Thursday, July 1, 2010
Faith
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
“But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against
such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The seventh attribute is:
7. Faith
What is Faith? Hebrews
11:1 states, “Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Faith is a belief or confident attitude in Jesus Christ who is the “author and finisher of our faith“.
(Hebrews 12:2) Faith begins and ends with Christ. It is through our Faith
that we receive salvation. Even though we didn’t see Jesus crucified, we believe the historical evidence
and the Word of God that Jesus died to reconcile us back to the Father.
Faith is not just simple trust nor
is our Faith blind because we know personally what Christ has done for us. We have a testimony about
the goodness of the Lord. Our life is a living testament that there is a Savior and His name is Jesus.
Therefore, our Faith in Jesus is not based on some emotional experience, it is based on the surrendering of
our life (pride, self-reliance, will, etc.) through obedience to His will. Having Faith is not self-confidence,
it’s Christ-Confidence! (The “I”
is a broken “C”)
We will have Faith in God, when we can wholeheartedly
trust Him in every aspect of our life. We cannot hold back any area. Our mind, will
and emotions must be yielded to God, if He is going to be able to use us effectively. Many “so-called”
Christians who go to church, are not living a submitted Faithful life to Christ. Their Faith
is based on the fact that they go to church on “most” Sundays and not based on living an obedient life unto Him.
They are the “pretenders” who “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:
from such turn away.“ (2 Timothy 3:5) The Bible says to get away from them!!!
Have you noticed them at
your church? They stick out like a sore thumb! They are jealous and envious of others.
They complain and are just unhappy with their life. They focus on their circumstances instead of
God. They look defeated, like a victim instead of a victor. They do not live by Faith
(Romans 1:17), do not walk by Faith (Romans 4:12), do not pray by Faith (Matthew 21:22), do not resist evil
by Faith (Ephesians 6:16), do not stand fast in Faith (1 Corinthians 16:13), are not strong in Faith
(Romans 4:20,21), do not abound in Faith (2 Corinthians 8:7), are not grounded in Faith (Colossians 1:23), do
not hold fast in Faith (1 Timothy 1:19), they don’t even pray for an increase of Faith (Luke 17:5).
Okay, okay, I think you get my picture. Hopefully, this is not you. But if it
is, I have good news for you. It’s not to late to have more Faith!
Faith is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:8) All you have to do is
accept His gift of Faith in your heart and watch God work in your life. Genuine saving Faith
is a personal relationship with Him. It is reliance on Him and commitment to Him. Genuine
saving Faith is knowing for a fact that the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross is the only basis for forgiveness,
reconciliation, restoration and entrance into heaven. Having Faith in Christ will enable you to
make decisions and to stick to those decisions no matter what people may say or how you may feel. It involves
putting Him first in your life and allowing Him to direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) If
we begin to walk by Faith and not by sight, He promises that He will bless us. Read Deuteronomy
28, to see all that He promises for obedience. Also, in that chapter, He lets you know how your life will
be if you don’t submit.
Faith and obedience go hand in hand.
It’s like pancakes and syrup. Having Faith in the risen Savior, is having an abundant
and fruitful life. People will be attracted to the Spirit of God living inside of you. They
will want to know who this Jesus is because of your Faithfulness. Do you want others to know the
God you sing about? Then, allow your Faith to pour out from your heart and touch others.
Don’t continue to be a stick in the mud and frustrated with where your life is. Stop looking
at others and your circumstances. Increase your Faith by being obedient, and watch God work!
God is calling us to a deeper level of Faith and obedience! Are you going to heed the call
or be left behind on the sidelines? The choice is yours!!!
FAITH + OBEDIENCE = BLESSINGS
(pancakes + syrup = satisfaction)
The next attribute we’ll discuss is Meekness.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Goodness
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
“But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against
such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The sixth attribute of this nine-fold fruit:
6. Goodness
What is Goodness?
Goodness is being generous and open-hearted. A genuine desire for the happiness of others.
It is an inner nature created by the Holy Spirit, that causes us to be sensitive to the needs of others.
Goodness involves deliberate deeds that are helpful to others. God’s
Goodness consists of righteousness, holiness, justice, grace, mercy and of course, love. (Exodus
34:6; Psalm 31:19; 145:9) “O taste and
see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.“ (Psalm 34:8) “For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.“ (Psalm 107:9) If we are hungry
for more of God, He will fill us with the Goodness of His Spirit that will not only satisfy that longing we have, but
it will enable us to be Good. If we are followers of God, then we are called to Goodness
because He is good.
We have many opportunities to perform good deeds in our daily lives. The challenge
is to always be alert and ready. Don’t look at these instances as inconveniences or interruptions,
but as opportunities to fulfill God’s purpose. One of the first places you can perform good
deeds is at your job. How many of your co-workers know that you are a Christian? Would
they be surprise to know that you’re saved and go to church? If they don’t know, isn’t
something wrong with that, if you call yourself a “Believer”?
We need to be able to recognize the good deeds God has prepared for us at our jobs.
Those deeds are always consistent with the abilities and skills He has given us. He has strategically
placed us in circumstances that will give Him glory. Are we alert enough to recognize that?
It is not by happenstance that you are working where you are. There is no coincidence with God.
We should be seeking God to see what our purpose is for working at that particular company and why He has blessed us
with certain skills and talents. We should never look at our jobs as a necessary evil to pay the bills,
or as an opportunity to get rich. We should look at our chosen vocations as God-ordained.
When you think about it, we spend most
of our waking moments at our jobs. So, if we fail to be in-tune to the Holy Spirit, we will miss the chances
to do good deeds. That’s like throwing half of our lives away! If you don’t
feel like the particular job you’re at allows you to display God’s Goodness, then prayerfully seek Him
for direction and change.
So,
how can we exhibit Goodness at work or in our daily lives?
Ÿ Do the right thing even when it doesn’t feel like you should.
Ÿ Put other’s needs before your own.
Ÿ Display moral character and integrity in all of your dealings.
Ÿ Display a sense of gratitude for the job you’ve been blessed with.
Ÿ Work as if you are working for Christ. (In actuality, you are!)
Ÿ Be slow to anger and quick to repent.
Ÿ Stand up for truth and righteousness, not compromising your faith.
Ÿ Be able to see and sense other’s pain.
Ÿ Pray for your co-workers. And not just the ones you like!!!
Goodness is self-sacrificing. “For
I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own” (2 Corinthians 8:3) The Christian
who desires to display Goodness, will willingly give of their time and money without complaint. This
is truly an act of faith, when you give of yourself and money even though you think you can’t afford to.
We can always cop out and say, “We’re too busy to help”, unless we understand
the importance God puts on us doing good deeds for others. I learned a saying long time ago, “Excuses
are tools of incompetence, which build monuments into nothing. Those who specialize in them are seldom
good at anything else.” Are you an “Excuse Specialist”?
Goodness is also indefatigable. It is one thing to do good on an occasion or
when the mood strikes, but it is quite another to faithfully perform a deed over and over again. Especially,
when no recognizes you for it or it appears that the receivers take it for granted. Remember Goodness
does not do things for recognition or rewards, nor looks at the receivers or the end results. You are considered
good if you seek the approval of God, not man. “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If
you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce
it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell
you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your
left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who
sees what is done in secret, will reward you.“
(Matthew 6:1-4) If you desire to please God with your good deeds, He will give you the strength
to carry on. “He giveth power to the faint;
and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the
young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount
up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31)
Are you sitting on the sidelines or in the pews waiting for God to give you a sign to display
Goodness? Stop waiting and get up off of your ‘Blessed ASSurance” and get involved!
I’m sure your church could use more volunteers and more financial support. Trust God and step
out on faith! Use your gifts and talents to display God’s Goodness on your job, at your church
and in your community. There are a lot of hurting people and they are just waiting for someone to show
them God’s Goodness. “Each
one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10) You don’t
have to go out and save the world, like pulling someone from a burning house. It could be something as
simple as having a listening ear.
If we take our focus off of ourselves and our concerns, we will see how much this world needs Jesus.
Then we will be able to make the time to get involved to serve someone else. Go to your place of
employment with joy and gratitude in your heart and get involved in your local church by serving your fellow man.
Remember, we are responsible for doing God’s will and exposing them to God’s Goodness.
This is the way they will see Jesus Christ living in us!
Next time we will discuss Faith.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Gentleness (Kindness)
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
“But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against
such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The fifth attribute of this nine-fold fruit:
5. Gentleness (Kindness)
What is Gentleness?
Gentleness is described as merciful, sweet, tender, considerate; a spirit of fairness and compassion.
Gentleness refers to a kindness in dealing with others and having a sensitive regard for them.
In other words, how we treat them.
Gentleness involves us lower ourselves
to help someone else. Being sensitive to the concerns and feelings of others. Gentleness
will show respect for someone else’s personal dignity. It will desire to change our attitudes and
behaviors toward others by not using manipulation, intimidation, threats and domination to accomplish our will.
We will no longer say whatever comes to mind without first considering someone else’s feelings. We
will not use the excuse that that’s just how I am! Instead we will be sensitive to the power of our
words and actions on how it may affect others. And when we do wound others, we will immediately exhibit our gentle
spirit through repentance, consolation and restoration.
“What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?”
(1 Corinthians 4:21)
Unfortunately, so many of us Christians (especially
men) do not see gentleness as a virtue to cultivate. We believe having a gentle spirit is
not a sign of strength (“manliness” vs. “softness”). But who was the ultimate example
of strength or “manliness”? None other than Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus
definitely was not “soft”. Jesus has all power and authority is His hand and yet He can be
as gentle as a shepherd caring for His sheep.
“See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”
(Isaiah 40:10-11)
So, another way to think of gentleness is: strength
under control. God’s control! We will not feel threatened by opposition or resent
those who oppose us, if we’re displaying gentleness. We will not degrade, belittle or gossip
about anyone, especially someone who has fallen into sin, if we’re displaying gentleness.
“Brothers, if someone is caught in
a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”
(Galatians 6:1)
Being gentle involves us not concerning ourselves with our reputation
as much as God’s or someone else’s. We must realize how gentle God has been with us
when we were broken and in a million pieces. God could have condemned us, punished us and forsaken us a
million times. But every single time, He gently picks us up and puts us back together again.
He restores us back to our rightful place in Him. And this is the example we are to follow in regards
to others. God is desiring to use us as instruments of restoration of the broken-hearted and the lost.
Gentleness, is this something you are praying for? Do we even value the virtue of gentleness
as highly as God?
Yes, displaying gentleness
is not easy because it is something that does not come naturally for us. It involves being Selfless, which
goes against our Selfish nature. It involves becoming humble, submissive and dependent on the Holy Spirit
of God to enable us. Once again we are not equipped to exhibit gentleness on our own.
If we say we are followers of Christ, then we must allow the Spirit of God to work in us and through us.
The Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:12-15, how we can exhibit this and other Godly virtues.
“Therefore, as God's chosen people,
holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as
the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And
be thankful.”
When
we know and understand who we are and Who’s we are, we can exhibit gentleness in every situation that arises.
By being aware of the power and position we receive from the Holy Ghost, we can be gentle to everyone we come in contact.
So, yes we should be praying to exhibit
this virtue. Yes, we must become more Selfless than Selfish. Yes, we can no longer get
away with speaking before we think. Or doing things without first considering others and how they may feel.
And yes, the world DOES NOT belong to you (or to
me either). IT BELONGS TO GOD!
“The earth is the LORD's, and
the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” (Psalm
24:1)
Why not
practice the virtue of Gentleness today? It’s amazing how much stronger you’ll feel!!!
STRENGTH
UNDER CONTROL!!!
The next virtue is Goodness.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
4. Longsuffering (Patience)
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
“But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against
such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The fourth attribute of
this nine-fold fruit is:
4. Longsuffering (Patience)
What is Longsuffering? In the Old Testament, it refers
to God’s patient endurance of wickedness of the sinful. “The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and
by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”
(Numbers 14:18) This word indicates patience or slow to anger.
Therefore, they can be used interchangeably.
God is longsuffering toward man because He desires to lead everyone to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9) Since He is a God of righteousness, He will not be longsuffering forever.
Eventually, everyone who has not trusted the sacrifice His Son Jesus made, will be punished. (2
Thessalonians 1:5-10)
Since
God is longsuffering toward His people, we in turn are to follow His example and be longsuffering (patient).
We must learn to keep our anger in check, endure hardships (without complaining) and wait for God to avenge us.
(Romans 12:19) This part of the fruit is related to our devotion to God. Only
as we fear (reverence) God will we be able to submit to the trials and tribulations He sends or allows. Remember
trials and tribulations always changes our relationship with God. Either they will drive us closer to Him
or drive us far away. The degree of our fear of Him and our knowledge of His love for us determines the
direction we will move.
True longsuffering (patience) involves waiting, waiting on the promises of God. To
be able to wait is to have faith and trust in God based off of who He is, what He has done and what He will do.
Being a longsuffering (patient) Christian is knowing how to wait with hopeful confidence in God.
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and
labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
(Hebrews 6:10-12)
Maybe to understand longsuffering (patience),
we should discuss it’s antonym, “impatience”. Self-centeredness is at the heart of impatience.
Think of small children. They want what they want, when they want it and don’t care who it
hurts to get it. They are immature! Unfortunately, a lot of so-called “mature”
adults act in the same manner. We do not want to wait for anything. We live in a self-gratification,
me-first society where we feel we’re entitled. Being impatient, gives up on what can be lasting blessings
for meaningless and fleeting moments of temporary pleasures. A great example: Love vs.
Lust Love is enduring and satisfying; Lust is momentary and burns up quickly.
We can be so impatient about such insignificant things:
Ÿ When we have to wait in line at the grocery store.
Ÿ When someone is driving too slow.
Ÿ Waiting
at the doctor’s office.
Ÿ
When someone puts you on hold on the phone.
Ÿ Someone didn’t respond to your email immediately.
Are these really things we need to be impatient about? Do
you really accomplish anything you wanted by being impatient? And who told you that you are more important
than everyone else?
We
are even impatient with God. When God doesn’t answer our prayers when we believe He should, we will
take care of it ourselves. Remember there are always consequences for disobedience. And
being impatient is an act of disobedience, a lack of faith in God.
A List of Consequences for Being Impatient:
Ÿ
Disappointment
Ÿ Physical pain and suffering
Ÿ Troubled
relationships
Ÿ
Lack of character
Ÿ Broken dreams
Ÿ
Weak testimony
Ÿ Missed blessings
Ÿ
Separation from God
Ÿ Death (physically and/or spiritually)
So, how can we become more like Christ and exhibit longsuffering (patience)?
Realize that you cannot accomplish this on your own. It is only through the yielding and submitting
to the Holy Spirit that we can be patient. We must learn to never give up or give in.
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast,
unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
(1 Corinthians 15:58)
A great example of longsuffering is the story of Joseph in the book of
Genesis (Chps. 37-50). Here was a longsuffering (patient) man. He was
despised by his brothers who sold him into slavery. He was falsely accused of a crime and spent time in
prison. He was separated from his family and culture. But Joseph never complained, gave
up or gave in. His faith and hope in God and His promises remained steadfast and unmovable.
He continued to praise and worship God in spite of his circumstances. He patiently waited
for God to deliver him. And because of his patient endurance and perseverance not only was his family
saved but a whole nation was saved from starvation.
So if we patiently endure our hardships, if we are patient with people we come in contact with, God will be glorified
in us and through us and we will receive His blessings.
FAITH + OBEDIENCE = BLESSINGS
The next attribute is Gentleness.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Fruit of the Spirit
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
“But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against
such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The third attribute of this
nine-fold fruit is:
3. Peace
What is Peace? A state of tranquility; contentment and unity
between people. Of course, true Peace can only come from God. We will not obtain
Peace outside of Him. Peace is and should be a part of our character because God has promised
us His Peace and He has commanded us to let Peace rule in our lives and relationships.
Peace is actually a three-fold attribute that complements and reinforces one another:
1. Peace with God
2. Peace within ourselves
3. Peace with other people
1. The foundation of our Peace with God is our justification by faith in
Jesus Christ. “Therefore being justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:.” (Romans 5:1) We cannot have Peace within ourselves or Peace with others until
we have Peace with God. We must recognize that before we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior,
we were considered sinful, wicked people who were alienated from God. “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath
he reconciled.” (Colossians 1:21) So, because of this state of rebellion, we were the objects of His wrath. Therefore, we cannot
experience true Peace. “But the
wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no
peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:20-21)
Once we submitted our lives to Christ, God was no longer
against us. We were no longer alienated from Him. We
now can trust His promises that He will work all things together
for our good (Romans 8:28), which will give us a Peace with Him that He’s got us and He’s
in control. So, why worry?!
2. We can obtain Peace within ourselves when we learn how to let go and
let God handle every situation. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6) We can never obtain
Peace within ourselves when we worry, fret and/or scheme
to try to gain some perceived advantage. Jesus told His disciples
on the evening of His betrayal, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this
world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome
the world.” (John 16:33) There are two promises in His words. First,
we will have trouble in the world. The same circumstances
that rob us of our joy can rob us of our Peace. There are countless
of circumstances that cause us not to have Peace within, (big & small):
illness, death, traffic and lost keys. Second, Jesus
HAS already overcome the world. Did you notice that
this is past tensed? It is already done. “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over
all things to the church.” (Ephesians 1:22) There is nothing that we can go through that escapes His attention, no matter how
big or small. But we lose our inner Peace with
worry, fear and doubt because when it comes right down to it, we
just don’t trust and believe Him. We must be able to take God at His word. Encourage
ourselves in the Lord with His promises, which is the Word of God. “Be careful for nothing; but in every
thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep
your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
To achieve Peace within ourselves… PRAY!!!
Pray about everything. Nothing is too big or small for
God to handle. We cannot achieve Peace with other people
if we have inner conflict and turmoil.
3.
God has called on all of His followers to exercise Peace
with their fellow man.
Matthew 5:9:
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the
children of God.”
Romans
12:18: “If it be possible, as much
as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
Hebrews 12:14: “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord.”
1 Peter 3:10-11:
“For he that will love life, and see good days, let
him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.”
As a matter of fact, we are to have a single-minded
pursuit of achieving Peace with others. To accomplish this, there are some key
steps we should follow:
1. We must remember that we are members of the same body. “For
as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so
also is Christ.” “There should be no schism in the body; but that the members should
have the same care one for another.” (1 Corinthians 12:12, 25) “So we, being
many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” (Romans 12:5)
Not only are we members of the same body, but we are one.
The very person that you are having difficulty with, belongs to you and you to them. So, maintain
Peace within the Body of Christ.
2.
We must remember that we are members of
Christ’s body. As a church,
we discredit God Himself when we quarrel with one another. This kind of disharmony cannot be tolerated
in the house of the Lord.
3.
We must recognize that the cause of disharmony
often lies with us. Always ask yourself,
what is the common denominator in this situation? And more likely than not, you will find the common denominator
is YOU! It is not everyone else’s fault; everyone is not against you.
We have to stop being a victim and be more victorious in our walk with Christ. It always starts
with Him!
4. We must take the initiative to re-establish Peace. It makes no
difference whether you have offended your fellow Christian or they have
offended you. We are all personally responsible to make the first move toward
Peace. (Matthew 5:23-24; 18:15) Unresolved
conflict between believers is sin and it will spread through the body of Christ
like cancer until it requires spiritual surgery. We must also realize that we
have a responsibility to restore Peace with unbelievers.
(Romans 12:17-21) We cannot seek revenge. Our lives are always
to model the character of Christ which is the Fruit of the Spirit.
To achieve this godly Peace in our lives, we must yield and depend on the Holy Spirit to
produce the desire and the means to pursue Peace. Then and only then will we become whom God has
purposed us to be.
The next attribute is Longsuffering
b.k.a. Patience. Now that’s a good one!!!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Fruit of the Spirit -- JOY
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
“But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against
such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The second attribute of
this nine-fold fruit is:
2. Joy
What is Joy? Gladness of heart; great pleasure; delight;
a positive attitude or pleasant emotion. Like love, Joy is not the product of the natural mind but the
product of the Holy Spirit of God. Since it is not a product of ourselves, then pursuing it apart from the guidance of the
Holy Spirit will only produce a fleeting emotional state that will change as our circumstances change. That’s
happiness. The Joy that the people of God should possess is pure and holy. And this
Joy rises above circumstances and focuses on the very character (nature) of Almighty God.
Biblical Joy cannot be separated from our personal relationship with God. It springs from our
knowledge and understanding of the purpose of life and the promise of living with God forever. In His presence
there is fullness of Joy. (Psalm 16:11). The Joy that we have from God is only possible
from Him and through Him. It is confidence in knowing that God is working out ALL
things for our ultimate good. (Romans 8:28)
Realize that God can give us His Joy and once
God starts to release His Joy in us, we won't be able to help but experience it. And once we are experiencing it, it will
become much easier for us to learn to walk in it daily trusting and growing in our faith in Him. The Bible
says that the Joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) This is why it is so important that every
Christian have some level of God's Joy operating through them everyday. Without God's Joy operating
in our lives, things can begin to overwhelm us. Nothing will ever seem right. Everything can start to become mundane. Before
you know it, we will start to withdraw from others and life in general. Then we will be in full blown depression.
The Joy of the Lord can really give us an incredible surge of strength and energy to take on some tough and trying
situations. This is why every Christian should allow the Holy Spirit to release His Joy into us and allow this Godly Joy to
keep running through us on a regular and consistent basis.
But there are two things that can block the Joy of the Lord from operating in our lives:
1. Sin or
sinful attitudes can block our communion, fellowship and the
Joy of His presence. When we are not experiencing Joy, we should examine our lives and our hearts to see
if we are doing or have done something that is displeasing to God. Or, are we holding on to some sinful
attitude such as resentment, envy or unforgiveness?
2. Experiencing trials of faith. We must know that the
purpose of trials is to exercise or mature our faith. God will allow trials
in our lives to develop perseverance in us and to cause us to fix our hopes on
Him and His promises. Trials strengthen our character
because it will begin to shape us into His likeness. Christlikeness.
We will decrease while He increases within our hearts.
So, how can we have Joy in our lives and not
block it?
Ÿ
Confess and Repent of Sin. “I
acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and
thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout
for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” (Psalm
32:5, 11) The continued faithfulness of God to forgive and restore us to a right relationship with Him
should be a source of Joy to all believers.
Ÿ
Trust in God. “May
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the
Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
Our faith or lack thereof does not determine God’s fulfillment of His promises. Remember,
God is faithful. He is faithful unto Himself. So, the Joy comes from us depending on
and trusting God for His promises even if we cannot see the end result.
Ÿ
Take the long-term view of life. “Praise
be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in
heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed
in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds
of trials.” (1 Peter 1:3-6)
We are to have Joy in the Lord in whom we have the hope of an eternal inheritance that far outweighs any trials or
tribulations we are currently going through.
Ÿ
Give thanks in all things. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's
will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians
5:16-18) We should be thankful that in this present trial, God will not give us more than we can bear.
God’s grace is sufficient for us to handle anything that may come our way. And as we begin
to thank and praise God through our circumstances, we will begin to experience the Joy of the Lord which is our inheritance
through Christ Jesus.
The
purpose of Joy is not so we can feel better emotionally. The purpose of Joy is to glorify God by demonstrating
to the unbelievers that our God is loving, faithful and true. That our God cares for us, loves us and will
provide for us everything that we need; including Joy.
The next attribute is Peace.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Fruitb of the Spirit
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
“But the fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against
such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
What is the Fruit of the Spirit?
Did you notice that it is Fruit not Fruits? It is singular, not plural. The Fruit
of the Spirit has nine components and all of them will be produced within each of the believers as
the Spirit leads. This does not mean that each component will be in equal portions. Nor
does it indicate the quantity or quality in us. You cannot pick and choose which section of the fruit you
want to exhibit. The Holy Spirit will give you what you need to exhibit. There may be
times you need to exhibit more Love than Peace or more Faithfulness than Joy.
The Fruit of the Spirit is one nine-fold fruit that manifests itself in the life of an
believer who walks in the power of the Holy Spirit. This Fruit is a physical manifestation of a transformed
and mature Christian life. The Fruit of the Spirit is the result of the Holy Spirit’s presence
in one’s life. Everyone who confesses Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior receives the Holy Spirit,
which means we all receive the fruit. (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:13-14)
The purpose of God, the Holy Spirit, is
not to perform a couple of miracles for us or to comfort us when feel down. One of the primary purposes
of the Holy Spirit is to change us. We are not to be conformed to this world but transformed into the image
of Christ. (Romans 12:2) In other words, our character should exemplify who we serve.
This change in our character is called the “Fruit of the Spirit”.
The list provided by the Apostle Paul in
the book of Galatians was not intended to be an exhaustive list. It was given to the Galatian church to
remind them that their flesh has been crucified with Christ. And because our flesh has been crucified,
we are no longer to give in to our fleshly desires. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to bear fruit, so that
we can grow into spiritual maturity and live a victorious life through Christ Jesus.
The Fruit of the Spirit is:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Longsuffering
5. Gentleness
6. Goodness
7. Faith
8. Meekness
9. Temperance
If you want to display the fruit, you must
grow by faith in God’s Word and submit and obey His Will. The first attribute of this nine-fold fruit
is:
1. Love
What is Love?
The word Love has been misunderstood and lost in translation since the beginning of time. So many
people view Love as a feeling (noun). We view it as an intense desire to be with or to be satisfied by
someone or something. That’s not Love, that’s lust! Lust is just another
four letter word that burns out very quickly and all you‘re left with is disgust and frustration. Others
view Love by how much they may be able to give someone hoping for something in return. That’s not
Love, that’s manipulation! You are only doing it to get something in return. (loyalty,
praise, awards, obedience to your agenda, etc.) Still others use the word Love cavalierly, so that it’s
true meaning is lost. “I Love chocolate.” or “I Love the color red.”
Is this really Love, lust or just a preference? Using the word Love in this way, devalues it’s
meaning. Caring about something or someone is not Love. A person can care to the point
of obsession. This now becomes a mental health issue. (“stalker” might be
another term you can use)
Love is not just one of God’s attributes either. Love is an essential part of His nature.
“GOD IS LOVE!” (1 John 4:8, 16) He is the personification of “perfect
Love.” His Love surpasses our understanding! (Ephesians 3:19) His
Love is everlasting! (Jeremiah 31:3) God’s Love is free! (Hosea
14:4) God’s Love is sacrificial! (John 3:16) And His Love is
enduring! (John 13:1)
The Greek word for the kind of Love we are to manifest is “agape”. This
Love is unconditional and can only come about through the working power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, Fruit
of the Spirit. The kind of Love we are talking about is a Love that never fails, but always flourishes.
(1 Corinthians 13:8)
NOTE: Read 1 Corinthians 13>The “Love” Chapter to know what
real Love is.
The Love that God is calling for us to exhibit is not just toward our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, but
we are to exhibit this Love to everyone. We are called to not only Love our neighbor and brother, but also
to Love our enemies. (Matthew 5:44)
The commandment Christ left for us to follow is found in John 13:34-35:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.” Only
through the power of the Holy Spirit will we be able to Love everyone including our enemies. If we allow
God’s Spirit to work in us and through us, we will be a powerful testimony to all who see us. This
will in turn, lead them to Christ. They will want to be not like you, but the God that lives inside of
you.
God desires for us
to express His Love daily in every situation. The need for Love is never exhausted or outdated.
So, we cannot say, “We have no more Love to give.” This statement would only be true,
if we are trying to Love out of our own limited strength. Love must be something that grows within us.
It is a verb not a noun. Love must be perfected in us via the Holy Spirit. It
is not something we have naturally. It comes through the action of God through His Holy Spirit.
(Romans 5:5) It’s Supernatural!!!
1 John 4:7-12: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born
of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that
we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son
to be the propitiation of our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another.
No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected
in us.”
The Love of God and the Love of man go hand-in-hand. We cannot separate them.
1 John 4:20: “If a man say, I love,
God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can
he love God whom he hath not seen?”
If we are going to
be transformed into the image of Christ, then we must understand Love and the responsibilities that come with it.
Since God is Love, He is our source of Love. It starts and ends with Him. It
is not our nature to Love as God Loves. Everything God does is because He Loves. If
He disciplines us, He disciplines us in Love. If He judges us, He judges us in Love. If
He blesses us, He blesses us in Love. By Love God is revealed and known to the world.
We cannot be who God intended us
to be unless we Love with His Love. Since God shows His Love for us by drawing us closer to Him, then we
must show God’s Love toward others to draw them closer to God. Only by knowing God can we have this
attribute of Love and only by loving can we know Him for ourselves. We will not be able to demonstrate
godly Love until we know Him and mature in Him.
If we Love God we will obey Him. Obedience to God is our proof of a life of
love. Obedience to God is an act of submitting our will to His will, so that He will be glorified in us
and through us. “If ye love me, keep my
commandments. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and
he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” (John 14:15, 21)
Godly Love is the product of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
To exhibit this attribute of the Fruit of the Spirit, we must submit to God. We must realize
that we desperately need God to grow, mature and to be transformed into His likeness.
We will discuss the second attribute of the
Fruit of the Spirit: Joy.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
OBEDIENCE
Obedience is submission to the authority of God’s
will and His Word. Obedience is a positive, active response to what a person hears from God.
Most of us have been taught right from wrong from our parents, teachers and preachers. We constantly
would hear about things we could and could not do. Growing up, we probably didn’t understand why
we weren’t allowed to do certain things. For instance, like having to come in the house when the
streetlights came on, not being able to talk during class and being told that we should pray, read the Bible and go to church.
For some of us, we would just rebel and not obey anything or anyone.
Obedience is a choice, an active response of surrender. You
either choose to obey or you choose not to. But always remember that with every choice made comes consequences.
You will either be blessed or cursed. Even choosing to do nothing is a choice within itself.
Mankind’s failure to obey God results in God’s judgment. Remember the Garden of Eden???
(Genesis 2:16-17; 3:14-19) Lack of obedience can also result in rejection (1
Samuel 15:26), captivity (1 Kings 18:11-12), retribution (2 Thessalonians 1:8) and ultimately death (1 Kings 20:36).
How important is obedience to God? “What
pleases the Lord more? Burnt offerings and sacrifices, or obeying him? It is better
to obey than to offer a sacrifice. It is better to do what he says than to offer the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22) God is more interested in our obedience
than how we worship Him through monetary offerings and religious ceremonies and traditions. It becomes
a heart issue with God. “If we truly
love God, we will obey Him.” (John 14:15) We
cannot say we love God and continue to pursue our own selfish desires. We cannot say, “we’re
not under the law, we’re under grace so God will forgive me.” We cannot continue to
take advantage of His grace by falling back on doctrine. Yes, we are under grace but that doesn’t
give us “carte blanche” to do whatever we want. That’s rebellion! That’s
just an excuse and it’s an insult to God, His authority and the sacrifice He made on the cross. Don’t
say, “God knows my heart” and think you’re getting away with disobedience. GOD DOES
KNOW YOUR HEART!!! He sees it for what it really is. (Hard on the outside and Rotten
and Decayed on the Inside)
So, how can we be obedient to God and still feel like we’re making our own choices?
You cannot obey God without humility. (Humility – a freedom from arrogance that grows out
of the recognition that all we have and are comes from God) Obedience requires us to humble ourselves to
be able to submit to the authority of God. “God
resiseth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.” (1 Peter
5:5b) A humble person focuses on God rather than themselves. They will not try to steal
God’s glory. A person with a humble and submissive heart, will recognize that they are inadequate,
worthless and without dignity without God. Therefore, having a humble and submissive heart is a choice
that we make. Daily we must make a choice to obey God or not. Once we make the choice
to surrender our will to God’s, then we will be able to walk in the Spirit and grace of God. Living
an obedient life is a sign of a mature Christian. Truly, a disciple of Christ.
The process of living
an obedient life begins at salvation and continues until the Lord comes or He calls us home. God does not
require our obedience because He is a dictator, but because He is a loving God who knows what’s best for us.
Remember He is omniscience (all-knowing). Complete obedience cannot be accomplished simply by willing
it, wishing it or because you have this “deep” inner strength. It will not happen simply because
we decide one day that “today is the day!” Since we are prone to sinful behaviors and sinful
thoughts, we can do nothing apart from the work and power of the Holy Spirit. In order to be obedient,
we must rely on the power provided by the indwelling Holy Spirit. (John 14:16-17) Amazing!!!
Here God has to help us to be obedient to Him! (Philippians 4:13)
To really help you understand obedience,
grab hold of this key concept: “If you are saved, Jesus Christ is already Lord of your life!”
Jesus is Lord!!! (Acts 2:36) Obedience does not consist of one certain act. Obedience
becomes a way of life (lifestyle) that cannot be accomplished in our own strength, but by the indwelling power of the Holy
Spirit. We are the strongest and therefore obedient when we are relying totally on Him.
(2 Corinthians 12:10)
“Let Go and Let God Reign!”
Sunday, November 1, 2009
SUBMISSION
Submission is yielding
oneself to the authority or will of another. In other words, surrender. The Bible tells
us that we must submit to:
q Each Other: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:21)
q Husbands: “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.”
(Ephesians 5:22)
q Rulers: “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake
to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority,”
(1 Peter 2:13)
q Elders: “Young
men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.”
(1 Peter 5:5)
q Christian Leaders: “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.”
(Hebrews 13:17)
q God: “Submit yourselves, therefore to God.” (James 4:7a)
Throughout the Bible, God commands us to submit to different forms
of authority. But submitting is not a natural behavior for us. We are
selfish by nature and submitting to anyone or anything tends to be extremely difficult. We
are like spoiled little children who want their own way. “I want it now!” “It’s
MY way or the highway!” If we are to become mature followers of Jesus Christ, we must not behave
like spoiled children. “When I was a
child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind
me.” (1 Corinthians 13:11) We must learn
how to submit first to God then we will find it easier to submit to all others.
Submission should
be a natural response to loving leadership. Biblical submission is designed to be between
two spirit-filled believers who are mutually submitted to each other and more importantly, God.
For example, a wife cannot submit to an ungodly husband because he does not understand his God-given
role in the family unit. If that husband is not living a submitted life to Christ through
prayer, study and church attendance, then it will be extremely difficult for a Godly woman to submit.
“Husbands, love your wives. Love them just as Christ
loved the church. He gave himself up for her. He did it to make her holy. He made her clean by washing
her with water and the word. He did it to bring her to himself as a brightly shining church. He wants a
church that has no stain or wrinkle or any other flaw. He wants a church that is holy and without blame. In
the same way, husbands should love their wives. They should love them as they love their own bodies. Any man who loves his
wife loves himself. After all, people have never hated their own bodies. Instead, they feed and care for
their bodies. And that is what Christ does for the church.” (Ephesians 5:25-29) How many men are willing
to sacrifice their lives for the wives?
So
many people believe living a submitted life to anyone is a sign of weakness. This sentiment
is so far from the truth. Living a submitted life is true freedom. Being
submitted to God’s will is being free from the bondage of sin. If we submit
our will to God’s will, we will have the power to accomplish anything. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
(Philippians 4:13) A submitted will lifts the burdens, gives us joy in the midst
of turmoil and clears the path for God to accomplish His will in our lives. If we are trying to accomplish
things our way, then we really are doubting God and His promises. Deep down, we don’t believe that
God can handle our concerns. We don’t trust Him. We need to always remember that
God is faithful. He is faithful unto Himself. When He speaks a word, we need to believe
it and submit to it. We must be submitted followers to accomplish His
plans. He knows what’s best because He sees the full picture. If we continue in
our own way, we rob ourselves of all of the great and awesome things God has for us. Think about it:
you are beating yourself up and robbing yourself! Does that make sense?!
How can you make Jesus Lord of your life? Acknowledge
that Jesus is Lord with or without you. He doesn’t need you, but you desperately need Him!
You must surrender the following rights:
1.
The right to be offended
2. The right to my
time
3. The right to do what I want with my possessions
4. The right to self-pity
5. The right to self-justification
6.
The right to be understood
7. The right to criticize
or to be criticized
8.
The right to judge or to be judged
9. The
right to reject or to be rejected
10.
The right to complain
When you accepted
Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you no longer wanted to live for self. He purchased you with
His precious blood and we belong to Him. Jesus is not only our Savior, but more importantly, He is our
Lord. This part of the relationship requires yielding, surrendering, submitting and obeying.
Realize that you cannot make Him Lord of your life, He already is. Therefore, submit
to His Lordship.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
REBELLION
REBELLION
Rebellion is active
opposition to established authority. In other words, Rebellion can be vigorous,
hostile and resistant to the recognized authority figure or organization. The root cause of Rebellion
is selfishness, which leads to bitterness, quarreling and ultimately disobedience. The Word of God says
in 1 Samuel 15:23a, “For rebellion
is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”
Wow! Pretty harsh, huh?!
Since
the Fall of Man back in Genesis, mankind has desired to live their lives for self instead of for God. This
is Rebellion. There is an inner conflict between our two natures as Followers of Jesus
Christ, the old fleshly nature vs. the new spiritual nature. Paul discusses this warring of the soul in
Romans 7:14-25: “We know that
the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what
I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want
to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it
is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For
I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I
want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not
want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at
work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's
law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner
of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this
body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then,
I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”
There are numerous examples of
Rebellion throughout the Bible. Saul was a man who had no regard for God’s will.
He lived his life according to what he desired versus what God wanted (1 Samuel 13:1-14: “Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel
forty-two years. Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Micmash and in the hill country
of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.
Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown
throughout the land and said, "Let the Hebrews hear!" So all Israel heard the news: "Saul
has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines." And the people were summoned
to join Saul at Gilgal. The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand
charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven.
When the men of Israel saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets,
among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by
Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering
and the fellowship offerings. " And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making
the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. "What have you done?" asked
Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set
time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash, I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at
Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."
"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you
had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure;
the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's
command.") And the Israelites
throughout their wandering in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 9:6-24: “Understand, then, that it is not because of your
righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.
Remember this and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt
until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the LORD. At Horeb you aroused
the LORD's wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you. When I went up on the mountain to receive
the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and
forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water. The LORD gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the finger
of God. On them were all the commandments the LORD proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire, on the day of the assembly.
At the end of the forty days and forty nights, the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant.
Then the LORD told me, "Go down from here at once, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become
corrupt. They have turned away quickly from what I commanded them and have made a cast idol for themselves."
And the LORD said to me, "I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed!
Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation
stronger and more numerous than they." So I turned and went down from the mountain while it
was ablaze with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands. When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against
the LORD your God; you had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. You had turned aside quickly from the
way that the LORD had commanded you. So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, breaking
them to pieces before your eyes. Then once again I fell prostrate before the LORD for forty days
and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the
LORD's sight and so provoking him to anger. I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD, for he was angry
enough with you to destroy you. But again the LORD listened to me. And the LORD was angry enough with Aaron
to destroy him, but at that time I prayed for Aaron too. Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf
you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into
a stream that flowed down the mountain. You also made the LORD angry at Taberah, at Massah and at
Kibroth Hattaavah. And when the LORD sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, he said, "Go up and take possession
of the land I have given you." But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You did not
trust him or obey him. You have been rebellious against the LORD ever since I have known
you.”). Nothing has changed today.
We are still a rebellious people who desire to have things our way, not God’s.
Almighty God is not the only established authority we rebel
against. We also we rebel against God’s established authority in the church.
So many within the church have come against their own Pastors because their own selfish agendas aren’t being
followed. We begin to pray and speak against the direction of the church because it may not be how we believe
things should be. When that happens, we begin to try to cause a revolt by having that Pastor removed or
by trying to get others to leave the fellowship. That my friends, is Rebellion.
Rebellion can manifest in the following ways:
1. Jealousy/Envy>resentment against another’s success; hinders growth (Genesis 37:5, 11:
Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers,
they hated him all the more. His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.)
2.
Fear>anxiety caused by perceived
approaching danger; creates weakness (Numbers 13:30-33, 14:9: “Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession
of the land, for we can certainly do it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We
can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they spread among the Israelites
a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people
we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim).
We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them. Only do not rebel
against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection
is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.")
3. Impatience>inability to control one’s desire for action, delayed blessings (Genesis 16:1-3:
“Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children.
But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from
having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her. Abram agreed
to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian
maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.”)
4. Greed>excessive desire for things; can bring judgment on others (Joshua 7:11-12:
“Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant,
which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put
them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn
their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever
among you is devoted to destruction.”)
5. Stubbornness>self-willed, unyielding and unteachable; (Isaiah 48:4-8:
“For I knew how stubborn you were; the sinews of
your neck were iron, your forehead was bronze. Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they
happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, 'My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained
them.' You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them?
"From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you. They are created
now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot say, 'Yes, I knew of
them.' You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ear has not been open. Well
do I know how treacherous you are; you were called a rebel from birth.")
6. Unbelief >unwillingness to accept what is true; can lead to murmuring (Deuteronomy
9:23: “And when the LORD sent you
out from Kadesh Barnea, he said, "Go up and take possession of the land I have given you." But you rebelled
against the command of the LORD your God. You did not trust him or obey him.”
Psalms 106:24-25: “Then
they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise. They grumbled in their tents and did
not obey the LORD.”)
7. Hypocrisy>showy, empty display of religious behavior; fault finding in others and self-righteousness (Matthew
15:1-9: “Then some Pharisees and
teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They don't wash their hands before they eat!" Jesus replied, "And why do you break
the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother’
and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or
mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor
his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right
when he prophesied about you: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far
from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.” Luke 18:11-12: “The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers,
evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'”)
All
forms of Rebellion are ultimately against God. Whether it’s someone turning away
from the church or a child rebelling against their parents, it still comes down to a person wanting to do
what they want versus what God wants. This form of sin is evil and keeps us from receiving our blessings.
We should all examine our lives to
see if there is any Rebellion lurking in our hearts, then confess it, repent, submit and obey God.
This also includes legal authorities, parents and our spiritual leadership. We will never mature
in Christ with Rebellion in our hearts.
Next topic: Submission
