Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of "Actions Speak Louder than Words" (without using the actual phrase). (02/21/08)
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TITLE: Fruit is a VERB | Previous Challenge Entry
By LauraLee Shaw
02/26/08 -
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"This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Let the Fruit of the Spirit come alive in you,
Obeying the Word of the Lord in
Verb form,
Eagerly acting upon that which you have hidden in your heart.
Just as Christ demonstrated His love for you,
Opting to die for your sins, so
You should choose to lay down your life for others.
Practice what you preach,
Exude joy in work, as well as play,
Ask God--beg God to
Complete His work in you
Each and every hour of every single day.
Pursue peace
Actively, showing even more than
Telling.
Invite your
Enemy to break bread with you.
Notice when someone is alone and
Care about the underdog
Especially.
Know that the Lord will
Ignite His Spirit in you as you acknowledge your
Neediness and complete
Dependence upon Him to do the work.
NO WAY can you produce the practice of patience on your own!
Even when the enemy pursues you, God will
Shelter you under the shadow of His wings.
Simply trust and obey.
Go for it!
Obviously you are beginning to see that
Obedience gives way to a fruit-filled life.
Do you have faith like a mustard seed?
No? You see…
Even when showing kindness to others causes you pain, you are
Sharing in the
Sufferings of Christ.
For by His stripes your hurt will be healed,
And
It will give way
To His goodness spilled out as blessings in your life.
He will pour them out from the
Fullness of His love for you.
Understand that He does not give as the world gives.
Love in His form does not always bring happiness.
Never did He promise you a trouble-free life or
Exemption from
Suffering.
So why believe then? “What’s in it for me,” you ask?
Growth—the spiritual kind.
Energy—the lasting kind.
Not only those, but also
Truth and
Love—the faithful kind.
Endurance and
Never
Ending
Strength--the
Supernatural kind.
So let His gentleness be
Evident to all by
Living this
Fruit-filled, Holy Spirit-filled life.
-- ONLY HE CAN GIVE YOU THE SELF-CONTROL TO BEHAVE THIS WAY.
Can I share something else? If you love God with all your heart, then
Obey Him. Don’t just say that you love Him.
No one will believe you love Him if you don’t show His love to others.
Take a moment to pray on this living, active Word from Him.
Repent if need be. Then respond by
Offering your body as a living sacrifice.
Let the Fruit of the Spirit be a verb in you.
Colossians 1:10 (NIV)
”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…”
***The Fruit of the Spirit passage is found in Galatians 5:22-23
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Adapted from the following NIV Scriptures:
Luke 11:28, 1 John 3:18, Psalm 119:11, Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:16, Matthew 5:19, 1 Thessalonians 5:14-17, 1 John 5:14, James 2:22, 1 Peter 3:11, Romans 12:20, Psalm 41:1, Romans 8:10-11, Galatians 3:3, Psalm 51:17, Philippians 1:6, 2:13, Psalm 57:1, Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 2:13, Philippians 1:11, Matthew 17:20, Romans 8:17-18, Isaiah 53:5, Deuteronomy 28:2, Ephesians 3:18, John 14:27, 16:33, Ephesians 1:19, 3:20, Colossians 1:29, Romans 5:5, Philippians 4:5, John 14:15, 1 John 4:20, Acts 3:19, Romans 12:1
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THANKS.
Awesome Laura! May God bless your talent and heart.
Laury
Lesley-Anne