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Goodness is not a natural attribute of man but rather part of the nature of God.

In recent months, many events have piqued the interest of prophecy enthusiasts. End-time watchdogs closely scrutinize political and natural events in an attempt to decipher when Jesus Christ will return for His church. Although many of the current events are signs of the nearness of the coming of the Lord, the Scripture specifies an often-over-looked indicator of the end time.

The apostle Paul declared, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (II Timothy 3:1). He continued by detailing the spirit of the world in the last days. Contained in this listing of the attitudes of men is the revelation that men would be “despisers of those that are good” (II Timothy 3:3). According to Strong’s definition, men would be “hostile toward virtue.“ The implication is not that men would oppose the doing of “good deeds” but rather they would aggressively resist goodness, principles of righteousness and those who preach and practice such ethics. Perhaps the ungodly attitude of humanity in the present age is the greatest sign of the coming of Jesus Christ.

The contest between good and evil in recent times has far surpassed predictions of depravity given in bygone days. Activist groups have worked to banish prayer from schools, remove the Ten Commandments from court houses, and take Christ from Christmas, Simultaneously, the world currently promotes homosexual relationships, pre-marital sex, and abortion. The words of Isaiah reflect the attitude of the current generation, which often rewards evil and punishes good: “Woe unto them that call evil good, an d good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!“ (Isaiah 5:20).

Although this conflict has escalated in present times as the scripture prophesied, good and evil have always been opposed to each other. When created, man was amorally innocent creature. He was created in the images of God and void of the knowledge of good and evil. (See Genesis 2:17). In this innocence he enjoyed fellowship with God.

Man disobeyed God’s command when he partook of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The fellowship once enjoyed between innocent man and God was severed. Since that time, mankind has been dominated by evil. God said, “The imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Geness 8:21). The apostle Paul wrote: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

God educated man about good and evil by the law given through Moses. Paul recognized, “I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, thou shalt not covet” (Romans 7:7). But the law was limited in that it was unable to produce goodness in the evil hearts of men. Paul further explained, “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14).

A conflict rages in the hearts of men who have the knowledge of evil but lack the strength to overcome the stronghold of sin. The apostle Paul spoke of this frustration: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do: but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:18-19, NKJV). The writer recognized the lack of goodness in the flesh, which resulted in evil practices regardless of the knowledge of sin.

Jesus said, “Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34). He further explained, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). The purpose of Jesus Christ was to deliver mankind from the control of evil. This would be accomplished not merely by education but by empowering people to live lives of goodness.

Scripture contrasts the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the Spirit.“ According to the apostle Paul’s admission, his flesh was unable to perform good because in his flesh dwelt “nothing good.“ The listing of “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5 verifies that mankind under his own power is incapable of doing good.

Jesus gave the following analogy: “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Matthew 7:18). The result of the works of the natural man will only produce evil fruit. “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:17).

On the other hand, the “fruit of the Spirit” is a result of the influence of the Holy Spirit upon one’s life and not the effect of works. The remedy for overcoming evil is to “walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

When one repents, is baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins, and receives the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38), the Spirit should produce fruit in him. One of the attributes God’s Spirit will produce is “goodness” (Galatians 5:22). According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, goodness indicates what is “morally honorable, pleasing to God, and therefore beneficial.“ Galatians 5:9 places goodness alongside of righteousness and truth.

Goodness is not a natural attribute of man but rather part of the nature of God. Jesus informed the young ruler that “there is none good but one, that is, God” (Mark 10:18). Goodness can never be realized in anyone except through the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Acts 1:8).

In these last days as the “despisers of those that are good” grow more apparent, the prayer of saints should reflect that which Paul offered for the saints of Thessalonica that God would “fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness’ in them (II Thessalonians 1:11).

Mark H. Parker
The Pentecostal Herald

Marion was perplexed by the constant comments about his gentleness with Ruth. “Why is there so much fuss over the care I give to my wife?“ he asked. “That is the way it’s supposed to be; I wouldn’t have it any other way!“

It was another typical day in the life of Ruth Gunn as she drove home after shopping and running errands. thinking of everything she still had to do, she would be glad to get home so she could get started. As she turned right onto Saint Patrice Street, a dense cloud suddenly engulfed her memory, and she realized she could not recall where she lived. bewildered, she slowed the car and peered up and down the street. Gradually the fog in her mind dissipated, and she drove two blocks to her home. She focused on putting away the groceries and preparing dinner, deliberately pushing aside the confusion and fear she had felt. Later, when she told her family about the bizarre experience, no one considered it serious; it was dismissed as a humorous “senior moment.“ However, for Ruth it was the beginning of a thirteen-year journey into dementia.

Ruth’s husband, Marion, was a truck driver who had made local deliveries around the city of St. Louis for over thirty years. he had worked long, hard hours driving and unloading the trucks, and he often spent evenings and Saturdays painting houses to provide for his family of seven children. Marion attacked every task with energy, firmness, determination, and muscle, and at double-time speed. Friends and acquaintances would never have described him as a gentle, laid-back, placid man.

As Ruth’s condition slowly deteriorated, Marion realized that the changes in her world require him to make some drastic changes. He was challenged to meet the demands of caring for her in ways he had never anticipated. Finally, his believed wife of forty-three years was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Family members and friends were amazed to see Marion’s unconditional love in caring for his wife as they walked together into and through her valley of the shadow of death.

Marion was now the domestic caregiver instead of Ruth. As her appearance and abilities deteriorated and diminished, he cherished memories of what she had been life before the disease ravaged her. Ruth had been a marvelous cook, preparing mouthwatering meals for her large family and anyone else who showed up. Her baking, gardening, and canning skills were legendary. Her quick wit and dry humor created a pleasant, homey atmosphere for the family.

More than anything, she loved to worship and pray. For as long as Ruth’s condition allowed it, Marion continued to take her to church. It was amazing to watch her sing, worship and pray long after she had lost the ability to communicate with those close to her. It was traumatic and at time very painful for Marion to watch the woman he loved so dearly devolve into a woman who could give only a minimal response. Yet Marion was always staunchly there.

For her last three-and-one-half years, Ruth lived in a nursing home. Every day Marion was there caring for her. For hours every day he held his wife in his arms so gently and lovingly that nursing home employees and other observers were amazed. One explanation Marion gave had to do with a request Ruth had made to God years before the couple’s courting days. She had prayed that Marion would like her. Now, as their days together became few and precious, Marion said, “Her prayer must have worked because I still don’t want to let her go.“

Marion was perplexed by the constant comments about his gentleness with Ruth. “Why is there so much fuss over the care I give to my wife?“ he asked. “That is the way it’s supposed to be; I wouldn’t have it any other way!“

Marion’s love and gentleness manifested the fruit of the Spirit: “but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

The fruit of the Spirit is produced in the Spirit-filled life. this fruit bearing is the growing, maturing process of born-again believers. Bearing the fruit of the spirit is, in the word of Marion, “the way it’s supposed to be.“ Christ’s life demonstrates for us that this fruit of the Spirit is always for the benefit of others. It is the way it is supposed to be.

Gentleness is possible the most misunderstood virtue. many people misperceive gentleness as synonymous with weakness, timidity, or passivity. This is not the biblical understanding gentleness, however. Gentleness is strength under control. It means to be tender, humble, mild, and considerate, but strongly so. It means knowing when to be tender, humble, mild and considerate. It means having self-control and self-discipline. Gentleness is an essential virtue for spirit-filled believers; that is simply the way it’s supposed to be.

Tim Dugus
Pentecostal Herald

Note: Marion and Ruth Gunn were married fifty-six years; she passed away on January 3, 2005.

When our teenage sons or daughter grace us with a gift from the heart, we find joy in our investment paying off both financially and spiritually.

One morning as I started the laundry. I found dirty change in the pocket of my son’s work jeans, so I left it in the pocket and tossed the jeans into the washer. The standing rule: “Money in the washer belongs to Mom.“ But when I removed the change from the washer, I tried to decide whether to keep it or return it to him. Then I thought about the countless hours in prayer and the thousands of dollars we have spent raising him - clothes, Doc Martin shoes, braces, college, cars - and decided to keep the change.

All parents have one thing in common - they either had teenagers, have teens, or will have teens. Those of us in the “have teens” category know how frustrating they can be. (“Oh well, the dent isn’t that bad.“) We also know the joys (“Mom, I got you carnations, and here’s a poem I wrote.“) and adventure they bring. (“Dad, I want to join the Navy. Yes, I know there’s a war on.“) sometimes it seems that we parents get little in return for the huge emotional and physical investments we make.

Jay Kesler, in Ten mistakes Parents Make with Teenagers (And How to Avoid Them), suggests showing teens God’s grace and forgiveness by paying their first ticket or accident deductible. For us, that meant forgiving one son for running a car out of oil, and another for totaling a car. Two cars junked in three months, but the four teens in the totaled car could have been killed, so we were thankful no one was injured in the accident. As parents, we must rely on God’s grace to help us focus on the positive when He tells us to “keep the change.“

I would guess teens, more than any other age group, keep parents on their knees. Great for the prayer life; bad for the joints. In Tim Kimmel’s book Why Christian Kids Rebel, he defines rebellion as not only the typical tattoo/piercings/rap music type but also as the apathetic, ride-on-my-parents’ coattails Christianity. He lists several reasons for rebellion, including anger at God or parents, misuse or abuse of personality strengths, teenage confusion, or a natural need to “touch the wet paint before they’ll believe the sign.“ He goes on to offer help and hope for families.

While not every teen rebels outright, many experience rough spots. When we want to see our teens “keep the change” God tries to instill in their lives, what can we do to help them (and ourselves) through these turbulent years?

When our teenage sons or daughters grace us with a gift from the heart, we find joy in our investment paying off both financially and spiritually. At those moments, we are willing to let them “keep the change” from all the money we have spent of them. Later, when we see them emerge as responsible adults, like butterflies from the cocoons of their teen years, we want them to “keep the change” God has instilled in their spiritual lives and hold on to their newly-forged relationships with the Lord. Remember, the teen years do not last forever. Use them to draw closer to God and to your teen.

Diana Urban
Pentecostal Hearld

Consider the following poem:

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I’d rather one would walk with me
Than merely point the way.

The eye’s a better pupil
And more willing than the ear;
Fine counsel is confusing,
But example’s always clear.

And the best of all the preachers
Are those who live their creeds;
For to see good put in action
Is what everybody needs!
I soon can learn to do it
If you’ll let me see it done;
I can see your hands in action,
But your tongue too fast may run.

And the lectures you deliver
May be very fine and true;
But I’d rather get my lessons
By observing what you do!

For I may misunderstand you
And the high advice you give;
But there’s no misunderstanding
How you act and how you live!

Author Unknown

All of us entered into the church by the same experience: “For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:13). For this reason, we should endeavor “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

The Spirit gives us the fruit of the Spirit to promote unity. All nine attributes of the fruit bless the person possessing them, but beyond the personal blessing, the fruit creates a climate of unity for us to enjoy. These attributes of the fruit are graces to be exercised in the church and society in general. Love is only an idle word unless it is expressed in action. Gentleness, kindness, and long-suffering are ways we treat each other. Joy, peace, faithfulness, and temperance are not merely feelings but also the way we behave toward saints and sinners. The fruit of the Spirit unites members and blesses them in the context of the whole church, given by the spirit, they bring us to unity.

We have the same Lord as our Savior, share in the same water baptism, experience the same spirit baptism, possess the same faith, rejoice in the same hope, belong to the one church, and all have God as our Father.

We have more that unites us than what tries to divide us. We are born of the Spirit into one family; we are united by the fruit of the Spirit secured by the seal of the Spirit, and have one head, Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (I Corinthians 1:10). Ministers and laity alike need to resist rebellion in attitude and thought respecting established authority.

When we came in to the church, we left a world filled with dissension over nationality, race, religion, politics, and values. In the church, we become one in Christ. While we still love in nations with political, racial, political, and value conflicts, we must not copy the behavior of the unsaved around us.

The church is set apart with a mission in the world - the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ to every person. But how can we preach the gospel to every person? It is impossible for one of us alone to reach the whole world, but the great commission can be accomplished by the church working together.

We are nearing the coming of the Lord, but we still have time by the Spirit to bond our minds together, by the Spirit to bow together in prayer, and by the Spirit to blend our gifts and talents together in the harvest of souls. May we pray together, worship together, think together, believe together, and work together until God gathers us together to be with Him forever.

J.L. Hall
Pentecostal Herald

I was able to contact Pastor Donald Bryan in Slidell, La - here is his remarks on the status of their church and church body.

Location of church

Bro. Pollock,
  Greetings in Jesus name. Thanks so much for your e-mail. Our church in Slidell has received major damage but is at least repairable. Most of the damage is to the roof when was torn off and will have to be replaced. We put visqueen over it to try to keep as much water out as possible.

Our church family is scattered all over the south. Everyone has lost their jobs and our entire city has no power, telephone, cell phone, etc. There is not one store or business open. I’ve got people trying to stay there but have no way to get water, food, etc.

It is really tragic. But God protected all of our people’s lives and no one was killed. Pray for us. We appreciate your concern. God will help us.
Donald Bryan
Slidell, LA

Early reports indicate that many of our churches and saints have been affected by Katrina. Many have contacted WEC asking for a way they can contribute to the needs of our members in these affected areas. A fund has been established here, all of which will be used, to help the victims of this tragic storm.

If you would like to contribute:

  * donate online now via your credit card
  * send a check to:

    World Evangelism Center
    8855 Dunn Road
    Hazelwood, MO 63042-2299
    Attn: Hurricane Katrina Victims’ Fund