Galatians 5:22–23 says:
 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…”

Life hacks have been popularized through the internet and social media.  They provide great instructions, shortcuts, and or better ways of doing things.  The Bible is filled with lifehacks for how we can be transformed by God's power and become the people God created and called us to be.  

When a person accepts Jesus as their Savior their transformation is not a completed process; their new life is just beginning.  Jesus calls us to strive to follow Him, to become more like him in our thoughts, words, and deeds.  He promised us that He would not leave us orphaned but would send us His power to help us live out the Christian life.  Paul expands upon Jesus' promise by teaching that we are called to live our lives according to His spirit and to let His spirit continue to transform us.  

But what does that look like? How are we able to accomplish this.  It looks exactly like Galatians 5:22–23. Love… joy… peace… all the attributes that make up the fruit of the Spirit - 9 life hacks for our walk with Jesus. Nine words, but Paul didn’t write “fruits” of the Spirit. It’s singular. Which means if we’re walking in the Spirit, we’re going to be living out each and every one of these. A believer who is walking in the Spirit can’t excel in love but lack in patience… or major on kindness and let the self-control slip.

We can’t pick and choose from these fruit. We need all of these life hacks to help us live as Jesus' disciples.  And these fruit don’t go in and out of season… they’re meant to be lived out ALL day, EVERY day. If we know Jesus, they’re a MUST.
 

This summer at Asbury, we’re going to go through each of these nine practices - "life hacks" -  that make up the fruit of the Spirit. So come each Sunday ready to hear what God has to say about these characteristics that He intended to be lived out in our day to day lives.  Because these topics are so close to our daily lives, we will be having weekly questions for you to consider whether it's alone in your prayer journaling or in discussion with your LifeGroup.

Don’t be afraid to add to this list, skip questions that don’t work for you or your group or branch off with additional questions as the discussion unfolds. Conversation and reflection is key! This is the time to work through the application of scripture in your journal or with others.

Week One: Introduction

June 13, 2021

1.    What has been your experience or thoughts about the Holy Spirit before now? Did He play much of a part in whatever spiritual upbringing you have had?

2.   Read John 16:7–8. We think that it would be so great to get to be with Jesus in the flesh—to see him face-to-face, listen to his voice, and walk side-by-side! He’d be there to teach you, and help you live for God. But Jesus taught that we’re better off when He is absent and the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. What do you think about Jesus’ statement? How is it better to live in a time when the Holy Spirit lives in us?

3.   When we receive Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our lives. How do you feel about the idea of God being “in you”?

4.   Do you think the Holy Spirit is a necessary part of living for God? What are some specific ways that He helps you?

5.   What are the biggest difficulties or obstacles you find to living a Christian life? Which fruit of the Spirit do you have the most trouble producing?

6.   How can you strive to live in the Spirit this week?

Week Two:  John 13:31-35     The Foundation for the Christian Faith

June 20, 2021

This lifehack is the foundation of our Christian faith.  Jesus gave two commandments that are above all others – to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as ourselves.  As we grow in our Christian journey God desires for our love to grow for Him and for us to strive to love others like He does – unconditionally.  This week we will examine how we can grow this fruit of the Spirit - love.

1.  What is your definition of love? Does it coincide with what God has revealed through His Word and in the message this week?

2.   Where have you experienced love this week?

3.   Read 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 and John 13:34. Do my actions show God’s love? Or do my actions show the world’s idea of love? Why or why not?

4.   Does my love mainly benefit me, or does my love largely benefit others? Do I love God more than any human being? What evidence in my life shows this?

5.   The best way to teach love is to demonstrate it. Where have you shared God’s love this week? Where do you need to share God’s love this week?

Week Three:  Joy - John 15:10-12; Psalm 16:11

June 27, 2021

We all experience good days and hard days. During the good times we often experience happiness but it is more difficult during the hard times. As we navigate our journey of life and faith, God wants us to experience joy regardless of the circumstances we encounter. We need this lifehack to help us experience God’s love and blessing in full measure. Join us this week as we explore the fruit of the Spirit of joy God wants us to experience and His desire for us to share that joy with others.

1.   The world ascribes joy to our happiness (salary, wealth, health, power, appearance,fame, etc.) What things of the world tend to help you experience joy?  Discuss the differences between joy and happiness.

2.   When good things happen, you may give God credit for it. When bad things happen, you may feel God has turned His back on you. What needs to happen in your life to detach from the circumstances of life being your source of joy?

3.   Growing closer to God is a source of joy. How you spend your time—reading the Bible, praying, watching TV, playing video games—reveals what is important to you.  As you examine your life what are the things that grow you closer to God? What are the things that push you further from Him?

4.   How can you seek after joy this week?

Week Four:  Peace

Philippians 4:4-7; Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 5:1-2

What brings you peace? An amazing vacation, time off or just sitting on your couch in PJ? These are all good things that can bring peace into our life. There’s a problem though; it doesn’t last. Vacations come to an end. You can only take so much time off. And sooner or later the PJ’s have to come off.  But there is a peace that does last.  A peace that God wants to offer to all who follow him. This is one of God’s great Life Hacks! Today is the day to claim this peace that will get us through the good and bad times of life.  Join us on Sunday to find out how to claim this amazing Life Hack and keep it in your life. 

1. In what ways do we treat Jesus just as a Savior and not Lord? Has there been a time in your life when you’ve experienced this? Share.
2. Read Romans 5:1. How do some try to justify peace with God through works?
3. Read Philippians 4:4. Paul wrote these words from prison, yet his focus was still on Jesus? Do you struggle with focusing on Jesus? In what ways and in what areas? How can you better focus on Jesus this week?
4. Read Philippians 4:6–7. Do you struggle with worry? In what ways? How can these verses and the truth of who Jesus is, help us when worry creeps in?
5. Focus on Philippians 4:7. Share one example of how you have experienced the results of Jesus’ peace beyond understanding when you have gone through a difficult season or moment.

Week Five:  Patience

The world is a challenging place. Relationships are hard. We all have doubts and challenges to our faith and faithfulness. One of God’s spiritual lifehacks is patience. God’s Word calls us to exhibit patience in our life and faith. Come and reflect on this important lifehack that helps us in our relationship with God and with others.

Discussion Questions
1. Of the four fruits of the spirit we’ve gone through so far, is there one in particular that you struggle with more than the others?
2. In James 5:7–8, what is the parallel between the farmer waiting for the harvest and us waiting for the coming of the Lord?
3. What are the similarities and differences between patience and perseverance? Why are the two often mentioned together?
4. Practically, how do you show love to a difficult person or someone who has wronged you?
5. It’s not uncommon to occasionally lose your patience. What are some situations that trigger us (is it our work, traffic, children, etc.)? What can you do to prepare ahead of time to respond in a more Christ-like way?
6. Think back to a time where God used a difficult time to develop you. Could you see God working in your life during this trial? If not, how long after did it take to see God was present during those circumstances?

Week Six:  Kindness

Scripture – Ephesians 4:25-32

This week we will talk about God’s gift and call of kindness. It has been said that kindness may not mean something to everyone but it will mean everything to someone. Come and reflect on God’s kindness and our role to spread kindness in the world!

Discussion Questions

1. How would you define kindness? What are the things that cause you to be cruel or rude?
2. When have you most been filled with kindness?
3. Do you operate more from the flesh or the Spirit? Do you rely on yourself or thefinished work of Jesus? Do your life and words match? How are these       questions intertwined?
4. How can I make kindness function better, stronger, and faster, even in times of uncertainty and stress?
5. Read John 15:1–8 and 1 John 3:16–23. What issue is in your life that would improve with more kindness?

Week Six:  Goodness

Scripture – Ephesians 5:1-10

The fruit of the Spirit of goodness is our next life hack.  As we reflect on goodness, we are reminded that it pertains to moral living.  There are certain things we should do and certain things we should not do.  Come join us as we examine how God wants us to live as we grow in and share His goodness.

Discussion Questions

1. When have you been filled with goodness the most?

2. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17. Discuss the following comments as they relate to a Christian: You are either changed or unchanged. If there’s no change, there’s no Christ.

3.Describe some of the changes in you, from your old life before Christ, to what it is today.

4. What blocks goodness from working and being exhibited in me?

5. How can you make Ephesians 5:8–10 work in you, even through times of waiting, uncertainty, stress, and confusion, even when people are rude and evil to you?

6. Who are the Godliest people in your life? What aspects of goodness to they posess and share with others?

7. Is there anything you need to stop doing immediately that’s pushing you away from Jesus? 

Week Seven:  Faithfulness

Scripture – Deuteronomy 5:32-33

This Sunday, we reflect on our next life hack, faithfulness.  Life is challenging and our walk of faith is no exception.  In our journey of life and faith, we will never be perfect and neither will the actions and words of those around us.  We will experience and wrestle with times of struggle and we will make poor decisions. Through it all God is faithful and He encourages us to strive for faithfulness in all we do and say.  This week we will reflect on trusting God and on keeping His commandments in walk of faith and our relationship with one another.  Come as we seek how God can help us grow in faithfulness.

Discussion Questions

1. How would you define faithfulness?

2. Some areas of our lives where we are called to be faithful are to our families, finances, friends, church, and to the word of God.  Where in your life do you struggle with being faithful?

3. The foundation of our faithfulness is God’s incredible faithfulness to us.  Reflect on the ways God has been faithful to you.  

4. Are there things in your life and you might be loyal to that might take away from your faithfulness to God?  What are those things?

5. When it comes to faithfulness, is there an area you need to improve upon?