Fruit of the Spirit - Gentleness

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

            The verses above say that the Holy Spirit is at work in believers to be more like Christ, and part of the results of that work is gentleness. Gentleness, also translated “meekness,” doesn’t mean weakness. Rather, it involves humility and thankfulness toward God and polite, restrained behavior toward others. The opposites of gentleness are anger, revenge, and self-elevation. It takes a strong person to be truly gentle; not physically strong, but one who restrains his might, is gracious and humble.

            God wants us to give Him control of our lives, though having a free will we are never forced to do so. If we are relying on our own logic, we have no impulse to submit to God’s leadership. With the wisdom given to us by the Holy Spirit, however, we begin to see why we should completely submit to God as Lord of our lives. Human power under human control is a half-broken weapon in the hands of a child. But gentleness places our strength under God’s guidance; therefore, it becomes a powerful tool for God’s kingdom.

            Every person has the power and ability to choose what influences will inform his or her words and actions. Gentleness constrains and channels that power within us. To be gentle is to recognize that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than our own (Isaiah 55:9).  It is advantageous for us to have a gentle attitude toward God because He is omniscient and we are not. We think God simply doesn’t understand our situation, but God does understand, more than we could possibly know (Psalm 44:21).

            Filled with the Spirit, we will correct others with gentleness instead of arguing in resentment and anger, knowing that their salvation is far more important than our pride. We will forgive readily, because any offense toward us is nothing compared to our offenses against God—offenses He’s already forgiven. John the Baptist was a fiery preacher, yet he exhibited true gentleness when he said in John 3:30, “[Jesus] must become greater; I must become less”. If we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we will be filled with fruit of gentleness. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Resource: Got Questions.org; https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-gentleness.html

Fruit of the Spirit - Faithfulness

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

            “In the Old Testament, God's faithfulness and covenant love are closely related (Deut. 7:9; Psalm 25:10; 85:10). The most profound example of his faithfulness is the bond between God and the people of the northern kingdom of Israel. In spite of their unfaithfulness, God reminds them that he is betrothed to them in faithfulness (Hosea 2:20).

            The Israelites were expected to respond in faithfulness to God because he had acted faithfully to them through the covenant. David and other godly people chose to walk the faithful way — the way of truth (Psalm 119:30). Just as God is both faithful and loving, those who believe in God need to exhibit faithfulness and steadfast love in their lives (Prov. 3:3).

            In the New Testament, God also Acts in faithfulness: He provides for both good and evil people        (Matthew 5:45); he rewards those who do his good will (Matthew 6:4 Matthew 6:6 Matthew 6:18); he provides a way out for believers in the midst of temptation (1 Cor. 10:13); he remains faithful as he fulfills his promises (2 Cor. 1:18-19). Paul reminds us that even when we are faithless God remains faithful because he cannot disown himself (2 Tim. 2:13). John declares that Jesus is the faithful and true witness (Rev. 3:14), the Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11). God remains faithful to New Testament believers, both fulfilling and promising to fulfill the promises of the Old Testament.

            Christians, like the Israelites, are to respond to God in faithfulness. Trustworthy servants must prove themselves to be faithful (1 Cor. 4:2). Epaphrus and Tychicus are identified as faithful ministers of Christ (Col. 1:7; 4:7). Paul remains faithful to God in spite of tremendous pressures (1 Tim. 1:12). Timothy is to select teachers who will exhibit faithfulness, one of the outstanding characteristics of Christians. The Spirit of God enables Christians to remain faithful to both God and other believers (Gal. 5:22).”

Resource: Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology – Faithfulness; www.biblestudytools.com

Fruit of the Spirit - Goodness

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

            Good things come from the Spirit’s indwelling in our lives. As the Holy Spirit does his work our character changes. Where we were once selfish, cruel, rebellious, and spiteful, we now exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All the fruit of the Spirit reflect the character of God.   Goodness is one that relates directly to morality.

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

            Someone with goodness 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). 

Resource: https://www.gotquestions.org/fruit-Holy-Spirit-goodness.html

Thoughts from a Random Mind

              I’ve learned over time that delays can be a blessing. So many of us are in a hurry. If you go 70 mph on the interstate, there will invariably be at least one person who feels the need to go 80. If you are going 80 mph, there is always someone going 90. Where are people going in such a hurry? Delays can keep you from being involved in an accident. Amy Grant had a song back in 1984 called Angels Watching Over Me where she describes life situations that are avoided by delays in our lives. I now know that getting a red light or being stuck in a traffic jam may be keeping me from a dangerous situation. We shouldn’t question delays because God could be orchestrating them to 1) test our patience or 2) test our faith in trusting God everything will work out all right in the end.

            You don’t know how many times I have been what I thought was late for an event, only to find out the event wasn’t even ready to start when it was supposed to. I stressed over being “late” when I didn’t end up being late at all. We need to take things as they come and know that as long as we are faithfully serving God we will be all right. The fact is that God is at the end of our situation waiting for us. Because he is ubiquitous, he is also with us at the same time. He is all places at one time. Hard to imagine, but scripture says it is so. (Jeremiah 23:23-24)

            So the next time you are delayed for whatever reason, except the fact that you are being held up for a specific purpose that you may never know about. Life happens all around us and we are unaware of all that is transpiring because we are not involved personally in those things, but they are happening all the same. It’s like that age old question – “If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it does it make a sound.” * This event took place and we were unaware of it happening. Trust God that all will be as it should be according to his will for your life. Be faithful to the Lord in the way you live your life. Be the ambassador you have been called to be. The maker of your soul loves you unconditionally. His love for you will never, ever change, no matter what you do. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller 

*George Berkeley was an Anglican bishop, philosopher, and writer. The foundation of his theory was that perception creates our reality.

"I am a God who is everywhere and not in one place only. No one can hide where I cannot see them. Do you not know that I am everywhere in heaven and on earth?”- Jeremiah 23:23-24

Thoughts from a Random Mind

Job 1:8-10a

            Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied.  “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?”

            I often pray for a hedge of protection to be placed around my wife, our entire extended family and myself. This is such a time with COVID-19 raging all around us. I simply ask God for this hedge each morning on my way to work. I believe and trust that God will honor my request because he loves me. I also believe that even if I did get the virus, in spite of my prayers, it would be allowed by God for a specific purpose in my life. But until that day, if it comes, I will trust and obey my Lord. 

            Many media outlets are doing the citizenry of this country no favors as their negative coverage has caused many people to literally be scared out of their wits. I refuse to live in fear. I shall abide by the health instructions given regarding the washing of hands and 6ft social distancing, but I will not allow myself to be immobilized by fear. I fear the Lord; as in revere him with awe and wonder. Terror need not enter my life. 

            Our minds can, at times, be our own worst enemy as it wanders, sorting thru the information that the world is circulating daily. We mustn’t cling to every word said. The information disseminated is inconsistent and therefore not entirely trustworthy. Find a reliable source for your information like https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus. And no matter what, trust God. He will not fail you. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Fruit of the Spirit - Kindness

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

            Kindness is a Godly attribute that we are to exhibit, however, it’s not easy. We are simply not kind; our nature doesn’t reside there. Kindness is very close to goodness, mercy, pity, love, grace, favor, compassion, gentleness and tenderness. Its’ meaning tends to overlap with these other attributes, yet it is specifically mentioned as a Fruit of the Spirit.

            God’s divine kindness is taught throughout Scripture. Psalm 145:9 says, “The Lord is good (kind) to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.” Luke 6:35 tells us to be kind to the ungrateful and wicked just as our Lord is. Romans 2:4 tells us God’s kindness is for leading one to repentance. “God's kindness is seen in his deliverance of the believer from affliction, fear, and trouble.” “God's kindness is manifest in the full salvation that comes through Christ (1 Peter 2:3).”

            “As humans, we are to love kindness and exhibit both mercy and kindness. Yet human imitation of God's kindness does not come naturally. In fact, ultimately no one is kind. It is only as the fruit of God's Spirit that kindness can be a consistent part of the believer's experience.”

Resource:  https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/kindness/

“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” – Luke 6:35

“…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

“…now that you have tasted that the Lord is good (kind).”- 1 Peter 2:3

Thoughts from a Random Mind

         My brethren, this is no time to faint in the face of calamity. The devil is the master of deceit and will do all he can to place doubt in our minds. Don’t allow it. Doubt gives way to fear and fear leads to indecision and a feeling of hopelessness. My brethren, this need not be the case. We have all God liberally provides to us at our disposal. Tap into the Spirit of God and feed on his goodness. Do not allow doubts of his faithfulness to creep into your mind. There is power in the name of Jesus.  Rebuke the devil in His name. This pandemic can and will be contained and it is not something that will wipe out civilization. God has the final word regarding all things and say who lives and who dies. 

            This is the time for those who don’t know God in a personal way to give their lives over to him. Would you trade this life of pain and misery for an eternal home with the King of Kings? Even if you have had a comfortable existence, are healthy and have no significant problems, there is one thing you are unable to do. You cannot buy forgiveness. You cannot redeem your own soul. Only God can do that. If you don’t believe in God, if you don’t think he exists, you had better be right in your belief. If you are wrong eternal separation from him will end up being a very harsh penalty for your ignorance. 

            Those who are Christians in name only, but are not practicing their faith, what is holding you back for being all in. This is no time to be lukewarm. You want blessings from God but are not willing to align yourself with his standards for living. You are not willing to speak his name to the unsaved. Going to church every time the doors are open makes you a Christian like standing on a stage makes you an entertainer. What does Christ’s death on the cross mean to you? Have you allowed him to change your life one iota? Think on these things; reassess and realign yourself with your Creator. He loves you and wishes you to come home. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Fruit of the Spirit - Patience

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

            “‘Patience’ implies suffering, enduring or waiting, as a determination of the will and not simply under necessity. … We need to "wait patiently" for God, to endure uncomplainingly the various forms of sufferings, wrongs and evils that we meet with, and to bear patiently injustices that we cannot remedy and provocations we cannot remove.”

            “Patience is often hard to gain and to maintain, but, in Romans 15:5, God is called ‘the God of patience’ as being able to grant that grace to those who look to Him and depend on Him for it. It is in reliance on God and acceptance of His will, with trust in His goodness, wisdom and faithfulness, that we are enabled to endure and to hope steadfastly.” (1)

            God knows what we need and exactly when we need it regardless of what it is. Patience and peace should go hand in hand. Having patience can be a battle in and of itself, but it doesn’t have to be a battle that we lose. It’s an acquired character trait. I find that I have become a lot more patient and as a result much more at peace. I believe that comes from my belief and trust that God is in control. If he is not than something or someone is greater that he is and I refuse to believe that. I believe all things happen for a specific reason and that it all ties in with God’s perfect will for my life. It has nothing to do with material possessions, but rather spiritual attributes and behavioral characteristics. This can be the case for any one of us, but it requires us to be ALL IN when it comes to our relationship with Almighty God. Nothing can happen to a believer that God doesn’t allow for a very specific purpose.  Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller                   

            Romans 15:5  “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of     mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, … .”

1. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/patience

Thoughts from a Random Mind

“The (following) quote is from President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1933 inaugural address. Here is the whole quote:

            ‘So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself --     nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into       advance.’

… the historical context is the great depression. Roosevelt was warning against the kind of fear that paralyzes the population and prevents individuals from making positive steps to extricate themselves from a bad situation. What he was saying is: Go out and spend some money... go to a movie, buy some ice cream, give a friend a job, help your neighbor. Don't let fear force you to cower in the corner doing nothing; this will not help you or the economy.” – Regan Cole, Certified Educator *

            I believe the above is applicable to today’s situation with the exception of going to a movie or buying ice cream, which is prohibited for the time being due to the “Stay at home” order your state or country may have enacted. While this is an unprecedented time in our history, fear has always been around. I must continue to remind you, our God is on his throne and nothing escapes his ever-watching eye. To blame God or President Trump or anyone else for these current events is foolhardy. God is in complete control of all things and while I don’t believe he caused this, has allowed it for reasons we could never understand. God doesn’t need our permission or understanding to do what he does. There are a million backstories in play and we will never know them all. We are called to trust God with our souls and our lives. 

            It is Job, the very one who had suffered much pain and suffering, who said to his friends, “Tho he slay me, I will hope in him.”  Job was resolute in his understanding that whatever happened to him, his trust would remain in his God who is ultimately fair and just and good. We must not take our focus off of the one who is the answer to all life’s questions. It will be all right in the end. And if you happen to contract the virus, trust God to carry you thru it to the other side. Love God just as he loves you without hesitation and trust him to do for you what is best in spite of appearances to the contrary. May God bless you all and place an impenetrable hedge of protection around you all in the precious and powerful name of Jesus. Amen! Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

* https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-does-phrase-theres-nothing-fear-except-fear-153157

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            John is our mailman. Nice guy. We have the chance to chat with him from time to time. We provide him with either ice cold water or Gatorade during the sweltering summer months. Today we were chatting about the COVID-19 situation. He was mildly concerned because his post office has no plan for if or when one of the workers contracts the virus. John is the only one in his family that is working at this time. I told him we believed in God and would pray that a hedge of protection would be around him and all his co-workers. His response was typical for a non-believer; he looked down at the ground and quietly laughed. 

            People that do not know God or only have a fringe belief in him will tend to do that. Sarah laughed out loud when the angel of God told Abram he would have a son. Sarah considered this impossible due to her advanced age. 

            Naaman was the King of Syria who was afflicted with leprosy. He sought healing from God’s Prophet Elisha, but the prophet not only didn’t come out to see him, but sent a message via a messenger to the King telling him to dip 7 times in the Jordan and his leprosy would be gone. Naaman was furious at what he perceived to be the prophet’s disrespect. He wasn’t going to do it. The King’s servant talked him into doing as Elisha had said. 

            Those who do not ascribe to the standards of God will tend to either laugh or become mad. Why would God allow this to happen to me? Everyone would like to think of himself or herself as reasonably good and not at all worthy of some dreaded pandemic virus or life threatening disease. Those who only have a marginal belief in God act as if they are testing him. If all is well, then he is a good God. If calamity takes place in their lives he is a merciless God who is mean and self-serving. God is neither.

            Once a person takes the time to find out just who God truly is they will begin to understand that God isn’t there to be at our beck and call. He is not obligated do whatever we wish to have done. In other words, the Lord isn’t a genie in a bottle. We were created for his good pleasure, and not the other way around. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller    

Thoughts from a Random Mind

         The devil is an expert at diverting our attention. He is a master of deceit and is called in scripture the father of all lies (John 8:44). Thankfully, he has no power over a child of God, unless he chooses to allow the devil to bring something against you as a means of bolstering your faith. Our faith and trust in God must be unshakable. It must never waver. 

            The COVID-19 pandemic is an event that will scare the wits out of you if you let it. The devil has succeeded in some regions of the country to terrorize people into not leaving their homes. Now I am not promoting that we exhibit a cavalier attitude, acting as if we’re not in a serious health crisis. We are indeed, but the stress that is generated by abject fear will lower your immune system’s ability to combat sickness. Scripture tells us not to worry, for worrying will not add one day to your life (Luke 12:25).  

            Don’t let the devil distract you. Keep your focus squarely set on Christ. It is HE that can rescue you from the fire. It is HE that can save your soul from hell. The devil destroys, the Lord re-establishes and restores. All it takes is a matter of minutes, sometimes even mere seconds to tear apart all you have built throughout your life. That isn’t God’s plan for you. Seek him, trust him and live for him. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

John 8:44 “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Luke 12:25  “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?”

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            I am of the opinion that no matter how bad a person may have it in his or her life there is always someone somewhere who has it worse. It helps me to think like that when things aren't going so well for me. We all have our little trials and tribulations. They come to good people and bad people alike. You can be a saint and still have difficulties. It is an inevitable part of life. How we deal with our difficulties says a lot about our character and our belief system. I have chosen to believe that God has everything under control at all times even when I do not. If God is truly who the Bible says He is, then how could I not believe in such a way. Putting my faith and trust in something or someone else is putting it in something or someone that is fallible, for no one is infallible except God. Why would a person believe in anything that wasn't flawless? Beats me. 
            So I am going to go about my day today with the hope that all will go well for me today. If it doesn't I believe there is a reason for it and I will roll with the tide. Life doesn't have to be complicated. We make it that way, but it doesn't have to be that way. It's like the gospel; we tend to make that complicated too. It's simple really. God loves us so much that He saved us from ourselves by sending His Son to die for all the sins we have ever committed. That was Christ’s way of inviting us into an intimate, loving relationship with Almighty God. Praise His name. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing. rlkeller

Fruit of the Spirit - Peace

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

            - “The Meaning of Peace. In English, the word "peace" conjures up a passive picture, one showing an absence of civil disturbance or hostilities, or a personality free from internal and external strife. 

            - God as the Source of Peace. God alone is the source of peace, for he is "Yahweh Shalom" (see Judges 6:24 ). The Lord came to sinful humankind, historically first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, desiring to enter into a relationship with them. He established with them a covenant of peace, which was sealed with his presence (see Num 6:24-26 ). Participants were given perfect peace as long as they maintained a right relationship with the Lord (see Isa 26:3; 2 Thess 3:16).

            In Philippians 4:7 we have a wonderful promise: “The peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” It is important to note the context of this promise, because that’s where we find the condition: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (verse 6). God’s peace is promised to guard those who pray—with thanksgiving—about everything. This peace will transcend our ability to understand it. ⁽¹⁾

            The Old Testament anticipated, and the New Testament confirmed, that God's peace would be mediated through a messiah (see Isa 9:6-7; Micah 5:4-5). Peace with God came through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom 5:1; Eph 2:14-17; Col 1:19-20; see Heb 13:20). Peter declared to Cornelius: "You now the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all" (Acts 10:36).

            - The Relationship of Righteousness to Peace. The Lord established a covenant, which resulted in the participants receiving his peace ‘like a river’ in abundance (see Isa 48:18); however, peace could be disturbed if one did not live before the Lord and others in righteousness; in fact, peace is one of the fruits of righteousness (Isa 32:17-18). 

            One cannot overlook the fact that the harmony spoken of throughout eternity will never happen until man has a right relationship with God; it will be the result of the righteous rule of the "shoot from the stump of Jesse" who has upon him the Spirit of Yahweh; he is the "Prince of Peace" (Isa 9:6; see Jer 33:8-9).” ⁽²⁾

______________________________________________

⁽¹⁾  https://www.gotquestions.org/peace-that-passes-all-understanding.html

⁽²⁾ https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/peace/

* YHWH – “A name for God thought to represent the original pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton among the ancient Hebrews.” The Jews never said his name, they spelled the letters YHWH to represent Yahweh, their name for Almighty God.

Word for the Day

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            I believe there are far too many Christians who love their brethren and those outside the faith with conditional love. Believe it or not they don’t have to belong to your same denomination to be saved. They don’t have to believe exactly the way you do. Do they believe in God? Do they believe Jesus is God’s Son? Do they believe Christ died to set all men free from sin? Do they ascribe to the standard for living laid out by God in the Bible? Some shun believers that smoke, without knowing the circumstances surrounding why they smoke. Some shun believers with tattoos, without knowing where in life they’ve come from.  

            How’s about this: maybe the God we say we believe in we really don’t know as well as we think we do. Maybe, just maybe, we’ve made God in our own image. Maybe we’ve made God to be what makes sense to us and what makes us comfortable and at ease. We act in a way that doesn’t reveal the true God to anyone. We’re just pushing what we’ve been taught to believe, but is it an accurate representation of the one true God. 

            We all assume way too much. We were told to love our brethren, not pick and choose from the lot based on what we agree with or find pleasing. Anything distasteful must go, right? Don’t you realize there is tremendous hypocrisy in our words and actions? Don’t you realize WE are the reason many people don’t darken the door of a church. Perhaps that’s because what we say doesn’t always line up with what we do. We’re not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but in spite of that we attempt to take a hard line with those who don’t follow the exact same path we are walking on. WE ARE NOT THE JUDGE. Thank God for that.  We are all broken people, just like those in the world. The difference is we are on the road to recovery. We’re no better or worse than anyone else. Our Creator loves us all UNCONDITIONALLY. Lighten up friends, make it a point to ask God daily to help you see others thru HIS non-judgmental, merciful, compassionate, loving eyes. Study the Jesus of the Gospels and emulate that. Exhibit a loving and merciful spirit. THAT is what we are called to do. I half think we’d be better off at times living out our faith and say nothing. Showing people God’s love far outweighs telling them. The telling needs to supplement the showing. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Thoughts from a Random Mind

            I have a tendency that doesn’t serve me well at all. I fall into the trap of seeking the approval of others. I realized it today when I tried to act like one of the guys, but I’m not one of the guys and probably never will be.  I don’t always fit in with others particularly well and it is largely because I am a Christian with faith-based tattoos on both forearms and so everyone knows I am a Christian. That’s fine. I think some people might be a little uncomfortable around me

            I’m not really sure how others see me. I get along with pretty much everyone. I appear to be well liked by others, but seeking their approval is a trap for sure and I get caught up in it regularly. I don’t want to simply be liked and I don’t want to be viewed as a good guy. I am an ambassador of the King of Kings but how exactly am I to act? Many believers love others but do it with conditions. If you smoke, drink, cuss, have tattoos, etc., you are frowned upon and not accepted. If you cut us we bleed like anybody else would. Believers in Christ may not be of this world, but we aren’t aliens from a different planet. There is a spiritual side to our existence and it has everything to do with placing our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

            I need to learn to be different than the world without becoming otherworldly. I don’t have to dance on the fringe between what is right and what is wrong. What my actions should be are like the actions of Christ. Thankfully I do strive for this. Everyone wants to be liked, but in reality we may not have that choice for winning others to the Kingdom must be more important to us than our love for self gratification. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Word for the Day

Fruit of the Spirit - Joy

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” – Galatians 5:22-23     

         Since we’ve covered ‘love’ as a fruit of the spirit about as completely as it can be covered in blog form we shall move on to ‘joy’. Let’s start by looking at a generic, secular definition of the word ‘joy’: “1a) the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight. b) the expression or exhibition of such emotion : gaiety. 2) a state of happiness or felicity : bliss. 3) a source or cause of delight. joy.” ⁽¹⁾

            Rick Warren⁽²⁾ adds his own definition: “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”

            There is a difference between joy and happiness. “Happiness is an emotion in which we ‘experience feelings ranging from contentment and satisfaction to bliss and intense pleasure,’ whereas joy ‘is a stronger, less common feeling than happiness.’ We experience joy when we achieve selflessness to the point of personal sacrifice.” ⁽³⁾ “The joy referred to here is deeper than mere happiness; it is rooted in God and comes from Him. Since it comes from God, it is more serene and stable than worldly happiness, which merely emotional and lasts only for a time.” ⁽⁴⁾

            Lisa Leonard, Christian blogger, had this to say about “choosing joy”: “Choosing joy means letting go of the things I can't control–which is most things. Choosing joy means having compassion for others, with all their strengths and weaknesses, and having compassion for myself. Choosing joy means forgiving others and forgiving myself. There is so much forgiveness, so much grace.” ⁽⁵⁾

                  The Bible says this: “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

                  Next time we will take a look at ‘peace’, until then walk with the King and be a blessing!

 ⁽¹⁾ Joy | Definition of Joy by Merriam-Webster

⁽²⁾  Rick Warren is the Senior Pastor at Saddleback Church in California. He is the author of the best selling book ‘The Purpose-Driven Life’.

⁽³⁾  Taken from: https://www.islandpacket.com › living › religion › article33609807

⁽⁴⁾  Taken from: https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Fruit_of_the_Holy_Spirit

⁽⁵⁾  Taken from Lisa’s blog entry: https://www.lisaleonard.com › blog › choose-joy › choose-joy

The Four Loves - Agape

Four unique forms of love are found in the Bible. They are communicated through four Greek words: Eros, Storge, Philios, and Agape. We'll explore these different types of love characterized by romantic love, family love, brotherly love, and God's divine love.

Agape (pronounced ah–gah’pay) & is defined as God’s love for his creation.

            “Agape love … is not a feeling; it's a motivation for action that we are free to choose or reject. Agape is a sacrificial love that voluntarily suffers inconvenience, discomfort, and even death for the benefit of another without expecting anything in return. We are called to agape love through Christ's example: ‘Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.’"^{(1)(Ephesians 5:1-2)}.

            What Jesus did for all mankind is the greatest, most compelling example of selfless, unconditional love. That is what agape love truly is. It’s not found in words written or spoken, it is found in actions. Love is an action verb. To not be so would make it stale. Instead of telling people about Christ only, we must SHOW them Christ thru our own lives. Words are valueless when not either followed or led by actions. That goes for any of the four types of love we’ve been looking.

            If I explain how a machine works, some folks may get it, but if I show them the inner workings and how the whole mechanism functions along with what the end product might be, they will be more inclined to remember. Visible learning tops verbally communicating alone. And visible learning combined with verbal is even more effective. Be Christ to those you come across each day. People may never darken the door of a church or never crack open a Bible, but if you live out the scriptures with the Holy Spirit’s assistance, you will have something that will compel folks to pay attention. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

⁽¹⁾ https://www.compellingtruth.org/agape-love.html

The Four Loves - Philios

Four unique forms of love are found in the Bible. They are communicated through four Greek words: Eros, Storge, Philios, and Agape. We'll explore these different types of love characterized by romantic love, family love, brotherly love, and God's divine love.

Philios – Brotherly love that united believers.

            C.S. Lewis wrote a book titled The Four Loves. “Philios (philíos, Greek: φιλία) is the love between friends as close as siblings in strength and duration. The friendship is the strong bond existing between people who share common values, interests or activities.” Lewis immediately differentiates friendship love from the other loves. He describes friendship as "the least biological, organic, instinctive, gregarious and necessary...the least natural of loves". “Our species does not need friendship in order to reproduce, but to the classical and medieval worlds it is a higher-level love because it is freely chosen.”*

            It is not a natural thing to be selfless, which means it is difficult to treat others as of greater importance than yourself. Brotherly love is something that isn’t a suggestion, but rather a command. We won’t go to hell if we keep to ourselves, but it’s not what the Lord knows is best for us. Brotherly interaction is the key to loving one another. You must spend time with your brethren to cultivate a loving friendship. In the OT, David and Jonathan had what would be considered a perfect example of brotherly love ^{(1st Samuel 18-20)}.

            “Brotherly love friendship springs from a strong, tight-knit bond. Friendship shares mutual affection and love for one another.  Friendship demands selfless sacrifice.”⁽¹⁾ These are things, as I mentioned above, that do not come easy, especially for men who try to be as autonomous as possible, even as believers. We value our private time and times when we can do whatever we want. Being selfless can mess with our comfort level and cause us to do things we normally wouldn’t do even though we are told by God that this is what a follower of his should be doing. We may love a brother or sister in Christ reluctantly, but once again it all comes down to seeing others the way God sees them. Striving for selflessness in ones life is the absolute way to go. Let go of the wheel and let God drive. You’ll not regret it. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

* Wikipedia entry re: Philios love

⁽¹⁾ https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/3-truths-about-genuine-friendship-we-can-learn-from-david-and-jonathan.html

Thoughts From a Random Mind

"We're just like other people: We love to sing, we love to dance, we admire beautiful women. We are human, and sometimes very human." 

            It was said by the character of Professor Siletsky in the movie "To Be or Not to Be" (1942).  It’s something we as believers in Jesus Christ could readily say on any given day.  It’s funny how we aren’t allowed to be human. Certain members of the nonbelieving world and even some rigid, judgmental brothers and sisters in Christ are the ones who try to box us in.

            As a Christian we aren’t afforded the luxury of having panic attacks or being depressed. We seemingly aren’t allowed to be sad or concerned, angry or ill. To many those are signs of weakness or a lack of faith. God forbid we reveal our tender white underbelly. Frankly, the only difference between Christians and an unbelieving world is that we stand forgiven of all our sins. Period.

            The simple truth of the matter is that in many circles we’re not allowed to be ourselves as God intended. And these are the people we are to love. It ain’t easy, but God will enable us to look past the rigid judgment and love all we encounter as we strive to see them as our Father in heaven sees them.

rlkeller

The Four Loves – Storge

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” – Galatians 5:22-23            

Storge  (pronounced store’gay) – Familial love between a parent and their child; affectionate devotion within the confines of the family.

Scripture verse referencing this type of love: Romans 12:10 New Living Translation (NLT)

“Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.”

            The ways of the world are slowly eroding away the very foundation that represents all that is fair, decent and just on this earth. The family unit has been under attack for many years now and we are seeing some major fissures show themselves. The devil is working overtime to destroy the family unit. Those that are outside the family of faith are no threat to the enemy. Although they may not like everything that is being dished out, they conform without much resistance. Believers in Christ have some of the same struggles with the weak link often being the children. With all peoples, saved and unsaved, it is a delicate balancing act to keep our priorities in focus. Believers have the Lord to fall back on and ask support from. Non-believers have no such support. For them it tends to be a losing battle. 

            Family morals and values are being bombarded from all directions. Media outlets portray kids and the geniuses and the parents as dummies. Is it any wonder kids disrespect their parents? It doesn’t help that many parents are working hard at being their child’s buddy rather than their disciplinarian and life mentor. 

            Storge love is important and has been under attack for decades. Divorce and same sex marriage are the result of the country’s moral fiber being shredded. Now kids are able to decide what gender they wish to be. I’ve even heard of a young boy who decides when he wakes up in the morning which gender he will be for that day. It’s all too crazy … and the Christians are scolded as the intolerant ones. Pray for this country that the chaos will be quelled. Having said that, man’s free will must remain viable. It’s the way God ensures those who serve him do it because they have a deep, abiding desire to do so and do not feel like it is mandatory to know him. Next time we will look at “Philia” love. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

The Four Loves - Eros

“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” – Galatians 5:22-23      

            Over the next several days I will be looking at the Fruits of the Spirit. Today we’ll take a look at ‘love’. There are 4 different types of love in God’s economy. I’ve often said that if you ever want to know the definition of ‘love’ you can go to chapter 13 of 1^st Corinthians. That is God’s definition of ‘love’, spelled out in detail. I will look at that another time. Today I wish to touch on the 4 different types of love. 

            Four unique forms of love are found in the Bible. They are communicated through four Greek words: Eros, Storge, Philia, and Agape. We'll explore these different types of love characterized by romantic love, family love, brotherly love, and God's divine love.

Eros (pronounced “air’ohs”) – Sensual or romantic love between a man and a woman.

            God’s design is that a man not be alone, so he created woman out of man’s side (Genesis 2:22). God has sexual relations reserved for a man and woman who are to be married. Sleeping with anyone and everyone you meet cheapens the act of making love (eros).  

            Now of course man, in all his wisdom, decided having sex with anyone you so desire, whether you are married or not was all right. That has led to some pretty calamitous consequences. Everyone involved get his or her heart pierced. The emotional toll can be devastating for all parties concerned.

            In my humble opinion, the term “lovemaking” or “making love” sounds so much more intimate and romantic. Any living creature can engage in sex. It takes a personally intimate relationship with someone to engage in lovemaking. The term sex, while technically correct, cheapens the act. The world has gone crazy for sex. It’s in movies, on TV shows (via innuendo), in magazines. When does it stop? Not till the final trumpet sounds and time is no more. And it will get worse before it gets better. 

            Today’s word is “eros” – the sensual / romantic love between men and women. Until next time, when we look at “storge” or familial love, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Resource: https://www.learnreligions.com/types-of-love-in-the-bible-700177

Thoughts From a Random Mind

            The other day I said I got frustrated quite frequently, not angry, just frustrated. That frustration can take a quantum leap to exasperation in a heart beat. That causes me to overreact. The devil knows I have a problem with that and so the Lord allows him to do a tap dance on my head so I can learn to change my behavior. So far it hasn’t been working. Regretfully, I cuss and fuss and act like anything but a Christian. Thankfully it normally happens when I’m by myself. It doesn’t happen all the time but even once is unacceptable. It’s times like that that I am grateful for God’s patience. 

            A Christian’s life isn’t always cut and dry. We struggle with many of the same things our non-believing counterparts do. We don’t need to struggle like we do, but we allow our circumstances, many times that are out of our control, to give us a beating. We forget for that instant that the Holy Spirit resides within us. We forget that God is in control at all things. We forget everything we should remember at times like that and that’s exactly what the devil wants. He wants us to completely blow our testimony so that we feel unworthy to represent God. No matter what we say or do forgiveness is only a prayer away. 

            God knows the condition of our heart. He knows if our apology is real or fake. He sees if we are remorseful. He then expects us to get back up as a newly forgiven man or woman and learn from our mistake. The devil is already defeated. He’s lost the war, but still wins some of the skirmishes. He cannot harm us unless we allow him too, but even then God is there to guide us back to the path he had chosen for us. Don’t let your anger and/or frustration get the best of you. Before you blow your stack, pray. There is power in prayer. It is a mighty weapon against the forces of evil. The only way they win is if you turn your back on God and walk away. Don’t give up on your faith. Don’t let the devil win the small battle that is represented by your life. You are a child of the King.  Live like one. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Word for the Day

Thoughts From a Random Mind

           When is a sin no longer a sin? Apparently it’s when man says so. It’s easy to reject God and Christ and call it a myth or a fairy tale. It’s also easy to turn your back on him after a time serving him because you think God is unjust and/or tyrannical in nature. The Bible just becomes another book and believing it makes you the subject of ridicule. The Bible is very clear as to what angers Almighty God _{(Proverbs 6:16-19)}. We believers have categories for the enemies of the cross: Atheists, Agnostics, Anti-theists and last but not least, Apostates; those brethren who have decided God was no longer worthy of their allegiance.

            The truth of the matter, in my humble opinion, is that members of those groups either have no interest in finding out if Christianity is true or not or are just afraid we might be right and they don’t want us to be right. It’s sad to me that people will try just about anything to find freedom from the guilt associated with their lifestyle, but they will not consider Jesus Christ as an option. To them his name is just another curse word. 

            God’s rules are universal in that they easily apply to all of humanity. Man cannot set up the rules for living this life because we are tainted and scarred both mentally and emotionally. Our prejudices and preconceived notions make us poor candidates for establishing rules that are fair for everyone, even those people groups we take issue with.

            Listen, there either is a God or there isn’t. You can choose to believe whatever you like. If there is no God then when we die we’ll never have another conscious thought and never know if there was a God or not. If there IS a God who created every living thing in existence, then we will all be standing before him one day. It’s a meeting we cannot avoid. People will say some of the most ridiculous things at times, like “Yeah, well when I get to see God I’m going to tell him a thing or two.” If the end of the Book of Job is any indication, it will be an “I will talk, you will listen” type of scenario, with God doing the talking as we stand in jaw dropping awe at his glory and majesty. If you are a lukewarm believer, better thing twice about your relationship with the Lord. It will not go well for those who are not part of God’s intimate family after time is no more. Be very careful how you choose. Some people are scared to death about the spreading of the Corona Virus, but I tell you that virus cannot cast your soul into an everlasting hell. I’m not saying people should fear God in the sense of being afraid, but fear God in a sense of awe and reverential respect for who he is. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing! rlkeller

Proverbs 6:16-19 New Living Translation

There are six things the Lord hates—

no, seven things he detests:

haughty* eyes,

a lying tongue,

hands that kill the innocent,

a heart that plots evil,

feet that race to do wrong,

a false witness who pours out lies,

a person who sows discord in a family.

* arrogant, condescendingly proud.