Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Patience (Matthew 6:33) Day 54
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Patience (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Patience Day 54
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these
things shall be added to you.
Matthew
6:33
There is virtue in preparation and planning. In fact, the Boy
Scout motto is “Be prepared.” It is easy, however, for us to become so focused
on our plans that our preparation grows from preparedness to preoccupation to
worry. It is easy to waste our time and emotional energy with concerns for what
we should do, could do, or what might happen next. Thankfully, Jesus has given
us a simple system for preparation with two active steps: 1) seek the kingdom
of God and 2) seek God’s righteousness.
Seeking is not something we do passively. Seeking is an
action we do with purpose. When we actively seek the kingdom of God first, we
are forced to prioritize. When we are intentional about seeking God’s
righteousness, we are forced to evaluate our priorities. In fact, through
seeking God’s righteousness, we may discover that our plans and preparations
need to change. Suddenly, the things that concerned us the most may seem less
significant, when looked upon with a Godly-kingdom perspective.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Monday, February 23, 2015
Patience (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Patience Day 53
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the
fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.
1
Thessalonians 5:14
Has anyone ever annoyed you? This is often described as
getting on someone’s nerves. Has there been someone whose mannerisms and
actions aggravated you such that you did not want to be in their presence? Some
people are easily bothered by those who regularly misbehave. Others become
frustrated with those who are negatively considered whiny, and who complain
about handling the smallest of tasks.
We may encounter people like this in our families, jobs, and
churches. Often, the temptation or practice is to avoid any potential
encounters with them in order to keep a positive mindset or so that we do not
disturb our day. However, when we choose to display the patience of the Spirit,
we may find constructive ways to interact with those we once avoided.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Patience (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Patience Day 52
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares
us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Hebrews
12:1
Hebrews 11 covers centuries of momentous occasions in just
one chapter. This chapter is well-known for its recounting of how faith played
a role in the lives of many different individuals who encountered various circumstances.
We may be tempted to believe that God performed those types of acts then, but
not anymore. It may seem that miracles no longer occur in our modern times.
Instead, we should recognize that the Almighty God of the past is the same God
of the present. God still works miracles every day.
Today, when we face our challenges, we can either give up or
patiently endure until God acts. Distractions and disbelief may momentarily
hold us back. We choose, however, whether to give up or to push them aside and
move forward. Temptations and personal weaknesses will cling to us, yet if we
hold onto God, we may stay free from their grasp.
When in need of a miracle, let us endure and know that our
powerful God will not give us more than we can bear with Him. No matter the
race before us, God is with us. Since He is with us, let us patiently wait and
allow Him to act and perform miracles in our lives.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Monday, February 16, 2015
Patience (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Patience Day 51
2 My brethren,
count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
James
1:2-3
It is commonly stated at graduation ceremonies that the value
of an education is something that can never be taken away. One comedian noted,
that as a child, he believed this meant that even a thief could not break into
a house and steal a diploma. However, it is not the certificate that holds this
special value, but the doors that are opened because of the experience and
knowledge acquired to attain the degree.
Just as there are tests and trials in school, we too face
personal challenges in our lives. Like we did in school, we have the
opportunity to learn from our successes and our mistakes. We may also learn
that using patience helps us to successfully pass our present and future
trials. Throughout all of this, we have the bible as a text book that can guide
us.
We never know when we will encounter the next pop quiz in
life. So, we must be patient during our personal tests and have joy in knowing
that we will eventually graduate to a higher level. Let us patiently store up
the lessons learned from our trials as we prepare to face the journeys ahead.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Patience (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Patience Day 50
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Philippians
4:6
Many children believe that they can drive cars the same as
their parents. It does not matter that they cannot touch the pedals or even see
over the steering wheel yet. In the eyes of these children, they are fully
prepared to take on the task of driving.
Similarly, many of us prematurely aspire to immediately attain
certain status levels. We desire to have particular possessions or positions.
We seek to assume new responsibilities professionally or in the body of Christ.
Sometimes, we even anxiously await to marry, have children, or achieve specific
life goals. However, in all of these circumstances, we may face extreme
difficulties or not have the success we desire because we are not prepared and
the time is not right.
Instead of looking to an artificial timeline or comparisons
with others, we can perform a spiritual evaluation to know whether it is time
to step forward in faith. There is a difference between being obedient to the
will of God and being anxious to promote our own will. So, let us pray for the
opportunities to be prepared, and then, wait patiently to grow.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015
Patience (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Patience Day 49
Love suffers long . . .
1
Corinthians 13:4
Many believers long to live a Spirit-guided life. They also
understand that they should do so through love, the first fruit of the Spirit
listed. However, in our fast-paced society, where there is pressure to respond
quickly, many Christians fail in Paul’s very first description of love: suffering
long or being patient.
When we truly express spiritual love, it is not selfish,
material, or lustful. It is an active representation of God’s love for us. In
suffering long with love, we learn to forgive multiple times, just as God
patiently forgives us over and over again. We care enough to overcome being
quick-tempered, just as God does not retaliate against us. We seek to better
communicate our love through means that may be better received. We strive to be
patient, not only with family and spouses, but with our enemies and neighbors.
Long suffering does not mean to endure abuse in order to love.
We must protect ourselves from abuse (domestic, verbal, sexual, etc.), for we
cannot love others if we have not learned to love ourselves. So, let us be careful
not to cause others to feel abused from our lack of patience or force others to
suffer in their attempts to love us. Let us act out our love with patience and
be constant in our efforts to love. Let us not fail to love.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Patience (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Patience Day 48
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the
farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it
until it receives the early and latter rain.
James
5:7
Each of us experiences various seasons in our lives, more
than just the four seasons of the calendar year. These seasons may sometimes last
for years. We have seasons of joy and new blessings, periods of brokenness, times
of recovery, etc. Throughout these experiences, our commitment and willingness
to wait on the Lord may vary. We may even have seasons in how passionate we are
for God, as we deal with the circumstances we are encountering.
During the seasons of our lives, we have the example of
farmers to guide us. Farmers do not always see the desired amount of sun or
rain come each day, but they still wait for their crops to grow. They patiently
wait to reap the crops that they have faithfully sown throughout the season.
Let us learn to have patience through our seasons and
circumstances. Let us have confidence in waiting on our crop, through the sun
and rain of life. Let us not lose hope or lose our passion for Christ. Rather,
let us wait patiently on Him, for one day we will reap and receive the crop of
eternity. Let us not just trust God only for a season, but throughout our lives.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Monday, February 2, 2015
Patience (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Patience Day 47
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall
mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall
walk and not faint.
Isaiah
40:31
In elementary school, we are taught that a verb is a word of
action. The verb “wait” does not invoke the idea of progress or action. It is
important, however, to note that the act of waiting requires a specific choice
with a specific outcome intended. Just as someone actively runs to a predetermined
destination, waiting also suggests an expected result.
When we wait on the Lord, we show that we are not casually
loitering and looking to see if there will be some coincidental encounter.
Either we wait on the Lord knowing that He will arrive and take action in our
lives, or we simply go through the motions. Praying in times of trouble just because
we were taught to do so, but without any true expectation for God to impact our
circumstances, is only looking - not waiting. Waiting is trusting and
believing.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
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