Nine Fruits: Peace Series

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

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.

Introduction:

Fear of the Rapture as a kid...

Get right w/God and stop fearing the Return, and look to it...

"I've been through some terrible things in my life.

Some of which actually happened." (Mark Twain)

We worry and fear about a lot of things that never happen.

I've seen a stat: 90% of the things we worry about never happen

Fear does not breed peace

But God wants you to have peace

There is a peace that comes when you’re w/your parents

You know they will protect you, provide for you, watch over you

John 1:12 (NIV)

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,

he gave the right to become children of God

You are a child of God

Understand, you can have Peace, knowing you are God’s child

When you know that you can have true peace!

Not Trusting

How many of us often have worries in our life?

We say we believe one thing,

But a lot of times our behavior tells a different story

We say that God is a provider -- that God is a healer

Maybe I’ll believe God for big thing -- But not a small thing

(or vice versa)

Maybe we say we believe God is a provider

But we worry endlessly over our finances -- we stockpile it

We worry if we give our tenth to God, will we be able to...

This worry and fear is the opposite of what we profess

We say God is #1 in our life

But we come to church when there’s nothing better going

Fear & Worry is the opposite of peace

Sometimes we don’t say its worry

We say we’re concerned

We like to shroud it in different terms -- I’m concerned --

But the problem is this

Worry is the sin of distrusting the power and promises of God

The thing is there is always someone or something out there

planting seeds of worry and doubt in your mind

There is someone or something planting these seeds in your mind

And we know its not coming from God

Well then, who is this? -- This is the enemy of your soul

Strangers

Growing up

we were told not to talk to strangers

Don’t answer the door from strangers

Pick up from School...

You see, problem is theres always a stranger whispering in ear

You’re not gonna make it...

Everyone is against you...

God isn’t gonna come thru for you...

I would tell you today, even tho this is the Adult Class

Don’t Talk to Strangers

The enemy, the stranger plants these seeds in our mind

And we worry and we worry

The devil is a liar

He is a deceiver

Don’t listen to that voice

Don’t give an ear to it

John 10 (NIV)

1 "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.

2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep.

3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

As God’s children, we should know his voice

This is why we must spend time in the presence of God...

4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."

We will not follow the stranger b’c we don’t recognize the voice

6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.

8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

There are a lot of strange voices out there vying for your attention

They are thieves and they are robbers

Don’t listen to them!

9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.

10 The thief comes only to steal...

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.

The Devil is a liar and he is a thief

There may be some people here today

Who he has not stolen your salvation