1178 - The Fruit of the Holy Spirit - Love#
1178 - The Fruit of the Holy Spirit - Love
(JP Text Group - Peipei Compilation)
Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You! We come before Your throne to share Your word, for Your word is full of power, and it can help me regain strength and overcome bad habits in life. We completely dedicate this time to You, and we are willing to open our hearts to receive Your word. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
Let’s look at today’s topic: The Fruit of the Spirit.
Is the fruit of the Spirit one fruit or nine fruits? Actually, it is one. In the original text, it is a singular word, meaning one. For example, is the Trinity one God or three gods? One! But there are three persons.
The fruit of the Spirit has nine attributes, but it is still one fruit; the singular word means one. Inside you and inside me, there is only one Holy Spirit, but its fruit has nine attributes, such as love, joy, peace, etc.!
Today we share a topic called: Love.
In the Chinese Bible, it is translated as love, but in the original text, it is just one word: ‘love’. If an unbeliever asks you, what does the Bible talk about? How would you respond? Some say it talks about God’s love; others say it talks about wisdom; still others say it teaches people to do good.
Actually, all of our answers just now are correct, but how do we connect the Bible with ourselves? The entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is telling us God loves you, and He wants to save you. If someone asks, why did God create the heavens and the earth and create man? It is because God loves you. Why did He create beautiful flowers, animals, and stunning landscapes in this world? It is because God loves you.
When you look at the entire Bible with this thought and logic, you will find that all the things God has done are ultimately because He loves you. When reading the Bible, it is essential to look at it correctly. In today’s generation, many churches talk about God’s love, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. When you understand the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ, you will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and the first is love. Amen!
We share the first fruit of the Holy Spirit, Love.
Brothers and sisters, our theme for this year is A Year of Abundant Fruitfulness. The first fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. What is the definition of love? If the Bible were to express it in one word, it would be love. Jesus loves you. What is the definition of love? Let’s see what the Bible says.
1 John 4:10, This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
The God we believe in is love itself; all His actions come from love, and all His words are words of love. Because He is love itself, He does not just have a lot of love; His essence is love. Amen!
How can others tell that you are a Christian? It is not because you wear a cross necklace, nor is it because you read the Bible at home every day, or because you carry a bag with a cross on it when you go out. It is not that; how can people discern that you are a Christian? It is when you are with others, and the love of Christ radiates from you. When you give this love to others, they can see that you are a disciple of Christ. Amen!
So Jesus also said, By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
For example, if you meet someone in a market and greet them warmly, saying, “Oh, it’s you!” In fact, the two of you may not know each other well in church; you might just be gathering there, but when you meet on the street and greet each other, it feels very friendly. When you greet each other, others will notice the difference.
Brothers and sisters, when we express this love, others can see that we are different. For many years, there have been countless prayers for someone, hoping that one day a miracle will happen, and they will say they believe in Jesus. You give them a Bible and occasionally share a verse with them, hoping they will come to know the Lord. We find it difficult to change people. Under what circumstances can a person change? We hope that this person will suddenly believe in the Lord and completely change, but in reality, that is a selfish thought.
For example, we expect our husbands to become the person we want them to be. After believing in Jesus, they should change to that way. We never think that the love of Jesus Christ needs to enter their hearts, that God wants to love them. Many times, we say, “Lord, because he is so annoying, because his mouth is unclean, he will change after believing in the Lord.” This is a selfish thought.
So how many times do we find our prayers ineffective? We are using God instead of truly giving His love to them. If you want to give God’s love to them, the best way is to love them, not to say, “Lord, change him, change him,” but for you to change. Then he will see your change, and when you love him, he will see God’s love in you.
But when you change, others will see your change and notice the difference. Previously, you had a bad temper; how did you change? At this moment, you can say, “Do you want to know how I changed? Come to church with me!” Wouldn’t he be willing to come? Many times, we do not change ourselves and go home expecting him to change, saying, “Lord, change him, change him, change him.” After many years, we find that the results are not particularly good. In the end, many people end up making a wrong decision, thinking that God does not love them.
In fact, the Bible clearly states that God loves the world. Does that include your husband? Yes, it does, brothers and sisters. So many times, we have problems ourselves. The church is the same. Usually, when we are in church, we love one another; you love me, and I love you. In the name of Jesus Christ, I bless you, and you can bless those around you, but you cannot bless your husband. The moment you open your mouth, it’s always, “You must do this, or else you won’t have dinner tonight.”
If the church is one way and home is another, it is terrible because he cannot see any change in you from believing in Jesus. He does not see anything good about this Lord. This is a problem we have encountered, so do not ask God, “Lord, when will You change him? When will You answer my prayer? Look, I have been pious enough, praying for him every day! When will he believe in the Lord?”
Brothers and sisters, this is not the fruit of the Holy Spirit. God does not work according to our will; He works according to His will through us. It is God who manifests His life through you; you are a witness of God. You should know that the ability for the people around you to change is related to you. If you are a hot-tempered person, the people around you will either oppose you or endure you. This is a very normal thing. But you know that if you radiate the love of Jesus Christ, these people will be attracted by the love of Jesus Christ.
Share the first point: Love comes from God; you must first receive God’s love.
1 Corinthians 13:13, And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Why is faith and hope not the greatest? When we are in the kingdom of heaven, the only thing that will remain is love. You say, “I really can’t love that husband.” But if you say, “Let me endure and force myself to love him,” isn’t that the same as what was just mentioned? Eventually, when you can no longer endure, all the anger will come out.
In the kingdom of heaven, will we still need faith? Let me give you an example, brothers and sisters. For instance, someone wants to have a child, saying, “Lord, grant me a healthy child.” You haven’t seen it yet, right? It requires faith to pray. When one day the child is born, will you still say, “Lord, give me a child”? You don’t need faith anymore because you have seen it.
Faith is about things not seen, and it requires faith to receive it. When we all go to heaven one day, will we still need faith? Jesus Christ Himself is faith; all problems can find answers in Jesus. Moreover, He can accomplish things for you instantly. At that time, when you go to heaven, you won’t need faith.
Will we still need hope? Hope is also about future things, expecting that our family situation will improve, hoping we can buy a house in the future. These are all hopes and expectations. Will we still need hope in heaven? No, so in heaven, these two things will be gone. However, there is one thing that remains forever, which is “love.” We may not need faith because we will be with Jesus every day!
But what you need is for Jesus Christ to love you continuously. Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. In this world, we indeed need hope and love, and the greatest of these is love. Since the Bible talks about God’s love, the Bible includes both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament talks about God’s love; in the Old Testament, God often punishes people. If they disobey, God will send disasters or punishments, but it is still love. This cannot be denied! It is not my summary; it is Jesus’ own summary.
Let me read you a verse: Once a lawyer asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” The commandments refer to the Ten Commandments. He asked, “Which is the greatest commandment?” In fact, it is two: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Ultimately, it is still love. Jesus summarized it very correctly; this is the essence of all laws and regulations. Amen!
In other words, when God gave this law, what kind of heart did He have? A loving heart. You may not understand it now, but you will understand it when you read the Bible later. This is indeed God’s love. When reading the Bible, you cannot understand it literally; you cannot just say, “God loves the world, God loves you,” that simply. Many people have indeed experienced God’s love, have been touched by God’s love, and have sincerely repented. They believe that God’s love for them is unconditional. In the end, they become Christians.
However, the love of the Old Testament and the love of the New Testament are different. We have been talking about the Old Testament being the era of the law and the New Testament being the era of grace. There is love in the law; it is a love that demands. Just like what Jesus summarized earlier, you must strive to love God with all your strength and energy. The first half of the Ten Commandments refers to loving God! You shall have no other gods before me, and you must love God exclusively.
The second half is loving others. For example, you shall not covet your neighbor’s belongings. You cannot look at your neighbor’s nice cow and steal it; that is coveting. Instead, you should love them. So this is the essence of the Old Testament law. It requires you to love. Regardless of whether you can or cannot, whether you have the strength to love or not, you must do it. It means you must love your neighbor as yourself! The implication is that even if you really do not want to love your neighbor today, because of the law, you still have to do it.
The Bible says, how should you treat your enemy? To be honest, can you love them? It is indeed quite difficult. Not only do you say this, but I also find it quite difficult. Because under the law, you must love your enemy, whether you have the strength or not, you must love them. Do you know what kind of result this will lead to?
Let me demonstrate: I see you on the street, and I want to walk away, but no, Jesus said to love your enemy. So I put on a smile and say, “Sister, how are you? I love you so much…”
It’s all superficial; behind the scenes, it is completely unachievable! There is no power to love her. Because it is under the law, you must do this, so many times, we often use the words of the Bible to bind ourselves. For example, “I have endured you for a long time; I tell you, if I didn’t believe in Jesus, I would have fought with you.”
Originally, God’s word becomes a constraint; this is the law. No matter whether you have strength or not, you must do it. As a result, others may see Christians as hypocritical.
True love comes from within you; it is not something forced from the outside. It comes from what you have inside, and only then can you pour it out. I have told brothers and sisters before, you can never give what you do not have. What you possess in your heart is what you give to others. If you possess God’s love in your heart, then without saying anything else, when you open your mouth, it is God’s love. Actions are actions of love.
At the beginning, many people say when evangelizing, “Jesus loves you; Jesus loves you unconditionally!” I believe you were all attracted this way, right? You were not scared into coming, were you? How many people were scared into coming to church by being told that if they did not believe in Jesus, they would go to hell? How many people came to church because of that? You were attracted by the love of Jesus Christ, and when we tell others, we say, “God loves you.”
Someone says, “I am not lovable at all.” That’s okay; God still loves you just as you are. “I lost my temper recently.” Jesus will change you; Jesus still loves you. You are absolutely correct. But when this person comes, the person on stage tells him, “God loves you unconditionally. Will you accept Jesus?” “I am willing.” Once he accepts Jesus, the next week he comes back completely changed. I tell you: “Today, I have accepted Jesus; you must love others…”
How many people do not believe because of this? At first, we tell others that God’s love for you is unconditional, that God’s forgiveness is unconditional, that at any time, Jesus is willing to accept you, regardless of your behavior. But once he believes in the Lord, we tell him, “No, your behavior is too bad; God will not listen to your prayers. Your behavior is too bad, so God does not love you anymore.” How many times do we pray, once, twice, three times without results, and come to a wrong conclusion? “Maybe I have sinned recently, so God has distanced Himself from me. Therefore, God no longer loves me. That is why He does not listen to my prayers.”
Many people are receiving this kind of teaching. At first, we tell others very well that Jesus’ love is unconditional. But once they truly believe in Jesus, it becomes conditional. They rely on their efforts to obey God’s commandments. You must listen to the pastor’s words, you must go to church every week, you must read the Bible every day, you must pray every day, you must donate more money; you must do this, and then God will listen to your prayers.
Thank the Lord! Do not believe like this. It is terrible. You will feel really tired. The burdens of the world are already too many, and after coming to church, you add the burden of religion. God is not like this, so God will never contradict Himself. Since God says His love is unconditional, His love from the beginning until the end of the world remains unconditional.
When you do not believe in God, when you are still a sinner, God has already loved you. Even before we had the chance to sin, God already loved you. Think about it; when Jesus was on the cross, did you have any sins? At that time, Jesus already loved you. When on the cross, there was a thief who had done many bad things in his life, yet Jesus still loved him.
We can understand God’s love when you accept Him. You say, “I don’t know if God loves me.” That’s okay; come to Him. If you are willing to seek Him, He will let you see His love.
That thief said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus immediately responded, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Was his behavior good? Not at all; he indeed said on the cross, “We are getting what our deeds deserve.”
Do you think you are better than that person? At least you have not spent your whole life doing bad things! You are much better than that thief on the cross in terms of behavior, yet many times you feel that you are not as good as him. That person died and went to heaven, while we still suffer in this world. This is a wrong thought. Why do you feel you are suffering in this world? In fact, you can enjoy a joyful life on earth just as in heaven. Because God’s love is upon you. Amen!
Moreover, God wants to release this love through you to those who lack love in the world. Brothers and sisters, God’s love for you does not depend on your performance; it is unconditional. If you receive conditional love, what you give out will also be conditional. If you think, “This week I did good deeds, and I gave my tithe, and I cleaned the house this week,” you will feel, “This week, God loves me.” Do you know what kind of consequence this will bring? When dealing with your children, you will tell them, “You must clean the house for me, then I will love you.” You have received conditional love, so what you give out is also conditional. Therefore, when you see someone who hates you, you cannot stand them; you feel they do not deserve to receive Jesus’ love. Because you feel your behavior is good enough, that is why God loves you. But God’s love is unconditional. If you receive it incorrectly, what you give out will also be limited.
God’s love is absolutely unconditional. We must understand that it is not that when you do not behave well, God does not love you. God’s love for you is always complete. Just as much as God loves Jesus, God loves you today. In other words, today when you fail, God’s love is still upon you. His love does not depend on your performance or behavior because God is willing to supply you this way. Because He is love itself. When you experience Him, you will understand. God does not love you based on how many good deeds you have done. God does not want to change your thoughts; He wants you to accept His unconditional love!
Even if you cursed God yesterday, it does not matter; God still loves you. This is our God’s love. So when you feel unworthy of God’s love, that is called grace. Because it is grace, He gives it to you freely. Therefore, you have received God’s unconditional love. You will also love others this way. When your behavior is not good, you will not lose God’s love.
His love is long, wide, high, and deep; that is for us. The love of God upon you has always been abundant and has never decreased. So do not be mistaken; even when you are weak, God still loves you. Therefore, many people cannot forgive others because they have not correctly received God’s love from Him.
If today you know you have sinned 70 times, then Jesus has forgiven you 70 times. You should understand that Jesus has loved you at least 70 times. It is when you continuously receive from God that you have this strength; what fills your heart is what comes out of your mouth.
The words a person speaks are exactly what fills their heart. When you see someone cursing others, that is what fills their heart. When you see some people, their words are praises, words that build others up; that is what fills their hearts. When you want to give love to others, first you must receive love from God.
Love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Do not pursue this fruit; you must pursue the Holy Spirit. Just like a tree, every day you should not shout at it, “Bear grapes, bear grapes!” Shouting like that is useless. What you need to do is to fertilize it on time, weed it on time, and water it on time. In due time, it will naturally bear fruit. Today, do you know when the Holy Spirit is within you? It is when you accept Jesus Christ; the Holy Spirit dwells within you. To dwell within means that one day it will bear fruit.
So love is not about your efforts to make it bear fruit; it is about your continuous closeness to the Holy Spirit, nourishing yourself with God’s word, and then it will bear the fruit of love. Because God is love itself, when you let this love continuously fill you, it will naturally bear the fruit of love. That’s how it is, brothers and sisters. What you can achieve through effort is what you continuously receive. If there is a lack, you must receive. Amen! Continuously receive. Where there is lack, we must first receive.
When you cannot accept your husband’s temper or your disobedient child, you must first receive from God, just like the example I shared with you earlier. Then I know there is no way; I can only pray to God, “Help me, please do not let me go wrong!”
So when you do not have the ability to love, you first say to God, “Lord, Holy Spirit, help me; let this fruit grow quickly!” When you have this fruit, you can love. When this fruit comes out of you, it belongs to you. God has already given it to you, so after you bear this fruit, it belongs to you. You can love easily; you must first receive from God.
When you are in a bad mood or when someone suddenly gets angry at you for no reason, or when you feel you have wronged God, you must first have a correct positioning of yourself. Even so, God still loves me. You say, “Lord, really, I cannot love.” That’s okay; we will tell you how to have the strength to love.
Share the second point: Keep yourself in God’s love.
Jude 1:20, But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
You must build yourselves up in this most holy faith, not only to receive God’s love but also to give you the strength to love one another. As long as you are willing, you can receive it.
First, equip your heart with the truth, and then let the Holy Spirit guide you to do the right thing. You can build yourself up with God’s word. Even when you feel unworthy, remember one thing: God still loves you. Because this is the truth in the Bible. Jesus loves us completely; this love is unconditional. Amen!
Secondly, pray in the Holy Spirit.
Brothers and sisters, this is very simple. You can understand it as praying in tongues or praying in accordance with the Holy Spirit. When you pray in tongues, it is indeed easier. Praying in tongues allows the Holy Spirit to lead you. When you have God’s word in your heart, for example, when you come to listen to God’s word every week, the seed is already in your heart. Then you often pray in tongues, and the Holy Spirit will keep you in God’s love. Because the Holy Spirit does not point out how many sins you have; He reminds you that you are loved by God in Christ.
When Jesus was baptized and came up from the water, a voice from heaven said, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you, I am well pleased.” At that time, Jesus had not performed any miracles. He had not healed any sick people, but God loved Him already. This gives us a glimpse that it does not depend on how you behave; God’s love is always upon you. When can you know that God’s love is upon you? It is every time you come to hear the right word, every time you pray in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will remind you that you are loved by God. Therefore, God will supply you with everything you need. When you face difficulties or fall into the low points of life, we do not choose to complain, feel discouraged, or disappointed. Instead, we use God’s word to reflect on ourselves and keep ourselves in God’s love. Amen!
Do not forget that God can save you from death; God can give you the best Jesus in heaven. Can He not solve your current problems? David mentioned in Psalm 23, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”
David truly walked through the darkest valley, but in front of his enemies, God prepared a feast of love for David.
Do you remember that David was chased by enemies multiple times? Let me give you one example. Once, when Saul was chasing David, he was on that mountain, and Saul was about to charge with his elite soldiers. David saw Saul, and at that moment, God intervened. God’s love suddenly came upon David. At that moment, a soldier came to Saul and said, “King, the Philistines are invading; you must make a decision quickly!” When Saul heard this, he said to David, “Wait for me; I will deal with the enemy first and then come back to destroy you.” Because this matter was more important, if there was an invasion by the enemy, it would be worse. First, go back and solve the enemy’s problem.
How do you think David felt at that moment? “Lord! Truly, in front of my enemies, You prepare a feast for me; You are with me in the darkest valley.”
So do not be afraid. You know that if you remain in God’s love, He will keep you. Amen!
Luke 7:41-47
Jesus said, “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Amen!
Let’s break down the story. A moneylender had two people who owed him money. This moneylender represents our God. We all owe God’s glory; we all owe God a debt. Some may owe more, and some may owe less. Some have committed great sins, while others have committed fewer sins in their lives. But here it mentions that one person owed the master five hundred denarii, and the other owed him fifty denarii. They both had the same problem: they were unable to repay.
All people have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. They cannot repay this debt. At this moment, God sees this and forgives. So the moneylender graciously forgave both of their debts. Which of these two people will love his master more? Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
Why is it that the one who owed five hundred denarii loves more? Because he feels he owes more. What kind of people in the world do not believe in Jesus? They think they have no sin; they feel they can do it all by themselves and do not need Jesus. What kind of people need Jesus? “Lord, I know I cannot, so I seek You. You can do all things; I look to You.” Such people can receive more help.
Why can this person love Jesus more? Because he knows he owes too much.
Jesus said, “Simon, you have judged correctly; it is the one who owes more.” Then He turned to the woman and taught Simon, “Do you see this woman? Why does this woman have so much love? I came into your house, and you did not give me water for my feet. You did not even do the most basic respect for me. We have talked about this before; they lived in a desert area where there were strong winds every day. They walked barefoot, so when they returned home or visited someone, the first thing they did was wash their feet. This is a basic courtesy.
Then He said, “You did not greet me with a kiss.” The way Jews greeted each other was with a kiss. The Bible has many things that we should not imitate. Not only the Jews but also in the Corinthian church, they greeted each other with a kiss. This is just a Jewish way of greeting. You should not say that we should follow everything in the Bible. Do not casually imitate. Greeting with a kiss is a way of their courtesy, and Simon did not do it.
Moreover, when I entered your house, you did not anoint my head with oil. This means that the most honored guest would be given oil to anoint their head. But this woman has done what you did not do. Why could this woman do this? Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven. Why have her many sins been forgiven? It is because her love is great.
But the one who has been forgiven little loves little. The original text has some differences in meaning. Why is her love great? Because she understands that her many sins have been forgiven. Why is Simon’s love so little? Because he does not understand that his many sins have been forgiven. He just says, “I have not realized how much Jesus loves me.” He does not feel where Jesus loves him. It is not that Jesus’ love has decreased; it is that people understand too little. When people realize their shortcomings, they pray to God, and God gives them, and they see it. Amen!
For example, today, once again, you cannot control your temper, but at the same time, you tell yourself, “Even so, I know Jesus still loves me.” At this moment, you understand one more thing: you know God’s love is upon you, and you know today Jesus’ forgiveness is upon you. Moreover, Jesus’ forgiveness for you is unconditional.
While we were still sinners, Jesus died for our sins. On the cross, He paid the price for our sins; this is a fact. Therefore, every day when you understand more of Jesus’ forgiveness, the love within you increases. This does not mean that God’s love suddenly increases; God’s love for each of us is the same. It is just that the more we understand, the more we can possess.
If you believe in Jesus but do not come to gatherings anymore, you are still a saved person. Although you are a saved person, your understanding of Jesus Christ’s love is very limited. Every time you come to gatherings, it is not that you must come to gatherings, but when you come, you understand more of Jesus Christ’s love, you will understand more of Jesus Christ’s forgiveness and acceptance of you. You will receive strength from it, and then you can love and forgive others.
Under the Old Testament law, God’s word says you must forgive others. If you do not forgive others, your heavenly Father will not forgive your sins. But in the New Testament, this is reversed: you must forgive others because your heavenly Father has already forgiven you. This gives us a kind of strength. What strength? The ability to love my enemies is because Jesus has already loved me. Moreover, Jesus’ love for me is even greater.
When someone is filled with bitterness, their words will be bitter. You should have compassion for them. Pray for them, let God’s love enter them, and then they can express love from their mouths. Because this is all the fruit of the Holy Spirit; you must let the Holy Spirit enter their hearts.
When you see someone behaving very badly, you should pray for them, have compassion for them, and let them come to know Jesus. Because when we accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit will enter us. The Holy Spirit will work within us. Just like trees, some sprout later; this is also normal. It does not matter; there will always be a time for fruit. The first fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. If you have the Holy Spirit within you, it is only a matter of time before it bears fruit.
This is what we Christians should do. You must first receive His love from God to have the strength to live out this love. First, through reading the Bible and listening to the word, know how much God loves you. Know that God loves you in everything. 1 Corinthians 13 says that love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. How can a person achieve any of these? In fact, not a single one can be achieved; this is God’s love for you. You can only give out what you have received from God. So first receive from God, and keep yourself in God’s love. Amen!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You. The first manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. When we love one another, everyone can see that we are disciples of Christ. Holy Spirit, lead us and keep us in Your word. Because in Your word, I will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit and guide me on the right path.
We are willing to let the Holy Spirit guide our lives this week. I thank You for loving me so much, and I also want to receive this love and live out this love. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!