Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Faithfulness (James 2:17) Day 80
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Faithfulness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Faithfulness Day 80
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James
2:17
Parents of a child just born into the world anxiously await
the sound of crying to know that their child lives. A car without gas or a
charged battery lacks the sound of a roaring engine if the car is not prepared
to travel. Likewise, true faith is evidenced by our faithfulness to God and the
fruit we produce.
Evidence of our faithfulness to God is not what is seen in our
appearance or adherence to specific religious traditions. There are many
traditions spread across the many denominations of Christianity. They all,
however, share the same faith and belief in Christ.
Likewise, acknowledging the existence of God alone is not
evidence of faithfulness. As discussed in James 2:19, even those who choose to
follow witchcraft and satanic practices may believe in God. However, it is the
application of our faith that separates us and reveals our belief.
Let us uncover the faith within our hearts by our actions.
Let us allow the light of our faith to shine bright. Just as the prophecy of
the Messiah was fulfilled in the life and works of Christ, let us reveal our
faithfulness by following the Messiah’s teachings.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Monday, May 25, 2015
Faithfulness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Faithfulness Day
79
47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has
everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life.
John
6:47-48
At some point in time, most of us have become familiar with
the association of cause and effect. For instance, if we do not eat, it will
cause us to feel hungry. If we do not rest, we will become weary and tired. As
we grow in our Christian walk, we come to learn and experience spiritual cause
and effect as well. Jesus told us that because we believe in Him, the effect is
that we have eternal life.
Some believers create additional procedures or theological
obstacles that must be conquered before someone receives salvation and eternal
life. Christ tells us, however, that it is a pure spiritual diet of Him that is
necessary. Our physical bodies need nutrition, but we need faith in Christ, the
bread of life, for our eternal health.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Faithfulness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Faithfulness Day 78
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God
must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek
Him.
Hebrews
11:6
Some soap operas have storylines in which children are
entitled to inheritances, but no one knows that a particular individual is
actually an heir. Often, it is a long kept secret, or the person dying does not
even know. This heir may be someone who lives in the same community and is
already known by all of the characters on the television program. Thus, it is
not the presence of the heir that grants them the inheritance, but recognition
of the heir’s identity that grants them the right to the inheritance.
To be heirs of God, let us not only acknowledge that there is
a God. Let us recognize the almighty nature of God; that He is God the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit; that He is the beginning and end; that He is
creator of all. In understanding who He is, we understand that He is
the great I am, who through grace, rewards salvation to those who find
Him. Let us have faith in who He is and identify ourselves as His
children.
Countless people say they believe in a higher power, but fail
to embrace God. We have been blessed because God allowed us to find Him and to
know Him. So, let us take time to learn more about Him, better understand who He is,
and be faithful to Him. Let us recognize that we are children of God.
Let us identify ourselves as His heirs.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Monday, May 18, 2015
Faithfulness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Faithfulness Day 77
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your
heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans
10:9
Children often repeat the familiar refrain, “sticks and
stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” As they grow older,
they eventually learn how false this statement is. They learn that words do
indeed have the power to love, injure, destroy, and also to create. The power
of words can also be used in revealing the fruit of the Holy Spirit living in
us. For when we use our words to reveal our faithfulness, we have access to the
power of saving grace.
In 1919, A.B. Kendall described how “it takes only a few
brief words to enter the married life; but . . . We enter the Christian life by
faith in Christ and by confessing Him as Lord and Master of our lives.” Our faithfulness and the sincerity of our confessions are typically evidenced
by a life of commitment. However, it all begins with a simple admission.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Fruit of the Holy Spirit
Fruit of the Holy Spirit in You - Faithfulness (1 Corinthians 13:7-8) Day 76
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Faithfulness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Faithfulness Day 76
Love . . . 7 bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love
never fails.
1
Corinthians 13:7-8
Jesus tells us to love without conditions. Our society
dictates, however, that we reciprocate at certain times and under certain
conditions. We are told that if we believe our love has not been accepted the
way we want, we are entitled to move on and away.
Fairy tales would have us believe our love should be reserved
for one soul mate, specifically placed on the planet as the perfect match for
us. In fact, there has only been one person to walk this planet who has shown
us perfect and faithful love - Jesus. It is His love that serves as an example
of how we should be faithful to God by loving others.
He is faithful and committed to us. His love for us bears all,
in spite of the times that we have been uncommitted to Him. His love endures
all, even when we have placed other things and people ahead of our relationship
with God. Though we have these times of being unfaithful, He is still there.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Faithfulness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Faithfulness Day 75
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2
Corinthians 5:7
In the movie Indiana
Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford, must pass a series of tests on his way
to finding the Holy Grail. One test required that he step out over an abyss
with no bridge and no visible way of crossing. The key to passing this test required
stepping out with the faith that he would be able to successfully make it over,
regardless of what he saw.
We, too, may have times when we cannot see how we will pass
our current test or circumstances, but faithfully we press onward. We may
endure for days or for years, with nothing left to hold on to except our faith.
We may be tempted to give up on God and His promises. Some choose to trust only
in what they know or can personally see. It is the act of walking by faith,
however, that will guide us through our temporary circumstances toward our final
destination.
Let us understand that there are times when being blinded by
faith is the only way to see clearly. No matter if the circumstances were
created over the course of days or years, let us have faith in our God, whose
power extends across eternity. Faith can serve as our compass, whether we are
lost or simply trying to make sure we are on course. Let us walk by that faith.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Faithfulness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Faithfulness Day 74
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own
understanding.
Proverbs
3:5
Runners may repeat a saying or mantra to themselves in times
when they become tired and seek motivation to reach the end of their race. Many
Christians also utilize this strategy with scripture when encountering
challenging times in life. Proverbs 3:5 is one such scripture. It reminds us
that the Lord has the answer to our situation and will see us through.
Even though we have learned and know to trust in God, we may
still exclude God from our thinking on a regular basis. We choose not to lean on
Him. Instead, we rely on our personal knowledge and understanding for answers
to our difficult problems, without even considering God’s will. This is not an
exercise of faith or trust. This is not leaning on God.
The act of leaning requires us to be off balance and
unsteady. It requires that we acknowledge that someone or something is strong
enough to support and stabilize us. We can be fully stable when we are
wholeheartedly committed to leaning on and trusting in the support God. By
being faithful, we learn to lean on Him.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Monday, May 4, 2015
Goodness (The Fruit of the Spirit in You)
Goodness Day 73
Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
Matthew
5:8
What is more pure than the love of God, in sending Christ to
die for us so that we may have eternal life, with Him? For this and more, we
all want to be with God. In Matthew 5:8, Jesus shared that those who are pure
in heart “shall see God.”
Purity is not the direct result of strict adherence to
religious traditions and practices. A pure heart is not evidenced by speaking in
such a way that everyone who hears us knows we are Christians. Commitment to
such things, without more, was the way of the Pharisees whom Jesus called white
washed tombs.
The act of purposely drawing closer to God is more than a religious
routine or custom that has been passed down through generations. Let us not
allow such things to get in the way of our genuine fellowship with God. When we
focus on fellowship with God, we can grow to becoming more like Christ.
See more at www.thefruitinyou.com
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