Gentleness

We Are Saved By Grace

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We don’t deserve it, we didn’t earn it and we are definitely not entitled to it.  It isn’t our right to be saved from our sins.  Our hope of salvation is strictly based on the mercy and grace of God.  No person on earth will ever be able to do for you what Jesus Christ has done for you and no person on earth is going to be able to love you to the level of God’s love for who you are…the only way to find peace, love, joy, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, patience, gentleness and self-control is to commit your life to accepting and knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and spend time making Him known to others.  May God’s love and peace be with you.

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“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Strength Of Character

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When one describes the character of a person they talk about a list of elements that are a combination of a person’s behaviors and attitude.  I have often heard statements like ‘well this is just who I am’ or ‘that is just the way he is’ as if at some point in life our behaviors and attitudes have stopped forming, changing or growing and have now solidified and are permanent.  I have been guilty of this way of thinking myself at times.  However, in the study of faith and in God’s Word the message of hope and transformation are central to the spiritual life.  If anything our attitude and how we behave are two things we do have the ability to choose every day and these are influenced and can grow if we are open to it.  Don’t give up on hope and transformation for yourself or somebody else…things may not change in the way or at the time you would prefer but our life is not about everything being perfect according to our timing, rather it is about God’s plan and His time.  Trust Him and believe in Hope and Transformation…when you read about what He has done in the past you know He is working for the good of all people.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Fight The Good Fight Of Faith

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Paul writes to Timothy…

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

1 Timothy 6:11-12

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

There Is One

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“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:2-6

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while driving near Pike’s Peak in Colorado)

Called to Peace

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.”

Colossians 3:12-15

(This photo was taken June of 2016 at a lake near Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Life by the Spirit…Self-Control

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It does not surprise me that this is the last thing listed in the Galatians 5:22-23 writing about the Fruit of the Spirit…why?  Because as with all aspects of faith it all comes back to us…our attitude, our perspective and most of all our choices.  We are blessed with free will, free to choose how we will act in this world.

Free to choose Love or hate

Free to choose Joy or sadness

Free to choose Peace or fighting

Free to choose Patience or hurriedness

Free to choose Kindness or be mean

Free to choose Goodness or cruelty

Free to choose Faithfulness or distraction

Free to choose Gentleness or be unbalanced

Free to choose to use the Fruits of the Spirit using Self-Control

Our guide for all of this is Jesus.  God sent him so that reconciliation with God is always available.  He loves us and wants us to choose to love him.  Self-Control is not easy, I know from experience and I struggle with it as much as anyone.

Getting better at Self-Control is a choice in itself…it is choosing to live a healthy life style.  Start by doing devotions in the morning and/or at night every day.  Make those 5-10 minutes a priority and be quiet and calm with the Word every day.  Given time it will help…then look at how you are physically caring for yourself…be sure you are eating regularly, getting rest and sleep and take a walk for exercise.  When you feel things are out of control stop and pray.  All of this is possible for anyone; it does not take a large financial investment just commitment.  I know how the world we live in will try to distract and dissuade you from continuing…don’t quit.  Even when you fall down and feel like you are failing, God is still right there saying “I understand, my own Son experienced frustration and temptation in the world.  You are forgiven.”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

                                                                                                                Galatians 5:22-26

I pray we all we seek to live using the Fruits of the Spirit in all we do every day.

Take a look at the picture above one more time…choose to see what is on the other side through that opening…

May God’s Peace be with you

Life by the Spirit…Gentleness

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Having Gentleness in life is all about finding a balance.  Most of the world is about being tough, determined and pushing your way through this or that.  You must be strong to achieve…while all of these traits have value and can definitely be beneficial there are also times in life when tenderness and Gentleness are needed and very helpful.  They are typically more difficult times and these traits are not as common for some people.  The goal should be to have a balance of all of these traits…most of us are stronger in one type of trait or another and we feel more comfortable expressing and using that dominant trait, however, this does not mean we are incapable of learning and growing into the ability to possess a less dominant trait.

Learning and growing are hard and we need help often to recognize when to be Gentle and when to be tough.  The amazing part of a relationship with Jesus is that he can help us with whatever we need…if we let him!

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”.

                                                                                                                                Ephesians 4:1-2

This message is much different than the one we receive from our world.  In order to find the balance we strive for we need to have the messages in the Bible to offset the powerful messages we receive in everyday life.

Don’t go it alone today…seek out a relationship with Jesus…you can start by finding a quiet moment in your day and let him know you want to accept him into your heart today and pray for strength to speak to him again tomorrow and when you don’t know what to say to him…let him know you are listening for him to speak to you.

Tomorrow I will discuss the last of the Fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23…Self-Control.

Peace.