GIRL I SEE YOU!

COMPARING MEN AND WOMEN ATTIRE IN THE BIBLE/CHURCH

5 A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this.  ~~ Deuteronomy 22:5

I had a very interesting discussion this week, with my Niece and Nephew about women wearing pants in the church.  My nephew brought up the past, where girls at our high school of a certain religion never wore pants.  Even in Physical Ed Class they worked out in long skirts. When I shared a couple of scriptures with them, such as Deuteronomy 22:5, they wanted to know how today’s scripture could be true or relevant when everyone in the bible days wore a dress.  Was there really a way to tell the difference between men and women clothing?

Although everyone wore dresses in the bible, there was a way to make the distinction between what men and women wore in church.  I wanted to help them further, so I found pictures, trying to show the difference between the men and women garbs in the bible days.

As you can see, men wore beards and facial hair to appear as ‘men’ and were often represented with weapons, such as swords or staffs on their side.  While women had the same flowing robes there was modifications, such as overall length and hoods or hair coverings and jewelry.  Although their garments were similar, it was easy to see the difference, so it would not be acceptable for either of them to show up to the temple wearing a garment pertaining to the opposite sex.  There is no blurred line here, scripture is very clear – men should wear those items fitting a man and the same for a woman.  This doesn’t happen in present time, as this is where the line gets blurred.  In today’s society, we wear what we want, but men are not labeled as harshly as women are in the church  or in society as a whole.  Whatever a woman wears, to some people says who she is, based on a mere glance someone will label her by what she is not.  We have to be careful with this type of judgement, because if we took the time getting to know the person behind the label, we would probably get a different viewpoint.

Don’t steal my glory before you know my story!!

When Samuel went to anoint David King, he looked at David’s brother, and he was sure that God would choose him because of his good looks, but that didn’t happen.

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” ~~ 1 Samuel 16:7

Rahab’s story is messy, and at first glance we would never see how the Lord could use her, but nevertheless, she shows us how to stand firm in the face of danger. She showed us how faith in action allows God to transform us.  She didn’t look good to some, but she is considered righteous for her obedience to God (giving lodging to the spies and sending the Canaanites in a different direction).

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.  ~~ Hebrews 11:31

Before we started to cherry pick scripture, which is the application of using certain Scriptures that fit our story, purpose, or denomination, completely ignoring all other Scriptures around it that are applicable but don’t help our cause. I wanted to leave them with one important thing and that is the word of God is true, how we interpret it may be very different, but that doesn’t negate its validity.

We may not always get it right at first glance, but Girl, I See You!!

Meditating On The Word Of God

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. – Joshua 1:8

Meditation is a prayerful reflection where we ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate our understanding of God’s word as Jesus did with the disciples on the Emmaus Road (They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us? – Luke 24:32). Meditation includes picturing, speaking, feeling and study, it is where the Holy Spirit use the abilities of our hearts and minds to know more about God.

The word of God is inexhaustible, no matter how many times you read it, study it, there will always be something new revealed in it.  This revelation you receive as a result of prayerfully meditating on Scripture, will allow you to see the light.  With your eyes fixed on Jesus, He grows within you and you become more like him.

When we meditate on the word of God, it is pleasing to Him and speaking from experience, it changes the dynamics of our lives.  Just think about how you feel when you take the time each day to read and delve into the meaning of the scripture.  It changes what was a mundane day to one filled with promise.

Some of my favorite scriptures deal with mediating on God’s words:

 

  • Psalm 104:33-34. 33I will sing to the Lordall my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.  34May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.
  • Isaiah 26:3 – 3You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
  • Psalm 119:11 – 11I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

 

A person who spends time in God’s word or memorizes God’s word will be thinking about parts of the bible daytime and nighttime. The Hebrew for meditate means “to ponder”.  When you are thinking about things such as “there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving”, you could ask yourself how do I know this is true? Is it really true that when I freely give from my heart it is more enjoyable than receiving gifts from people?  The bible gives you everything you need to understand what is and is not the truth.  Spend as much time as you need to gain a basic understanding of the words, then bookmark the verse for later; you’ll need to refer to it continually throughout your meditation. After you read through the passage, try reading through it again.

A simple application of this theory is to read the passage just before you go to sleep. Take time to scan through the passage and ask God to give you a thought that will help you live for Him the next day. Take this thought with you to bed.

Your subconscious mind will work on the thought while you sleep, and you will probably have the same thought in your mind the next morning. The writer of the Proverbs may be referring to this when he writes, “When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you” – Proverbs 6:22, NAS.

Take the time this new year to mediate on the word of God, there is only good that can come your efforts.   Delving into the word of God is pleasing to Him, it builds your relationship and helps you with problems that may arise in your lifetime.

 

Faith Is The Main Ingredient!

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  Hebrews 11:6

 

The beginning of the beforementioned Scripture also tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.  So, the basic definition of faith, is simply believing in God’s goodness and believing that He rewards the people who seek after Him.  This passage describes a conviction that already takes custody of what we hope for and what God has promised us in the future. This present-day ownership of things hoped for and promised in the future is an inner reality. Right now, amid a global pandemic, financial crisis, and social unrest, as our world seems to be falling apart,  but we who have faith can stand on the unshakeable promises of God’s peace, provision, mercy, grace, and salvation. His Word can be trusted. We can have full confidence in the Lord’s promises because they are real and a firm foundation for this life.

Another definition of faith contains the same two aspects: intellectual acceptance and trust. Intellectual acceptance is believing something to be true. Trust is actually relying on the fact that the something is true.   The analogy of a chair is often used to help illustrate this. The acceptance is recognizing that a chair is in fact a chair and agreeing that it is designed to support a person who sits on it. Trust is actually sitting in the chair.

We grow our faith by experiencing examples of God’s faithfulness. We can start by choosing a promise from the Bible that says if we do one thing, then some specific result will happen, even though the result might not make any sense. Each time we do this and find that the promised result really happens, our faith in God grows. The next time it’s easier for us to do something even when the result seems even more farfetched.

Sometimes, we get the wrong idea when we look only at the end results of a long process. It would be like looking at an Olympic runner and saying you could never run that far or fast.  We have to understand that no one starts out at the Olympic level! And as Christians, our faith doesn’t start there either.

Another way to show our faith is by giving. it is the one thing in the bible that God actually wants us to test Him on! Malachi 3:10 it says:

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

As we start the new year, let’s exercise our Faith and see what God will do as a result of our trusting in him despite what we see or feel.

WISDOM – OFTEN GREATER THAN MONEY

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  ~~ Ephesians 5:15-16

 

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  ~~ James 3:13

 

Wisdom – the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise.  The ability to discern inner qualities and relationships.   Wisdom is that knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life it’s the natural ability to understand any given subject.

 

The Bible speak of a number of people who walked by or asked for wisdom?  Here are a few we would like to explore.

We start with King Solomon who was wise beyond his years. He was around 20 years old when he was called by God to be King.  He knew that he needed help in knowing how to be a good King and take care of the kingdom. Solomon could have asked God for anything to assist him on this journey; money or material possessions but instead, he asked God for wisdom.  God had offered him anything his heart desired, and he requested wisdom. He felt wisdom was worth more than even money.  Because of his response, God granted him wisdom, He also gave him what he didn’t ask for, both wealth and honor.  Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, worth more than money.  He would have no king equal to him in his lifetime.  1 Kings 3:1-15

 

Abigail displayed wisdom as she dealt both with her foolish husband Nabal and with David who was very angry and ready to take revenge. Dealing with difficult people is a great challenge. Abigail shows us the value of learning and applying God’s wisdom in relationships and in making an appeal. You can read the story in 1 Samuel 25: 23-35.   There is a lot to learned from the way Abigail dealt with her situation.

Some wise people in the Bible are not specifically named but they played a huge role in preventing undue violence and bloodshed or seeking the Messiah.

  • A wise woman of Abel is an unnamed figure in the   She appears in 2 Samuel 20:16-22, when Joab pursues the rebel Sheba to the city of Abel. The woman, who lives in Abel, institutes a deal with Joab, who promises to leave the city if Sheba is handed over to him. The woman speaks to the people of the city, and they behead Sheba, and throws his head over the wall, at which Joab departs.
  • On the night of Christ’s birth, a mysterious light appeared in the sky which became a shining star that continued in the heavens. Tradition says that there were three wise men, this came from the fact that the Bible mentions three gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh, this is according to Matthew 2:11. It is not really known if more than 3 men travelled to see baby Jesus, what is known is that they bring to light that the Savior of the world had been born.  The wise men who came seeking the Christ child were not ordinary men or idolaters; they were upright men of integrity. Kings seeking the King of Kings.  What they do next is what we should all do when we encounter the Lord, they bowed down and worshipped Him and presented Him with gifts.

Of course, there are many otherwise mentionable in the Bible, I implore you to search the scriptures to find them and see what knowledge you can take from them that you can apply to your own life.

 

I leave you with these 8 characteristics of wise people, based on James 3:13-18

  1. Humble – Wise people don’t constantly brag, boast, or display a prideful attitude.
  2. Good deeds – Wise people live an upright and moral life.
  3. Gentle – Wise people treat others with care and respect.
  4. Considerate – Wise people put the needs of others ahead of themselves whenever possible.
  5. Peace-loving – Wise people don’t foster division. Instead, they work to end strife and turmoil.
  6. Merciful – Wise people demonstrate compassion, forgiveness, and kindness to others.
  7. Sincere – Wise people are genuine, real, and honest; not deceitful, hypocritical, or false.
  8. Impartial – Wise people are fair and just. They do not show partiality to others for their own benefit.

Spiritual Gift – Discernment

(Test the spirit by the Spirit)

 

Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments. ~~ Psalm 119:66 (NASB)

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true) and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.  ~~ Ephesians 5:6-10 (NIV)

 

Discernment is defined as the ability to obtain sharp perceptions or to judge well. In the case of judgment, discernment can be psychological, moral or appealing in nature. In the Bible Discernment is defined as one of the quieter gifts. Those who have the gift rarely speak up unless they discern it’s safe to do so. It is a gift to the church to help us dismiss confusion. Whether you have the gift of discernment or want to become more discerning, studying God word will stretch your discernment muscles.

The bible is always the place to start when it comes to discernment. It provides the basis for sound theology that protects us from error.  It acts like the guard rails on a mountain road, steering you in the right direction.   It also gives general principles for Christian living, because followers of Christ must use wisdom to discern how to apply those principles to the issues of their lives.

The book of Proverbs is a great help in this regard. It helps define “the skill of godly living,” which one must thoughtfully discern, apply, and practice in order to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.

One thing we need to be aware of, parties on both sides of an issue often use the bible to support their position.  This is where the gift comes in, we need to be able to discern who’s right.    In the process of Christian spiritual discernment God guides the individual to help them arrive at the best decision.

Throughout the bible the ability to discern is spoken of, it was the ability to discern good from evil, judgment, and to discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people.

I remember growing up as a kid, we were told to use our better judgment when we were away from home, of course I didn’t think about it then, but I believe this is where discernment played a part.  We had to make the choice between good and bad, right and wrong.  This carried over into our adulthood where we are exercising the gift or that discernment muscle to make sure that we were living the way that was pleasing to our parents and subsequently the Lord.  During the course of life, that muscle was weakened by the cares of this world, but if we stayed the course, it was the foundation that would bring things back to our remembrance.

This month as we explore the Spiritual gifts, now is as good a time as any to reexamine ourselves – to really know what our gift(s) are, not just for the sake of knowing only, but for using our gift for the sake of the Kingdom.

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, help us to use discernment so that we do not believe every spirit, but that we test the spirits to see whether they are from you.  Help us to not judge by mere appearance, but instead judge correctly.   Give us insight to deepen our understanding of the gift you have given us so that we use them for your glory.  It’s in Jesus’ name we pray – Amen!

Goodness And Faithfulness

(Show Them Your Goodness, and They’ll Show You Their Faithfulness)

 

Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.  Galatians 6:10 (NIV)

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own? Luke 16 10-12 (NKJ)

 

GOODNESS:  The state of being good, the quality of being morally good or virtuous.

Goodness is the 6th fruit of the Spirit.  It can often be seen in our actions, but our heart also has to be pure. The goodness of Christ should be demonstrated in our lives every day. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Psalm 23:6 (NKJV)

Goodness is shown by God in His activity.  God is the standard for understanding goodness and following Him inspires us to do good. In the long line of evil kings in Israel and Judah, King Hezekiah stands out as one of the only good kings. He showed goodness through his actions and decrees, and his goodness was rooted in his love for God.  When we say that we love God, does goodness show in our actions, the way we interact with Him, other people and/or ourselves?

FAITHFULNESS:  To be faithful to something is to be devoted to it, dedicated, committed, loyal. To be faithful means to be trustworthy and reliable.

Faithfulness is the 7th fruit of the Spirit.  God calls us to be faithful, first and foremost, to Him. He wants us to be devoted to Him, loyal to Him, committed to Him.  When we are faithful there is a reward in Heaven for us.  “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

Being faithful gives you peace of mind, you don’t have to watch your back, you are not paranoid, trying to remember every lie you’ve told.  You are focused, not distracted by other people or objects.  Anyone who believes and is faithful to God unlocks His divine blessing.  “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22 (NKJV)

 

Time To Reflect: 

  • Are there things in your life that you are loyal to that might take away from your goodness or faithfulness to God as opposed to strengthen it? What are those things?
  • Are there some things that you might be loyal to here on Earth that are distracting you from being good or faithful to God?
  • If so, what can you do to reset that compass to make sure that you’re good/faithful to the one true God?

Really take the time to answer these questions!  Reflection gives us greater self-awareness – It allows us to separate our own perception from a situation as an objective observer. We’ll begin to notice our own thoughts and feelings. From there, we can examine our perception by thinking about it as a “story” we are telling ourselves about any given situation.

Then pray and ask God to show you where you are not showing goodness or being faithful!

I believe that if we show others our goodness, they’ll show us their faithfulness!

Let me end with this – As I was thinking of writing this week’s blog, this song came to mind – Great Is Your Mercy by Donnie McClurkin, it speaks of God’s faithfulness and His goodness, here are a few of the lyrics.

Forever faithful towards me
You’re always providing for me
Great is Your mercy towards me
Great is Your grace

Kindness And Gentleness

(This Dual Can Heal Your Heart and Your World)

KINDNESS – the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.  “he thanked them for their kindness and support”.

This fifth fruit of the Spirit is kindness. Kindness is selfless, compassionate, and merciful; its greatest power revealed in practice to our enemies and amongst the least of these. We are called to love your neighbor; and to show kindness to EVERYONE. It’s the ultimate expression of your love for God. It’s how we tell Him that we are choosing Him in as much as He chose us. … Indeed, kindness not only makes others happy, but it also uplifts our spirit too.

True kindness is taught to us in Ephesians 4:31-32, “31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Truly kind people will actively look for opportunities to show kindness.  This means that kindness involves action.

For a perfect symbol of Biblical kindness, we need look no further than Jesus.

In Mark 1:40-42 – Jesus took pity on a leper and healed him of his disease.  He didn’t see the man as a leper but a human being who was sick and needed his help.  Through this, Jesus taught us that kindness should go beyond social stereotypes.  We should look at where the person is coming from and understand their circumstances.  Only then can we develop genuine compassion.

 

GENTLENESS:  Is the 8th Fruit of the Spirit.  It is the quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered.  Gentleness in the bible means showing care and respect for others in the way that you act and speak.  It also means giving up the right to judge what is best for ourselves and others. God is not as concerned with our comfort as He is concerned with our spiritual growth, and He knows how to grow us far better than we do. Gentleness means that we accept that the rain falls on the just and the unjust and that God may use methods we don’t like to reach our hearts and the hearts of others.

 

I remember as a young believer I visited a church for the first time and the first person I encountered was an usher, who wasn’t very gentle.  My first instinct was to turn and leave, but something prompted me to stay.  I was seated next to a lady who was kind and very helpful, this changed my total experience and I eventually joined the church.  If my first impression had been all that I took away from that worship experience, I may never have gone back.  But because of the gentle spirit of the person, I sat next to, I had a change of heart.

 

When we are filled with the Spirit’s fruit of gentleness, we will correct others with easiness instead of resentment and anger, knowing that their salvation is far more important than our pride.   This is so important, especially as a Christian, the way we treat someone could affect the way they see God.

 

John the Baptist the fiery preacher, showed true gentleness when he said, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease.”  (John 3:30)

 

How can you show kindness and gentleness to those you meet?  Remember doing so shows the heart of God to those who need truly need it.  This holiday season we will encounter a lot of people, with lots of different personalities and circumstances, let’s be intentional about showing both fruit to anyone we encounter.  I promise you it will change their lives or at least your heart.

 

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’  ~~ Matthew 25:40 (NLT)

Patience and Self Control

A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.  Proverbs 15:18 (NIV)

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” Titus 2:11 (NIV)

Patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.  We all need to be patient in life. And that’s because, without patience, it impossible to serve God. … Patience is the ability to hold back and persevere through all forms of temptations and trials. It is one of the main qualities we need to put on as Christians.

Self-Control is the ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires or the expression of them in one’s behavior, especially in difficult situations.  Self-control is essential in behavior to achieve goals and to avoid impulses and emotions that could be negative. Self-control is an effort that is intended to help achieve the goal of success. Failing to control oneself often leads to failure.

As we look at the two differing, but very similar definitions of these two words, we have to ponder whether we can have one without the other.  Let’s take a look at the life of some of the biblical characters who exhibited these virtues.

Patience

  • Abraham and Sarah trusted God and they waited patiently for him. This doesn’t mean they waited perfectly. They took matters into their own hands at times. But God’s grace covered them, and He still fulfilled His promise, in His perfect timing.
  • Joseph trusted God while we waited. He could have been scared and angry at what his brothers did to him and how he ended up in jail because of a lie. But he faithfully worked with a good attitude while he waited through life in Egypt. He became friends with the king and God used his new relationships to provide for his family.

 

  • Hannah was constantly mocked because of her inability to become pregnant. This went on for years. However, Hannah demonstrated grace and dignity by holding her tongue and continued to pray for a child. God honored her diligence and patience, and Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son, Samuel.

Self-Control

  • Nehemiah showed self-control and didn’t fight back when his enemy came against him. Instead, while working to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem, Nehemiah strategically stationed some of his men to be guards while the others worked. Nehemiah knew that God would protect them. He acted calmly and with self-control
  • David could have killed Saul, who was trying to kill him! David showed self-control because he knew that God still wanted Saul to be king. David said to Saul, “For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands”. 1 Samuel 24:11
  • Jesus exhibited self-control when Satan offered Him control over the whole world, but Jesus knew that God’s kingdom would eventually be the only kingdom. Jesus is the perfect expression of all the fruits of the Spirit, including self-control. The bible tells us that while Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He instructed His disciple to have some self-control when he wanted to fight those coming to arrest Jesus.  ~~ 52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” Matthew 26:52-54

To be successful in life we need both of these virtues, they go hand in hand:

Self-control can help reduce impulsive behavior, eliminate bad habits, improve mental focus and enhance your decision-making capacity.

Patience helps you make thoughtful decisions, cultivate lasting relationships, find inner peace and learn to be kind to others.

Do you see the similarities? The question remains, Can You Have One Without the Other?

When You Live At Peace, Joy Will Follow

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” So you are the one who is filled with peace. You are the one who is filled with joy. Romans 15:13

 

The word ‘Joy’ appears nearly 200 times in the Bible, which helps us understand just how important this second sweet fruit of the Spirit really is. Joy is a condition of the heart, a good feeling that is based on a much wider range of good things than peace is. But they are so interwoven that there could be no true heart experience of Christian joy without the heart experience of Christian peace.  The good feeling of joy that comes into the heart doesn’t just come from the absence of worry or conflict; it comes from other things as well.

The bible has just as much to say about Peace, it appears approximately 300 times with the highest occurrences in the book of Isaiah. One of my favorite scriptures in Isaiah is Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”  Peace in Galatians 5:22 speaks of knowing that the Lord of the universe is always there and you resting in that. It’s not just knowing, but it is also living it out. Peace is sitting in comfort and knowing that God is by your side no matter what is going on in you or around you.  Peace happens when anxieties are removed, when fear and conflict are not troubling your heart.

Joy and Peace – If we were to explore the difference between these two experiences based on our relationship with Christ, here is how we could view it from a biblical standpoint; The Bible says God gives us joy and peace. It tells us that real joy comes from God and is ours forever. The joy that is found in God’s presence isn’t static; it changes and restores us.

Even with this perspective, it can sometimes be hard to find contentment and joy when we receive so many messages in our day-to-day lives that we’re not smart enough, beautiful enough, or successful enough. If we could just work harder, eat healthier, or be a little less stressed, then maybe – just maybe – we will finally be at peace.

There’s always something that going to be missing in that statement, so back to the bible we go.  Paul gives us more examples of joy and peace in Philippians 4:11-13 where he states that because of Christ, nothing can change the way he feels or the condition of his heart.

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.  Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)

After all the things we’ve gone through in our lifetimes, we should choose peace over happiness, which is the pursuit of desires and ambitions, whereas peace of mind is the ability to let go of those ambitions and desires. The achievement of peace is the ability to simply deal with things the way they are. In fact, this state can put you in position to then experience more happiness.  I also choose joy over happiness because when I choose joy, there is hope, with joy, hardship offers growth and opportunity. With joy, self-esteem and self-respect are everlasting, no one can take them away.

As I am writing this, I start to ponder where you are in your personal life journey, are you truly experiencing the joy and peace that the Lord desires for you, or is it just that temporary happiness, which is based on what is happening around you at the time?

Know that when you choose Christ, you choose peace – He is the Prince of Peace, and the Joy of the Lord is our strength.  Choose wisely.

Shalom – Peace be unto you!

Love – The Ultimate Fruit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23

The fruit is the evidence—the outward display—of the Holy Spirit’s work within a Christian. They are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The fruits of the Spirit demonstrate the character of a life submitted to God.

 

For the next 5 weeks we will look at the Fruit of the Spirit, Week 1 is that decisive fruit – LOVE.  The famous expression, ‘love conquers all,’ which is credited to the Roman poet Virgil, speaks volumes.  It suggests that there is no force in the world that cannot be overcome by love

 

For the sake of time the remaining fruit will be grouped together in twos.  It is my prayer that you will be encouraged and inspired and begin to see God working in and through your diligence to live for Him. After all,” we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28

 

As I get started, I first must ask the question, what is Love?

Love is defined as a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person. 

There are different kinds of love, the bible speaks of the different kinds of love, the most familiar ones in the Greek are Eros, Phileo and Agape.

  • Eros is the sexual or romantic love, it is not used in the New Testament but may have been used in the Septuagint translations of the Old Testament.
  • Phileo is the friendly or brotherly love or a love shown to a friend closer than a brother, we see this in John 5:20 and John 16:27

  • Agapeis the self-sacrificial love, that’s important in the New Testament. This word speaks of a mindful action rather than an emotional feeling.  It describes the love God has (1 John 4:8) and shows his Son, (John 17:26) and Christians (John 14:21).  It is also used in describing God’s love for the entire human race (John 3:16) or (Romans 8:5).

When we seek love, especially earthly love, it may fail us. When we love imperfect broken people, the love can also be imperfect and broken. But when we seek and find love with the creator God, we find a perfect selfless love that is eternal.  The kind of love, that loves us through our mess and restores us into a person who is lovely and love who can love others.

One of my favorite scripture give us a glimpse of what love is – 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  8 Love never fails.

I could go on and on about this topic but as I bring it to a close, I pray that we understand what love truly is or is not and that we will choose love over anything else, because as scripture says, “Love Never Fails”.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father thank you that you loved us so much that you sent your only begotten Son Jesus, to die for us.  Even when we were sinners, He was willing to give His life to reconcile us back to you.  We could never repay you for the sacrifice, but what we can do is love at all time, the way you do.  It’s in the matchless name of Jesus, we pray!  Amen