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

Peace is the next part of the Fruit of the Spirit in these verses. Peace is defined as tranquility or freedom from disturbance. Having peace is having the ability to remain calm no matter when is occurring around you. Being peaceful or having peace starts with a mind set and can occur by doing certain things, such as appreciating nature, taking care of yourself, getting enough sleep, and living in the present moment. These are all secular ways to find peace and develop the habit of being peaceful.

There is an even better way to grow in the ability to be at peace though, and that is to be connected to God. The mindset of peace can be contagious and God is filled with peace, therefore being close to Him allows us to learn what being at peace feels like and how to practice it. For example, Jesus was at peace in the boat during the storm as it is recorded in Matthew because in His mind, He knew Who was in control.

Remembering that God is in control and surrendering to Him so that He can lead us into His will is a wonderful way to be at peace. As we develop a peaceful mindset, we see other areas of the Fruit of the Spirit present themselves, such as joy and love. It is impossible to be angry, the opposite of showing love, and peaceful at the same time.

Being at peace can be difficult because as humans we want some sense of control over what is going on around us. We want control over our future because the unknown is scary. However, when we accept that God is in control and that God only wants what is best for us, then being able to release our grip on the idea of control and practice being at peace can be achieved and is very fulfilling.

How is your peace? Are you connected to God, the most peaceful being there is? I do want to warn you though, when you ask God to help you develop peace, be aware that situations that are not peaceful will begin happening in your life because you cannot develop peace without stress. Anyone can be peaceful if everything is always going exactly as it is suppose to go, the development of peace happens when everything is not going the way it should. However, being at peace by being connected to God is the best way to live and worth developing this part of the Fruit of the Spirit.

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

Joy is the second fruit mentioned in this verse. At one time, I used to believe that joy and happiness were the same thing. However, over the years I have learned that happiness comes from the situation occurring around you. When the situation you are in is a positive one or something that you desire, then you feel happiness, but that happiness tends to last only as long as the positive situation is occurring.

Joy, however, comes from your internal situation, it doesn’t depend on your external situation. Joy can occur no matter what is happening around you. You choose to have joy in your life, where happiness is a result of something else. When you choose to have joy in your life, then the feelings of contentment and hope often accompany it.

How do we choose to have joy? Everyone has joy inside them, it is up to us to decide whether we will express it or ignore it. We choose joy when we choose to focus on others and on God. Focusing on the many blessings that God has placed in our lives helps us to want to choose joy. We can deepen our joy when we build our personal relationship with God. Being in constant communication with God through prayer and studying His word helps to open the well of joy that we have inside of us.

As we work with God in the growth of all the parts of the Fruit of the Spirit, we tend to notice that each of them have an effect on the others. For example, the more joy you choose to have in your life, the more love you want to show.

Choosing joy is something you have to do on purpose, you need to start each day intentionally choosing to have joy in your life. After a while of doing that, choosing joy can become automatic. So, do you want to be happy, until your external situations are no longer what you want them to be or do you want to choose joy? I believe I would rather choose to have joy then wait for something to happen to me that allows me to be happy.

Where do you stand on the idea of having joy in your life?

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

The first fruit of the spirit that is listed is love. The concept of ‘Love’ has been used over the years in a large array of ways. People love things, such as cars or phones. People love ideas, such as an idea about decorating a house. People have loved places, Disney World. People have loved others in familial ways, the way a parent loves a child or one family member loves another family member. People love others in a platonic way, such as friends and even best friends. People love each other in romantic ways, the way a husband and wife love each other.

The love listed as a Fruit of the Spirit is none of those kinds of love. This love is referred to as Agape love. Agape love is defined as unconditional love, the kind of love that is given without expecting anything in return. Love is not a feeling but a choice and this love is sometimes hard to choose to express. When we choose to express Agape love, we are showing love to people who we may not have warm feelings towards, people who irritate us, annoy us and sometimes even hurt us.

So why would choosing to show this type of love be considered a fruit of the Spirit? Once we are saved, God begins working in us and He helps us to grow. Just as fruit is the product of growth in a plant, this fruit, love, is the manifestation of the growth inside of us. 1 John 4:8 says “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” God is love and the Holy Spirit is God working within us, so showing Agape love is showing how God is helping us to grow in our spiritual nature.

Evidence of this fruit is seen in how we treat others. When we are growing in Agape love, then we are kind in situations where we would have been rude before or we think of what others would like instead of only thinking of ourselves. Even though the growth or maturity in our walk with God does not happen immediately, each time we show love in this way, we are showing someone just a small piece of the love that God has shown to us.

Have you grown in your expression of Agape love?

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

The fruit of the Spirit is a term that is used a lot in the Christian community. The fruit is a list of 9 different characteristics, traits or attributes that should be visible in the lives of Christians. These characteristics or traits demonstrate that growth and maturity are occurring in a Christian’s walk with God. The list is not a checklist of characteristics that we go through and check off as we accomplish them. For example, we do not move from developing love, accomplish it and then move on to developing joy. They all work together, we may develop one of them faster or easier than another but we have the seed of all of them in us.

As we grow in our walk as a Christian, we begin to develop the different parts of the fruit. An example is that when we are saved, our overall attitude changes but not over night. It takes some time to develop. Any plant that produces fruit does not produce it the moment it is planted. It may not even produce it the first year that the plant is in the ground. The development of fruit takes time, which is something we need to be aware of as Christians. Sometimes we rush to “develop” the characteristics that we believe we should already have when we have not taken the time to let God work in us to produce the right environment for the growth to occur.

How do we know that we are responding to the Holy Spirit and we are beginning to produce the Fruit of the Spirit? As I wrote earlier, our attitude changes, we should begin to notice that in times when we would have been angry before, we are not becoming angry as quickly or when we would have been very impatient with someone that we are giving them more grace.

As we move through the next week or so looking at the fruit, please remember that it is not a checklist that you go down through accomplishing one before moving to the next, but a collection of traits that you develop and grow all together, a little at a time.

“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” Psalm 115:3 NIV

When I first read this verse, I was confused. I wasn’t sure what the author was trying to say with this statement. After doing some research, I found that there are few different interpretations of this verse. This is one of the verses that is not a ‘stand alone’ verse because it could be taken out of context and made to look like it means something that it does not mean. However, when it is read in the context of the rest of the passage, it makes sense, at least to me, what the author was saying.

The one interpretation that sticks with me is the one that says that God is able to do what He wills where as the other gods of the time, the idols created by humans, were not able to do anything. Obviously that is because they were just pieces of metal or wood and were not the Living God, they were not our God.

Once I let that take root, the account of the creation of the world took on an even greater significance for me. It was by His will, His desire that the heavens and the earth were formed on the first day as it is recorded in Genesis 1:1. Without His approval this would not have happened. Without His approval or will, we would not have been created in His image as it is recorded in Genesis 1:26-27.

I can only imagine that if God had not decided to create the heavens and the earth or the animals and us at the time that He did, that we may not be the people we are today. It is hard to imagine because if He had not created the heavens and earth and us, we wouldn’t be here to even think about this. If He had decided to wait and do it at another time, the situations that occurred in the garden may have been different, Eve may have said no to the serpent.

None of that matters though because God chose to make the heavens, the earth, the animals and us when He did. He can make those choices because He is the real Living God. The psalm that this verse is a part of is only one of the Egyptian Hallel psalms, psalms 113-118, that were sung during the Passover celebrations after Jesus had ascended. Normally Jesus and His disciples would have sung a certain part and since they were no longer there, this collection was used in their place.

Psalms 113-118 talks about how God is the Living God and can do what He pleases because He is real. Since He is real and not a piece of wood or metal, He has choices and can exercise them. In Genesis 6:9-22, God made a choice to save one family when He destroyed all the living creatures on the earth. He didn’t have to save that one family, He very easily could have started over and created everything again just like He did the first time, but that did not please Him. He wanted that one family to remain and so they did.

No idol or other made up god that we could possibly choose to worship can do that, only our real, Living Lord and Savior can do that.

Heavenly Father, Thank You very much for desiring to create the heavens and the earth. Thank You for wanting to have a personal relationship with us even after all that we have thought, said and done that is not in Your will for our lives. You are so patient with us and we do not deserve that. I am in awe of Your magnificent love for us. Thank You for being willing to be our Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ precious name. Amen

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:1-5 NIV

I wrote recently that I am comforted by knowing that God is everywhere and that I cannot hide from God. That He can see and knows what I am doing and thinking. This verse speaks about the idea of God knowing not only what I am going to say but what I am thinking a little more in depth. In my post “Nearby or far away”, I wrote about Jeremiah 23 and how God knows where we are and what we are thinking, saying and doing. I wrote that I take comfort in that because there are times when temptation feels too strong and knowing that God is everywhere encourages me to draw on Him for strength to resist the temptation.

Just as Jeremiah was writing about the mistaken belief of the false prophets, that they could hide from God, David is also writing about the idea of not being able to hide from God. David expresses to God that he knows that God is omniscient and omnipresent. He knows that God is aware of not only what he has said and done but what he is thinking even before he says it. This means that God knows David’s heart and God knows each one of our hearts, as believers.

As true believers, I pray that our hearts are wanting to please God and not sin, but we are human and know that we are not perfect. We are all going to make mistakes and going to sin. Thankfully we serve a God who knows our hearts and knows that we want to please Him. He knows what has happened, what is happening and what will happen, and He is choosing to love us anyway. That is amazing to me.

The last part of this passage is also comforting. David states that God hems us in from all directions as well as lays His hand on us. When we think of a hedge or bush, we think of a barrier between one thing and another. A bush or hedge at the end of a yard is a barrier between that yard and the next, for example. That bush or hedge can also serve as an object of protection, which is how David is referring to it in this passage. God hems us in, He protects us from all sides.

David stated that God lays His hand upon him and you can feel that David does not mean that God is doing this in a way of controlling David but in a way that means God is showing him grace. So God knows what we are thinking, before we do, He knows what we are going to say, before we do, He knows what we are going to do, before we do, but most importantly He knows our hearts. God then chooses to lay His hand upon us in acts of grace and protect us because we are His children and our hearts long to please Him.

Heavenly Father, I pray that as you continue to know all about each one of us, believer or not, that You continue to love us. Thank You for that, Lord. Thank You for knowing us intimately, knowing our hearts and while knowing all that we do, that You still want to give us grace and protect us. We are so underserving of Your grace, but You love us so much that You give us Your grace anyway. I am humbled by that, Lord. I pray that everyone who reads this today, has chosen You as their Lord and Savior or is led to choose You as their Lord and Savior. I pray all of this in Your Son’s most precious name, Jesus. Amen.

“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” Psalms 8:9 NIV

When I read this verse my heart fills with joy. I try to imagine what David must have been feeling as he wrote such beautiful words to our Lord and Savior.

Lord, our Lord.

The idea that we can call God, our Lord, is amazing to me. The absolute love that David is showing God at this moment is genuine. God created all the earth and His name is celebrated by His children throughout the earth. This being who has done all this, wants to have a relationship with you and me, so humbling.

God created everything, the heavens and earth, which is amazing. Then He placed us, humans, in charge of everything here on earth. He trusts us with His creation. This entire psalm is a song of praise to God and all that He has done for David and us, His children.

I can almost see David lifting his arms up in adoration of God as he shouts out “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name.” That must have been a beautiful site. When I am worshipping God, I try to put all of my mind, heart and soul into it. God doesn’t deserve anything less. He doesn’t deserve to have only part of me worshipping Him. I want to react to hearing music devoted to Him, being in His presence and reading His word with that kind of outpouring. I want my worship to be coming from the very depths of my soul. I want to show God how much He means to me, how majestic I believe He is.

David knew what God was capable of, He knew the level of forgiveness God was willing to give His children. David had committed several sins, one right after another, in a short period of time and if anyone could have felt like God was not going to forgive them, it could have been David. However, David humbled himself and approached God with true sorrow in his heart and God forgave him.

Sometimes the most heart felt worship comes from the moments when we are at the lowest points and are feeling not worthy of any forgiveness. David experienced those moments, so he knew that to have God in his life was an honor and privilege. David was absolutely right when he proclaimed that our God’s name is majestic.

What comes to your mind when you hear this verse? I hope it moves you emotionally.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

When I read this verse, I think of my mom. My mom’s life was not an easy life. She faced many challenges, but the one thing she knew was that as she faced those challenges she was not alone. No matter what she was facing, she knew that God was with her. She knew He would not leave her nor forsake her.

At the end of her life, she was both strong and courageous as she faced her last days on this earth. She knew where she was going and that God would be there with her just as He has always been here with her.

It is hard to not be afraid at times as we face the challenges of this life, but as believers we have to remember that we never face them alone. We always have God with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. When we face those moments of uncertainty and the devil wants to stop us in our tracks with fear, it is then that we can recite this verse and remember Who is on our side. The situation or challenge may not end the way we want or as soon as we want, but God will be there with us the entire time.

Heavenly Father, please be with each one of us as we face life on this earth. Please comfort us, reminding us that You will never leave nor forsake us. I pray this in Jesus’s precious and holy name. Amen

“In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me!” Psalms 31:1 ESV

How often do you take refuge in God? I know I do not do it as often as I should. I begin to believe that I am all I need as I face whatever situation I am encountering. However, it doesn’t take long for me to realize that I am not enough, not strong enough, not brave enough, not wise enough, to face what is to come next.

Unfortunately, most of the time, I have to get to the point of realizing that I am not enough before I turn and surrender to God. That is when I take my refuge in Him. I want to live my life taking refuge in Him from the very beginning of each and every day, not once I figure out I can’t do something. This is a behavior that I am trying to practice. I practice it by being in His word, listening to music that glorifies Him and communicating with Him.

I have come to realize that this behavior and thought pattern of believing that I am enough has to do with pride. Pride in being able to do whatever it is by myself, take care of myself and not have to need anyone. However, that kind of thinking does not line up with how God made us to live. We are made to need to need others and most importantly we are made to need God. Living a life without having God in it ns not fulfilling, it is empty.

Are you living a life with God and taking refuge in Him daily or are you living life depending on yourself as you face each day?

“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away?
Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:23-24 NIV

In the verses for today, Jeremiah records some questions from God. There were false prophets in Jeremiah’s time and they were preaching that Israel’s God was a god that was only present at certain times and otherwise was absent. That He was only in certain places and not others. These false prophets were doing their best to help people believe that there were things that they could do and say that God would not know about.

The false prophets wanted the Israelites to change how they behaved, believed, spoke so they would follow them and not God. The false prophets were not accepting that God was seeing and knew what they were doing and continued to believe that they could do anything in secret and would be fine. God was aware of what they were doing and He was going to deal with them, just as He does with us when we sin and refuse to repent.

Being human, I have always thought that I had the ability to do things in secret. That only I would know what I was thinking or only the people involved with what I was doing would know what I had done. And while this may be true that as humans being we are limited and are not able to know what others are thinking because we cannot read their minds, it is not true for God. God is not human and He does not have the limitations that we have. He is able to see everything because He is everywhere.

So the idea that no matter were I go or what I do, God is always there and knows, used to scared me. I was afraid of making a mistake and getting in trouble because if I made enough mistakes, I believed that God would be done forgiving me and just walk away. In my life, I have done, said, and thought things that I am not proud of. I have tried my best to remember all of them so I can ask for forgiveness for those things from God.

Here is the wonderful news. Even though I have done those things, said those things, thought those things and felt those things, God has not walked away. I have come to Him with true sorrow in my heart, asking for forgiveness and He has forgiven me. He knew about them before I ever brought them to Him and He still wanted to listen to me and forgive me. That is a relief that my God is understanding, wants to be in a relationship with me and is willing to forgive me, because I am human and make mistakes.

The longer that I have been a believer, the more I have matured in my faith, I have come to realize that I have changed my feelings about God being everywhere. Now, I view the idea of not being able to hide, as a comfort. No matter what I think, feel, say or do, I know that God knows about it. So I try to not sin but when I do, because I am going to, I ask for forgiveness. I know that I don’t have this secret I am hiding from God because He already knows, and He is willing to forgive me. I am thankful for that.

I also view the fact that He is everywhere as an aide at times. Knowing He is everywhere helps me to resist temptations at times when I feel less than strong enough to do it on my own. It took me a while to think of His presence in that way and not as a threat and I feel comfort now knowing He is everywhere with me.

My question for you today is………Does His presence everywhere bring you comfort or dread? I pray that it is comfort but if it is not, I hope you would be willing to look at changing how you think about God being everywhere with you because He is.