Friday, January 29, 2010

The Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness and Self-control


In Galatians 5:22-23, we see what the fruit of the Spirit consists of. This week we took a look at the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. Today we will look at the fruit of gentleness and self-control.

Gentleness is a trait that every Christian should possess. Jesus was gentle, yet He remained powerful, and people were drawn to Him. If we are called to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), then we need to shine our light, and one way to do that is to be gentle. Philippians 4:5 says, “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” Being gentle is powerful, and it enables others to let their guard down around you, without the fear of judgment or rejection. If we are going to be effective ministers for God’s Kingdom and share the Gospel with the lost, then we have to be gentle with our words and actions (1 Peter 3:15). Being abrasive with an unbeliever and arguing with him or her about the Lord is not a successful tactic to bring sinners to Christ. Colossians 3:12 tells us that we should clothe ourselves in gentleness. “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12).” The reason the Bible tells us to “clothe” ourselves with gentleness is because we have to make an effort to put it on. We have to make a daily effort to bear the fruit of gentleness. Gentleness is a trait of those who are God’s chosen people. We have to pursue it. “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith (1 Timothy 6:11-12).”

This week I have been looking over the pamphlet “How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing. They define gentleness as being “humble, calm, and non-threatening. Gentleness is a humble and non-threatening demeanor that derives from a position of strength and authority, and is useful in calming another’s anger. Gentleness is not a quality that is weak and passive.” We see the power of gentleness in Proverbs 15:1 which says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” As Christian’s we should never fight hate with hate, anger with anger or evil with evil. We should conquer what comes against us with goodness and love, and one way to do this is with gentleness. Not only does bearing the fruit of gentleness have a powerful effect on those around us, but it will allow us to maintain peace within ourselves, as well. So many horrible things can come from being harsh, hard, angry and aggressive, but gentleness will always be effective, whether in the natural or in the supernatural realm.

Self-control is the last fruit of the Spirit, but it is often one of the most difficult of the fruit’s to bear. Temptation surrounds us to live ungodly lives, eat unhealthy foods, over spend, be dishonest, abuse drugs and alcohol, etc. Sin is pervasive in our world, since the fall. However, we can take heart, because Jesus overcame the world when He died on the cross for our sins. Jesus made what was wrong right again. We have been given the ability to choose whether we want to live a life of freedom or a life of bondage. The fact that we are God’s children ensures that we do have the ability within ourselves to bear the fruit of self-control. It may not always be an easy thing to do, but we can do it. Self-control is all about giving our struggles over to the Lord and allowing Him to transform us into the man or woman that He wants us to be. It takes discipline to bear the fruit of self-control, but if you stick with it, it will get easier.

“How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing describes self-control as “behaving well. Self-control is to restrain one’s emotions, actions, and desires, and to be in harmony with the will of God. Self-control is doing God’s will, not living for one’s self.” The night that Jesus was betrayed, he prayed and told God that He wished for God’s will to be done (Luke 22:41-42). Christian’s need to press on and remain in an attitude of obedience to God’s will, if they want to bear the fruit of self-control in their lives. Sometimes we might not want to do something, but we have to decide to do what is right, instead of deciding to do what our flesh wants to do. We can’t base our lives off of our thoughts, feelings, emotions, opinions, and so on. We need to use the Word of God as a map that will guide our lives down the path that we are supposed to be on. No matter what you are going through, God’s grace can teach you to live a godly life and to bear the fruit of self-control (Titus 2:11-12). If you are struggling with a bad temper, fear, an addiction, sexual immorality, bad language, or any other temptation, then talk to God about it. Tell Him what you are struggling with and ask Him to help you. Spend time in His Word daily, and press in and press on. Make the effort to grow in your walk with the Lord, and don’t stay stuck in your comfort zone. God is able to help you live your life with self-control.


Galatians 5:22-23 says that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” What kind of fruit are you bearing? Are you bearing the fruit of the Spirit or are you bearing bad fruit (of your own fleshly desires)? God has called us to walk in a manner that is worthy of His calling, in a manner that pleases Him, that will enable us to live our best life and be a light to others. Check yourself daily and inspect the fruit that you are bearing. God loves you so much! He wants you to live your life abundantly!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

The Fruit of the Spirit: Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness

This week I’ve been writing about the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus warned us that not everyone who claims to be His follower truly is. He told us that we can recognize someone who is Christian and who is a “false prophet” by the fruit that they bear (Matthew 7:20). Galatians 5 explains the difference between good and bad fruit. Galatians 5:22-23 says that followers of Christ should bear “the fruit of the Spirit,” which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” The previous blog’s I have written have discussed love, joy, peace and patience. Today I’ll discuss the fruit of kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.


One of the beautiful qualities of God’s nature is kindness. God shows His kindness as He expresses His compassion and mercy on us. In Isaiah 54:8 God says, “With everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you.” The very fact that God sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins shows us what a kind, merciful and compassionate God He is! He also shows His kindness by providing all of our needs for us like rain, food, and the joy in our hearts, (Acts 14:17), just to name a few. The Lord delights in showing kindness. In Jeremiah 9:24 the Lord says, “…I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.” It is the loving-kindness of God that draws us to Him (Jeremiah 31:3). We are called to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1). Since the Lord exemplifies kindness, then we also need to bear the fruit of kindness in our own lives.



A small pamphlet entitled “How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing describes kindness as “merciful, sweet, and tender. Kindness is an eagerness to put others at ease. It is a sweet and attractive temperament that shows friendly regard.” God saved us from sin and eternal damnation and set us free from bondage of any kind, not because of righteous things that we had done, but because of His love, kindness and mercy (Titus 3:4-5). God has raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms, in order to express his grace and kindness to us (Ephesians 2:6-7)! I am so thankful for His redeeming grace! It is by His grace that we have been saved, and because grace was extended to us, we need to extend grace to others. Whether we are smiling at someone we cross paths with in the grocery store, opening our home to a guest, being a good listener for someone who is hurting, or helping a stranger who is in need, we need to show kindness to others. I have mentioned 1 Corinthians 13 several times over the past few days, and I feel compelled to refer back to it again. Christians are called to walk in love, and bearing the fruit of kindness comes from walking in love. “Love is kind (1 Corinthians 13:4).”



Not only does kindness describe who God is, but goodness also describes Him. The fact that we have fallen because of sin makes it impossible for us to be “good.” We are incapable of being “good” on our own. Even Jesus said that there is no one who is truly good but God. So how can we bear the fruit of goodness, if we are fallen human beings? The answer points to Jesus. Once we commit our hearts and lives to the Lord, He makes us a new creation in Him. He washes all of the sins of our past away, and He gives us a clean slate. Through the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us, we are able to bear good fruit, because we are God’s own chosen people, and He is working with, in and through us. Therefore, if we want to bear the fruit of goodness, we need to follow God’s commands, listen to His voice, find out what pleases Him and allow Him to lead our lives. “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord (Ephesians 5:8-10).”



“How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing describes goodness as being “generous and open hearted. Goodness is the selfless desire to be open hearted and generous to others above what they deserve.” This definition for goodness sounds a lot like kindness and mercy. Maybe they are all intertwined somehow. I think the point is that we need to express goodness to others, regardless of how we may feel. There may be times when someone doesn’t treat you in a loving way, rejects you, or hurts you, but we need to have thicker skin and maintain an attitude of goodness towards people, regardless of how we have been treated by them. I am not suggesting that anyone become a doormat or allow people to bully or abuse them. Boundaries are a great thing to have in this life! However, you do not have to live with a heart of bitterness, resentment, condemnation, or un-forgiveness. Jesus did not die so that we would live with sick hearts. You can choose to show goodness to others, and be the light in this dark world! Galatians 6:9-10 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”



Faithfulness has been described in “How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing as “dependable, loyal, and full of trust. Faithfulness is firm devotion to God, loyalty to friends, and dependability to carry out responsibilities. Faith is the conviction that even now God is working and acting on one’s behalf.” No matter where we have been and no matter what we have done, God is faithful! The Bible says that God doesn’t even have the ability to be faithless, because it goes against His very nature. Isn’t that encouraging and amazing! I love and appreciate the faithfulness of the Lord so much, because my past was full of faithless actions against God. Still, God never gave up on me, and He won’t give up on you! The most important decision we can make in this life is to put our faith in God. It may not be easy for us to walk in faith at times, but we have to press on, because God will always come through for His children. When you choose not to live in faith that God will provide for you, heal you, care for you, bring you through a trial, or whatever the situation may be, then you are telling God that you don’t trust Him. God won’t let you down! Have faith!



Just as the Lord is faithful, we need to bear the fruit of faithfulness. We need to be faithful to the goals that we set, to our marriages, to our responsibilities, to our word, and on and on. We need to be reliable and loyal to people around us. When we bear the fruit of faithfulness, then we expresses to God and others that we are men and women of character. In my opinion, one of the most discouraging things about people is that they can often be completely unreliable or disloyal. If you make a commitment to meet someone, be somewhere, achieve a goal, finish something, or complete a task, then be faithful by following through. If you aren’t able to follow through with someone because of something specific, then at least be courteous enough to let them know. I have often wondered why people choose not to show up or choose not to call, when they have made commitments. I think that bearing the fruit of faithfulness is extremely important. Also, we especially need to be faithful in the little things. When the Lord sees that He can trust us in little things, He will surely trust us with greater things.


Tomorrow will be the last day I’ll discuss the “Fruit of the Spirit.” Tomorrow I will blog about the last two fruit’s on the list, gentleness and self-control.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

The Fruit of the Spirit: Joy, Peace, Patience



Over the past few days, I have been discussing the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 says that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Yesterday I talked about love, the first fruit of the Spirit. In my opinion, love is the most important fruit that we can bear, and I find it no coincidence that it is listed in Galatians as the first fruit. Our love walk is crucial not only because it testifies to the world, as well as other believers, that Jesus is our Lord and we are God’s children, but it is the greatest commandment that Jesus gave us.


The second fruit of the Spirit is joy. According to “How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing, joy is “gladness not based on circumstances.” Joy and happiness are two different things. Anyone can feel happy when they are having a good day, when they get a pay raise, when they talk to an old friend, or when things are generally going their way. Joy, on the other hand is the attitude, feeling and state of mind that super cedes our circumstances. Anyone can be happy, whether they are Christian’s or nonbelievers, but true joy only comes from the Lord.


In Nehemiah 8:10, Nehemiah declares, “the joy of the Lord is your strength." During times of trials and despair, Christian’s have the awesome privilege of leaning on God, instead of leaning on our own understanding, and when we do He will straighten our paths and show us the way (Proverbs 3:5-7). We are able to go directly to the throne of the Lord and seek His counsel, wisdom, guidance, and direction in difficult situations. Hebrews 14:6 says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. As men and women of God, we can fall into God’s embrace where He will provide comfort and shelter from any storm that we are facing (Isaiah 25:4). Believers in Christ can also remain confident and joyful during difficult times, because God has promised us that we will be victorious in every circumstance (Psalm 44:7; 60:12; 108:13; 118:15; Proverbs 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 John 5:4). It is because of these blessed opportunities to fellowship with and rely on God that we are able to maintain joy, no matter what happens in our lives.

According to “How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing, “joy is more than happiness. It is not based on financial success, good health, or popularity. By believing in God, obeying His will, receiving His forgiveness, participating in fellowship with other believers, ministering to others, and sharing the Gospel, believers will experience joy.” Jesus wants us to have abundant lives filled with joy. In John 17:13, “Jesus said: ‘I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.’” Jesus encourages us to seek Him and ask Him for the desires of our heart, so that our joy will be complete. In John 16:24 Jesus said, “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” 1 Peter 1:8-9 also shows us that when we have Christ in our lives and we have received salvation, then we will have “inexpressible and glorious joy.” What an awesome God we serve!

Peace is another fruit of the Spirit. Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). In Matthew 5:9 Jesus said that peacemakers will be blessed and “they will be called sons of God.” In John 16:33 Jesus said, “’I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’” Peace is very important to the Lord. God desires for us to live in peace, and He desires that we have peace within ourselves, which comes from Him. Jesus didn’t say that we will never face trouble in this life, but He did encourage us to take heart and keep our minds in peace. Isaiah 26:3 says that God “will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in” Him. Even though it can be difficult to do at times, we need to make sure that we don’t worry. We need to trust the Lord and know that He is going to take care of us because we are His children. In John 14:27 Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”


It is not God’s intention that we live our lives worried, without order or full of chaos. “God is not a God of disorder but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33).” Life isn’t perfect, and sometimes things won’t go your way, but if there is a constant theme of chaos, disorder and disorganization in your life, then I encourage you to seek God about your situation. Earnestly seek Him! Fast, pray, and spend time in His Word for a period of time, and see what the Lord reveals to you.

In the pamphlet, “How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing, peace is defined as “contentment” and “unity between people.” It goes on to say that “peace is a state of assurance, lack of fear, and sense of contentment. It is fellowship, harmony, and unity between individuals. Peace is freedom from worry, disturbance, and oppressive thoughts.” Since God is a God of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33), then the heirs (sons and daughters) of God should be children of peace. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We need to step out in faith and trust God. We need to allow the peace of the Holy Spirit to fill us, and we need to let go of worry, doubt and fear. Stay in faith and remain peaceful. God is able! Maintain peace in your relationships, as far as it depends on you. Make an effort to seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14; 1 Peter 3:11)!

Patience is another important fruit of the Spirit. “How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing defines patience as being “slow to speak and slow to anger. Patience is slowness in avenging wrongs. It is the quality of restraint that prevents believers from speaking or acting hastily in the face of disagreement, opposition, or persecution. Patience is bearing pain or problems without complaining.”


In Proverbs, we can receive instruction and wisdom from the words we read about patience. Proverbs 14:29 says, “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.” Proverbs 15:18 says, “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.” There is wisdom and power in a person who is patient. I think that it also goes without saying that when we choose to be impatient, often times we will end up in a bad situation. We need to trust God and rely on Him to provide for us on His timing, not our own. The Lord knows when it is time to move you into a new season or a new direction, whether or not you should receive certain things that you are requesting, and so on. Be patient and wait on the Lord! 1 Thessalonians 5:14 encourages us to “be patient with everyone.” There are no exceptions to the rule, when it comes to patience. It does not matter if it is your child, your spouse, your friend, your mother, your neighbor, or your coworker. Be patient with everyone you encounter. Be a light in the world, even if it may be difficult to do at times. “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged (James 5:8-9).”


I would like to add that I believe that patience is an act of love. Even 1 Corinthians 13:4 says “love is patient,” and we know God wants us to walk in love. Let’s face it, American’s are spoiled. We live in a country where we want what we want when we want it, and most of us often end up getting it. Unfortunately, patience is not something that has been instilled in us as a culture. However, we have to rise above our culture, the family we were raised in, or whatever negative messages we received concerning patience, and we need to understand the truth of what God has to say about it. Not only is patience an act of love, it is a fruit that we should bear as followers of Jesus Christ. It may take some work, but if we want to bear good fruit for the Lord, then we need to make an effort to live with patience.


Tomorrow we will take a look at the fruit of kindness, goodness, and faithfulness.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Fruit of the Spirit: Love



God desires for His children to bear good fruit. He wants us to be fruitful, not fruitless. Ephesians 5:11 says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” If we have made the decision to follow Christ and have a relationship with God, then we must turn away from and have nothing to do with the lives that we formerly lived in sin. As believers we need to bear the fruit of repentance, which is the fruit of the Spirit. The Bible tells us in Romans 7:4-5 that we “died to the law through the body of Christ…in order that we might bear fruit to God. For when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death.” As children of God, we no longer bear fruit for death, we bear fruit for life, and God has give us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter1:3). In Galatians 5:22-23 we see what fruit we should be bearing in Christ. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).”


The first fruit of the Spirit is love. I find it no coincidence that love is first on the list. The entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 is about love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 says that out of faith, hope and love, “the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13 tells us what true love is and it tells us that we are nothing without it. It tells us that if we speak in tongues, prophecy, have faith that can move mountains, surrender our possessions to the poor and our bodies to the flames, but we don’t have love then we are only noisy people who are nothing and gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 defines true 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).” 1 Corinthians 13:8-9 goes on to tell us that prophecies will cease, tongues will be stilled and knowledge will pass away but faith, hope and love will remain. If we ever want to refer to a model of true love, then we need to read 1 Corinthians 13.


According to “How the Spirit Works In and Through Believers/ The Fruit of the Spirit” by Rose Publishing, “love seeks the highest good of others. Love is not based on emotions or feelings. It is a decision to be committed to the well being of others without any conditions or circumstances.” Love is a choice! God showed His great love for us by giving up His only Son so that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).” God loves us so much that He could not bear to be separated from us for eternity. In John 15:9, Jesus tells us that He has loved us like the Father (God) has loved Him, and He tells us to remain in His love. The greatest command that Christ ever gave us was for us to love others. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command (John 15:12-14).” In 1 John 4:7-12 we are again taught the importance of love. These verses also show us that if don’t love others then we don’t truly know God. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us (1 John 4:7-12).”

Sometimes it is easy to love our parents, children, our spouse, or our friends. Even if we get angry with our loved ones at times or have a disagreement, most of us are still able to love the people in our lives because of the strong bond that we share. What happens if someone close to us makes it next to impossible to love them? We are called to love them anyway. 1 John 3:14 says, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.” Sometimes we may relationships in our lives that become unhealthy or dysfunctional, and it might be best to set some boundaries and keep ourselves at a distance. However, we can still love people from a distance by praying for them, keeping love for them in our hearts or checking on them from time to time. Sometimes if God calls us to reconcile with people or rebuild our relationship with them in a more healthy way, then we can do so. No matter what happens, we can always choose to love the people in our lives who are close to us or the people in our lives who are acquaintances.


A more difficult question is what do we do with the enemies we have in our lives, with the people in or around our lives that we don’t care for, with people who mistreat or persecute us, with murderers, thieves, rapists, sociopaths and so on that are out in the world? Whoever it is, we need to choose to love those people who often seem un-loveable. As a matter of fact, we especially need to love them, and we need to pray for them! Remember that 1 John 4:7 tells us that love comes from God and if we truly know Him, then we will love others. It is not an easy thing to do, but God never said that this life would be easy. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48).”


If we are struggling to love certain people, then we need to pray and ask God to forgive us and move and change our hearts. God is a God of justice, and when there is an injustice done to us or someone that we love, then it is natural for us to burn with righteous anger. However, we also need to remember that God is the only good and perfect judge, and after we have taken time to be angry and express our feelings of anger to the Lord, then we need to let go, forgive the person who did us or our loved one harm, and we need to pray for that person. If the person who harmed you is saved, then pray for their forgiveness, forgive them and pray that God will bless them. Also, ask God if there is anything that you have done to hurt the person who has hurt you, and if you feel convicted, then ask God and that person to forgive you. Pray for reconciliation and a renewal of fellowship or at the very least that you and this person may be at peace with one another. If the person who harmed you is unsaved, then pray that they will come to know the Lord, repent, be forgiven, and be blessed. We aren’t called to be in fellowship with nonbelievers, but we are called to love them, and maybe you are the person who will shine God’s light and share His Gospel with them. Walking in love is not always easy to do, but it is not an option. It is a command. It is a choice. Choose to walk in love!


Tomorrow we will learn about bearing the fruit of joy, peace and patience.

Monday, January 25, 2010

The Fruit of the Spirit


One of the most important things that God has taught me is the importance of bearing good fruit as a woman of God. After committing my life to the Lord, God began a work in me. He made me a new creation in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17), and He started to renew my mind and change my life in beautiful ways. Slowly but surely, the Lord was designing me to be the woman I was meant to be in Jesus Christ, and I know that the Lord will continue His work in me for the rest of my life here on earth, until He has completed His work within me (Philippians 1:6). Making a choice to live for God was not and is not always easy. In the beginning I had to choose to live my life by the Spirit, instead of by my flesh or my sinful nature. This is a choice I still have to make daily, and it is a choice I will have to make for the rest of my life. As followers of Jesus Christ, all of us choose daily to live by the Spirit or to live by our flesh. In order to live by the Spirit, we need to choose to bear good fruit and not obey our sinful desires.


If we take a look at the Old and New Testament, we will see how important bearing “fruit” is to God. In Genesis, we see the importance to God of bearing physical fruit. God command Adam and Eve (Genesis 1:22; 28), Noah and his sons (Genesis 9:1; 7), and Abraham (Genesis 17:6) to be fruitful and multiply. In other books of the Bible we see the importance to God of bearing spiritual fruit. Psalm 1:3 says that a righteous person is blessed for bearing good fruit. “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers (Psalm 1:3).” In Isaiah 17:8 we also read that the righteous “will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Psalm 92:14 says that the righteous will even continue to bear good fruit in old age, and Psalm 128:2 says that the righteous will eat the fruit of their labor, which consists of blessings and prosperity. Isaiah 3:10 encourages believers by saying, “Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.” On the other hand, the unrighteous will also eat of the fruit of their ways, but will “be filled with the fruit of their schemes (Psalm 1:31),” which will be the wickedness that they have sown. In Proverbs we see that “the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life (Proverbs 11:30).” We also see the importance of our words. We can bear good or bad fruit with our words. Proverbs 12:14 and Proverbs 13:2 say that “from the fruit of his lips a man is filled with/enjoys good things,” because “from the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled (Proverbs 18:20).” Proverbs 18:21 also shows the power of our words by explaining that we have the ability to create life or death with what we say. “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21).”


Jesus preached on the importance of being one with Him and bearing good fruit for God. He also told us that believers and nonbelievers will be easily identified by the fruit that they bear. In Matthew 7:17-20 Jesus said, “every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” In Matthew 12:33, Jesus stresses again that people will be recognized by the fruit that they bear. In Matthew 3:8 and Luke 3:8, John the Baptist cried out to the people to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” It is obvious that if we are believers, then the fruit that we bear will show others if we have repented from the life that we once lived in sin. Both Jesus and John the Baptist warned people that if they were not bearing fruit for God, then they would not end up in Heaven at the end of this life on earth (Matthew 7:19; Luke 3:9).


Before a Christian becomes a Christian, he or she will not bear good fruit, because he or she does not know Jesus. In John 15:1-8, Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”


What is the fruit of the Spirit? What did John the Baptist mean when he urged us to produce the fruit of repentance? Galatians 5 shows us what type of fruit we should bear as followers of Jesus Christ. In order to know what type of fruit we should bear, it is first important to know that we shouldn’t bear bad fruit. That sounds simple enough, but what is bad fruit? Bad fruit is the fruit that is born from the sinful nature, and it consists of whatever is contrary to the Spirit. Galatians 5:17 says, “the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” In Galatians 5:19-21, we are able to see what the acts of the sinful nature are. “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).” Does this mean that if we sin, then we aren’t saved? Of course not! It is impossible to live a sin free life. Jesus was the only One ever worthy enough to live a sinless life. It is not a matter of if we sin or not. It is a matter of what we choose to do after we sin. When we sin we should confess our sin to God, ask Him for forgiveness, then repent of (turn away from) that sin. It is when people dedicate their lives to sin that is becomes abundantly clear that they are not living for Jesus and they are not producing the fruit of repentance.


In order to bear good fruit Galatians 5:16 tells us, “live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” If we want to live by the Spirit then we have to make the effort to fellowship with God daily through prayer and reading His Word. We have to die to ourselves on a daily basis and make a choice to obey God’s commands to us. Galatians 5:24 says, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” Do a daily check and ask yourself, “am I living by the Spirit or am I living by my flesh?” You will know the answer depending on the fruit that you are bearing. In Galatians 5:19-21 we see what it means to walk in the flesh and bear its fruit, but in Galatians 5:22-23 we see what it means to bear the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 says that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”


Over the next few days we will take a look at the fruit of the Spirit and how we can bear good fruit for the Lord.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Excellence and Integrity (part 5)



This week, the topic was “Excellence and Integrity.” A few months ago, God began to reveal to me the importance of living my life with excellence. Shortly after that, I saw Joyce Meyer preaching a sermon on television about this very thing. I was thrilled! Hearing the things that Joyce was preaching on was confirmation to me that this is truly important to the Lord. I bought Joyce’s four part DVD series entitled “Living with Excellence and Integrity,” and I have used this as my resource for the blog’s I have posted this week.


When I think about the Lord I am amazed at how glorious He is. I don’t believe that the magnitude of God’s glory and excellence can even be fully understood by us, while we are here on earth. However, I know God is beautiful, magnificent and amazing in every way, and I cannot thank Him enough for saving and redeeming me. Becoming a child of God means so many things. First, we have been forgiven, and we have the promise of everlasting life (John 3:16). Second, we have been born again, and we are children of God (1 John 5:1). Third, we have been set free from the bondage of sin, and from the things of this world, and we have complete freedom in Christ (John 8:36). Last but not least, God has called us to share His gospel with the world (Mark 16:15), He has set us apart, and we are His sons and daughters, His heirs (Romans 8:15-17).


If for no other reason than the fact that Jesus suffered and gave His life for us, we should desire to live a life that is excellent. How many Christian’s forget what Christ did for them? They live in sin and darkness like other lost people in the world, and they choose not to repent and give their hearts completely to Christ. Why? Jesus didn’t die so that we would be lukewarm, on the fence, or live like people who are unsaved. We have a duty not only to God, but to others, to live our best life. We are called to be the light of the world and reach out to the lost and introduce them to the Savior. We can’t be effective as Christian’s if we don’t choose to fully surrender to God. Not to mention the fact that we are selling ourselves short and denying ourselves of abundant life, when we keep one foot in the world and one foot out.


1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” What an amazing verse! We are a chosen people. We are a royal priesthood. We are a holy nation, a people belonging to God. We have been called out of darkness, into God’s wonderful light. Do any of these words insinuate that we should live average lives with a lukewarm heart towards God? Absolutely not! The words chosen, royal priesthood, holy nation, and people belonging to God all point towards excellence and living a life that is excellent.
Living a life that is excellence has nothing to do with money. It has nothing to do with having a lot of possessions or having nice things. Living a life of excellence begins with making a decision to follow Christ and give Him your heart and your life, with complete surrender. The next step is to make time and fellowship with God every day. Read and study the Bible. Pray daily. Attend church weekly, get lost in praise and worship, and serve inside and outside of your church. Listen to God’s voice. Make the effort to get to know God and grow in your relationship with Him. Share the Gospel with people in your life who aren’t saved, and as you do these things, God will transform you from glory to glory. The last and most important step is to press on and continue growing. It’s easy to give your life to the Lord. The hard part is sticking with your decision to live for Jesus. You will face persecution. You may have to let go of some of your relationships that don’t glorify God. You may be lonely for a little while, and you may be taken completely out of your comfort zone, but stick with Jesus! During the difficult times in your walk with God, you will grow to be a more excellent man or woman of God. God loves you, and He is with you. He won’t give you anymore than you can bear, so hang in there.


In order to be an excellent person for the Lord, we need to come up higher. We need to come up higher in our thoughts, in what we say, in how we act, in the way we treat others, and in every area of our lives. We need to walk in a manner that is worthy of God’s calling. Philippians 4:8 reminds us how to live an excellent life. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).” Choose to be a leader and not a follower. Go against the grain, even when it is “uncool,” unpopular, or if no one else is doing it. No one is going to be perfect. Living with excellence has nothing to do with perfectionism. Excellence is the choice to be the best person that God has created you to be! With God’s help, you can do it!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Excellence and Integrity (part 4)



The topic for this week has been “Excellence and Integrity.” I have been following Joyce Meyer’s four part sermon series entitled “Living with Excellence and Integrity.” If you would like to read the summary of part one, two, and three of this series, as well as my commentary, then review my previous blog’s.


Today was the last part of Joyce Meyer’s series, and the title was “Don’t Compromise.” I think the title of this part of Joyce’s series says so much. I believe that we are called to live to a higher standard, as believers in and followers of Jesus. God has set apart His chosen people to live lives that glorify Him and spread love to others. Since we are set apart, it only makes sense that we will not live like people in the world who don’t know the Lord. Our lives should be a testimony to the goodness of God’s grace and His redemptive power. Choose not to compromise your values, morals, and principles for anyone or anything. Live the life of excellence that God has called you to.


Joyce began the last part of her series encouraging Christian’s that it is never too late to change and become a person of excellence. She went on to talk about our thought life and how it can affect us. She asked, “How do you see yourself? How do you feel about yourself?” Most of us would agree that the view that we hold of ourselves will determine how we live our lives. If we want to live an excellent life, then we have to have an excellent view of ourselves. Joyce was not insinuating that we need to be vain, but she was encouraging that we let go of the negative views that we hold of ourselves, and make the choice to see ourselves the way that God sees us. In case you don’t know how God sees you, I just want to encourage you that God sees you as His precious child that He loves so greatly. He loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die for all of the sins that you have committed (John 3:16). You are precious and extremely valuable to Him, and He loves you more than you can imagine!


When we have God in our lives, we have all that we will ever need to succeed. Start saying to yourself what God says about you. Read His promises and declarations of love to you in the Bible. Know that if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are a co-heir with Christ! You are the head and not the tail! You are above and not beneath! You are victorious and have authority in Christ! When we know who we are in Christ, we will not only have confidence in our lives, but we will have power. “We are nothing without Him, but we are all things through Him (Joyce Meyer).”


During her sermon, “Don’t Compromise,” Joyce read Numbers 13:23-33. We see in these verses how the Jews viewed themselves in comparison with the giants of the land. We see that the Jews viewed themselves as grasshoppers, and because they viewed themselves in this light, the giants of the land viewed them the same way. We can also see from this chapter in the Bible that the Jews spent 40 years in the wilderness, when the trip should have only taken them a few days. Why? They made the choice to complain and maintain a negative thought life. Joyce reminds us that how long we spend in the wilderness depends on our attitude. This is why our thought life is so important. How can we expect to overcome obstacles and trials in our lives if we won’t make the choice to clothe ourselves with Christ, renew our thought life with God’s help and make a choice to get out of the wilderness?


There aren’t many people today who make the choice to live a life of excellence, and unfortunately there are many Christian’s in this category. If you are one of those people, then know that with God’s help you can change your life. Joyce told us in her sermon that it is never too late to change our lives and live with excellence, and she also told us that we have to begin with our thought life. We need to view ourselves the way God does, and we need to keep our focus on Jesus. The devil will do anything to steal our focus away from God’s call on our lives. Don’t fixate on your faults. We all sin and we all make mistakes, but if we ask God to forgive us and repent of our sins, then God is faithful and He will forgive and guide us. Don’t focus so much on what you do wrong or what you have done wrong that you forget who you are in Christ. You are a new creation, and His mercies are new every morning!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Excellence and Integrity (part 3)

This week, I have been studying the topic “Excellence and Integrity.” I have been following Joyce Meyer’s study on this topic from her DVD series entitled, “Living with Excellence and Integrity.” In the first part of this four part series, Joyce discussed “A Commitment to Excellence and Integrity.” Her message of bearing good fruit and being the light of the world, by making a decision to come up higher and live a life of excellence was inspiring. In part two, she discussed “Character Traits of an Excellent Man.” Joyce encouraged us to be the kind of people who make a commitment to follow the Lord, no matter what the cost. If you would like to read the summary on each of these sermon’s, as well as my commentary, then please refer to my previous blog’s.

Part three of Joyce Meyer’s four part series is entitled, “Be All You Can Be.” In this sermon, Joyce discusses what it takes to be a real man or woman of God. We begin to understand that it takes a real man or woman of God to bring things to completion. In other words, if we want to be people of excellence, then we have to be the kind of people who will finish what we start. We have to be a body of believers who will not give up.


In 1 Kings 18, we see an example of a godly man who refused to give up. Elijah was in fellowship with God, and he believed by faith that God would bring rain upon the land. “Go and look toward the sea," he told his servant. And he went up and looked. ‘There is nothing there,’ he said. Seven times Elijah said, ‘Go back (1 Kings 18:43).’” What does this show us? This shows us that Elijah was a man of faith. Did he give up the first time that there was no rain in sight? No, he didn’t. Elijah pressed on and believed in what he could not see, because he trusted God to bring it to pass. Sure enough, we see that at the end of 1 Kings 18, God brings a heavy ran on the land.


God does not want us to give up on anyone or anything. He wants us to press on. This is why it is so important to be faithful in the little things. When God sees that we are making the choice to be faithful in little things, then He will trust us with greater things. We need to do the right thing, even though it can be difficult at times. “The more we do the right thing, the easier it will become for us to do the right thing (Joyce Meyer).” It’s important to remain diligent, be responsible and have discipline in our lives, if we want to be successful. “When you know what God wants you to do, pray that He will help you press through and finish what you start (Joyce Meyer).”


In Genesis 11:31 we read how Terah made a decision to settle between where he was and where he was supposed to be. How many of us choose to settle and miss out on God’s best, not to mention missing out on completing His will and plan for our lives? Too many people settle for less and end up living lukewarm lives. Why? People settle because it’s easy. “Doing what’s easy is popular in our culture (Joyce Meyer).” We want the latest trend that will make our lives easier and more comfortable. In my opinion, when we choose to live our lives in this way, we miss out on living abundantly. From the perspective of the world, this idea makes little sense, but when you begin to see things through the eyes of the Spirit, then you will understand truth behind this statement. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having nice things. However, if people allow “things” or possessions to be the focus of their lives, instead of walking with Christ, then they become easy targets for temptation, sin, falling away from God and often complete destruction.


Personally, I think that getting out of our comfort zone can hurt. That’s why so many people choose to stay in their comfort zones. I have been out of my comfort zone on many occasions, since I started walking with the Lord, and I know how painful that can be. However, these moments in our spiritual life are beautiful and priceless, because it is in these moments that we are stretched and we grow in our walk and relationship with God. I want to challenge you that if you have not grown spiritually since you gave your heart to Jesus, then you should start asking yourself why? I personally believe that we are not meant to stay at one level in our spiritual walk. God wants us to grow and mature. “Sometimes when you wonder why God could make it easier for you and He isn’t, trust Him that He is building the faith in you that you’re going to need later on (Joyce Meyer).”


God has given all of us gift’s to use in this life, but Joyce made a great point when she stated, “There is more to being successful than your gift.” In other words, it takes more than having a gift or talent, in order to please God and live a life of excellence. We need to press through and make a choice not to float downstream or live a mediocre life. We can do this by staying in faith, trusting God, living our lives worthy of God’s calling, and getting out of our comfort zone when we need to. In Genesis 12:1, “The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.’” Abraham had to leave his comfort zone, but he pressed through and obeyed God, and God blessed the nations through him.


In Joyce’s message, “Be All You Can Be,” she concludes by saying that some Christian’s need to shake off a lazy, apathetic attitude. “God wants us to go all the way through with Him!” When we have fully performed the will of God, we’ll carry away to the full what was promised (Hebrews 10:36). We need to maintain diligence in our lives, in order to live with excellence (Hebrews 11:6). Let’s run the race and finish the course with joy! Don’t be discouraged. Look at how far that you have come, and not at how far you have to go. Don’t forget to be faithful in the little things. You can be all that you can if you put your trust in the Lord and choose to follow Him and glorify Him in every area of your life.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Excellence and Integrity (part 2)

Joyce Meyer preached a sermon series called “Living with Excellence and Integrity.” In part one she discussed “A Commitment to Excellence and Integrity.” In order to view a summary and my commentary of this study, please refer to my previous blog, “Excellence and Integrity.”

In part two of Joyce Meyer’s series, she discusses “Character Traits of an Excellent Man.” Before I delve into this study, I want to mention that God’s idea of what makes a person excellent is significantly different than the worlds idea of what makes a person excellent. The world tells us that we need to be physically attractive, wealthy, have a high level of education, own coveted possessions, have a job where we are at the top of the ladder, and on and on. The media is constantly bombarding us with images of what they believe defines an excellent person. God’s Word tells us something different. It tells us that God loves us, and that we are sinners who have fallen from His grace. However, when we receive Christ into our lives and live for Him, God makes our lives new, beautiful. His Word also reminds us that there is nothing we can do to earn God’s grace. It is through Jesus that we receive grace and forgiveness and become new. We have to trust in Christ, and after we do, God will lead us and guide us to live a life of excellence. Ephesians 2:8-10 tells us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”


When we come to know Christ, we have the opportunity to live a life of excellence. In “Character Traits of an Excellent Man,” Joyce talks about being comfortable. Many of us are addicted to comfort. However, if we want to possess the character traits of someone who is excellent, then we need to be willing to go the extra. Going the extra mile isn’t always comfortable, but we need to be committed to doing what’s right. There are too many people who do the right thing, in order to receive a reward or to be blessed, but we need to do what’s right because it glorifies God. We need to have the attitude that says, “God, even if you don’t bless me, I’m going to live my life for you.”


It’s great to read the Bible and attend church, but we need to make the effort as Christian’s to come up higher in our walk with Christ. We need to be “doers of the Word” and not just hearers. In John 13, Jesus shows us what it means to be excellent. What was His example to us? Jesus washed His disciple’s feet. Being a servant for the Lord is an honor and a privilege, and it is when we serve that we are living what God considers to be an excellent life. Again, we shouldn’t do anything to get blessed, but in John 13:7 we see that when we are “doers of the Word,” then we will be blessed. “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:7).” As believers, we need to sow good seeds and bear good fruit, if we want to receive God’s favor.


Joyce gave a great example of a man from the Bible who possessed character traits of someone excellent, and that man was Daniel. “Daniel went from the pit to the palace, because he was a man of excellence (Joyce Meyer).” What was it that set Daniel apart? It was more than the gift God gave him of a “keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems (Daniel 5:12).” Daniel was the kind of man who went against the flow of the “normal,” and continued to do what was right, regardless of his circumstances. It was because of his decision to live with excellence that Daniel was favored by the King and promoted. Even when people came against Daniel and coerced the King to throw anyone in the lion’s den who did not worship the King, Daniel lived with excellence. What did he do? Daniel 6:10 says, “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Daniel didn’t allow the ways of the world to sway his convictions, and because of it he was thrown into the lion’s den. What did God do? He showed up and He saved Daniel. Daniel walked away without a scratch, because He had God’s favor.


In her sermon, Joyce goes on to say that just like Daniel, we need to make a commitment to do what’s right, even if it costs us something. We need to stop putting our expectations in people and put our expectations in God. We need to live godly lives, especially when times get tough. All of us will go through trials, and if we choose to truly sell out to God, then we will be taken out of our comfort zone, but God will always come through for His children. God will give us strength to complete the work He has called us to do, and He will provide a way out, when we come up against temptation. When the road gets rough and we face trials or persecution, God will come to our rescue and shut the lions mouth, like he did for Daniel (Daniel 6:22). We have to trust God, no matter what.


Lastly, Joyce encouraged us in her sermon to examine our prayer life. What are we praying for? Are we praying for others, or do we mainly pray for ourselves? Are we praying for our enemies and for people who persecute us like Jesus asked us to (Matthew 5:44)? I also encourage all of us to ask ourselves, “Am I listening?” Remember, prayer is a two way street. Maybe it’s time to be still and listen to God’s voice. He wants to lead us and guide us, and He wants to have fellowship with us.


“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:9-12).”

Monday, January 18, 2010

Excellence and Integrity


Soldier of Christ is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) Christian Ministry, dedicated to outreach and spiritual growth. Our mission is to help in building an army of soldiers for Christ and His Kingdom, in order to advance His name and God's will throughout all nations. (Mark 16: 15 – 18)

As part of our ministry, we will provide weekly messages here on blogger.com. We hope that you will be encouraged, inspired and strengthened along with us in your walk with Jesus Christ, as you read these messages. The topic will change weekly. The Bible, as well as other Christian literature, will be used, in order to help us grow spiritually.

The topic for this week is “Excellence and Integrity.” In order to live our lives with excellence and integrity, then it is important for us to study and apply what God has to say on these matters. I am currently studying Joyce Meyer’s four part message, “Living with Excellence and Integrity.” I chose to buy this study because God revealed to me that as a woman of God, I am called to live a life of excellence. When I heard Joyce speaking on this topic, it was confirmation to me that this is in fact something that God revealed to me, and it is important to the Lord. In part one, Joyce preaches on “A Commitment to Excellence and Integrity.” She listed three thing’s God told her that she and her husband needed to do, in order to have a successful ministry and be successful in their walk with Him. 1.) Do what you do with excellence. 2) Be a person of integrity. 3.) Keep the strife out of your life and home.

As Christian’s, we need to strive for excellence, integrity, and peace. In her sermon, Joyce stated that being a person of excellence can sometimes be an uphill climb. However, people will learn more from what they see you do than what they hear you say. It’s important as believers that we fully commit our hearts and lives to Jesus Christ and make the choice not to be lukewarm. Joyce was wise in her estimation that the love walk is crucial among Christian’s, yet sadly, it is often missing. Walking in love is part of living a life of excellence. In 1 Corinthians 12:31, the apostle Paul says, “But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.” What was the most excellent way Paul was referring to? In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul goes on to show us “the most excellent way” and that is love. As Christian’s, we need to walk in love. The Bible tells us that we will be known by the fruit that we bear, so we need to walk in a manner that is worthy of God’s calling and bear good fruit. Walking in love is the best way to bear good fruit for the Lord. It’s our responsibility to be the light of the world and to love one another. The Bible tells us that if we say we know God, but we don’t love others, then we are liars. 1 John 4:7-8 says, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” It’s not always easy to walk in love, but Jesus never said life would be easy. As a matter of fact, Jesus said that in this life we will have many troubles, but take heart, because He has overcome the world. When someone hurts us, abuses us, uses us, or does evil to us, then it can be a challenge to love them and do good to them. However, Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” This does not mean that we should remain in fellowship with people who have mistreated us, but we are called to love them and forgive them.

As Joyce Meyer preached in the first part of “Living with Excellence and Integrity,” she went on to encourage Christian’s to make a decision to come up higher and not have a divided heart. Joyce stated, “we are called to be excellent and serve God with our whole heart. We can’t glorify God by being lukewarm. We need to press on and go beyond average.” Joyce was not only referring to the area of loving others as a way to live with excellence, but she encouraged that we live every area of our lives in this way. No matter what the circumstance, we should live our lives with excellence. If we can’t be faithful in little thing’s, then God will not trust us to be faithful in bigger things. Joyce went on to say that Christian’s need to be honorable and live their best life, even when no one is watching. In her sermon she reminds us that we need to remember that what God sees in secret, He will reward in the open. She also stated that we need to stop living to impress people and start living to please God, and I agree. We aren’t called to be people pleaser’s in this life. In her sermon, Joyce encouraged Christians to “make a decision not to float down stream with everyone else who is compromising.” It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing or not doing who claims to be a follower of Christ. We should have high standards for the kind of people we want to be in Christ. We need to create boundaries, set limits, and be careful about what and who we let into our lives.

Just remember that you can live with excellence. God has given you and I everything that we need to live an excellent life. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3).”