Tag Archives: fruit of the spirit

My One Word 2019 – Guard Your Heart Pr 4:23 – 2/25/2019

Proverbs 4:23 English Standard Version (ESV)
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.

My notes on the bitterness post:

Guard your heart
Bitterness
On forgiveness

How did i learn i had bitterness?
By my words
Out of the abundance of my heart, my mouth spoke

I am an abuser survivor
Forgave
Healed
Didn’t wait for the abuser to apologize
It only takes one to forgive.

I am a peaceful conflict resolution teacher
I know the steps
It takes two, to do a resolution.

I’m a human
I’ve been wounded
I thought I’d forgiven
I have bitterness

Why is it so difficult forget sometimes? Is it because someone has hurt you over and over and over? And they have the potential to continue doing so? And you’re sure you fill the 70 × 7 forgiveness requirement?

Hebrews 12:15 King James Version (KJV)
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

I just completed IBBS Titus 1:10-16, and in Titus, Paul warns about those who are defiled.

Titus 1:15 King James Version (KJV)
15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

I discussed how when someone chooses to go the way of the wide path, and not the straight and narrow, eventually, God gives them over to their own lusts. God gives them, or allows them, what they want. Romans 1:18-32

All I wanted to do was to discuss the concept of holding unforgiveness in your heart would cause you problems.  Well, me, specifically. These posts are all written to me, I just share them with whomever is interested! HA! Such a simple task, I thought! Therefore, as God would have it, I’ve been enlightened about how much bitterness I hold in my heart!

I’ve written a few times about bitterness!

Forgiveness:

About anger:

Coming up soon, from the date of this writing, is the Resurrection Season. I wrote a series for Lent last year, and the First Sunday of Lent deals with Forgiveness!

There is a website that I refer to often, GotQuestions.org.
Here’s their write up on What is Forgiveness. The article talks about the two aspects of forgiveness – the part that is key to our salvation, or, OUR forgiveness by GOD, and the part that we are to implement, or, OUR forgiveness of OTHERS.

Another resource is from Desiring God, and here is a list of their various posts on Forgiveness…including several by John Piper. Here’s one that fits this topic wonderfully – How to Battle Bitterness!

In that sermon, John Piper brings up this verse:

Romans 12:19 King James Version (KJV)
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Isn’t that why we hold onto the anger, the rage, the hurt and such? We want vengeance?

“Revenge – it’s a dish best served cold.”

I have no idea where that came from. Wikipedia says this:

The popular expression “revenge is a dish best served cold” suggests that revenge is more satisfying if enacted when unexpected or long feared, inverting traditional civilized revulsion toward “cold-blooded” violence.[12]

The idea’s origin is obscure. The French diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord (1754–1838) has been credited with the saying, “La vengeance est un met que l’on doit manger froid” [“Revenge is a dish that must be eaten cold”], albeit without supporting detail.[13] It has been in the English language at least since the 1846 translation of the 1845 French novel Mathilde by Joseph Marie Eugène Sue: “la vengeance se mange très bien froide”,[14] there italicized as if quoting a proverbial saying, and translated “revenge is very good eaten cold”.[15] It has been wrongly credited[16] to the novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses (1782).

Its path to modern popularity may begin with the 1949 film Kind Hearts and Coronets which had revenge is a dish which people of taste prefer to eat cold. The familiar wording appears in the film Death Rides a Horse (1967), in the novel The Godfather by Mario Puzo (1969), as if from an “old Klingon proverb” in the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). The title sequence of the Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) referred to this last movie by again citing it as a Klingon proverb. After that it appeared in the 2004 version of Man on Fire.

The phrase has also been credited to the Pashtuns of Afghanistan.[17]

Another proverb states, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves”. Another version (Chinese: 子不复仇非子也) proposes that a son who does not take revenge for his parents is not a son.[citation needed]

That’s the way of the flesh.
Hebrews 12:15 says not to allow a root of bitterness to grow! And, any plant grows from a seed.
Romans 12:19 says to let God take vengeance on our behalf.

When our children were little, they often offended each other. Yes. It’s true.
If they came to me with the concern, I would sit them down, and start a peaceful conflict resolution – let’s talk it out, and come up with a satisfactory solution.
If one lied, they would be disciplined.
If one disobeyed some rule, they would be disciplined.
BUT, if the offended one took matters into their own hand, I would say
“you already handed out the punishment, I cannot punish them anymore. If you want them to have discipline and learn the lesson, you need to let me be the judge, and pronounce the judgement.”

These aren’t quite the same thing, yet I’m pretty sure these verses were those from whom I gleaned this concept.

Proverbs 24:17-18 New International Version (NIV)
Saying 28
17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,
18 or the Lord will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from them.

Proverbs 24:29 King James Version (KJV)
29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.

And a few others:

Lev 19:18
Deut 32:35

I have written about God being a Vengeful God in IBBS Nahum 1:2b

The thing is, vengeance is a release of the anger and the bitterness, from our physical, emotional and mental perspectives.
Forgiveness is letting go from a SPIRITUAL perspective.

holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die

I’ve done much study on Forgiveness as an abuse survivor.
It’s not about the other person, though, if they want to sit down and work things out, GREAT!
It’s about MY HEART!!

God says in His Word:

Ephesians 4:26-27 King James Version (KJV)
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.

What happens if we give place to the devil?

Hebrews 12:15 King James Version (KJV)
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

And yet, Our Heavenly Father knows us so much, that he gave us a promise to help us let go of that anger:

Romans 12:19 King James Version (KJV)
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Give room for GOD’s wrath to deal with it!

Did Jesus talk about this? Yes, including instructions!

Matthew 5:21-25 King James Version (KJV)
21 Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 5 is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount.
Blessed are the

  • poor in Spirit
  • mourn
  • meek
  • hunger and thirst after righteousness
  • merciful
  • pure in heart
  • peace makers

Do any of those sounds like anger, wrath, or bitterness? Nope, not to me, either.
The fruit of the Spirit are:

  • Love
  • Joy
  • Peace
  • Patience
  • Gentleness
  • Goodness
  • Faith
  • Meekness
  • Self-Control

Anything look like anger, wrath and bitterness there? nope, nada!

1 Corinthians 13, in the chapter describing LOVE says this:

1 Corinthians 13:5 New International Version (NIV)
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Not only does love not get easily angered, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.
ISN’T THAT BITTERNESS???

Before listing the fruit of the Spirit, Paul lists the fruit of the flesh.

Galatians 5:19-21 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,
21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Even though we are forgiven for our sins, and yes, we struggle with the flesh in this life, these things are not becoming of an Ambassador of Christ! While I’m studying this, as I said above, I was also studying about what it meant to be an ambassador for and of Christ through Titus 1. IBBS Titus 1:6-9 Ambassadors

See, when someone starts sharing things, things that could be perceived as teachings, they could be perceived as teachers.
I am told, as an old woman to teach the younger women.
TEACH seems to be the key word here.
This is to the older men, but, in my Titus studies, I realize, it isn’t gender specific!

Titus 2:6-8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
7… Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. 8 Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.

It’s a warning to anyone that potentially teaches.

James 3:1-2 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
3:1 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment,

Of course…we are all called to teach…

Matthew 28:19-20 King James Version (KJV)
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

What does this have to do with Bitterness, unforgiveness and anger?
I HAVE NOT HAD SO MUCH TROUBLE IN YEARS WITH ANGER AND BITTERNESS TOWARDS MY FAMILY as I have since I started working on this post!
Was there anything that anyone did horrible to me?
NO!
Was there anything illegal, immoral, or of enduring effect?
NO!
I just didn’t seem to be able to LET GO of the pain!

Testimony…
Yes, I have had pains that come up, and I do have triggers because of those painful memories.
Yes, my family sometimes forgets the (long list, I’m sure) triggers that trigger me.
YES, I get hurt. Mad sometimes. Sometimes, I have to talk to them about it.
The thing is, a long time ago, I decided that I didn’t have the emotional energy, nor the mental capacity to give anger room in me! It’s exhausting!
YET NOW IT’S HAPPENING!

Maybe, just maybe, there was special grace given to me to forgive my abusers, and now, I have to seek out that grace in face of MY NEED for forgiveness.

What do I mean by that?

Matthew 6:14-15 King James Version (KJV)
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

There’s a qualification to being forgiven! Jesus said so!
I studied that when I was going through the early therapy for the PTSD, and prayed to forgive my abuser.
Years later, I went through some spiritual techniques that had you go through and forgive all those from your past. This included asking those you could contact for forgiveness where needed.
Here I am, actually writing a piece because of a few things that were bothering me…and I get hit with a month’s worth of lessons on anger, bitterness, releasing the pain, and forgiveness.

I had a diagram that I wanted to create a video of.
I’m going to share that photo here, but because of a new friend, Ebony, I’ve just been made aware of another aspect to forgiveness and bitterness that I need to work on…forgiving myself!

I’ll explain this, and maybe have a video in part two!

 
Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” –
from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

2017 My One Word – #mydays – wk6day3

Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

This is my prayer for today – seeking wisdom from the Lord, and from my daily writing via 750words

Lord – healing please?
patience…to wait for God’s timing…
it really makes no sense at all to NOT wait for God’s timing, it’s not like I can really rush God’s timing…so the whole issue about patience is CHOOSING to wait on God’s timing patiently – with peace and faith. Imagine, doing something God’s way can bring peace instead of anxiety, faith instead of fear! Stress melts away and joy becomes the key emotion.
Lord Jesus – I ask they to stay, close by me forever and love me I pray.
I will never leave you nor forsake you.
be strong and courageous, don’t tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with you, wherever you go.
I am not alone!
He walks with me and he talks with me along life’s narrow way

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” –
from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission.
The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! 
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

Itty Bitty Bible Study – Galatians 5

Galatians 5

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

I’ve shared my thoughts on

Galatians 5
1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

I believe that this is one of the key verses in Galatians!
I love the King James Version – it’s what I memorized as a young Christian!

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

It’s not just chains…it’s entanglement!

From Marmion by Sir Walter Scott

copyright by ChristArt.inc

The vision is that once entangled, it is very hard to unravel all the parts to be set free.

How are we set free?

John 8:31-32
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:36
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Because the issue of being entangled into the law is:

James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

Paul specifically points out the law issue of THIS letter – circumcision – to be counted as a child of God.

Galatians 5:2-6
2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.
4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

The historical background is in Acts 15.
Paul wrote about this experience with Peter in Galatians 2:11-21
My thoughts on the aspects of the danger of the law in IBBS Galatians 2:14-21; Galatians 3:1-9; Galatians 3:10-20; Galatians 3:21-29.

Paul pleads with the Galatians…with a bit of an interesting wish for those that were preaching the “other” gospel…aside from being accursed (Galatians 1:6-9)

7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?
8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you.
9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.
11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
in Galatians 2:11-21, Paul makes it evident that Peter’s hypocrisy affected others in the area to raise themselves up above the gentile believers.
One reason for our walking in the Spirit(later in this chapter) is that we do not cause others to stumble!

Mark 9:42
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Matthew 18:6-7
6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,[a] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin![b] For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!

1 Corinthians 8:12
Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

1 Peter 2:15-16
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

Called to Freedom – and the purpose is not to sin, but to love and serve one another.

Galatians 5:13-15
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Walking in the Spirit does NOT lend to itself to sin,

Galatians 5:16-17
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the
flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Romans 6:1-2
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

One version says GOD FORBID!

Christians will be known by their fruit…their lives…their works!

Matthew 7:16

You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Being led of the Spirit – is to walk in liberty, not the law!

Galatians 5:18
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The works of the flesh…known by their fruit!

In Matthew 7, Jesus is talking about a lot of things!
It starts out in verses 1 – about Judge not that ye not be judged.

1“Judge not, that you be not judged.
2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

In verses 13-14 he talks about the narrow gate:

Matthew 7:13-14
13 Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Then,Matthew 7:15, he’s talking about judging false prophets!
Verse 16 –

you shall know them by their fruit.

We are to judge people BY THEIR FRUIT!

Matthew 7

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

In John 7:24 Jesus tells the leaders of the church to judge justly. Interestingly enough – his talk references circumcision being done on the sabbath, and that not breaking the law! There this sticky issue comes up, again!

We are to test the spirits of the prophets…1 John 4:1-3
How are we to know if we need to help a weaker brother, if we do not recognize the fruits of the flesh?

1 Thessalonians 5:14
And we exhort you, brothers: warn those who are irresponsible, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone

Matthew 18, Jesus tells us how to address a brother or sister in sin –
Obviously, there is a difference between judging another in order to ignore a sin in our own life(hypocrisy), and recognizing that a brother or sister is having difficulty, and going to them in love to restore them to fellowship(love for the brotherhood).

Galatians 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,
21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Based on the Matthew 7 chapter – first we need to take the log our of our own eye!

1 Peter 2:1-3
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

There are plenty of passages for putting off the sins of the flesh.
Even a few verses back!

Galatians 5:16-17
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the
flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Why should we take heed to how we act and are?

1 Peter 2:15-17
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Why? To silence those that are outside the church. To not give them any reason to truthfully say evil against us, thereby the church, thereby the reputation of Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors – we are often the only Jesus someone will see.

Galatians 5:22-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Peter had something to say about this!

2 Peter 1:3-10
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,
7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.
10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

Paul talked to Timothy about it in 1 Timothy 6

Titus 3:1-2
1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

Colossians 1:9-14
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

In Revelation 2 and 3, the Apostle John is told to write, over and over and over “i know your works…”

James 2:14-26 talks about faith without works being dead.
Works IS THE EVIDENCE of faith!
We cannot SEE faith, but God, in His wisdom, has showed us how to grade ourselves…and how to take the temperature of others in order to love them back to the fold.

John 13:35
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

This is Jesus speaking! The only way to know about someone’s love for another is to SEE it!

We were created FOR GOOD WORKS!

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Paul describes love in 1 Corinthians 13 – and it sounds a lot like the fruit of the Spirit!

Jesus talked about the difference between following the law in Luke 10, comparing it to that of the Samaritan who showed HIS faith by HIS works, and was commended for his acts, or “work”.

We need to show our faith by our works – our fruit – our evidence!
We will be judged by our works:

1 Corinthians 3:12-15
12 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled[b]master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

We are building upon the foundation – Jesus Christ. We are not adding to salvation, we are declaring our LOVE for HIM and our desire to HONOR HIM with our lives.

We will be judged by our words:

Matthew 12:36-37
36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

John 15:8-10
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

The beauty of Christianity is not that we don’t have to walk circumspectly…it’s that God has made a way!

John 15
Specifically verse 5

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

And he even promises us Joy for abiding in HIM!

John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Fruit and works are similar –

Galatians​ ​5:22-23
22​ ​But​ ​the​ ​fruit​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Spirit​ ​is​ ​love,​ ​joy,​ ​peace,​ ​patience,​ ​kindness,​ ​goodness,​ ​faithfulness,
23​ ​gentleness,​ ​self-control;​ ​against​ ​such​ ​things​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​law.

I looked up some verses about Love, Joy and Peace. Just the first three!

LOVE
The only way to know if someone, if I, have the fruit of LOVE – is to see it. – it’s often said that Love is a verb. We can SEE it! (1 Cor 13; Mt 5:43-48, 22:39; Lk 6:27; Eph 5:2; 1 John 3;1 John 4 )

JOY – this should show on my face, even in times of despair…and I’m not talking about happiness that is based upon happenings around me. I’m talking about JOY that transcends what is going on, and is based in Jesus. (Mt 25:21; 1 John 1:4; Rom 14:17; Neh 8:10; John 15:11; Ps 16:11)

PEACE – it is obvious when someone has peace – or anxiety. (John 14:27; Eph 2:14; Phil 4:7; Heb 12:14; Isaiah 9:6)

 

I found a lovely coloring page for the Fruit of the Spirit from paper gifts for Estafany.

Galatians 5:26
24​ ​And​ ​those​ ​who​ ​belong​ ​to​ ​Christ​ ​Jesus​ ​have​ ​crucified​ ​the​ ​flesh​ ​with​ ​its​ ​passions​ ​and​ ​desires.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

We do not use our liberty to sin – but rather, rejoice in our liberty, wherewith Christ has set us free – and abide IN HIM, so that we are empowered to not become entangled again in the sins and lusts of our lives. Will we sin again? of course. Thank God for our advocate in Jesus Christ (1 John 1:9) But will we become entangled? Not if we abide in Christ!

1 John 5: 1- 3
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome

Adding a little hope of joy and peace:

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

 

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” –
from My Utmost for His highest

I want to thank

for the ability to search the Bible online.

Some artwork is from me – ChristArtist. It is copyrighted – by me. Please do not share it without my permission.
The same goes for my written work.
Some artwork is from ChristArt – not me! I have purchased a membership, and the art is copyrighted by them.

I’d love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!
Or choose to LIKE me on facebook, or other social media!
I’d love to stay in touch with you – we are working on email subscriptions…sign up! 
Soon, we will have a gallery for the art I have created by the hand of God.

There are many organizations that support children and families. Here is one that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.