Patience is listed as a fruit or a part of the fruit of the Spirit. Of course that list begins with love. A good list to study, relating the virtues or characteristics together. And the passage is about community together in Jesus, not so much directly about our individual lives with God.
I think a big part of patience is learning to "lie low." I mean to hang in there with people, even when it seems little or no progress is being made against whatever problem there is. And at times when there is inevitable (as is the case with us all sometimes) relapse or falling back into our old ways.
Patience means we hang in their for people, for everyone. That we do so praying and being there for them. Much of the time for me this means I'll be doing less. Listening yes, but talking less or trying to help, less. But there is a time to talk, and maybe so emphatically, though with the same patience. And to act. But never a time not to show forth this patience, through the Spirit who indwells us individually and together, in Jesus our Lord.
What would you like to add to this?
Showing posts with label fruit of the Spirit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fruit of the Spirit. Show all posts
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Pentecost Sunday
Tomorrow, or today already for many parts of the world is Pentecost Sunday. This is the day on which we remember the coming and outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the believers after Jesus' resurrection and ascension. Jesus from the Father baptizes the believers with and in the Holy Spirit. It is the birthday I take it of the Church, the Body of Christ in the world. It is the coming of the Spirit to empower God's people to be Jesus' witnesses all over the world. And to be Jesus' hands and feet, everything, Jesus' Body, present for each other, but to the goal of living as children of the light in the Lord which we are.
Of course it's personal: the Spirit is changing us who believe more and more into the resemblance of Jesus. And it's corporate: we're in this together as people of God in Jesus. We build each other up by the gifts the Spirit gives us. And it's missional: not for ourselves and our enjoyment, but to be Jesus by the Spirit, to the world, both individually and corporately as each of us prayerfully does our part in deed and word.
Pentecost Sunday. Oh how we need more of the Spirit in our lives. But let's remember also that we have the Spirit. Let's walk in the Spirit, learning to do so more and more. And be filled with the Spirit, speaking the truth as it is in Jesus, in love. This is why we're here; this is why the Spirit has come.
Be blessed in your worship tomorrow, as many of us and our churches celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit.
What does this day mean to you? What would you like to share with us on this?
Of course it's personal: the Spirit is changing us who believe more and more into the resemblance of Jesus. And it's corporate: we're in this together as people of God in Jesus. We build each other up by the gifts the Spirit gives us. And it's missional: not for ourselves and our enjoyment, but to be Jesus by the Spirit, to the world, both individually and corporately as each of us prayerfully does our part in deed and word.
Pentecost Sunday. Oh how we need more of the Spirit in our lives. But let's remember also that we have the Spirit. Let's walk in the Spirit, learning to do so more and more. And be filled with the Spirit, speaking the truth as it is in Jesus, in love. This is why we're here; this is why the Spirit has come.
Be blessed in your worship tomorrow, as many of us and our churches celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit.
What does this day mean to you? What would you like to share with us on this?
Monday, April 14, 2008
walking worthy of God
Again, in hearing God's word this morning, I ran across the truth that in Jesus believers can walk worthy of the Lord in this life. What does this mean? Certainly not like any of us will arrive in this life, and never sin.
It is good to read passages that speak of living worthy in their context to see what is being spoken of. I do believe it means that by grace we can live as true followers of Jesus. Involved in that for us will be repentance, though what is evident in the passages is the new life lived out in this present existence. It is a life lived out from God's life given to us in Jesus by the Spirit. A life of the new creation, destined by God to make all things new, but beginning with us now. This is a life in the here and now that can actually honor the Lord. And is seen in some true measure in every child of God in Jesus in this life.
In our zeal to honor the message of the Reformation, that works are not a part of salvation, we can cut off the importance of works altogether. We're not declared righteous by our works in this life, but only by faith. But in the judgment to come people will be declared righteous or judged by their works, by the lives they lived. Of course such lives and works acceptable to God through Christ are possible only by faith. Our works by themselves are dead, but saving faith works through love, or else it is dead.
There is a difference in our lives in Jesus, but we must grow in this grace if we're to walk worthy of God in this life, and avoid falling into sin. It's of grace and by the Spirit. I personally am working on making as a habit of my life to consciously seek to walk by the Spirit. And then, as I do, good works through the fruit of the Spirit will follow.
Anyone out there who would like to shed some light for us in this matter? Or who may question anything I say here?
(The links are like end notes. They can be helpful, and in this case are links to passages of Scripture, which demonstrate I hope, the truth of what is being said here.)
It is good to read passages that speak of living worthy in their context to see what is being spoken of. I do believe it means that by grace we can live as true followers of Jesus. Involved in that for us will be repentance, though what is evident in the passages is the new life lived out in this present existence. It is a life lived out from God's life given to us in Jesus by the Spirit. A life of the new creation, destined by God to make all things new, but beginning with us now. This is a life in the here and now that can actually honor the Lord. And is seen in some true measure in every child of God in Jesus in this life.
In our zeal to honor the message of the Reformation, that works are not a part of salvation, we can cut off the importance of works altogether. We're not declared righteous by our works in this life, but only by faith. But in the judgment to come people will be declared righteous or judged by their works, by the lives they lived. Of course such lives and works acceptable to God through Christ are possible only by faith. Our works by themselves are dead, but saving faith works through love, or else it is dead.
There is a difference in our lives in Jesus, but we must grow in this grace if we're to walk worthy of God in this life, and avoid falling into sin. It's of grace and by the Spirit. I personally am working on making as a habit of my life to consciously seek to walk by the Spirit. And then, as I do, good works through the fruit of the Spirit will follow.
Anyone out there who would like to shed some light for us in this matter? Or who may question anything I say here?
(The links are like end notes. They can be helpful, and in this case are links to passages of Scripture, which demonstrate I hope, the truth of what is being said here.)
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