"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." Galatians 5:22-25
A healthy fruit-bearing tree, bush or vine will produce luscious fruit in season. In the Gospel of John Jesus speaks about the importance of His followers bearing fruit as they abide in Him. It is the proof that they are His disciples (John 15:8).
"For the Lord will not cast off forever, but though He cause grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love; for He does not afflict from His heart or grieve the children of men." Lamentations 3:31-33
When bad things happen, it's sometimes difficult to believe that God loves us. We can read verses like this one, or hear similar words from a friend, yet still we wonder if it's true that God cares.
"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." (Job 13:15 NKJV)
In 1999 my husband of thirty years was hospitalized for two weeks in the cardiac intensive care unit. At the time he was in such poor shape that the top cardiologist in the area was called in to assess his condition and make recommendations. After examination, he told us that Jim's heart was the worst heart he had ever seen, and he recommended a heart transplant. But first, he would need to get Jim stabilized and strong enough to withstand the transplant. And so began a journey of uncertainty, for we had no idea how long all this would take, nor did we know if Jim would even survive. My world was turned upside down.
George Ferdinand Mueller was a preacher and evangelist who along with his wife, Mary, founded an orphanage in Bristol. In 1832 they began caring for orphans in their own home until the needs outweighed the size of their home, and neighbors began to complain.
Eventually the Muellers built five houses which became known as the Ashley Down Orphanage. Throughout its history around 18,000 orphans were cared for there.
Earlier this year I posted a devotional entitled The Beauty of Holiness. It's a topic that I'm intensely interested in, and, in fact am currently in a small group Bible study The Pursuit of Holiness written by the late Jerry Bridges of The Navigators.
Today I ask the question, "Does Holiness Matter?" I ask it because the moral decline of our culture is so dramatic. And, sadly, it's not limited to unbelievers. It's in the American church, too. Not every church, of course. But in enough churches that an alarm is going off.
This past week while reading my Bible I came to today's scripture verse: "For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." Peter's words jumped off the page and I stopped for awhile and let those blessed words sink in. Jesus is the Shepherd of my soul. He is the Overseer of my soul.
“I love You, O LORD, my strength.” The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies." Psalm 18:1-3
This is a psalm of deliverance, written by David after the Lord saved Him from all his enemies and the hand of Saul. David called God his rock and fortress. Rock is solid, a fortress is impenetrable. Then David described God as his shield, the horn of his salvation, and his stronghold.
After I purchased my mobile home a little over a year ago, my outdoor focus was the patio. Honestly, I didn't give much thought at all t...
For as long as I can remember I've loved cottages. These cozy places, with abundant flowers and sunshine, give me a sense of peace and contentment. .
