The Bishop’s Mind: Christian Wisdom, Daily Devotionals & Empowering Messages for Kingdom Living

  We Go Together: Understanding the Fruit of the Spirit    There are some things in life that simply belong together. You cannot separate them without losing something essential about the whole. The same principle applies to the fruit of the Spirit . "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, meekness, faithfulness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law." – Galatians 5:22–23    Notice that Scripture speaks of the fruit of the Spirit, not merely the fruits of the Spirit as separate and unrelated qualities. These characteristics reveal the nature, character, and essence of God operating within a Kingdom citizen.    The fruit of the Spirit is more than a list of admirable qualities. It is evidence of God's presence within us . It becomes a spiritual signature a visible expression of an invisible God.    And here is the message: We go together!   ...

  There’s a Picture in Your Frame: Discovering God’s Divine Purpose    Have you ever looked at a picture inside a beautiful frame and realized that the frame is not the picture? The frame gives the picture structure, protection, and definition, but it is not the ultimate value of what is contained within it.    In the same way, many things we see in life are simply frames . Our bodies are frames. Our buildings are frames. Even our visions, missions, strategies, and goals are frameworks. But beyond every frame, there is a picture  a divine purpose, identity, and destiny that God has established. "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." – Psalm 103:14    Psalm 103:14 reminds us that God knows our frame. He knows our limitations, our humanity, our weaknesses, and our temporary physical existence. Yet knowing our frame does not mean that the frame is the entirety of who we are. There is a picture in the fr...

  The Gift of Choice: Choosing the Way of Life "Furthermore, tell my people, this is what the Lord says: See, I AM setting before you the way of life and the way of death." – Jeremiah 21:8    One of the greatest gifts that God has given humanity is not speaking in tongues, prophecy, the working of miracles, the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, the discerning of spirits, or the interpretation of tongues. One of the greatest gifts God has given humanity is the gift of choice.    Choice is a divine gift given to every person as God's beloved offspring, created in the image and likeness of God. People have the ability to decide. They have the ability to choose.    Every decision involves a movement away from one possibility and toward another. In that sense, decision means death to one thing and life to something else. When we choose one path, we release another. When we say yes to one possibility, we are saying no to ...

  How Are You Going to Handle It? "For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily." – Jeremiah 20:8    How are you going to handle it?    Situations arise in life, and individuals must make decisions about how they will live and show up in the world. When God directs a person to take action, and the outcome does not align with expectations, a resolve must be made.    A person may do exactly what God instructed, speak what God directed, and go where God led, yet still experience unexpected outcomes. True commitment is revealed when circumstances do not unfold as anticipated.    Jeremiah discovered this firsthand. He spoke the word he was given, yet his obedience brought opposition, ridicule, rejection, and imprisonment. He had to make a decision: How was he going to handle it? 1. Slapped in the Face    ...

  Smashing: When God Is Trying to Get Our Attention    The focus of today's teaching is “Smashing.” While the term “smashing” is sometimes used as slang to describe eating a large amount of food or engaging in intimate relations, that is certainly not the context in which Jeremiah uses the word. "This is what I will do, says the Lord. I will make this place like the city of Topheth, and I will smash the people who live there like this pot." – Jeremiah 19:12    God told Jeremiah to go to the potter's house to learn a lesson and receive a message for the children of Israel. Jeremiah observed the potter and the clay. The clay was on the wheel in the master's hands, being shaped and reshaped until a vessel was formed.    Then God instructed Jeremiah to take that pot and smash it. This dramatic act was meant to show the people what could happen when they continually refused to listen and respond to God. God used Jeremiah as a visual...

  Community: Let’s Grow Together Kingdom Promise: Prosperity Harmonious Relationships "The Lord said, 'If one people speaking the same language begin to do the same thing, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.'" – Genesis 11:6 KSB     Community is the intentional coming together of people who are on one accord, operating with unity, shared language, and aligned purpose. When people learn how to communicate, educate, and serve together, they can accomplish things that may be impossible to achieve individually.    God created us for relationship. We were never designed to live completely isolated lives. A healthy community creates an environment where people can share ideas, develop their gifts, support one another, solve problems, and grow together. When the right people come together with a shared vision and a willingness to work, extraordinary possibilities emerge. Firstly: Communication — Let’s Talk About It  ...