion and power come from that love, and the child will then be motivated and equipped to live a life that pleases their parent! It is not that the flesh is evil. It is neutral, yet tainted by the inherited sin nature that Adam passed down to all people...the Ultimate Pandemic! People like to be hopeful and magnanimous and say what is patently false, that man is “basically good.” No, man is basically a sinner and does not need to learn how to be selfish. No newborn child has to learn how to make themself the center of their universe. At salvation the sin nature is not eradicated, although it will be in the future. But for now, we should know that the power and sway of sin over the believer has been broken, as chains off of a prisoner who has been set free. He does not need to live like a prisoner any more. Once bound by shackles, he has been set free. The struggle is described in Galatians 5:17 where the Word says that the battle rages. However, the outcome has been won and the ultimate victory is sure. As it says in verse 25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” How did we receive eternal life and become born again by the Spirit at salvation? By faith (John 3:3-6)! How should we walk about and move and live in the Spirit? Also by faith! It is not by the keeping of the law that makes us spiritual. It is by realizing that we are spiritual creations and living by faith in the power of the Spirit who indwells every believer that we will experience and enjoy victory. In Galatians 5:22, 23, Paul describes the Fruit of the Spirit. It is not that we have to strive to produce this fruit in our lives. It is that, as we walk by faith in the realm and power of the Holy Spirit of God who resides in us, that He will produce the evidence of His presence by displaying this ‘nine-flavored fruit.’ It is not Yin & Yang battling it out...it is not good versus evil that leads to the victory of the stronger entity...it is not ‘good’ spirit trying to beat ‘bad’ flesh...it is not even God wrestling with Satan! The battle has already been won. Live like it! We have been loved with an infinite love. Respond to it! We have been victorious, through Christ, over sin. Celebrate it! The Fruit of the Spirit is not something for us to strive for. Because of our salvation in Jesus Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God, the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is in fact the evidence that we have ceased from striving, and started truly living! “This I say then: Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
 Image by Engin Akyurt In these precarious times of the COVID-19 virus, conversations about ‘pandemics,’ viruses, infections, and contaminations seem to be ‘soup du jour!’ People feel very vulnerable when the entire population of the globe is threatened by a common and insidious condition that might lead to death. Some tremble in fear, as if paralyzed, feeling like a target, and even a victim of this worldwide threat. Some, on the other hand, display a certain bravado, either feeling immune to the enemy, or else a sense of denial of its possible effect upon their lives. What a perfect metaphor for the character, nature, and effects of sin on our lives. When the subject of ‘sin’ is broached, whether in religious or social settings, many people display similar responses to those reactions some have concerning the virus mentioned above. They feel uncomfortable, conspicuous, guilty, or else they feel defiant, blasé, or self-righteous. Perhaps a combination of some, or all, of these feelings. Some might ask, “Why do Christians seem to be so obsessed with sin?!” “Sin” is too strident a word for most secular sensibilities. ‘Other people,’ like murderers, rapists, and the like, are sinners. The typical person, initially, considers their own poor or negative actions as “mistakes” at best, or anti-social at worst. Certainly not the dirty word, “sin.” First, we will look at how God defines sin, then man’s relationship to sin, and finally God’s remedy for sin. If you follow through to the end of this article, I believe you will gain something new in your understanding of the subject, as well as a fresh and hopeful view of the future that lies ahead. The word for “sin” comes from the Greek, “ha-mar-tee-a,” meaning “to miss the mark.” For illustrative purposes, let’s suppose two people had a competition to see which one could stand at the Equator and throw a stone and hit the North Pole. They are on the Equator in Borneo, Indonesia. One steps up, flexes and throws as hard as he can. The result is that he only hits the neighboring village’s meeting house, causing the elders to run in panic! A young lady from a nearby island, steps up. Mimi is her name. She picks her choice of stones, coils back, and throws the stone. It rockets out of sight, over the South China Sea and heads toward the Island of Hong Kong. The projectile crashes through a window of the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank, causing rumors of plummeting interest rates! Which person wins the competition? The answer is neither, of course, because they both missed the mark of hitting the North Pole! God’s standard for Heaven is perfection. While one might be a better person than another, and seem closer to perfection, both, in fact, miss the mark. This truly is the ‘ultimate pandemic.’ What happened to make this a pandemic, or a condition, that infects all people? I have been told that if God created sin, then He is evil. This is not so. Sin is not a thing, it is a condition. In Genesis, (yes a reliable account of origins), God told Adam, the first man, that he could have free access to anything in the garden. The single exception was not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The account recorded in Isaiah 14 provides an excellent back story. Lucifer, a beautiful angel of music, rebelled against God. He desired to make himself equal to God to the point of even being God himself. He overused the word “I” (in Greek, “ego”) as he makes his diabolical declaration, “I will be like the Most High!” In Genesis chapter 3, as a result of this sin of Pride, Lucifer is cast to the earth. Now called Satan, as that crafty serpent, he comes to Eve and asks, “Sssssssay there, has God sssssssaid....?” The first temptation begins in the form of a subtle, quiet question. Not in a shout of deception, but in a seemingly curious manner, such as, “I’m not saying He’s wrong, but…” Eve, emboldened by the ability to doubt, ponders questioning God. She entertains Satan’s questioning of truth, which sets the stage for the distortion of truth that would come. Eve says that God told her she was not allowed to touch or eat of the fruit of the tree. This was not the whole truth, but a distortion of the truth. God did say she was not allowed to eat the fruit, but He did not say she could not touch it! Adding to God’s word is one small step away from disobeying it. Satan, himself emboldened, finally lies to Eve and says, contrary to God’s statement, she will not die if she disobeys God. She eats, and feels no change. Not wanting to remain alone in her rebellion, she turns around and offers Adam the forbidden fruit. Adam, instead of warning, protecting, and loving his God-given mate, gives in to the temptation, and so leads mankind in the great defection. Eve was deceived by Satan, but Adam disobeyed and sinned willfully and willingly. Immediately they viewed their innocent nakedness in a sinful way and tried to cover their shame by making coverings on their own. It was to no avail. They “heard the sound of the LORD God, walking in the Garden in the cool of the day.” Such a fascinating phrase. They are ashamed and afraid and hide themselves. When God calls out and asks where they are, it is important to note that he calls out to them, not because he doesn’t know where they are, but because he wants Adam and Eve to realize where they are! They are hiding from God because of guilt. Hiding from God is similar to when small children play the game, Hide-and-Seek. When children hide, they usually will pick something nearby like a sofa and hide their faces. In doing so, they leave their entire backsides in full view! We are the same way. God sees us so clearly, even when we feel we are hidden well. He must shake His head at our naivete. When the LORD asked them about their disobedience, Eve blamed the serpent and, in turn, Adam blamed Eve. “The serpent deceived me” ...and… “the woman who You gave to be with me.” In fact, the reality was they were both blaming God. It is God who created both of them, yet they attempted to transfer the guilt of their disobedience onto the shoulders of their Creator God. This is the exact response we hear from those today who reject the personal God of the Bible. They blame the ills of mankind on the “hateful God of the Bible.” This accusation is not new to God. He has heard this from the very beginning! So begins the legacy that would be passed down to every generation to come, the Ultimate Pandemic. “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Because of the willful rebellion of a man, the nature of sin would be passed down to each and every subsequent generation and individual. Mankind would be forever tainted with sin, prone to rebel against God, deserving of an eternity of separation and a breach in the intimacy he once enjoyed with his God. You see, it is not that we are sinners because we sin. Rather, we sin because we are sinners. However, this God, pronounced deserving judgment on the serpent. In His very next breath recorded in Genesis 3:15, He presented the “protevangelium” which is the first time the Good News is declared. He said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” This is a prophecy that, while the One to come would be wounded by Satan through His death on a cross, Satan would be dealt a death-blow. Satan would be vanquished by the One to come reflected in His resurrection from the dead. God said that the earth will groan under the weight of sin and that mankind will suffer the ravages of sin, but that a provision will exist for mankind’s deliverance and salvation. This would be found in the One who is able to fully bare then become the penalty for sin! In Genesis 3:21 it says, “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.” This was an actual provision, as well as a prediction. Adam and Eve had made for themselves coverings of leaves in order to hide their disobedience, made manifest by their sinful view of their nakedness. God, in order to provide a better covering, made garments of skin. This was to show them that the efforts of man are totally inadequate to deal with the problem of sin. Instead, God would Himself provide a solution, but that solution would require the shedding of blood, declaring that salvation and ultimate deliverance from the judgement that sin demanded the shedding of innocent blood. This ultimately would come in the person of Jesus, the Messiah. God, in His love, immediately gave man hope after man shook his defiant fist like a petulant child. “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us!” The sinful condition of man has affected him in all ways. John the Evangelist wrote about this, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world” (1 John 2:16). All sin can be found in these three areas. The lust of the flesh is the desire to experience that which one ought not experience. The lust of the eyes is the desire to have that which one ought not have. The boastful pride of life is the desire to be that which one ought not be, or is not. All of these categories of sin can be found under one banner, the sin of Pride. It was pride that Lucifer wrongly exercised in his desire to usurp the throne of God. Pride prompted his repeated use of the word, “I” in his rebellion. All sin has ‘self’ as the center, asserting wrongly that one’s own desires are superior to God’s. “It is about me, not God!” Genesis 3:6 details how Eve was tempted by the lust of the flesh because “the woman saw that the tree was good for food.” She saw “it was pleasant to the eyes” in the lust of the eyes. Then she was tempted by the pride of life, since she saw that it “was desirable to make one wise.” In our lives as humans we are also tempted in the same exact ways. We give into these passions regularly. We then often wonder if there is any way we can be free of this bondage. If we were to pick out a sin we personally have struggled with, it would fit clearly in one of these three categories. Every sin is a pride-filled product of self over God. Jesus, being fully God and fully man, was tempted in exactly the same ways. Yet, unlike Eve and ourselves, He defeated each temptation. In Matthew 4 we find the account of Jesus, at the very beginning of His public ministry. Having just been baptized by John and acknowledging the pleasure and purposes of the Father, Jesus ventured into the wilderness. It was there Satan confronted Him. Satan tempted Jesus in precisely the same ways in which he tempted Eve and how we are tempted today. After a long fast, Jesus was tempted by Satan to turn stones to bread, which is the lust of the flesh. Jesus successfully resisted and rebutted, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Satan then transported Jesus to the pinnacle of the Temple and tempted Him to a flamboyant and inappropriate display of His power and glory. Satan encouraged Him to throw Himself off then to allow the angels to save Him. Jesus resisted the temptation of the boastful pride of life and countered, “It is written, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’” Finally, the crafty, fallen, sinful, and rejected deceiver tried to tempt Jesus with the lust of the eyes by showing Him all the kingdoms of the world. Satan then illegitimately and prematurely offered them to Jesus in exchange for Jesus to bow and worship the diabolical angel. In rejecting Satan, He said, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” Just as we deserve the wages we receive for our work through our paychecks, so also we deserve the wages we will receive for our sin, which will be our death, both physical and spiritual (Romans 6:23). Jesus validated His claim to conquer sin, both for the present and for the coming Day. He did this for us through His death, burial, and resurrection. Satan may prowl around looking for someone to devour, but we no longer need to be a slave to sin. We do not have to accept the prison of despair, the life of hopelessness. We no longer need to be lovers of self...He loved those before us and loves us infinitely, unconditionally, and intimately! Unlike a deadly virus which has no known cure, we are rid of the deathly disease of sin. It is all because of the Blood Work and Gift of Jesus our Savior, on our behalf. It is eternal life! Christians who no longer fear death don’t want to just die. No! Because of the death of sin in the risen Jesus, it is now that we want to live well!
 Are you ready to have your faith validated? Are you ready to see the promise of God perfectly fulfilled? Are you ready to see Palm Sunday as you have never seen it before? If so, please focus and concentrate on the Scripture, details, facts, and mathematics to come! As we approach this time of year that we call “Easter," perhaps we ought to ask, what about Palm Sunday? Why do some celebrate it? Is it a day of significance? Should it mean something to us today? The answers to these questions could lead us to great encouragement and a sense of anticipation in our faith. One quarter of the Bible is prophetic in nature. God takes great pleasure in saying, and seems to often say, “No one can tell you what is to come except God Himself...so, let Me tell you what is to come!” God foretells the future, so that when the future unfolds, we will understand that He is God and that His plan for us is trustworthy, and in fact, that He Himself is trustworthy! What if I told you that the screen, or piece of paper, which you are reading this article is about to turn multicolored, flash with stars and sing Happy Birthday to you, and that after that I had something very special to tell you specifically about your future? You would probably think that I am delusional and not in my right mind! But what if, just now, the screen or page which you are now reading did turn multicolored, did start flashing with stars, and did start singing, “Happy Birthday to you!”? Might you be ready to hear from me about the special thing that is about to happen in your future? I suspect you would be all eyes and ears. That is precisely what God did in predicting the exact day of the coming of the Messiah, the ‘Sent One’, so that when he came to present himself to Israel as their long anticipated Savior, they would recognize him and accept him! Well, did they? Please take the important time to read Luke 12:12-41, and John 19:28-44 to become familiar with the account of Jesus’ formal entrance into Jerusalem to present himself as King. As Jesus rounds the Mount of Olives riding on a donkey, the symbol of a King coming in peace, he wails and cries over Jerusalem because he knows that they are about to reject their long-awaited King, when they could have known that he was arriving on this very day, prophesied of by Daniel the prophet! If they had been reading and believing the Scriptures they would have anticipated this exact moment and been ready for the coming of the Messiah. In John 12:42 he said, “If you had known, even you, especially in this, your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” He goes on to tell of the impending destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, and says, “you did not know the time of your visitation.” Because they would not hear the scriptures written hundreds of years before, they were rejecting, as a nation, on this very day, the promised One who could deliver them. If this prophecy was not fulfilled, then God was wrong. If God was wrong, then we are lost! Next, you will see how God pre-stated and foretold the exact day that Messiah would be rejected by the nation of Israel. You will see this prophecy in Daniel chapter 9 as God’s promise that Jesus would come, and that if we wanted to be ready for him, we could know it for sure! Below is a rather basic diagram that hopefully will allow us to visualize the prophecy and fulfillment of the very Day of the coming of the Messiah. However, there are some things that must be addressed before understanding can be made clear. Found in the book of Daniel, chapter 9, there is a prophecy that is made concerning the first and second comings of the Messiah, the promised and anointed One, who is to deliver Israel. It is a foretelling of the end-times. Beginning in verse 20, Daniel says that while he was praying a man/angel appeared to him and told Daniel that he was about to give Daniel understanding of the dramatic events that would unfold in the future and said, “consider the matter, and understand the vision": “Seventy ‘weeks/sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.” First of all, we need to understand that the Hebrew word that is translated as “sevens” or “weeks” is the word “shebua." This word means any period of seven days, or seven years (the context to determine which meaning). The number “seven” is important in Hebrew culture. They observed a seven-day week, rested on the seventh day, the Sabbath, and they were also required to observe a seven-year “week” where every seventh year they allowed the fields to lie fallow in order for the ground to regain its nutrients. In the context of this prophecy, it is clear that the “sevens” described here are to be understood as yearly “sevens” and not daily “sevens”. Therefore, this prophecy takes place over Seventy Weeks of years, or 70 years x 7 years = 490 years (see the diagram title).  It is important to note that this prophecy is directed to the people of Daniel and the holy city. Therefore we see that this whole prophecy is referring to the Jews and to Jerusalem. It is written to the Jews, but for the benefit of us all. Many people did not see the first coming of the Messiah and the second coming of the Messiah as two separate and distinct events, just as someone looking at multiple mountain ranges can not see the valleys between them. The mountains ‘appear’ to be close to each other, or one and the same. The prophecy ends when the six things, or events, spoken of in verse 24, have been completed - that is, that Jesus Christ will return at the end of the Seventy “Weeks” or 70 years x 7 years = that is, 490 years. The timing of the Messiah’s First Coming: Daniel 9:25 “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler (Messiah the prince), comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’, and sixty-two ‘sevens’.” We deal here only with the promised first coming of the Messiah (the other prophecies will be left to another time). We are told here that ‘the Messiah, the Anointed One’ will come after a total of 7 “weeks” or years of 7 years (49 years) , AND/PLUS 69 “weeks” or years of 7 years, (434 years), making a total of 69 “weeks of 7 years, which is 69 x 7 = 483 years. Again, refer to the chart and focus! That is all well and good, but where and when do we start counting from? When do the 483 years begin until the Messiah comes? We are told precisely! Nehemiah 2:1-8 tells us to start counting from the day that Artaxerxes gave the command to rebuild Jerusalem, which was the first of Nisan, in the 20th year of Artaxerxes reign. This corresponds to March 14, 445 BC. It was told that sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years later, the Messiah would come. Using the Jewish calendar year, 360 days/year times 69 years gives us 173,880 days (see diagram). If we add that number to March 14th, 445 BC, we come to April 6th, 32 AD. This calculation has been verified by many sources, including the British Royal Observatory of Greenwich, England. Jesus’ ministry ended on the eve of Passover. In 32 AD Passover fell on April 11th. April 6th would have been the Sunday we now commonly celebrate as Palm Sunday. This was the very day, April 6th, 32 AD, that Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, presenting Himself to the nation of Israel as the Prince of Peace, as their promised Messiah! The Messiah was predicted to come exactly 173,880 days after the command to rebuild Jerusalem! It is important to realize that this prophecy was written about 2500 years ago. The Dead Sea Scrolls say that our Scriptures are reliable and true! Yes, there were those individuals who believed that Jesus was the Messiah and Savior and cheered His entry into Jerusalem, laying their garments and palm fronds on the ground before Him, shouting, “Hosanna! (Save now!) ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!” However, the many, and the nation of Israel rejected Him, and even plotted to kill Him. The voices that Jesus would soon hear would cry, “Crucify him!” Will you ignore this fulfilled prophecy and reject the Savior? Or, will you know the Scriptures and realize that the Messiah, Jesus, arrived on the very day God said He would come and welcome Him as your Savior? The choice is still yours. Messiah has come to you! This is your Day! Will you overlook it?!
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