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2 May, 2015
Fruit of the Spirit, JOY
If you are a believer you have fruits of the Spirit.
A believer is not a person who is free from sorrow. On the contrary, God softens a person's heart so that he or she may become more vulnerable to the world's pain, yet a believer has deep joy that can never be taken away.
SORROW IS TEMPORARY IN A BELIEVER'S LIFE. JOY IS PERMANENT.
Fruit means to be fertile.
One of the first mentions of the word "fruit" was in Genesis 1:28 to Adam and Eve: "Be fruitful and multiply."
Is there fruit in your life? Is it present and multiplying?
We are to be fruit bearers in the Kingdom of God. Matthew l2:33: "You will know them by their fruit."
You will not operate in the gifts of the Spirit until you operate in the fruits of the Spirit.
Example: I recently walked nine unbelieving Holocaust survivors to see a life-changing film. On that very same day, 40 years earlier, I learned that my business partner stole $40,000 from my company. I forgave her and released her from all obligations and went on to build up the business with God. We succeeded and prospered, and I renamed the business, "The Kings Office." That incident and my total forgiveness of my business partner had been done then. The reminder came exactly 40 years later to the day, as I walked those Holocaust survivors to see this film that my husband wrote many years ago , that my actions were still bearing fruit.
BUT fruit bearing is ongoing: In 2015, a new situation had arisen in my life, and in this new time and place, I needed to face and to be set free from un-forgiveness, bitterness, feeling sorry for myself and judgment of someone who has hurt me deeply. It became obvious that until this happened in my life, the very fruit that I wanted to see multiplied would rot on the tree. God is not mocked, we reap what we sow. Galatians 6:7
God in His mercy showed me my heart, and I wanted to see it. I did not want to hide from it or Him. God knew I was ready: My cousin, in the USA has harbored resentment and bitterness against me for over 35 years. I've tried in every way to reconcile with her until, finally, both my husband and my son said, "Stop pursuing this! Her heart is hard." I had peace. I let the matter go, and with God's help, also my own bitterness and frustration in the situation.
The story continues: There is a women who the Lord allowed me to lead to Himself 38 years ago. This woman, directly reappeared in my life recently, and I learned that she is a friend of my alienated cousin. She wrote an outstanding letter of love filled with prayers for my cousin as she faced a dangerous operation and I know those words have and will further reach and soften her heart - my cousin will open her heart again to Him. That is what I have wanted all these 34 years; for her to come back to Him. In forgiving me for things long passed, she will find the peace that has avoided her all these years.
I believe like Joyce Myers that if we can begin to seek the development of the fruits of the Spirit, we will become powerful with our lives. And the power of God shows up best in our weakness.
FURTHR FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Becoming fruitful has become more important to us than any of the other gifts.
Until we are treating people the way God treats us, joy will not really happen in our lives.
We develop what we focus on.
If I focus on love, everything else in my life will be taken care of.
"Love one another as I have loved you." John 13: 34
God wants to use you to make others happy. What a statement that is. Think about it.
We reap what we sow. Galatians 6:9.
Anything you really want in your life, start to give it away. If you want love, give love. If you want peace, give peace. If you want material goods, give material goods. Better yet, don't do it for those reasons, do it because you want to see others become happy through your gifts to them.
"Let the words of my mouth be acceptable unto You" Ps 19:14 Put a watch over your mouth and keep your tongue from speaking evil.
You don't always have to feel good to bless people. You can argue with words. You cannot deny actions.
Change your words, change your life.
GETTING HURT IN LIFE IS INEVITABLE; STAYING HURT IS A CHOICE[TM1] .
A sister told us of story of a large group of people waiting to hear a certain speaker. When that speaker arrived, she asked this question of the group. "Has anyone hurt you in the past in ways that have affected you in your present life?" She then said, "I have a word for you: 'Get over it.'"
IN YOUR PRESENCE IS FULLNESS OF JOY: Ps 16:11
What do we want in this life? Truly, I believe everyone wants joy.
I wanted a consistent, constant life filled with joy, not a roller coaster experience.
If you look at your lives as a service to God and have definite objections in life outside of yourselves and your personal happiness, you can obtain joy.
"Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship for they will walk in the light of Your presence oh Lord" Psalm 89:15
"In Your presence is fullness of joy." Psalm 16:11
Some of the things that can steal our joy are sin and fear. These will suck the life out of you and sap your joy.
Here are some additional scriptures concerning joy. Meditate on them, let them speak to your hearts and change your thinking:
"Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5
"Count it all joy my friends when you fall into various trials." James 1: 2
"May the God of all hope fill you with joy." Romans l5:13
"Until now you've asked for nothing in My name, ask that your joy may be full" John l6:24
"A joyful heart is good like a medicine" Proverbs l7:22
"The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Romans l4:17
"Likewise I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents." Luke l5:10
"I say to you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety nine persons who need no repentance." Luke l5:7
"Go out with joy" Isaiah 55:12
In His love,
Terri Morey |
