sorry it's been a while since I last wrote. I was coming up with some ideas for some series I intend to start in August.
Yesterday evening I attended the drakefest, to learn and to support the Romania project. http://www.theromaniaproject.com/site/ . I'm hoping to do a mission's trip with this project in the future and I thought it would be a good way to possibly support the current teams and learn about what goes on. On top of that yesterday morning I heard a sermon about the source in which we get everything (God through creation) and how we were blessed to be a blessing. It got me thinking once again about doing something to help someone else. And everyone can do this [even the poorest of people (money wise) can give somebody else something: be it a smile, a positive attitude]. But for us who are using computers and who do have money, we can give money as well as all this. For everything we are blessed with we can use as a blessing.
It's just as much a part of Christianity as praying. If your relationship with God is healthy you'll show the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance)
Love - "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). Through Jesus Christ, our greatest goal is to do all things in love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
Joy - "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).
Peace - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). "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).
Longsuffering (patience) -- We are "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).
Gentleness (kindness) -- We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).
Goodness - "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" (2 Thessalonians 1:11). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5:9).
Faith (faithfulness) - "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1). "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" (Ephesians 3:16-17).
Meekness - "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).
Temperance (self-control) - "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).
(these verses are from http://www.allaboutgod.com/fruit-of-the-spirit.htm)
If our relationship with him is good the holy spirit will change us and we will produce this fruit. if we produce this fruit then we will be willing to serve in ways that are completely beyond human and sin. But I think for a lot of us the challenge is just picking somewhere to start and putting God before all the blessings he has given us. And I will address that hopefully tomorrow.
