Community Bible Church of Highlands

Pastor Gary returned to our Established series on the Fruit of the Spirit by focusing on the last two expressions in Galatians 5:22–23: meekness and self‑control. He began by honestly naming how common our struggle with control is, especially when our past includes trauma, abandonment, shame, or deep insecurity. Many controlling behaviors are learned coping mechanisms to keep chaos away and to avoid being hurt again. But control is ultimately an illusion: the more we try to control people and circumstances, the more out of control we actually become.

Pastor Gary continues the "Established" series by bringing us back to the fruit of the Spirit with todays Q&A. He asks, what does it look like when the Spirit of God is truly established in a believer's life? The fruit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self‑control. These are not a list of optional virtues; it is the visible evidence that the living God dwells in us. We live in tension between the flesh (our old sin nature) and the Spirit. As we yield to the Spirit and "crucify" the flesh with Christ, God's own character increasingly shows up in our relationships, our homes, and our workplaces.

This week, Pastor Gary continued our Established series with a focus on Patience, or "long-suffering," from the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22. Long-suffering goes beyond mere patience; it is the enduring spirit that allows us to face trials, chronic struggles, and relational strife without losing hope or faith. Pastor Gary illuminated the Greek roots of the word, explaining how "makros" (long) and "thumos" (temper) come together to describe the enduring, patient spirit that helps us navigate life's challenges through the power of the Holy Spirit, not our own strength.

In this week's message from Pastor Gary, delivered amid the chill of a winter storm, we continued exploring the "Established" series, focusing on the profound gift of peace through the Holy Spirit. Pastor Gary opened with a compelling truth: this peace is not dependent on our circumstances but is a divine gift that surpasses human understanding. Through deep, purposeful prayer characterized by adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication, believers can experience a peace that guards their hearts and minds, much like a sentinel watching over a city.

In the third installment of the series "Established," Pastor Gary Hewins passionately explored the fruit of the Spirit with an emphasis on love and joy. With scriptural insight, the message highlighted how love, the foundation, precedes joy, emphasizing that both are manifestations of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are reminded that love is a way of life, not merely an action, and joy flows from living in God's love.

In this week's sermon, Pastor Gary unfolded the profound distinctiveness of Christianity as a "religion of love." Using Galatians 5, Pastor Gary emphasized that love is the cornerstone of the Spirit's fruit, nurturing other virtues like joy, peace, and kindness. He invited the congregation to reflect on whether their lives are truly established in God's love, emphasizing the importance of love's unconditional nature in transforming relationships and communities.

The core of Pastor Joel's message centered on hope, symbolized by the lighting of the hope candle. He shared the story of Abram from Genesis 15, focusing on the profound covenant God made with him. Pastor Joel explained the cultural significance of this ancient ritual, where God alone walked between the animal carcasses, placing the covenant's fulfillment entirely on His shoulders. This act, he noted, serves as a powerful reminder of God's steadfast promises and should inspire a deep trust in His faithfulness.

Highlighting the poignant context of Psalm 23, Pastor Gary shared how King David, in a state of distress being pursued by his son Absalom, found solace in God as his shepherd. Pastor Gary used this imagery to convey the comforting truth that God sings over His people with songs of deliverance, much like a shepherd singing over his flock. He revealed how this divine melody of liberation and hope can sustain believers through their own times of emotional and spiritual hardship, encouraging the congregation to embrace this divine comfort and guidance.