West Park Baptist Church

Counsel for the Heart

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Counsel for the Heart: Tools for Restoration (Gal. 6:1-5)

It’s been very instructive for me to focus on the fruit of the Spirit. In the average daily struggle, calling to mind my Comforter and Counselor and Agent of true change has been such a help!

How has it been for you to study the spiritual fruit? We have one more time together today to dig into the practical method of walking by the Spirit, evidencing His fruit and applying it in the restoration of fellow believers.

Galatians 6:1–5

[1] Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. [2] Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. [3] For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. [4] But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. [5] For each will have to bear his own load. (ESV)

Getting to the Heart:

We learned yesterday that the Lord Jesus is in the process of restoring each of us to His image. He is the absolute best at the work of restoration. He sees the finished product, and just as one house is different from another, so the Lord knows the uniqueness of every believer. As a Master carpenter, Jesus knows all about using tools, and his main tools in the people restoration projects are you and me! And He further counsels us about the tools we need to follow His plans for restoring one another. Yesterday we learned about Gentleness and Watchfulness. Today let’s dig in further to learn about the other two tools we need in our restoration kits.

  1. Gentleness.
  2. Watchfulness. (For these first two see the previous article in this series).
  3. Love – Paul says that restoration requires burden-bearing, and this fulfills the law of Christ. What law? Aren’t we free from the law now? Well, yes, but also no. The law of God is no threat to our security and freedom, but by the Spirit we are free to work out our salvation, and in this case it is the law of love for neighbor. Remember how Jesus bore the burden of our sin, all the way to the cross (see 1 Pet. 2:24)? This was love in action! We are called to enter the messiness of sin, not to partake in it but to rescue and restore someone. Even when we would cringe at entering a messy situation with someone, we can rejoice to identify with our Burden-bearer.
  4. Your backpack – Ok, this tool doesn’t seem to match the others, but it’s legitimately in these verses! Galatians 6:5 says “Each will have to bear his own load.” “Load” is not the same word as “burden” (6:2). It actually refers to a small pack that a traveler would wear, and the pack is essential and as personal as each individual. Another skill that Jesus wants His followers to have is the skill of honest self-assessment, and that’s what the text means by “each will have to bear his own load.” Each of us has unique skills, setbacks, strengths and weaknesses. We do no good by comparing ourselves with others, but there’s a humility that comes when we remember who we are and the growth God has worked out in us over time. Each of us has limitations in carrying out our spiritual responsibility, but that shouldn’t stop us from seeking to restore others! If anything an honest self-assessment provides us with two things (at least): 1) a healthy “boasting” in what God has done in our lives: a cause for rejoicing; 2) patience with others in their sin, especially not taking personally what they say or do. When someone may respond in anger we can rightly think, I don’t know what that brother may be facing today or what is in his backpack. Perhaps he’s farther along with the Lord than he was a year ago. Regardless, the Lord is at work! 

The bottom line: if we would apply gentleness, humility, love and a proper self-awareness to our ministry of restoration, we will do well, and others will come to know the love and support of our loving Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s talk it over: 

  • What strengths has God equipped you with to help you minister to others?
  • What difficulties have you faced in your life that could help you to bear the burdens of others with gentleness and love?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, You have loved us and sought us each time we’ve gone astray. You sacrificed Yourself for us so that we would see Your worth and have hope to return to You. Lord, please help us to grow in the ministry of restoring others. Help us to recall when you have restored us and help us grow in humility to be of use to You. Amen.

Worship in Song: 

His Forever

Memory Passage: Galatians 5:22–24

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [24] And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (ESV)

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Counsel for the Heart: Restoration (Gal. 6:1-5)

Who doesn’t like Fixer Upper?

That’s a rhetorical question. I’m arguing for the sake of point that men like to take a sledgehammer and demolish a non-load-bearing wall. Women love the same sometimes, and they get to add to it design, flowers, and happy family memory-making times.

The concept of home improvement shows revolves around finding an old home with good bones and putting in the time, money, love and effort to restore it.

Please know that those who claim the name of Christ are also in need of restoration. Each of us has been saved and secured by the work of Christ Jesus for us, but each of us falls into what the Bible calls “a trespass” now and again, and we need restoration. Let’s go back to Galatians for one more time in this series to read about the work of spiritual restoration.

Galatians 6:1–5

[1] Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. [2] Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. [3] For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. [4] But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. [5] For each will have to bear his own load. (ESV)

Getting to the Heart:

No one restores broken-down saints like the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus sees beyond the brokenness to what is true in the life of the sinful saint. He sees the full potential of what He has done and will yet do. His finished work in the fallen believer will be glorious, beautiful and someday perfect! In the mean-time, Jesus chooses to use every one of His followers in the restoration work of a brother caught in any trespass.

Yesterday I mentioned that this work is for the “spiritual” (6:1). Remember, that has nothing to do with a higher spiritual status. It refers to the “mature,” who know they are nothing without Jesus, and in humility depend on the Spirit to be of use to the Master in the lives of other people. After all, they know they have been loved by Jesus, and they want to love others like that.

Jesus equips you with tools for the restoration process of a broken brother. Today I’ll mention 2 and on Friday the rest.

  1. Gentleness – Where have we seen this before? In the fruit of the Spirit. We studied the meaning of gentleness in another post in this series. Let’s redefine it. Gentleness is essentially self-forgetfulness. It’s not self-deprecation or speaking ill of yourself. It’s the fruit of Christ that helps you put yourself aside so you can humbly focus on the needs of someone else. You and I need this when we restore someone, otherwise we will be mad at being inconvenienced by someone else’s sin or fearful that the problem will overwhelm us. Gentleness is a quality that we need the Spirit to produce in us. It’s love, patience, kindness, faithfulness and self-control in action.
  2. Watchfulness – Whenever I watch a Fixer Upper episode, there’s one unwritten law that always comes up: there are hidden problems that will come up and cost an extra thousand dollars, at least. There’s a hidden cost in spiritual restoration too: your own sin problems come up during times of spiritual restoration. Your problems will appear like a bee-hive inside a wall! When you are called on to consider another above yourself you won’t like it. You’ll be tempted to be short-tempered, anxious or even prone to fall into the same sin you are trying to help the other get out of. Watch yourself, and count on your own sin showing up.

Tomorrow we’ll look at the final tools, but for now…

Let’s talk it over:

  • Do you like to watch home improvement shows? How does a home improvement project compare to a spiritual restoration project?
  • When have you experienced the help of someone else to restore you? Alternatively, how has the Lord used you in the process of restoring someone else?

Prayer:

Sovereign Lord, You see the end from the beginning, and You ordain the means. Thank You for investing in us not only to rescue us from the penalty of sin but also to restore us from the presence of sin in our lives. You do not run from big projects, for Lord Jesus You bore our sin burdens on the cross. Help us in love to bear one another’s burdens and to fulfill Your law. Amen.

Worship in Song:

My Worth is Not in What I Own

Memory Passage: Galatians 5:22–24

[22] But the _____ of the _____ is _____, ____, _______, ________, ________, _________, ___________, [23] ____________, ____________; ______ such things there is no _____. [24] And those who __________ to ______ ______ have _______ the _____ with its _________ and __________. (ESV)

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Counsel for the Heart: Relational Conflict (Gal. 5:26-6:1)

Have you had a family game night recently?

Whenever my family sits down to play a board game or card game together we have fun. But, we also inevitably have conflict! We have a competitive one who does not like to lose. Playing those games often ends up turning into a counseling session for conflict management.

I think Paul must have played board games with the Galatians and dealt with some of the same things. Read our passage today and see what I mean.

Galatians 5:26–6:1

[26] Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

[1] Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (ESV)

Getting to the Heart:

Back on May 4th I wrote, “How would you describe the state of your relationships right now?” Would you describe them as tense? Peppered with conflict and arguing? Defensive postures and attacks with words? It’s inevitable that conflict comes, and sometimes it’s the board games that reveal it. How should we respond in times of relational conflict?

  1. Don’t be conceited (5:25). This word “conceited” actually means seeking after empty glory for yourself. Another way of saying this would be, “Don’t seek to fill up your insecurities by seeking the wrong things.” This type of glory-seeking hurts other people in two extreme ways: provoking and envying. The superior person who has beaten others or who is in a more stable life situation looks down on those lesser than him. Those who envy know they aren’t winning and want to drag down the one who is.  The best thing to do at this point is recognize this tendency in each of us to feel insecure and spot the ways we express it: looking down on those we perceive as “losers” and envying those we perceive as “winners.” There’s a much better way than this system.
  2. Let the spiritual restore their brothers with gentleness (6:1). What does it mean to be “spiritual”? Well, it doesn’t mean to be a special Christian, thinking of some category that a normal Christian can’t become. There aren’t Christian categories such as “special” or “normal.” No, this means those who walk by the Spirit. That means those who see their great need of Jesus and are every day humbled to follow Him. Those are people who can help others caught in the system of “winners” and “losers.” In fact, if we keep thinking in terms of “special” and “normal” Christians, we inadvertently continue living in the system of “winners” and “losers”! Each of gets caught in a trespass (these are the works of the flesh) from time to time and need a gentle reminder that the Spirit and Jesus are working for us and in us.

Let’s talk it over: 

  • Do you see how conceit can show itself in your life as either provoking or envying others? Which tends to show up most in your life: provoking or envying?
  • How could the two principles in the “Getting to the Heart” section help you with relational conflicts you experience? How would you apply them in a way of talking to yourself and others when conflict arises?

Prayer:

We thank You, Father, that You have provided a better way through Christ than to live as winners and losers in life, always provoking and envying. Thank You that our confidence is in You and what You determine about us, not in what we can establish by our own works or the worth we can get for ourselves by comparing to others. Please help us to keep in step with the Spirit, remembering Jesus our Lord, and seeking ways to love one another and so fulfill the law of Christ. Amen.

Worship in Song:

How Deep the Father’s Love For Us

Memory Passage: Galatians 5:22–24

[22] But the _____ of the _____ is _____, ____, _______, ________, ________, _________, ___________, [23] ____________, ____________; against such things there is no _____. [24] And those who __________ to Christ Jesus have _______ the flesh with its _________ and __________. (ESV)

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Counsel for the Heart: Our Security (Gal. 5:23-24)

Security: in a world full of threats we need truly need it.

Each night I make my rounds to lock all doors, make sure the garage door is down and ensure our vehicles are locked. While these aren’t threat-proof measures to take, they help me and my family feel a little more secure at night.

We take measures to secure our money. Our children and grandchildren. Our health.

But what of our souls? What about the threats within?

As we’ve been examining the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit, we’ve seen that there’s a true war happening within. How can we truly know the outcome? In the meantime, where does our security come from in the midst of the inner war? Let’s turn to our text today for the answer.

Galatians 5:22–24

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. [24] And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (ESV)

Getting to the Heart:

Let’s consider the strong security we have in God by the following three points.

  • Freedom from the law. As you may have seen at the end of verse 23, we’re told that those who exhibit the fruit of the Spirit have no law against them. What does this mean? Well, the law of God is perfect and pure, and by the law God regulates our actions, determining what is right and wrong. But beyond this is the tendency that all human beings have to submit to laws in order to prove their worth or importance. The Holy Spirit has freed us from that treadmill of following laws to prove our worth to God, others or ourselves. We are free now to live life in the Spirit. But how can the Spirit do this?
  • We belong to the Christ Jesus. The Lord Jesus has taken on Himself all our record of sins, and He was punished for our sake. Further, every record of right and purity and good that He accomplished now belongs to us. Jesus has so identified with His people that everything He has belongs to them, and everything His people have and still experience is His and His experience too. We have a gracious Savior who took our wicked record and gave us His perfect record. That’s why no law can touch us – nothing may condemn us now.
  • We have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. On the one hand, this means that Jesus crucified on the cross dealt a death blow to our flesh. When someone believes this good news, it unites that person to Jesus, and their flesh is crucified once for all. On the other hand, this verb “have crucified” indicates an action that was done but that still has ongoing effects. That means each day we still have a responsibility to crucify our flesh, with particular focus on the passions (or controlling lusts we have) and desires (literally “over-desires,” things we want that are good but become defiling because we want them too much or in the wrong way).  This does not mean abusing or punishing your body! That would do no good. We daily crucify those passions and over-desires by asking “What is it I think I need in order to feel fulfilled?” “What is my reason for thinking I need that so badly?” Knowing that we are free in Jesus Christ, we can then confess our wrong desires with freedom to Jesus, confess our wrong motives for wanting that thing, and ask Him to help us see Him as the Lover of our souls no matter what, the great Delight of our hearts, the Superior Satisfaction over all passions and over-desires. Then walk in the Spirit, seeking ways to grow and please the Lord, trusting in the Spirit’s power to change us each day.

Let’s talk it over:

  • What steps do you take in everyday life to feel safe or secure?
  • Considering those three points of security that the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit provide us, how could you express them as personal statements to better help you meditate on and remember them? For example, “I belong to Jesus Christ now, and He belongs to me.“

Prayer:

Our gracious Lord and Savior, thank You for saving us and helping us in the daily battle against the flesh. You are so faithful to us, choosing to unite Yourself to us forever, even now in the midst of this battle of the Spirit vs. the flesh. Help us by Your Spirit to daily crucify our over-desires for things that otherwise are good but that we would in our flesh manipulate and twist. Help us to identify motives behind those desires so we may repent and turn again to see You in Your glory and beauty, remembering the fruit of the Spirit that is found fully in You. You are our delight and joy, Lover of our souls and best friend we have. Amen.

Worship in Song:

Jesus Paid it All

 

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Counsel for the Heart: Bearing Spiritual Fruit (Gal. 5:22-23)

Would you like to know a guaranteed way to glorify God?

The Lord told us in John 15:8 –

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

We glorify God by bearing much fruit. Today we go back into Galatians 5:22-23 to examine more closely the fruit of the Spirit. By knowing what type of fruit the Holy Spirit produces we will grow in opportunities to glorify our Father. This is also our memory passage, so remember to meditate and memorize as you read today.

Galatians 5:22–23

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (ESV)

Getting to the Heart:

One of the most helpful things we can do with this list of spiritual fruit is to understand what each part of the fruit means, what it replaces, and even what tends to be a counterfeit version of each part. I’ve been helped so much by the Bible study resource Galatians for You by Tim Keller1, and I’ve created a chart below based on his helpful explanation of the fruit of the Spirit.

Fruit  Definition Opposite Counterfeit
Love Love and care for a person based on their good, not on what they bring to you Self-protection; self-promotion Attraction for someone based on what they add to you or how they make you feel
Joy Happiness and delight in God for Who He is and what He does in the world Hopelessness; depression Happiness based on changing circumstances
Peace Confidence and rest in the sovereign wisdom and control of God Anxiety and fear Not caring about something; feeling indifferent
Patience The ability to stand up under the pressures of life without lashing out in anger toward God and others Resentment toward God and others Cynical lack of care
Kindness Motivation that serves others for their good in a practical way, out of a sense of complete inner security in Christ Envy; refusal to rejoice in another’s prosperity Serving others to ultimately manipulate them or prove to God or others our worth.
Goodness Also means integrity; being one person or the same person wherever you are Hypocrisy Speaking your mind and not holding back truth to make yourself feel better or look good
Faithfulness To be absolutely trustworthy and always true to your word Being a friend only in good times Being loving but never willing to confront when needed
Gentleness Humility, specifically self-forgetfulness, prioritizing others and responding calmly even when they are aggressive Attitude of superiority or self-absorption Spirit of inferiority, speaking ill about yourself
Self-control Ability to endure in hard times by focusing on the important not the urgent Impulsiveness or recklessness Willpower to endure difficulties to prove your worth or strength

Sometimes it’s necessary to slow down in our Bible reading and really dig in to specific words to better know the Lord’s message. This passage with this list is a case in point: we need to really understand these aspects of the Spirit’s fruit. It’s all so we can bear the fruit that brings joy and glory to our Father.

Today a group of men came to our home to cut down some trees that we had let grow over the years but that had become a nuisance. It is amazing how much more light, area to grow other things and even just to play in that the removal of those trees provided.

Walking in the Spirit is like that, I think. All of us have some motivating attitudes that are contrary to the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus came to deliver us from that ruling flesh that loves to assert self and sow destructive works. The Holy Spirit is the power to come in and chop those works down at their root level and open up your life to the light and freedom of God (Gal. 5:1).

Let’s talk it over:

  • Where are you seeing growth this week in the Spirit?
  • Do you see any opposites in your attitudes and actions?
  • Do you spot any counterfeits to the Spirit’s fruit?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we believe that it is for freedom that You came to set us free. That freedom is the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that the Spirit produces. This is the fruit we see in You, Lord. We love You because of who You are and how You shared that fruit with people all the time. There was never a time when You were not bearing fruit, and You are worthy of the greatest freedom and joy. Yet You took on our record of fleshly works and received the punishment for reckless, self-absorbed living that defied God and defiled our fellow man. Oh, we love and thank You for paying for those many many sins. But we love and thank You all the more that now You share Your Spirit with us so that we might walk with You and experience what You alone deserve. Help us to glorify our Father by bearing much fruit today. Amen.

Worship in Song:

His Mercy is More

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  1. Galatians for You resource by Tim Keller. Pages 141-142 used for the chart above.