The Notes

This coming Wednesday night, November 11, 2026, we celebrate Veteran's Day and honor the brave service of our nation's military.  That bravery leads us to consider the challenge for Christians in having bravery to share our faith in Jesus and asking if we need to be brave to go before the throne of God? 

This week is online only, but please join us at 6:00 p.m. on Facebook for an uplifting message and some mid-week encouragement for the soul.  

If you can't join us in person, you can always participate through our Facebook page.  We go "live" at 6:00 p.m., and you will have a front row seat.  If you can't join us live, there are 3 ways to watch the message later - on Facebook, on YouTube, or here on our website. (the "Past & Future Messages" page).  Watch anytime!  

This week, November 4, 2026, was the conclusion of our message series on the Fruits of the Spirit.  We have taken an in depth dive into each of the 9 fruits listed in Galatians 5:22-23 - "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."  This week our focus was on the last two fruit - gentleness and self-control. 

   Corinthians 3:18 says: “And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”  That change happens through our surrender to the Spirit's voice; It doesn't happen because we try harder or will ourselves to do better.  Spiritual fruit grows and develops inside us from the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence within us.  It's an active, on-going process, and we will be aware from time to time that our actions or responses were not good.  We may even think, "that wasn't very Christian of me."  Or we will say, "I wasn't very patient," or kind.  You name it.   That's actually a good thing.  It is the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us, making us aware of our shortcomings so that we can surrender more and more to the Spirit's transformational process.  We can't change what we don't acknowledge.  So look at all of this with the understanding that the Holy Spirit's work is ongoing towards maturity.  Remember, when you transplant a fruit tree, it takes 2-5 years to produce fruit.  So give yourself a break and keep reminding yourself, "God is not through with me."  Let's look now at the fruit of gentleness.

Gentleness is not just a combo of kindness & love; if so, there would be no need for a separate fruit.  Gentleness is defined as the quality of being calm, kind, soft and free from violence or harshness.  Genteel.  It's softness of manners; mildness of temper; sweetness of disposition; meekness.  The word that jumps at me is softness, just like tenderness.  Gentleness is how we should see Jesus, and God.  Matthew 11:29 – “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  And the prophecy about Jesus was Isaiah 40:11 – “He tends His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.”  What do we know about Jesus?  Recall when He entered Jerusalem - “See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey.”  Jesus displayed gentleness when He saw Mary at the tomb; “Mary” - the way He said her name when she was grieving - tender.  We also saw His gentleness when He stood at Lazarus’ tomb and wept.  He said to the woman caught in adultery, “Where are your accusers? I don’t condemn you either. Go, leave your life of sin.”

He was a King, yet He lived as a servant.  His gentleness did not weaken His authority; it reveals the gracious character of our King who receives sinners and cares for the weary.

The apostle Paul urges us to have the mind of Christ in us. (Phil. 2:5)  It's because it's in gentleness that we can lead others to Jesus.  It won’t happen by shouting matches. Signs. Protests.

Paul wrote that he tried to appeal to the Corinthians “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” 2 Cor. 10:1

In reaching people for Jesus, he wrote in  1 Thessalonians 2:7– “we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.”  And consider 2 Timothy 2:24-25 – “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, & be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.”

Gentleness is a fruit that is seen in both our actions & reactions. 

Action – It’s how we reach out to care for the grieving, the hurting.

It’s how we talk to others about our faith.  1 Peter 3:15 - But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect."

Gentleness is how we treat others who are struggling, who have failed, who have sinned.  Ephesians 4:2 – “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

It’s the way God is with us when we’re fragile, hurting, broken . . . when we have been wounded - “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out” – Matt. 12:20; Isaiah 42:3.

Gentleness is also in our reactions.  It’s how we respond when we’re insulted, disrespected.  Peter said this about Jesus' reaction:

1 Peter 2:23 - "When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly."  So gentleness should be how we address problems . . . when someone has done us wrong.

Galatians 6:1 – “Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness.”

As Christians, we are called – challenged – to live with gentleness: 

Colossians 3:12 – “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”  As Christians, we’re called to turn down the volume of dissent; take things down a notch. . . not argue. . . be calm . . .  be people of peace.  Prov. 15:1 - NIV version says: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  But look at the New Living Translation: “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.”

It's how we are called to live - to a higher standard - in our relationships, in our jobs, and in politics.

And that leads us right into the final fruit:  Self-Control.

Self-control is the ability to manage impulses, emotions, thoughts, and actions.  It’s “impulse control” – stopping to think before acting rather than reacting immediately.  Think of it as mastering desires & impulses to align with our Master’s (God's) will. 

It’s “emotional regulation” - managing intense feelings like anger, frustration, or excitement without being controlled by them. 

Self-control is having a filter; not saying everything we think.

Most people will say, "yep, I need more self-control."

If you’re asking how to develop self-control?  Remember – it is tied to surrender to the Holy Spirit.  This isn’t just about will power; biting your tongue; or white knuckling through temptation.

It’s an active partnership with God & the Holy Spirit.

Self-control can develop as we draw closer to God and admit our need to better reflect we’re His child.

Self-Control - as explained by the Bible – is knowledge in action.  It’s knowing we must be better; we must live to higher standard; we must be patient; we must be kind & show love. 

2 Peter 1:3-9 is the scripture to read.  It says, in part,  
"Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

  That means self control is a fruit of the Spirit developed through knowledge and maturity. We don’t develop this until we see the need for it. That’s maturity.  Wisdom. God gives us the ability to live with self-control. Consider 2 Timothy 1:7 - “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.” The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9 about how athletes train. He says in 1 Cor. 9:25 – “Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” 

We have an imperishable destiny - Heaven is forever.  So we should run our race with purpose. Be disciplined. 1 Cor. 9:27 – “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” Paul is saying he has to walk in the truth he’s proclaiming. He didn’t want moral compromise to ruin his witness, or lead him down a path away from God.  Just as athletes train rigorously, believers must exercise spiritual discipline – self-control - to grow in maturity, and be a light that shines for God. Our witness can be ruined with a lack of self-control. A lack of self-control also makes us vulnerable to attack from the Enemy. Look at Prov. 25:28 – “A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.” Broken walls left a community vulnerable to attack. A lack of self-control puts us in same position. Anger, for example, allows the enemy to fight us and beat us down with regret and shame.  Ephesians 4:26-27 - “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, and do not give the devil a foothold.” That’s why developing self-control is so important.

Here is the final point – none of us are perfect. But God forgives.  Producing the fruit of the Spirit takes time, surrender, willingness. It’s the work of God in us. Just be open to the change God desires in you.