Being Very Serious (Part 29)

I hear a lot of sermons about spiritual warfare and being armor bearers, but not a lot about being an example of a believer and bearing the fruit of the Spirit. If the church is to grow again as she once did Christians must bear spiritual fruit daily. Her members need to be more concerned about whom they represent than who they are. Because of Calvary, we're free to choose to bear the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Think about the things I'm sharing today in this blog after you read them. It's easy to say "Amen" to them all, but another thing to follow through with them in your daily living.

Even when you are treated badly even by people you love no situation justifies hatred. Their injustices toward you may warrant bitterness, but you can choose to love instead of hate. You can love God and what God loves, love your neighbors, and even love your enemies in spite of their treatment toward you. It's not easy, but loving someone never is. You love because you want to bear spiritual fruit and be an example of a believer.

Each day invite God to be the God of your circumstances. Refuse the temptation to be cynical. Refuse to see people as anything less than human beings created by God. Refuse to see a problem as anything less than an opportunity to see how big your God is.  Live forgiven and forgive others so that you may live.

Overlook the inconveniences you face in life. Don't rebel against new challenges, but face them with joy and courage. Be kind to as many people as you can for such is how God has treated you. Go without a dollar before you take a dishonest one,  be overlooked before you boast, and confess your faults before you accuse others of their faults.

Keep your promises. Never let your debtors not regret their trust, your associates never question your word, and your family never fear that you will not come home. If you raise your voice let it be in praise, clench your fists let it be in prayer, or make a demand let it be only of yourself.

You are a spiritual being and after your body is dead, your spirit will soar. So the fruit you bear now will have implications on your future. Don't let what will rot, rule the eternal. Be impassioned only by faith and influenced only by God. If you are successful, then give thanks. If you fail, then seek His grace. Bear spiritual fruit so that when the day is done, you can place your head on your pillow and rest knowing you have done your best to plant gospel seed that day. If every church person would bear this fruit we could change the world for better together. The world has enough gossips, cheaters, thieves, and ego maniacs and so does the modern church. We can change the way the world looks at us by the way we live and bear spiritual fruit.