Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit, Part 7: Meekness

 Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit, Part 7: Meekness

(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

I was originally going to skip writing on meekness as I assumed it was too closely related to gentleness, and I did not think I would have anything new to add.  However, when doing a dictionary search on both words, I found the word meekness had a different meaning than gentleness.

According to dictionary.com, Being gentle means being kind, and not severe or rough, while being meek means to be "humbly patient or quiet in nature, as under provocation from others."  That seems pretty profound to me.  It goes beyond just saying or doing something nice or not being antagonistic, it is the epitome of both patiently enduring trials as well as turning the other cheek when we are treated poorly.

There are 29 scripture references that use the word meek and 14 for the word meekness (when searching the King James Version), but I will narrow it down to just four.

I love Psalm 25:9 that says, "The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way."  That alone makes me want to pursue meekness.  I yearn for God's teachings so I may better serve Him and others.  I want His righteous and fair judgements to change me so I can be used for His glory.  (Psalm 139: 23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.) I welcome God's guidance as I learn to not question God's perfect plans.  I am also learning to be more gracious and less argumentative with others who disagree with or purposefully antagonize me. God is more likely to use one who has surrendered to His will and who is not overbearing or impatient with others.    

Isaiah 29:19 pairs beautifully with another fruit of the spirit, joy, when it says, "The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord."   It is so much easier to find joy in the Lord when we can relax and accept that God is in control.  Yes, humanity often goes outside of G0d's will and not everything that happens is in God's plan, but we can still learn to believe that God can work even the bad things for our good when we are living for His glory (see Romans 8:28).  It is also much easier to find joy when are not constantly arguing with others, and we can learn to be humbly patient as we walk away from those want to fight rather than stay and escalate the argument.  As the Bible states, it best to turn the other cheek and then pray for those who refuse to listen to anyone else's opinions because they have a need to always be right.  Remember that often the most antagonistic people are the ones hurting the most and need to learn to accept God's love, grace, and joy just as much as, if not more than, you do.

(Matthew 5:38-39 & 43-44) Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

Just as Jesus is the best example of gentleness, He is also the best example of meekness.  How much I love Matthew 11:39 when Jesus promises us that He will help us bear all our sorrows when He says, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Such a beautiful promise!  What a strong and mighty God to help us bear all of our burdens! 

I pray I can follow the example of Jesus and be meek in heart. To learn to say as Jesus did, in Luke 22:42, "Not my will, but thine, be done." I want to also be like Jesus as I help bear the burdens of others through prayers and other means of support.

As you can see by now that as with gentleness, meekness should not be equated with weakness.  In fact, quite the opposite as it takes a strong person to resist the devil telling you to curse God (as Satan has told me to do, but instead I sang songs to bless the Lord).  We need to remember, that it is not in our own strength that we can be brave, but only when we pursue the fruits of the Holy Spirit that enable us to stand strong in the Lord. Only then can we be humble and patient as we endure trials and tribulations without giving up on the love of Jesus.  

It also takes a spiritually strong person to not give into the flesh and fight back.  It is much more difficult to keep your mouth shut and walk away than it is to stay put and yell. Proverbs 20:3 says, "It is an honour for a man to cease from strife."  Let's honor God by learning to respect one another as we meekly love instead of quarrel.

Just to be clear, when you are standing up for the morals of Jesus Christ it is not wrong to argue about what the Bible says is right or wrong. However, we should ask the Holy Spirit to help us know how to do so in a gentle and meek way so as not to turn others away from Christ.  We need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us to know when to follow the advice of Matthew 10:14, "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city [or from a relationship], shake off the dust of your feet." The quarreling I have been speaking of that displeases the Lord has more to do with issues where we need to learn to agree to disagree, or when we treat others with disrespect or disdain.   

You will see in 2 Corinthians 10 below that Paul mentions the meekness and gentleness of Jesus along with being bold for Christ. He is bold in reminding those reading his letters to be obedient to the laws of Jesus and to fight against the sins of the flesh.  He was bold for the ways of God as well as being humbly patient while he endured prison, beatings, and other persecutions.  He followed his own examples and showed love to his enemies as he risked his life to lead them to true repentance and salvation.  I pray I always have that same meek boldness to stand up for my Lord!

(2 Corinthians 10:1-5) Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ... am bold toward you... wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Faith/Faithfulness, Parts 6A and 6B

(Note: I do not know what is going on with all the weird font and spacing issues I have been having with Blogger.  It always looks normal as I type, but as soon as it is published it looks strange, and I do not know how to fix it.)

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Faith/Faithfulness, Part 6A

Written by my Husband (Mel)

NOTE: Mel decided to write this Fruit of the Spirit from 2 angles, faith (part A) and faithfulness (part B).

(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

(Mark 11:23-24) "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, 'Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea;' and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

What are the mountains in your life? Jesus paid the price on the cross to set you free from the evil one. By faith, speak to those mountains and tell them to be gone in Jesus' name! You have the authority by God's Holy Spirit. Faith moves the hand of God on your behalf!

So often people live their lives in fear of what could happen, or they worry about finances, or health problems, however, fear is the opposite of faith. The Lord understands that we are human, and anxiety is common to man, but he desires that we trust him with every aspect of our lives. Fear will empower the enemy in your life. If you live your life in fear, you will never have a breakthrough with God. Fear may even lead to demonic oppression. You must have faith in God that He is able to deliver and heal you to see results.

Fear also hinders many people from pursuing ministry work, because they feel they can’t accomplish the task. If the prophets and apostles had given into fear, we would not have the scriptures to guide us, and Christianity would never have spread beyond Judea.

To be useful for the kingdom of heaven, we must believe that God is bigger and more powerful than our problems or limitations. Moses had a speech problem and argued with God that he was not able to speak to Pharaoh. God commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh and allowed his brother Aaron to speak for him. Moses was chosen from birth to be the deliverer for the captive Hebrews, but he felt inadequate for the task. Fortunately, God did not allow Moses to give in to fear but used him to show forth His power to the entire world. Elijah feared for his life and hid in a cave, but the God of Elijah protected him, and Elijah never saw death because he was taken to heaven in a flaming chariot. The apostle Paul wrote powerful letters, but he did not impress some in person. However, this did not deter Paul from taking the gospel to many lands. Paul understood that he was a vessel for God’s Spirit to work through.

With God, all things are possible; He is looking for humble vessels that he may work through. God is not impressed with your fancy attire, eloquent speech, or theological degrees. God is looking for common people, full of faith, which he may work through. Peter, James, and John were uneducated fishermen; however, Christ chose them to be his Apostles, and to turn the world upside down. If you will put your faith and trust in God, he will use you to minister into the lives of others.

Why do we so often worry about life’s problems? Does not God promise to meet our needs if we seek after him? Does not the Lord feed the birds, and clothe the lilies of the field? If we will replace fear and anxiety, with faith and thankfulness, we will know the peace and provision of the Father. If you live with a defeated attitude, you will not be useful to the kingdom of God. Faith will open the door to many blessings from God, including healings, deliverance, ministry, peace of mind, as well as many answered prayers.

(Hebrews 11:1-10 ) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a [good] testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 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. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as [in] a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.

(Matthew 6:25-34 ) "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, [will He] not much more [clothe] you, O you of little faith? "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day [is] its own trouble.

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Faith/Faithfulness, Part 6B

Written by my Husband, (Mel)

The Lord is always faithful to us even when we are not faithful to Him. One way to show faithfulness to the Lord is obedience. God’s Word states that God desires obedience more than sacrifices. Christ said, that if you love Him, you will keep His commandments.

It is very important to be faithful to your calling in life because the souls of men are at stake. The great commission to spread the gospel to every nation does not apply to missionaries or evangelists only, but to everyone who belongs to Christ. We are ambassadors for the kingdom of God, and it is our responsibility to let our light shine before all. Not only is our life to be an example to all, but we are also to share our faith with others as well. There are people all around us who are on their way to hell, and we may be their only lifeline. Students, co-workers, family, and friends are all people you may share your faith with. I have shared my faith with people in Wal-Mart, as well as on hiking trails. If you pray for divine appointments, God will bring people along your path. Remember the world is watching.

We also need to be faithful to God with our lifestyle. God refers to cold, or lukewarm Christians, as an adulterous bride. Jesus Christ told the church of Laodicea, that because they were lukewarm, He would vomit them out of his mouth (Revelation 3:14-22).  You cannot have one foot in Christianity and the other in the world, the compromise of your faith will lead to spiritual death. Any tree, which does not bring forth good fruit, will be cut off and thrown into the fire, for without holiness no man shall see the father. 

(Hebrews 12:14) Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.  

(2 Corinthians 7:1) Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

(1 Timothy 1:12) And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Goodness, Part 5, Written by my Husband

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Goodness, Part 5

Written by my Husband, Mel

(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

(Ephesians 5:8-11) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.

The fruit of goodness is to pursue righteousness with all your heart. To be good, is to be righteous, and this does not mean perfection. Righteousness is living right in accordance with scripture. If you are truly born again, you will live a Godly lifestyle set apart from the sinful world. God’s Word teaches us to die to sin and live for Christ. Whoever is born of God should try not sin. 

(Romans 6: 1-2) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

 Living a lifestyle of habitual sins (bondages) will lead to damnation. Christ said that any tree, which does not bear good fruit, would be cut down and cast into the fire (Matthew 3:10). 

1 John 3 states that we must purify ourselves just as He is pure, and he who commits sin, also commits lawlessness. John continues that whoever sins has neither seen Him, nor known Him. These powerful scriptures are contrary to the distorted grace message that is preached in most churches today. Many churches encourage sin by teaching that there is grace for un-repented sins. Many teach that God does not care about your sins, only your actions. There are dozens of scriptures that teach us that without holiness no man shall see the Father. The apostasy (falling away from the truth), is the failure to teach believers to get sin out of their lives, as well as to love one another. Grace is given to those who repent and turn away from their sins.  

(1John 3:3-11) And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of  God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

(Titus 2: 11-12) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit, Part 4: Gentleness

  

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit, Part 4: Gentleness

(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

As I was gathering the scriptures for this series that Mel and I are writing, I noticed a trend.  Pursing gentleness (and any other fruit) is equated with pursing the good works that are so important to our Lord.  And, no, we are not saved by our works (salvation is a free gift), but, yes, our works do matter! Gentleness is not merely a personality trait; it is an active decision to treat each other with tenderness (Please read all the scriptures I listed at the end).

In a world full of strife and antagonistic people, it is not always easy to be gentle, especially when the other person is being the opposite.  Do not make the mistake of assuming being gentle is being weak.  Most of my life I have been told I need to grow a backbone and learn to stand up for myself.  Although I enjoy being in the right as much as most people, I am very shy, and I hate confrontation.  It used to bother me that I was not bolder, but the more I read my Bible and study the fruits of the Spirit, the less I have the need to prove the other person wrong. 

I have worked many jobs with a lot of strong personalities and, let’s just say, “bossy” tendencies.  I often came home feeling frustrated and even ganged up on, especially when I had done nothing wrong.  I struggled with wanting to fight back and with wanting to walk away from the job.  Then one morning I started to pray, “Dear Jesus, I want to pursue the fruits of Your Spirit and not let my co-workers’ need to always be right make me so upset.  Please give me the wisdom and strength I need to glorify Your name.”  After about my fifth or sixth week on the job, I was finally able just to smile and say, “Thanks for the advice,” or, “I’ll try it that way next time,” and not feel offended.  It was that prayer, and the direct answer to it, that inspired the theme for this blog series I asked my husband to write with me.

Being gentle is not usually a personality trait one is born with; it is something most of us have to make a deliberate effort to convey.  Rather than shouting back at a smart Alec when you feel it is your right to put him in his place, walk away.  The old saying, “If you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything,” is actually good advice.  Who cares if the bully thinks you are being weak by not fighting back?  What truly matters is what God thinks.  And our Savior very much wants us to pursue gentleness with others.

Being gentle also means being compassionate.  A while ago, Mel and I were at a yard sale where a woman stubbed her bare toe (she was in sandals) on a hard wooden crate.  Mel quickly asked, “Ma’am, are you okay?” but the woman’s own husband coldly turned his face away from her and walked away.  Mel and I both observed the hurt look on the face of the wife, as her husband did not bother to acknowledge her bloody toe.  How much it would have meant to her had he shown her gentleness even if he had used few words but assisted her to a chair and even kissed her cheek!  Mel and I discussed on the drive home how badly we felt for the wife.  Wives and husbands, please show each other gentleness and compassion from everything to a stubbed toe to depression and grief!  We do not have to relate to what the other is feeling or even react to pain in the same way to be able to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). 

Jesus Christ was by far the most incredible example of gentleness anyone could ever have exhibited.  It is why so many scriptures refer to Him as a lamb.  No, He was not weak, as being gentle does not make one cowardly.  Yes, He corrected the Pharisees of their legalistic ways and scolded His disciples when they were too stubborn to understand His words.  However, He spoke the Truth in love.  He wept and prayed for all those he walked among just as He still intercedes for mankind today.  When led to His own horrendous crucifixion, He did not fight back, but allowed His false accusers to torture Him so He could die for our sins.  That is not only gentleness personified but also sacrifice and love exemplified.  Doesn’t that only make you want to be gentle as Christ was (and still is) gentle?      

                                                                                                          

(Matthew 11:28-30) Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." 

(2 Timothy 2:19-26) Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity..." Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. 

(James 3:13-18) Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

(Ephesians 4:1-3) I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  

(1 Peter 3:3-5) Do not let your adornment be merely outward--arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-- rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves.

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Peace, Part 3, Written by my Husband

 Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit, Part 3: Peace

Written by My Husband (Mel) 

(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. 

I recently dreamed that I was in a large church filled with young men. Two, very tall, male angels were passing out headphones to many of the young men. A message from the Father was broadcast over the headphones to those who put them on. God the Father said, “This is a message to all of the young men who refuse to work on their lives. Don’t shoot one another; this is how the world will destroy itself.”

I understood that when Christians attack one another, this is very displeasing to the Lord. When I was a young man, I was taught to stand up for myself and to fight back when attacked. If someone would make me trouble, I would give it back to them. I felt at times, that turning the other cheek was a sign of weakness. However, God’s Word teaches us to pursue peace with all men. I have witnessed many quarrels in the workplace, in families, among church members, and on a larger scale among nations. The contentious nature of people leads to wars among nations, and ultimately to nuclear destruction. When the restraining hand of the Lord is removed, sudden destruction will come upon mankind.

Christians are to reflect the attributes of Christ. We are to bless those who curse us, and to do good to those who persecute us. When slapped upon one check, we are to turn the other. We are to love our enemies as our self, as well as to pursue peace with all men. We are not to render insult for insult or reviling for reviling. When we bear the good fruit of God’s Spirit, we will bring glory to our Father which is in heaven. Fighting and bickering among Christians, will push people away from the truth of salvation through Christ. We need to keep in mind that people are watching us. We need to give the world a reason to want the hope that we have in Christ. Showing kindness and love toward others is the greatest witness of our faith in Jesus Christ.

 It is not wrong to defend our lives, or the lives of others. Christ’s disciples had two swords for their personal protection. It is also honorable to defend your nation when it is unjustly attacked. However, offensive warfare is to be deplored. We must use wisdom in interpreting the scriptures. 

Pursuing peace with all people is not easy. It requires work on our part, as well as guidance from the Holy Spirit. Many people will say or do things, which may inflame us, but we must be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, because the world is watching us.  

(James 1:19) So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

(Hebrews 12:14-15) Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

(1Peter 3:8-9) Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

(1 Peter 3:10-11) For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit, Part 2: Joy

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Joy

(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. 

I began writing this blog about a month ago (in 2018) and then became too busy to finish it.  The week I had planned to work on it again was the same week my beloved seven-year-old Manx cat, Xander had to be euthanized.  Therefore, I was unable to write about joy last week.  Ironic, isn’t it?  But it made me realize even more so how much joy is a choice in our lives.  You may think that joy is not an active decision, but that one can only have joy when everything in life is going perfectly.  Realistically, how often can we say there is nothing in our lives that causes stress?  I am mostly a happy person, with a wonderful husband and a God who loves me, but there are often things cause frustration and, as with the recent loss, sadness.

(Nehemiah 8:10) Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. 

I would also reverse that and say that the strength of the Lord is my Joy!  It is how I can keep a smile on my face.  Yes, I can feel sorrow at the loss of my cat, but I can still feel happiness and peace when I lean on the love of the Lord.

I have been relying on the Truths of Isaiah 61:3, “To console those who mourn… To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."  Notice here, that our joy glorifies the Lord!

When you read some of the below verses you will also see that simply having faith and persevering in the knowledge of God’s goodness will produce joy.

Like most people, I have had my share of heartache and hard times.  There was a time in 2014 when I was so shattered that I could not pray.  Let me rephrase that, I would not pray.  I was so angry and confused with God that there was no way I could consider praising to lift my heaviness.  So, I know some of you are thinking that I am being too simplistic and unrealistic in expecting you to praise or sing when you are feeling wounded.  It got to the point where my soul was dangerously dry and I thirsted for the Lord, therefore I could not stay silent.  I missed my Heavenly Father, I knew He did not cause the harmful situation, and He wanted to comfort His child.  I started small with simply saying, “Thank you,” at the end of each day for all I still had, especially my husband.  My prayers slowly grew longer until I was back to being my usually chatty self with the Lord.  I was eventually even able to sing praises again without feeling like I was going through the motions.  It took at least six months for me to go through the process, but when I chose to pursue joy and release my anger and bitterness, I began to heal.

I have read possibly thousands (at least hundreds, but a lot) of books in my life, and it is difficult to choose a favorite, yet I can say that next to the Bible, the book that touched me the most has been Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard.  If you have never read it, I highly encourage you to do so.  My husband and I read it together and we both were very moved by the story.  Much Afraid’s journey reminded me so much of myself in allowing bitterness and resentment to bully me to the point where I was hindered by going to the High Places with the Good Shepherd.  Had I been a character in that book I would have been called Walks by Sight (or Much Too Logical).  I have learned (am still learning) to become Acceptance with Joy as I can see that Sorrow and Suffering have been my companions for a specific purpose.  I may never fully understand why.  However, I can accept the hard times by remembering God only wants the best for His children, and He does not cause bad things to happen (See Jeremiah 29:11).  He can use the hurts of our past to make us become better people if we allow Him to.  That is, when we chose joy.

Here are some more scriptures on joy:

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

(Colossians 1:10-17) That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 

(Hebrews 12:1-2) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

(James 4:7-10) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. 

(1 Peter 1:7-9) That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls. 

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit, Part 1: Love and Longsuffering, Written by my Husband and Me

Pursuing the Fruits of the Spirit: Love and Longsuffering

Written by my Husband (Mel) and Me

(Galatians 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. 

When we display the fruits of the spirit, we automatically invite a spirit of harmony into our home and outside relationships. 

The root of all the other actions is love.  Think of it as the tree that grows all the other fruits from its magnificent branches.  When you love one another, your actions will (or should) reflect your feelings.  For when your love is sincere, you care more about another person's happiness than your own, and you would never do anything to cause someone else harm, especially when you consider how much God loves that person.

(Matthew 7:12) Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them.  

As Christians, we are called to be a reflection of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we are indwelt with God’s Holy Spirit, then we should have God’s divine nature and attributes present within our lives. As the moon reflects light from the sun, we should reflect the light of the Son. The greatest of all of the fruits of the Spirit is love. It is impossible to be truly saved without love in your heart. For God is love, and those indwelt with his Holy Spirit will be people of love. God’s Word tells us we should love God, as well as love our neighbor as ourselves. Christ is our example of selfless love. Although Christ was God, He left His throne in glory, became a man, and humbled Himself to the death upon the cross. Upon the cross He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Christ taught us to love our enemies, and to do good to those who wrong us. We should imitate Christ and have this same selfless love for our neighbors.

 Christ told us that in the last day’s lawlessness would abound, and the love of many will grow cold. 

(Matthew 24: 12-13) And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 

Many, within our modern culture consider hardness, and coldness toward others, as a strength to be admired. It is considered fashionable not to smile, but rather to look hard when being photographed. Television, movies, books, as well as our public schools, teach that the strong must walk on others to get ahead in this life. Love, kindness, selflessness, as well as charity, are frowned upon as weakness. It is popular to have sculls and crossbones on adult, as well as children’s clothing. I don’t understand why anyone would want this symbol of death on their clothes, or in their home.

It is truly as the days of Noah today, and the attributes of Satan are visible in most people’s lives. As Christians, we must go against the grain of our cold society, and let the love and light of our Lord Jesus Christ shine through us. 

Longsuffering is another form of love, and it means that we are to be patient with those who are difficult.  The bullies, those who are purposefully antagonistic, the bad drivers, and poorly trained or just plain rude customer service people, etc.   It is learning to have mercy on someone who you want to retaliate against. It is learning to see them through God's eyes of love and compassion.  It is learning to put Matthew 5:43-45 into practice.

(Matthew 5:43-45) "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

It is sometimes hard to have love for our fellow humans, but with Christ, all things are possible. We live in a fallen world, and we all have faults, that is why it is important not to be critical of others. Longsuffering is love in action. Love keeps no record of wrongs but endures all things. The patient enduring of the character or personality flaws of others is demonstrating true Christ-like love. However, in order to maintain peace, as well as to avoid conflicts, it is sometimes necessary not to associate with certain people. Nevertheless, we are to continue to love that person, and not to allow bitterness into our heart.

If you have bitterness in your heart toward others, I urge you to let the love of Christ melt away the ice on your heart. Even the roots of bitterness are an open door for the devil to have a stronghold in your life. If you have animosity toward someone, let it go, and let the peace of God rule in your heart and mind. Sometimes, it is better not to even speak about a person who stirs up hard feelings. Silence is golden and will help you forgive the person who has offended you. Praying for the offender is the best way to bring a release to your heart.  

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8 & 13) Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Galatians 5:19-26

I will next be posting a series my husband and I wrote on each Fruit of the Spirit, but for now here are the verses about the sins of the flesh verses the fruits of the Spirit.

(Galatians 5:19-26) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

 

The Book of Galatians Quick Preview

 

The Book of Galatians Quick Preview

I know I post this every time, but in case you are new to this blog:

I want to make it clear that all of my dear readers understand that the purpose of sharing my Bible Journal is merely for the sake of helping others realize what the Bible truly says. I pray you read the entire Bible on your own, perhaps read each chapter along with the postings. I also pray you ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart as you read and make His holy words come alive to you and give you His understanding as you study.

Before each book of the Bible, I will take a quick video of the book so you can see a preview of what will be shared for that book. Just remember, I am not a very good artist. but I wanted to share with you how God's Word inspires me. These postings are in no way instructional on how to Bible journal. This is not about beautiful art that covers up and distracts from the scriptures on the pages, it is about expressing my love for the holy Word of God. So even when the pages I share are "ugly" or uncreative, I will still be sharing them as God's Word is always beautiful!

A few notes on the videos. I am not a professional and only have my inexpensive phone to record on. Also, I live in the Pacific Northwest where it will be cloudy from now until at least June, so I apologize if the quality of the videos is too dark!

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 & 2 Corinthians 12:7-10: Living in the Strength of Jesus

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 & 2 Corinthians 12:9: Living in the Strength of Jesus

Again, sorry for the poor-quality photo, but these are two great passages I wanted to share. These two portions of scripture aren't related, they just both happen to be on the same journaling page.

I will explore spiritual warfare in greater depth when we get to Ephesians, so for now, please read the below portion and pray for spiritual protection as you walk with the Lord.  Jesus will send His angels to help you battle the strongholds of Satan.  Note the last phrase; it is an active decision to recognize when our thoughts are wrong and correct them before we follow through with bad actions. The Holy Spirit will always give us strength to walk away and do the right thing. (1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.)

(2 Corinthians 10:3-5) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

As I was beginning to write this new paragraph, I just realized that these two portions of scripture are actually related! They both have to do with living in the strength of Jesus.  The verses in chapter 10 revolve around letting the Holy Spirit be your strength to walk away from doing the wrong things, while the below verses focus on physical strength.

If you don't mind, I am going to get a bit personal.  Since at least 2018, I have been battling an unknown neurological condition.  I will not list all my symptoms but in a small nutshell, I suffer from weakness in varying stages from head to toe. Beginning in late 2019, I finally found a doctor who wanted to try to get to the bottom of my illness.  Unfortunately, she was not a neurologist, and the specialist that I saw off and on from 2019-2022 eventually gave up on trying to come up with a diagnosis and released me from his care. I still do not have a title for my condition, but it matches all the symptoms of (and considering the lesions in my brain, it probably is) Multiple Sclerosis.  

On top of dealing with a long list of neurological symptoms, in 2023 I had two surgeries to remove two cancerous tumors from my body, as well as a complete abdominal hysterectomy, lymph node dissection, and had my omentum removed (layer of tissue that covers abdominal organs).  I praise God these tumors were diagnosed as synchronous ovarian and endometrial cancers, which means they were supposedly independent of each other, and both were considered to be stage 1.  It was, however, a painful and frightening process to go through.  I should have stayed in the hospital for at least a week but talked them into releasing me on day five.

In chapter 12, Paul mentions that he has been dealing with a thorn in his flesh that he had repeatedly asked God to remove.  We do not know what this issue was.  Some say it was persecution while others think it was a physical ailment, which is what I tend to believe, but we do not know for certain.  Perhaps it was both issues. What we do know is that God would not release Paul from this thorn, but instead empowered Paul with His strength to endure the trials so that the name of Jesus could be glorified.   

Through all my thorns (including the emotional ones), 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 has become another one of my favorite verses (last two sentences below), along with Psalm 73:26 (My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.), Nehemiah 8:10 (The joy of the Lord is your strength.), and Philippians 4:13 (I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.)  These verses are not just empty words to me, but are my strength, joy, and hope.  

Whether stuck inside an MRI listening to the head-splitting clanging and banging sounds (I have had 5 MRIs, an uncountable number of CT scans and blood panels, and even a failed - long story- lumbar puncture), or laying on an operating table knowing that when I wake up, I will be in a lot of pain, or waiting for the results to see what stage cancer I had, I truly was and still am able to find joy and peace in the Lord's strength.

If what I have gone and may still go through helps encourages even one person to put their trust in the Lord and brings glory to the name of Jesus, it is all worth it!

Earlier this month, while dealing with another wave of extreme weakness, pain, and fatigue, I had a vision of God placing His hand on my heart and telling me to take His hand.  He said that no matter what was wrong with me, that He was with me and that I would be okay.  With tears streaming, I grasped His fingers and held tight.  No matter what I face, I will cling to His promise to continue to be by my side. Even when not physically fine, I am whole in mind and spirit. Since that experience, I am continually reminded to hold to God's hand and never let go because He will always be my strength. I pray you allow Him to be yours as well.

(2 Corinthians 12:7-10) And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

And He said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.