“God’s Spirit does not make cowards out of us. The Spirit gives us power, love, and self-control*.” (2 Timothy 1:7 CEV).

*FYI: In other translations of this verse, you will see synonyms for self-control such as sound mind, self-discipline, sound judgment, wise discretion, and sobriety.

The above passage was written by Paul to Timothy, a young paster. Paul also wrote to another young pastor, Titus, and said: “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” (Titus 2:6-8). And do not think the rest of us are off the hook. Paul also addressed women (Titus 2:5) and older men (Titus 2:2) about this need for self-control.

In this series, we have been taking the approach of looking at the fruits of the Spirit where they originate, as attributes of God. God, as creator and sovereign, is ultimately in control. “Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control” (Hebrews 2:8). The perfect example of self-control is in the life of Jesus, Son of God. As divine, Jesus had the power to do whatever he wanted, but He came to earth to fulfill his Father’s will as expressed in the Scriptures. He even said, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matthew 26:53-54).

Like many of you, I have spent parts of my life out of control, and I have spent parts of my life desperately seeking self-control. In both cases, I experienced frustration. Can you identify? As I have pondered my somewhat futile efforts toward self-control, I have tried to understand my motivation as well as to evaluate my efforts and the outcomes. At one time I thought that if I could get my life under control, then I could do all the things that God wanted me to do and be the person God wanted me to be. I confess that much of my motivation was self-centered, I wanted self-control for the sake of self-control, to pridefully say I was the master of myself.

This all changed for me when I began to understand the teaching in Galatians about the fruits of the spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23). It had originally seemed to me that self-control should have been the first fruit, so that I could then begin to exhibit all the other fruits. But that is not what the Scripture says, is it? In fact, I am not sure there is an order of fruits in this passage from most to least important. What I do know is that I will never possess right self-control unless my motivation is to emulate Christ and his desire to fulfill God’s will. “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38).

Paul took this fruit of self-control very seriously. He wrote to the Corinthians: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12). And again, “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:26-27).

These verses encompass all aspects of human behavior. For me, it can include:

1. Getting up in the morning in time to do my daily devotion (and not getting sidetracked by Facebook, emails, or Wordle).
2. Spending intentional time in prayer.
3. Eating less and drinking more water. Not eating that extra cookie or piece of chocolate.
4. Getting my workout in regularly and staying active rather than so much screen time.
5. Making a point to see to the need of others.
6. Keeping my mouth shut when what I would have said would not have been beneficial or necessary.

You get the point. It is the daily, moment-by-moment Spirit-empowered decisions regarding what we think, say, and do. And the objective is not self-control for the sake of self-control. It is so that we are fit for God’s work and using our gifts and time and resources for His glory, and so that we will not be disqualified for the prize. Self-control is not our ticket to eternal life; but it does work in conjunction with all the other fruits of the spirit as we grow in sanctification, so that our lives will be as aligned and in step with the Holy Spirit as possible.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…” (Titus 2:11-13).

Seek to do God’s will always and know that you are able. “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

In Christ,

Judy

Self-Control and the Power of Christ

“After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12).

“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

We are coming to the end of this study on God’s communicable attributes and how we are to emulate them as we have been gifted by the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Previous devotions focused on the attributes/fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. Next week we will focus on the last one, self-control. Today we are focusing on the attribute of gentleness. The first scripture referenced above is about how God chose to reveal himself to Elijah: not with strong wind, earthquake, or fire but with a gentle whisper. The second one is a prophecy about Jesus, son of God, who ministered with gentleness. Isaiah also speaks of this attribute of God in his beautiful Chapter 40 on comfort for God’s people when he writes “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young” (Isaiah 40:11).

I am especially desiring to write about this attribute of gentleness because it is so desperately needed in our culture when so much of what we see and hear is harsh and hateful. Whether it is a physical confrontation or Facebook rant, anger and hostility drive the conversations rather than love and understanding. All the spiritual gifts listed above are available to all believers through the Spirit, but to think, speak, and act with gentleness requires that we make moment-by-moment choices, empowered by the Holy Spirit, in our interactions with others.

When I was growing up, I remember that we kids would get on our mom’s last nerve, and she was constantly having to get on to us. While she was never a screamer, she did raise her voice much of the time because that was the only way she could get through to us kids. Occasionally, Mom would work a temporary job and we would stay with a babysitter nearby. I was always impressed, even as a child, about how this babysitter could command all of us to do what she wanted us to do, and she never raised her voice. For one thing, I was not used to that. For another, she spoke softly, so you had to shut up just to hear her, and then we seemed to settle down and comply. Her gentleness did not conflict with her firmness; she was powerful in her gentleness. That made an impression on me, and I wanted to emulate her manner with my own children and others that I dealt with.

Gentleness, along with kindness, seem like odd attributes, especially in this line up of major attributes such as love, joy, peace, faithfulness, etc. But we certainly see many biblical references to gentleness as an effective tool in our relations with others and in our testimony.

Here are some of those passages.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). We know this is true because we have seen how gentle speech and actions work to de-escalate potential altercations among our guests. Guess what, it works in all types of situations.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation aways be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:5-6). Instead of harshness, if we speak with love and gentleness, we will be able to communicate so much more effectively. And isn’t that the objective, to understand and be understood?

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” (1 Peter 3:14-16). Our gentleness pleases God because it reflects His nature.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30). This passage is the fulfilment of the prophecy at the beginning of this devotion. Jesus is our rescuer, he is our King of Kings and LORD of Lords, he is mighty, yet he is also gentle and humble in heart.

“By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you–I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” when away” (2 Corinthians 10:1). Paul was empowered by Christ’s meekness and gentleness, and we can be likewise.

What a different world this would be if we would all make a conscious effort to act and speak gently and kindly, even if and especially when the other party is harsh and hostile. It is not the loudest and most angry who will win the day, but the one who overcomes evil with love, kindness, patience, goodness, and gentleness.

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5).

In Christ,

Judy

P.S.: If you would like to talk more about any of these devotions or matters that concern you, please stop by my office, or call or text me at 615-804-3453 to arrange a time, and I will be happy to speak with you.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:4-5). 

“The saying is trustworthy…. if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13). 

What a gift we have in the faithfulness of God! The Bible is filled with examples and testimonies to God’s faithfulness, from Genesis to Revelation. 

• “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19).  
• “For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Every single action God takes is sure and steady. Every word He speaks is always good and true (Psalm 33:4). 
• “And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true’” (Revelations 21:5). 

Our God is great! Our God is good! And our God is faithful! His faithfulness is foundational to all his other attributes. We can count on God to always prove his attributes. His promises never fail. As you can imagine, there are many Scriptures testifying to the faithfulness of God. Here is a useful source. 

Faith is one of the primary Bible words used to describe our spiritual life; but just what does it mean? 

Some similar words to describe faith are belief, trust, confidence. Biblically, faith is believing in something we cannot see. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). The Bible is full of examples of people who were faithful. Hebrews 11 is known as the “Hall of Fame of Faith.” These heroes of the Bible lived faithfully to God, and even “though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised…” (11:39). In other words, they never saw the promised Messiah, unlike we who have lived since the first coming of Christ “since God had provided something better for us” (11:40).  

So, if that is how we can understand what faith means, then what does faithful/faithfulness mean? 

Faith in God is impossible without the supernatural gifting of this fruit of the Spirit. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8)— In other words, God, through the Holy Spirit, provides the means for us to believe when we accept Jesus into our hearts as our savior. Thanks be to God for this amazing gift.  

Faith is a gift from God, and faithfulness is a spiritual gift, meaning that it is bestowed on us when we give our hearts to him and accept Christ as our Savior. But faith is not once and done, and this is extremely important.  

In 2 Peter 2:5-7, Peter writes “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.”  Peter is giving us instructions, and we must make every effort to obey these instructions. Why is this so important? Because disobedience is sin. 

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices / as much as in obeying the Lord? / To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). When God tells us to do something, then we must make every effort to do that thing. We must obey with our hearts, not by just going through the outward motions. When we ignore God’s instructions for our lives, at first our conscious might be tinged with remorse; however, when we continue to disobey, it becomes easier. In other word, our hearts become hardened to God’s will. Believe me, brothers and sisters in Christ, this is not a place we want to find ourselves. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).  

The website Got Questions provides a good explanation of why we must be concerned about our obedience: “Sin causes hearts to grow hard, especially continual and unrepentant sin. Now we know that ‘if we confess our sins, [Jesus] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). However, if we don’t confess our sins, they have a cumulative and desensitizing effect on the conscience, making it difficult to even distinguish right from wrong. And this sinful and hardened heart is tantamount to the ‘seared conscience’ Paul speaks of in 1 Timothy 4:1–2. Scripture makes it clear that if we relentlessly continue to engage in sin, there will come a time when God will give us over to our “debased mind” and let us have it our way. The apostle Paul writes about God’s wrath of abandonment in his letter to the Romans where we see that godless and wicked ‘men who suppress the truth’ are eventually given over to the sinful desires of their hardened hearts (Romans 1:18–24).” Like I said, this is not where we want to find ourselves! 

To circle back around, God’s faithfulness means that he, our Righteous God, will always do what he says he will do. And Jesus said, “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). And when we emulate this attribute of faithfulness, then we make every effort to obey God’s instructions and follow God’s will. We do this not for salvation, because that is also God’s gift to us. We are faithful out of gratitude for our salvation and out of love for God who loved us first. 

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands” (Deuteronomy 7:9). 

In Christ, 

Judy 

Great Is Thy Faithfulness (from Lamentations 3:23) 

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).

“O, taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).

Goodness is an attribute of God, as we see from these verses above. But what does God mean by his “goodness?” And how do we as His image-bearer demonstrate “goodness.”

Good is one of those words that is used in several ways. We understand from the grammatical usage as an adjective that “good” is positive, but better is comparatively “more good” and “best” is superlative. So, is there something better than “goodness?” Is there a “bestness?” This is not what is meant by the verses above. Sometimes we characterize the function of a thing as good, meaning that it is working effectively and efficiently. For example, when you get your car serviced, the mechanic will say that your car is in “good working order.” Or when we finish with a project we might say “it is all good,” meaning that it is complete. This might be closer, but still not what we mean by “goodness.”

The Anglo-Saxon root from which the word God is derived means good. A. W. Pink adds, “His goodness is underived; it is the essence of His eternal nature.” God told Moses, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Exodus 33:19). Goodness truly is God’s essence: His sovereignty, justice, mercy, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; in fact, all his attributes both communicable and incommunicable, all combined in the one true God.

The Bible frequently links God’s goodness with our gratitude. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1). The blessing of our childhood: “God is great, God is good; let us thank Him for our food” contains the most basic and profound theology. I am convinced It should be on our breath every day.

Paul tells us that as believers we must exhibit the spiritual fruit of goodness (Galatians 5:22-23). Peter has assured us that “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness,” and he then instructs us: “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge….” (2 Peter 1:3,5).

So, we must make every effort to demonstrate goodness. But how can we ever hope to imitate Christ’s goodness? The trouble is, as Paul Tripp writes in Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands (p. 16), “We are fundamentally unable to do what is right.” Only God can be good. In Matthew 19:17, Jesus says, “Why do you ask me about what is good?” and answers his own question thus: “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:17).

As a student of biblical counseling, I was so encouraged by my professor who quoted the Apostle Paul: “I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another” (Romans 15:14). But still, I wanted to say, “Who, me?” The website Got Questions provides helpful advice:

“Goodness is virtue and holiness in action. It results in a life characterized by deeds motivated by righteousness and a desire to be a blessing. It’s a moral characteristic of a Spirit-filled person. The Greek word translated “goodness,” agathosune, is defined as “uprightness of heart and life.” Agathosune is goodness for the benefit of others, not goodness simply for the sake of being virtuous.

Someone with agathosune will selflessly act on behalf of others. Confronting someone about a sin demonstrates goodness. So do giving to the poor, providing for one’s children, visiting the sick, volunteering to clean up after a storm, and praying for an enemy. Expressions of goodness are as varied as the Spirit is creative.

Goodness is not a quality we can manufacture on our own. James 1:17 says, ‘Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.’ This certainly includes a life characterized by goodness. In letting the Holy Spirit control us, we are blessed with the fruit of goodness. As others see our good works, they will praise our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).”

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). 

In Christ,

Judy

The Goodness of God

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:23).

Some of us were taught in Sunday School and/or frequently reminded by our parents to be kind. But what does it really mean to be kind? This is important, because we learn in Proverbs that “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor” (Proverbs 21:21).

I want to make sure I am pursuing the right kind of kindness. We hear about random acts of kindness. In the past month, I was treated to a Starbucks coffee of my choice by the person in the drive thru ahead of me. That was random, and it was genuinely nice and much appreciated. But is this the “kindness” of which Scripture is speaking? Maybe….

Kindness is more than being nice. Niceness is a courtesy, but does not always require much thoughtfulness, whereas there is an element of benevolence to kindness. For example, it is nice to tell someone they look “nice” regardless of how they really look. We are being kind when we discreetly tell someone that their sweater is inside-out (thank you, by the way).

Webster defines “kind” as sympathetic or helpful, of a forbearing nature, or to give pleasure or relief. My Starbucks benefactor was, in fact, all those things. However, the “kindness” of which the Bible speaks is spirit-produced. According to an article on the Desiring God website, “It’s a supernaturally generous orientation of our hearts toward other people, even when they don’t deserve it and don’t love us in return. God himself is kind in this way. His kindness is meant to lead people to repentance which implies they haven’t yet turned to him and are still his enemies.”

We imitate God’s kindness, therefore, even when it is a challenge to do so; for example, by selflessly loving our enemies. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:35).

This article goes on to say that “Kindness may not be pleasant. In fact, it may feel more like a blow to the head. ‘Let a righteous man strike me — it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it’ (Psalm 14:15). Jesus called the Pharisees a brood of vipers. That wasn’t pleasant, but it was kind, because Jesus was exposing their sin. A kind physician cuts deep to get your cancer.” A kind teacher does not let a student off the hook when they fail to do their assignments.

You see, as image-bearers of God, we want to imitate His communicable attributes. We see in the verses below that kindness is an attribute of God. This kindness is demonstrated, it is love in action, with an element of mercy, and with the objective of leading others to Christ.

• “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4).

• “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-7).

• “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior…” (Titus 3:4-6).

The easiest way to discern and demonstrate an act of kindness is to thoughtfully consider each of our interactions with others, taking the long view of what is best for them even when it means sacrifice on our part—perhaps a sacrifice of our pride, our resources, our time. It means withholding a harsh or self-serving comment, and instead thinking through how to say something that will encourage or build one up. Our kindness reflects the heart of our Father and is the most effective way to communicate our faith and testimony. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:23).

In Christ,

Judy

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come …” (2 Peter 3:8-10a). 

In this series of Chaplain’s Corners, we are focusing on the communicable attributes of God, those attributes we can share with God because we are made in His image. One of those attributes is patience, as described in the following passage: “But for that very reason I (Paul) was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16). 

We as Americans are not known for our patience. In fact, patience might even be seen as a flaw in the extremely aggressive world of business where results often demanded immediately, or else! Give me patience and give it to me NOW!!!

We have all felt this way at one time or another, especially when waiting in line.

However, we know that patience is for our own well-being as well as others. It helps us with our expectations, our blood pressure, and saves us from unhealthy relationship mistakes. There are several synonyms for “patience” in the Bible: longsuffering, forbearing, steadfast, waiting, slow to anger. We can learn much from God about patience because patience is one of His attributes; one for which we should all be most grateful! “And rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster” (Joel 2:13). 

In these passages and examples, what we see is that patience is concerned with the element of time. “God is not slow about His promise” and “God is slow to anger.” In actuality, God is neither slow nor not slow, but right on time. God’s timing is perfect, and we should accept that “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

When we demonstrate patience as humans, we are also showing our trust in God and our appreciation for His timing and grace; and we are extending that same trust and grace to others of His creation. And when we demonstrate impatience, we are typically showing distrust and ungraciousness. So, the question becomes, what do we do to be productively patient. After all, anyone can just wait. But do you wait in fear for what the doctor might have to say about your diagnosis and prognosis? Or do you wait while tapping your foot or drumming your fingers, huffing, and puffing with an obvious show of dissatisfaction for having this disruption to your own personal schedule? What good does that really do anyone. (Is it obvious that I am talking to myself, now?)

So how can we learn and practice patience?

1. Trust God. He is sovereign—all knowing and all powerful. He alone can see the entire situation, He alone already knows the best outcome, and He alone desires what is best for all parties.
2. Gain perspective. I received exceptionally good advice many years ago. I was eagerly wanting to move up in my career and had been promised a promotional opportunity that was slow in coming about. When I impatiently complained, I was told that the time I was having to wait was like the blink of an eye in my overall career. And he was right. We do need to try to have the perspective of time. These next few minutes or days/weeks we are waiting are minimal in comparison to our lifetime or eternity.
3. Reframe the situation. Rather than seeing the waiting as an interruption, inconvenience, or negative, instead see how you can positively use the time to pray, to check on a friend, study, or just relax and rest.
4. Challenge yourself. Rather than showing your impatience and frustration, demonstrate kindness and graciousness to those around you. You will be rewarded.

“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:25-26).

In Christ,

Judy

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

How many adults have said to their children, “Just give me some peace?!?! What they probably mean is they want silence and absence of conflict. But peace is so much more than that. Jesus did not come so we would merely stop fighting. Jesus came to reconcile us back to God. Jesus is reconciliation; He is the Prince of Peace! True peace means reconciliation.

There are so many levels of peace and its counterpart: National Peace vs. Civil War/World War; Neighborhood Peace vs. Hate Crimes and Gangs; Family Peace vs. Family Disruption, Separation, and Divorce; Personal Peace vs. Anxiety.

One challenge to long-lasting peace is that we do not take it far enough. We may agree to stop the fighting, but we do not work toward actual reconciliation. We may build a fence to keep out the problems, but we do not work toward establishing a mutually beneficial neighborhood. We may tolerate our disagreeable family members, but we do not do the work of understanding them. We may take anxiety medication to calm our heart and mind, but we do not seek “…the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, (that) will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Another challenge to peace is that it requires at least two sides to get along—your side and the “other” side, and we cannot control the “other” side. Paul recognizes this when he tells the Romans “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18).

True peace, then is illusive. Like love and joy, the first two attributes we discussed, true peace is only possible for us humans through the work of the Holy Spirit; in fact, it is one of the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit.

So, what can we do to make peace, to achieve the blessing of Matthew 5:9?

1. It all starts with our personal relationship with God. We must be fully reconciled to God. That means we regularly confess our sins to Him, or in other words, agree with Him about our thoughts, words, and actions. It means that we regularly seek His forgiveness and strive to obey Him. It means that we receive His forgiveness and His love, and that we are always thankful. And the good news is that Jesus has already made peace with us. “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” (Isaiah 26:3).

• We must not so easily take offence, we must not hold grudges, and we must forgive those who do harm to us. Okay, this is hard. But we must remember that no one has more undeservedly been attacked than Jesus—both when He walked on the earth as a human, and even now with our ongoing disobedience. He was physically attacked, verbally attacked. When his name is taken in vain, it is hurtful to him. But with all that, Jesus forgives us; and if He can forgive us, we should be able to forgive those who harm us. (And if we don’t forgive others, we can hardly expect Him to forgive us (see Matthew 6:14-15)!) We are not expected to condone the offensive behavior, and the perpetrators are not expected to get away without consequences. But our hearts must forgive. “It (love) does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs” (1 Corinthians 13:5). “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32).

• Promote unity rather than division. Do not do anything to foster antagonism between other parties. Do not take sides, do not spread gossip or anything negative about others. Instead, let your words and actions be positive and useful for building up the Kingdom. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

God possesses all His attributes all the time. He is the God of love, joy, and peace. When we strive for these qualities or attributes in ourselves, we will find that they work together to support each other. If your goal is to love others, you will find joy and peace. If you desire true joy, you will experience love and peace. And if you are a peacemaker, you will also be filled with love and joy. As Matthew 5:9 promises, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God.” The rewards are both earthly and eternal.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:17-18)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

In Christ,

Judy

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).

As believers, we desire to live godly lives, to become more Christ-like. Last week we began a series on the Imitation of Christ by analyzing the communicable attributes of God and then, as image bearers of God, learning how we can apply them to our lives and carry them to others as fruits of the spirit. Communicable attributes are those that we share with God because we are made in His image and are in addition to those attributes that only God possesses, such as omnipresence, omniscience, etc., which are called his incommunicable attributes.

We know from Scripture that one attribute of God is love: God Is love. But did you know that joy is also a communicable attribute of God? And the coolest thing is that when we see God expressing this attribute, it is because he is rejoicing in us, his creation! “The Lord takes delight in you, and he will rejoice in you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). And God desires to fill us with his joy. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13). The most extreme example of this godly joy is found in Hebrews 12:2 “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

What was/is this joy that Jesus was looking forward to, that made it worth it to endure the shame and horror of the cross? If we consider the previous Chapter (11) of Hebrews, the writer is recalling the many heroes of the faith who are now in heaven; and if we consider that Jesus was looking forward to returning to heaven where he would take his place at the right hand of God, it seems evident that his joy was to be with his Father and with all the saints in Heaven.

I can relate to this at the human level. I feel such a joy when all my family is together —my husband, my two boys and their families. My heart is full of happiness, peace, and contentment and it seems that I could not want more than this. But I know that as wonderful as this is, it is not usually enduring. People, even our most beloved family members, will disappoint us at one time or another. Or they will get sick, or something will happen to spoil the situation. I am not being negative or dramatic, just realistic because of the corrupt world we live in. This is why we must set our hearts on things above to experience true joy.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21).

There are a couple of things we can learn from this:

First, we see that joy comes at a cost. The cost to Jesus was his horrific crucifixion. But note that he did not go through that for himself. He did it for us! Can we even grasp that our rescue from this corrupt world was so worth it to Jesus that he endured the cross for us, for the joy of being reconciled with us in heaven? What joy!!

And secondly, we must understand that joy will come at a cost for us. James tells us to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:2-3). Note that he does not say if, but when. Joy cannot be dependent upon our circumstances. Jesus tells us that in this world, we will have trouble. David tells us that “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Joy is a mindset. My Life Application Bible defines joy like this: “In contrast to happiness stands joy. Running deeper and stronger, joy is the quiet, confident assurance of God’s love and work in our lives, that he will be there no matter what! Happiness depends on happenings, but joy depends on Christ.”

While we live in this world, enduring trials of many kinds, we remind ourselves that this world is not our ultimate home. We can be joyful because we know that our ultimate destination is in glory with God in heaven. Paul confirmed the mindset challenge when he wrote to the Philippians from prison in Rome “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).

How can we have the fruit of joy in our lives? We must simply remember the love that Christ has for us that caused him to rescue us from our earthly troubles by his sacrificial death on the cross. We must dwell on the hope that we have in a glorious eternal life in heaven with our heavenly Father.

“Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Psalm 126:5).

In Christ,

Judy

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8

As believers, we desire to live godly lives, to become more Christ-like. We know from Scripture that one attribute of God is love: God Is love. God loves His son. When Jesus was baptized to begin his ministry, God spoke from heaven: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). And we know that God loves His creation: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Love is one of God’s communicable attributes, meaning that while God IS Love, he also commands us as his children to love. In fact, Jesus says that the greatest commandment God has given to us humans is to love God and to love each other.

There are many claims to true love. Love stories, romance, sacrificial love. We may claim to love our homes, our country, our flowers, our chocolate cake, the book we are reading, the car we are driving. But what is love, really? Love certainly can be described as a feeling, but true love is more about what we do than how we feel. In fact, many times love may be described as what we do despite how we feel. For example, love is making dinner for your family when you are dead on your feet from exhaustion. Love is caring for someone who is sick when you would much rather be sitting in your recliner watching television.

True love is a verb, the object of true love is a person, and the motivation and empowerment for true love is God. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control….” What this means is that the only love that matters to God is love that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and motivated by our love for God and gratitude for what He has done for us. Therefore, if we want to please God and imitate Christ, we will prayerfully seek to make every thought we think, every word we speak, and every action we take be done with pure motives to be pleasing to God and for the benefit of the person with whom we are engaging, with no thought of selfish gain. And it means that we also behave this way toward those who are not able to repay as well as toward people that we do not like.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

I do not know about you, but all this seems great, but humanly impossible. How can we ever be this loving? The only way is by focusing on the One who is Love. So, the way we show love in a God-honoring way is:

1. Make God the priority in our lives; make it a priority to worship Him, praise Him, thank Him, and continually seek His will. King David set an example for how he praised God with his thoughts and speech: “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you” (Psalm 63:3).
2. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you, to give you wisdom and discernment, and to empower you to do God’s will. Then you can be confident that you are loving in the way that pleases God.

Paul tells us all about love in 1 Corinthians 13. At the end of the chapter, he pronounces this remarkable statement: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). He does not mean that love is more important than faith or hope. In fact, those are all equally important. What Paul means is that of the three, only one is eternal. Faith is what God requires of us to achieve eternal life. Hope likewise is our confident expectation of eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Once we have passed into Heaven, faith and hope have done their jobs, so to speak. However, we will continue to love in Heaven; therefore, in this context, “the greatest of these is love.”

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:16-19).

In Christ,

Judy