HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Fruit of the Spirit 3; Peace - By Jack Lewis

The third fruit of the spirit, peace, is one that falls into the category of being very noticeable in someone. In other words, if you have peace, it is quite obvious to anyone that you have it. It has probably been clear to you in the past whilst you have been talking to someone; whether they were at peace, or had a lot of anxiety about something or other. Now try and think back over your life, once to a time spent with someone who had peace, and once with someone who didn’t. The likelihood is that the second memory was of someone prattling on about all the problems in their life, and just rushing around from one subject to another, whilst the first was talking to someone who was calm, gentle, and understanding. Now, which type of person would you want to spend time with? Obviously the first one. So if you would want to spend time with peaceful people, won’t people want to spend time with you if you are peaceful? Although not all Christians have peace, we, as Christians who know God personally, are the only people who have the privilege of the option of that safety zone in life’s trials. Why? Because the only source of true peace is God. This is never better illustrated than in John 16:33: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” God is saying to us quite literally; “Cast all your anxieties on him (God), because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) So, what reason do we have not to accept God’s offer of peace?

     

Do not be afraid to believe by Nathan Jukes

Christmas is coming soon, only a few more weeks until Christmas day. This year Christmas turns 130 years old, But it really did start when Jesus was born. For people before Jesus was born, they didn’t know about Christmas until the angel told them or someone told them about it. Now we know about Christmas because Jesus was born. If Jesus had not born we would not have someone to save us, no one would of died for us, because of that little baby coming into the world at Christmas we have been saved. God wanted some people to know what was happen, so he send an angel to tell them. The angel first appeared to Zachariah here’s what he had to say to him.

Then an angel of the lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zachariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid Zachariah; your prayed has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you an son, and you are to call him John.  He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.  He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.  And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” Luke 1:11-20 NIV

When Zachariah saw the Angel he was afraid so the angel said do not be afraid Zachariah. He then told him your wife will have a son and you will call him John. He was going to be a man like Elijah to make the people prepared for the lord. Zachariah did not believe the angel because he was old and his wife Elizabeth was long pass child bearing.  He found it hard to believe what the angel said, I think anyone would find it hard to believe that. Because Zachariah didn’t believe the angel he was not able to speak until John was born.  Would you have believe the angel? I think we would all find it hard to believe it. I would have been afraid too, I do know I know that nothing is impossible with God.  Zachariah should have be believe, but he didn’t. We can take away from is don’t be afraid to believe. 

Fruit of the Spirit 2; Joy - By Jack Lewis

What makes a joyful person? It is a question that doesn’t get asked much, and in my opinion doesn’t get asked often enough. Is a joyful person someone who has just won the lottery, bought a mansion and a new £150,000 car? Is it even someone who is enjoying the best time of their life, and touring the world? No; these things can make someone happy, but not joyful. While at first glance joy and happiness seem very similar, there is a big difference when we look closely. For starters, happiness is temporary, joy is lasting. Happiness can be affected by the circumstances, joy can’t. A joyful person is not someone who is enjoying a good life; it is someone who rejoices in all circumstances. One thing that almost all the great men and women of God had was joy. Paul and Silas showed true joy, not when they were having a nice, comfortable preaching tour, but when they were in prison (And the prison back then would have been like cold, damp sewers, not the kind of prison you would find today.) Many great missionaries were living in dire circumstances, maybe even in prison, but they still managed to rejoice for what God was doing; it’s obviously something that is part of true godliness; after all the word joy is mentioned 214 times in the Bible. Finally, joy doesn’t come from the nice things in life, the only true source of joy is, Jesus. (Rather obvious that’s what I was going to say!)  I will probably write this at the end of every post in the “Fruits of the Spirits” series, but do ask God to give you joy; it’s a fruit of the spirit, and one of the key things to becoming a good example of Christ.

God gift at Christmas by Nathan Jukes

We are now coming up to Christmas. What do you think about as Christmas comes up? Christmas dinner, open presents. We can sometimes forget the real meaning of Christmas, When Jesus came down to earth as a baby. Many people today have forgotten the real meaning on Christmas. They don't think about when Jesus was born. Even if they don't know who Jesus really is. There was many verses in the old testament about Jesus coming. Even as far back as Davids time.                                

Therefore the lord him himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, She will call him a Emanuel. Isaiah 14:7                                  

This is a verse from around Davids time, it clearly shows that God had told them that he was going to sent his Jesus into the world all back then. God knows everything so he knows the beginning to the end. God knew that we would never be good enough, so he sent his one and only son into the world at Christmas. So that the world could be saved if we only believed. Christmas it not about all the other stuff  but a about God's gift to the world at Christmas.

Fruit of the Spirits 1 - Love (1 Corinthians 13) - By Jack Lewis

In life now, there are so many things we say that we love. I might say that I love certain sports teams or players, or some people might say that they love certain animals; while others might they love a certain kind of car. In fact the word love has to be one of the most misused words in the dictionary. I said before that I might say that I love a certain car, but does that mean that I would die for it? Absolutely not. So what sort of love does Jesus want us to have? He’s not asking us to love things, he is asking us to be loving. He wants us to welcome people into places like church with a loving attitude; being kind and caring, and showing people practically God’s love. John 13:34: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” In fact, I don’t think it is possible to be a nice person and not be loving! 1 Corinthians 13 4-7 says:  “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.” Aren’t these all things you would find in a nice person?

The Bible also makes it clear that love is not just a good thing; it’s actually a very important thing. 1 Corinthians 13 v.13 says, “And now these three remain, faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Love is obviously a thing that God values and thinks important. Also, isn’t one of our missions as Christians to bring people to know God? And one of the ways we accomplish this is by introducing them to church; and if they see God’s love amongst us, then they are much more likely to come back again. Also, try and imagine a world where everyone around you was the kind of loving that the Bible talks about, wouldn’t life be amazing? So why not try and be that loving person, others will love being around you!  So let’s try and be good representatives of Jesus, and pray that we will gain one of the attributes that set him apart, love!

  

Don't lay up treasures on earth by Daniel Jukes

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!  “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Mathew 6:19-24 (ESV) 

Here the Bible clearly says that we must not store up earthly treasures for ourselves, What are earthly treasures? Well it's  things like money and possessions. We need to store up treasures in heaven. Our heart shows us where our treasures truly are.   

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (ESV) 

We need to keep our spiritual eyes fixed on God not on earthly things that will make us full of darkness. We can't serve God and earthly things at the same time we are either serving one or the other. 

You adulterous people!  Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God James 4:4 (ESV) 

Why I want the Fruits of the Spirit - By Jack Lewis

A few times before, I have been asked if I wanted God to give me some of the gifts of the spirit; (i.e. praying in tongues) and while I have always thought that the gifts of the spirit are a good thing, I have come to the conclusion that there is something that I want more; that is, the fruits of the spirit. While it is great to have these amazing gifts, I think that getting the fruits of the spirit is the thing that will help anyone more than anything else to serve God effectively, so now the main thing that I ask God to give me every day is the fruits of the spirit. Firstly, in case you don’t know them, then below are what the Bible calls the fruits of the spirit.

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

Paul talks about these in Galatians 5; verses 19-26 read: “The acts of the flesh 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. 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 flesh 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.” In a sentence, these seven verses are a basic guide to how we should live.

From reading these it is fairly obvious why I would want to have them; after all they are quite simply good character traits, which would help anyone to become a better person. The main reason for me personally, is that I want to be a missionary in the future, and a good missionary would have all those traits, and there’s only so far praying in a different language will get you, unless of course, you are working in that country! (I must make it clear though, that I am not against praying in tongues or similar gifts, in any way, shape or form, I am just using it to illustrate my points)

One last thought I would give: Many of us say we are trying to become, “More like Jesus,” and Jesus had every single one of those characteristics, so if we are trying to become more like Jesus, then the fruits of the spirit aren’t a bad place to start!