Peace (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Peace                                                                                       Day 38

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Colossians 3:15

Generally, a goal of technology is to provide greater comfort and ease to our lives. However, with more technological advances, we may discover that we have become busier and busier. With all of our communication devices, we find ourselves always accessible and tempted to stay connected. Our minds stay focused on work or the next project for our family, community, or church. Eventually, many of us find that it is a struggle to have peace or to simply find time for rest.

A marvelous reward of focusing on and listening to the Spirit is that we can learn to allow the peace of God to rule in our hearts. No matter how busy we get, we can let God take control. When distractions come, peace may prevail. When challenges arise, peace rules. Though this may prove to be a lifelong lesson for many of us, it is great to know that we have access to peace in our daily comings and goings.

Let us listen to the voice of the Spirit and be guided to the peace of God that is always available to us. Let us receive Colossians 3:15 as a sincere directive. We may allow peace to prevail, if we only step aside and allow God to rule, not us.

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Joy (Hebrews 13:15) Day 37

Joy (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Joy                                                                                           Day 37

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Hebrews 13:15

When children are young, their parents often teach them to say, “Thank you.” They want their children to learn to appreciate what is being done for them and not grow up with an attitude of expectation. Even though these simple words are taught to serve as a mere courtesy, it is hoped that a mindset and attitude of gratitude will follow.

Unfortunately, as adults, we sometimes forget this lesson ourselves. We forget to give thanks for the things God has done. We forget that although we may instinctively express joy with our lips by exclaiming “Great” or “Thank God” to ourselves, we should still take time to give a prayer of thanks to Him.

If anything comes from our lips to reveal who we are, let it be praises to God. The fruit of our lips will show that we walk in the Spirit and understand more than mere courtesies and formalities. Let us give our thanks as an expression of our true appreciation and offer our thanks in the name of Jesus who died for us. Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, without the attitude that praise is a burdensome sacrifice.

Let us reveal the fruit of the Spirit in us through the joy that we regularly show through our continuous praise.

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Joy (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Joy                                                                                           Day 36

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. ¹¹ Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. ¹²  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Psalm 51:10-12

Have you ever desired a fresh start? Have you yearned for the weight of certain burdens, struggles, and stains of secreted sin to be lifted? Have you longed for the scars of physical and emotional injuries that have been inflicted upon you to be cleansed and washed away? Whether because of actions that others have committed against us or that we have committed ourselves, we often wish to be freed from parts of our past or present.

In times like these, we wish for the trail that connects us to the past to be swept away. We want our spirits to be renewed with joy that will not expire. We seek the spiritual joy that comes from the salvation of God. Although we do not have the power to simply choose for joy to instantaneously fill our hearts, we do have access to our Creator, who can create a clean heart within us. He can fill us with the joy of His salvation.

The facts of our past may not change. The circumstances of our present may initially remain the same. However, holding close to and being filled by the joy of the Holy Spirit will give us a new, eternal perspective. With a new outlook, we can move forward toward changing our futures. Day by day, let us seek to separate ourselves from our past pains. Let us seek to be restored with His joy that is eternal.

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Fruit of the Holy

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Joy ( Jude 1:24) Day 35

Joy (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Joy                                                                                           Day 35

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

Jude 1:24

Personal disappointments and struggles come in all shapes and sizes. They may come in the form of unrealized hopes and dreams. They may be caused by those close to us and even by those who are simply associates. Our challenges may even be of our own creation. It is often at these times of disappointment that we seek God.

Trials will continue to come. We will always experience tests of our faithfulness, but God is always there to give us the strength to move past our obstacles. When we seek Him and His guidance, He can keep us from falling.

We may feel as though we cannot press forward. We may want to give up. Our fears and tears may tempt us to stop and to succumb to our circumstances, but we have a Father who is there no matter the difficulty or situation. He is able to keep us from falling.

Like a swimmer in distress, we can cause our rescue to be more difficult by trying too hard to save ourselves and preventing our rescuer from taking control. We may block our own blessings by refusing to let God take control. God is able to keep us from stumbling. Let us have joy in knowing that all we have to do is give in to Him and let Him guide us to where we can be in His presence with exceeding joy.

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Joy ( John 15:11) Day 34

Joy (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Joy                                                                                           Day 34

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

John 15:11

Isn’t it great to know that we have a Savior who has promised that by remaining connected to Him, we will always have access to joy? In fact, as Jesus prepared the disciples for His crucifixion, He explained that He had shared His teachings with them so that they may be fruitful and have joy; not only that they have joy, but that their joy remain in them. Thus, during their dark times ahead, they could still be filled with joy.

We all experience ups and downs. There will be seasons for our highest successes and accomplishments. Likewise, there will be times when we encounter our darkest valleys. During our difficult periods, we may wish that we could have bottled up some of our prior joys for safekeeping until our moments of despair.

There are no real genies in bottles, but we do have access to the true joy that freely flows through Christ. He is more than a glass container that we break open in case of emergency. Through Christ, we can remain mindful of the eternal peace that awaits us. Through Him, we may faithfully cling to the knowledge of God’s steady hand over our lives.

Let us be connected to Jesus as a branch to a vine and tap into the joy available through Him. Let us seek to have His joy remain in us and to be filled by His joy. Then, no matter the circumstance we can proclaim, “I still have joy!”

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Joy ( Romans 8:18) Day 33

Joy (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Joy                                                                                           Day 33

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Romans 8:18

There are so many areas of life in which we may choose to place our joy: personal accomplishments, family, relationships, finances, the life of or the hope of a child, etc. We may experience our greatest highs and joys from successes in these areas. Unfortunately, we may also discover our deepest disappointments and lows from setbacks and failures in these very same areas of life. Occasionally, we face challenges so severe that all we once considered to be of the utmost importance begins to seem small. We feel that all we worked for has been lost forever.

During our struggles, let us never forget that we can experience true joy again. When we encounter dark clouds in our lives, let us not forget our eternal sun - the Son of God. Though our pain is real and will never be erased, our eternal Son is greater than our temporary sufferings. While we cherish and cling to our memories of who or what was lost, let us remember the eternal joy we will one day claim. When we express our humanity by way of our tears, let us not forget the glory that will be revealed to us through our faithfulness.

Let us show the world that in spite of our storms, we know there is still abundant joy through Christ. Let us reveal to the world that our joy is simply a fruit of the Holy Spirit living in us. Let us remember that the difficulty of our circumstances pales in comparison to the eternal joy awaiting us.

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Joy ( Romans 8:37) Day 32

Joy (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Joy                                                                                           Day 32

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:37

The legend of Robin Hood (also known as the Prince of Thieves) tells of how he stole from the rich to give to the poor. Today, we will not face the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest. We do, however, have encounters that threaten to steal and take away our joy.

Many people experience the loss of joy for reasons such as broken relationships, sickness, accidents, or a job loss. Indeed, sometimes the things that provide us with the most joy and fulfillment can quickly be gone. Therefore, while we enjoy our lives, let us also place our hopes on those things that are eternal.

When we lose our way and do not feel like moving on, let us turn to the One who will show us how to move forward. In sickness, let us turn to the One who gives courage and healing. When lonely, let us cling to the One who loves us eternally. Let us seek and find joy in our eternal Savior.

God does not have to take from anyone who is rich in joy to bless those who are poor is spirit. In fact, we have access to an abundance of joy in Him. With Him, we can overcome any obstacle. Because He is for us, nothing can stand against us. Through Him, we are not just conquerors. We are more!

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Joy (1 Corinthians 13:6) Day 31 

Joy (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Joy                                                                                           Day 31

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

1 Corinthians 13:6

A child custody battle between parents is a sad occasion to observe. In these cases, many good parents often lose sight of and forsake what is best for their child(ren). These parents focus solely on the joy of winning their court case, even if it causes the other parent to have very little, if any, contact with their child(ren). Thankfully, everyone will not have the unfortunate experience of a custody dispute. However, a self-examination may reveal that we too may occasionally desire and rejoice in ungodly outcomes, instead of praying for a godly result.

We may find joy in the pains and downfalls of someone who has committed wrongs against us or with whom we disagree. Some find guilty pleasure in gossiping about other’s sins or in sharing the stories of their own past sins. Some rejoice because of injuries to individuals on a rival sports team. As we get caught up in books, movies, and television programs, we may even find ourselves hoping for ungodly acts, such as pre-marital sex or adulterous relationships.

When we are led by the Spirit, we find joy in things that would bring joy to the Holy Spirit. What brings us joy reveals our true character. Let us have a character that is delighted with spiritual joy.

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Joy (Psalm 34:8) Day 30

Joy (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Joy                                                                                           Day 30

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Psalm 34:8

We are often told of various dishes that are pleasing to the tongue. We may hear of many fine cuisines. However, in order for us to know whether these treats truly are delicious to us, we have to personally try them for ourselves.

When we personally try God and sample the goodness that comes through Him, we can see for ourselves just how good He is. His goodness is not one that may appeal to some and be an acquired taste for others. Those who are willing to fully taste of the Lord want more of Him.

It has been said that “faith is the soul’s taste.” Thus, when we apply our faith, have confidence in God, and allow the Lord to be more than just a flavor of the month, we will experience His goodness. Tasting the Lord’s glory and revealing His goodness in our lives can encourage others to trust in Him, too. They may seek to personally know His joy for themselves.

Let us not only listen to others who know of God’s goodness. Let us have our own personal confidence in Him and see His goodness in our own lives. Like a sweet dish, let us enjoy and freely tell others, “Hmmm. . . the Lord is good!” 

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Joy (Psalm 126:3) Day 29

Joy (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Joy                                                                                           Day 29

The LORD has done great things for us,  And we are glad.

Psalm 126:3

There are courses to help teenage drivers learn how alcohol affects and impairs their ability to drive. One strategy utilized requires the students to wear goggles that simulate impairment by blurring their vision. The students then attempt to drive golf carts around cones in a parking lot. Usually, the students knock over cone after cone. They do not realize how easy the course is to maneuver until they remove their goggles.

It is easy for us to have the same experience with God. There are times that our vision becomes blurred, and we fail to recognize the great things God has done for us. When our misplaced desires and concerns impair our vision, we may not see how blessed we are. Instead of recognizing and acknowledging all that we do have in our lives, we steal our own gladness. We choose to focus on what we do not have, could have, or what others have.

There are times that we may forget our own pasts and become blind to all that God has brought us through. Some complain about going to work on Monday and forget how they excitedly praised God when they first received that job. Some disregard the loved ones God has placed in their lives and forget their moments of past loneliness. At times, we may even submit to the discouragement of those who suggest that we have nothing to be glad about, even though we can clearly remember all that God has done for us.

Let us strive to remove all that impairs our ability to see the great things God has done for us. Let us take an account of how good He has been in our lives. Let us seek to be glad. 

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Love (Matthew 5:44-48) Day 28

Love (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Love                                                                                        Day 28

⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.                                                                                       

Matthew 5:44-48

Following the Spirit requires that we not follow human nature, but instead, follow a spiritual and godly nature. According to worldly and human nature, it is fine to hate someone, especially if we consider that person an enemy. In fact, the world suggests that it is appropriate to hate your neighbor, co-worker, or any other person who says spiteful things about you or stands in your way.

When we live according to the Spirit, however, we do not live by human nature, but Jesus’ nature. Jesus taught us that instead of hating, we should love. We should love others regardless of what has been said about us or done to us. Love will motivate us to turn around and pray for those who are against us.

Loving those whom we feel do not deserve our love is being like Christ. We could never be worthy of His salvation and grace, but He still loves us. Regardless of whether anyone else sees it or not, let us desire to love others as Christ loved us. Let us reveal the fruit of the Spirit in us through our love for others.

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Love (John 12:25) Day 27

Love (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Love                                                                                   Day 27

He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

John 12:25

What is truly important to you? Many of us are focused on achieving goals simply to keep up with others or to say what we have accomplished. Some are obsessed with attaining more money and possessions, so that they (and others) can look and see all they have done. Others want more free time to only do things that make them happy, no matter the impact. We may even feel pressured to change our opinions about following God’s Word because we find it important not to be considered religious relics, living in modern times.

Ultimately, our principles and how we use our time, talents, and money, will reveal what is truly important in our lives. What will our receipts, schedules, and associations say about what we deem to be significant? Just as in a criminal investigation, the evidence will leave a trail to the truth.

The evidence surrounding Christ shows that He left a trail of blood and sweat as He carried the cross on His way to be crucified. In love, He gave His life that we all may have eternal life and forgiveness. We must decide, for whom and for what we are living. When we take an account, we may discover that we are forsaking our eternal lives only to glorify our earthly lives. Let us not love our lives so much that we forsake our life Creator.

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Love (1 Peter 1:22) Day 26

Love (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Love                                                                                   Day 26

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

1 Peter 1:22

                Years ago, who would have imagined that there would be so many different types of water: sparkling, distilled, spring, mineral, etc.? Each claims to hold its own purities and benefits. None, however, will change the way a person thinks or treats others, unlike the purity of the Holy Spirit.

In accepting Christ and receiving the Holy Spirit, our wrongs are forgiven. Our sins are erased. With this cleansing, the filth of our past is distilled and filtered from our hearts. God treats us as if we never committed any sin before in our lives; but how do we treat others?

Do we treat others with pre-conceived notions? Do we respond to others based on lessons we learned during sinful experiences in our past? Have we learned to treat people as a response to the mistreatment that we received from others? Have we succumbed to insecurities we have developed because of sin, or do we, instead, interact with others with a pure desire to love?

Let us choose to separate ourselves from sinfulness and its after-effects, just as Christ separated us from sin when He died on the cross. Let us remove the stained fingerprints of sin that affect our interactions with others. Let us love others with pure hearts.   

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Love ( 1 John 4:10-11) Day 25

Love (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Love                                                                                        Day 25

¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and   sent   His   Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.
¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:10-11

The beginning of a long term dating relationship often follows a common pattern. As two people get to know one another, the two share their thoughts and seek ways to express their affection. This may be with cards, gifts, or kind words to express a growing connection. However, instead of sending chocolate or flowers, God showed His love for us by sending His Son to suffer on our behalf.

There are many things we may think of asking for, but Christ gave us the unimaginable gift of His love. Now, we have the opportunity to live our lives loving Him, after He first loved us. Just as with others, we can show God our love. We do this by living lives that are pleasing to Him.

It pleases God when we love others, regardless of who they are. No matter what a person or group has done or what those around us say or believe, we have received spiritual instruction. We are to love.

There is no need to take an offering of sacrifice (or chocolates) to God now in order to receive forgiveness. If God loved us so much to send His Son, let us show our love for God and love one another.

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Love ( 1 John 3:18-19) Day 24

Love (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Love                                                                                        Day 24

¹⁸ My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. ¹⁹ And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.

1 John 3:18-19

Real life stories of abuse and domestic violence are becoming more exposed with each passing year. Commonly, the excuse of love is provided as a faulty explanation provided by parents who abuse their children and by spouses who perpetrate physical and verbal violence towards another spouse. These abusers fail to recognize that love is not simply spoken, but is shown.

Speaking the word love does not equate with the real quality of love that should exist in our actions and hearts. While we, hopefully, do not go to the extreme of abuse, we too can look to our actions to examine whether we truly show love to those around us. For many, the problem is not in showing appropriate love to associates in public. The problem is in showing and acting out love to those who are closest to us. Let us aim to reveal a Christ-like loving spirit to all.

Christ showed His love for us and took abuse for us. He did not abuse others. Because of what Christ did, we know the pure heart of the Son. What would an examination of our hearts reveal about our love? Do your actions show the fruit of love?

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Love (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Love                                                                                        Day 23

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

John 15:13

It is easy to become focused on the busyness of life. By the time we are finished doing the things we have to do, there often is little time left for the things we want to do. For some, work becomes the singular focus of life. It seems that they live to work. For others, their lives revolve around their time away from work. They proclaim that they live for the weekend, television, or whatever relaxes them.

Christ laid down more than all of this in His sacrifice for us. He gave His actual life. Instead of living for work or for the weekend, He lived and died for us.

What are you willing to put aside to show the love that you have for others? Our culture tells us that there is nothing wrong with keeping the focus on ourselves. Jesus, however, leads by example. He tells us that there is no better way to show our love than to lay down our lives for another.

It is unlikely that we will face the challenge of physically giving our life for another. The question does remain, though, what are you willing to put aside to help another? Are you willing to give up time at work or time in front of the television to help another? What are you willing to give up to lead someone else to Jesus?

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Love (1 Corinthians 13:8) Day 22

Love (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Love                                                                                        Day 22

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

1 Corinthians 13:8

The love of a parent towards a child is unique. Through ups and downs, successes and failures, and all types of circumstances, parents tend to continue loving their child, no matter the child’s indiscretions. This power of love can be seen in God’s love towards us.

Paul writes that the spiritual gift of love never fails and persists through various circumstances. Prophecies, tongues, and knowledge may fail or no longer be necessary. God’s love towards us, however, is everlasting.

So, why don’t we take the time to have an ongoing love toward others? Through love, we have the opportunity to help others in need, to seek peace with enemies, and to rebuild relationships. Love can serve as an unfailing engine for us to do God’s will.

Because the gift of love never fails, there is comfort in knowing that God’s love for us will always prevail. Therefore, let us remember that no matter the circumstances and no matter our failings, there will always be an opportunity for us to show love to others. Because we know that love never fails, let us not fail to love.

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Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Love ( John 3:16) Day 21

Love (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)

Love                                                                                        Day 21

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

Humanity can be inhumane. In every century, there have been attempts to lessen the value of certain individuals. Today, certain people are still demeaned due to their race, income, nationality, gender, lifestyle, etc.

On occasion, those who are different are presented as having lives of lesser value than others. Even in news reports about distant wars or events nearby, the deaths of certain individuals are often reported as being less newsworthy than others (or not newsworthy at all). When it comes to sin, some Christians even seem to suggest that people who have committed specific acts, have various addictions, or have lived certain lifestyles are unworthy of salvation.

While we continue to attribute value based on particular categories, God subscribes to a different valuation system. God has a whoever valuation approach. No matter the origin, history, past mistakes, or present circumstances, whoever believes in Christ has everlasting life. God so loved the whole world that he made salvation available to whoever.

Do you live by a whoever kind of love and treat others with love, whoever they are? Do you love beyond biological, social, and economic barriers? Can you see beyond sin to love a sinner? Falling short of living by God’s standard does not stop God from loving us. What is your excuse? Let us all learn to have a whoever kind of love.

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