A FRUITFUL Christian- Faith

It's that time again for another look at The Fruitful Christian.I can't believe how far we have come in this series; yet, here we are. Today we talk about the next fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23

Faith

Faith means- complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

Hebrew 11: 1
“Now FAITH is the substance of things ____________________ for, the evidence of things _____________ __________________.”

Faith- is believing what you can not see. There is no dictionary or encyclopedia that can best describe what faith really is. Plain and simple, faith-is believing God is WHO He says He is and He will do WHAT He says He will do.

Hebrews 11 6
“But without ____________________ it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must ____________________ that He is, and that He is a
rewarder of them that diligently ____________________
Him.”

Faith is the key that unlocks the door.

What door?
The door to salvation,
The door to answered prayers,
The door to changed lives,
The door to impossible situations
The door to a beautiful relationship with God.

Faith is the key that opens the door to miraculous opportunities.
Faith never gives up, no matter how bleak the situation.
Faith surpasses all expectations.
Faith moves forward, when all else fails.
Faith pushes to new heights.
Faith is the key.
Faith is the only key.
Will you pick up that key today?
Will you open the door of opportunity wide?
The possibilities are limitless

Interesting enough God didnt just stop here at having Faith, He goes on to say build on your faith!

2 Peter 1:5-8

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ"

Build on your faith:
Virtue
Knowledge
Temperance
Patience
Godliness
Brotherly Kindness
Charity

Do you need to build on your faith?
Look at the list above!
Have you tackled this entire list?

Probably not... it's a growing process. We should continually strive to grow in the Lord and grow our faith! None of us have arrived. But we can sure grow.

Today, seek God and increase your faith, make it stronger, and healthier!

A FRUITFUL Christian- Goodness

If you are just now joining me on this study The Fruitful Christian..I hope you will go back and start at the beginning. Just look for the posts with this picture. It will help you understand this series in its entirety. 

Today, we are looking at the next fruit  of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23 - GOODNESS

Goodness-the quality of being morally good or virtuous.

Even though our minds comprehend what the word goodness means. I want us to take a closer look, just so our hearts can get a deeper understanding of what this requires of a child of God.

Morally good- right behavior- ethical

Virtue- behavior showing high moral standards.

Ethics- moral principles that govern a person’s 

behavior or the conducting of an activity.

As a Royal Descendent, our good behavior should stand above reproach. The way we live, the way we speak, the way we treat others, the way we treat our families, and the way we act in our communities should radiate GOODNESS. Our moral standards, our ethics, and our good behavior are a direct reflection of our relationship with the Father. Our habits, our choices, and our lifestyle- all point to Christ.

So, let me be just a little more blunt. As a child of the King, there are places you should not go, things that shouldn’t go in your mouth and things that shouldn’t come out of your mouth. There are clothes you shouldn’t wear, and things you should not do! 

Do you understand?

Yes, you are saved.
I know we do not live under the law, we live under grace.
This is not legalism- this is Christianity.
Being Christ like!

And let me just add, we are not living a good life to be saved.
We are living a good life because we are saved.
We are not living a higher standard to make up better than anyone else. We are choosing to live with good principals so we can represent our King well!

How are you representing Him these days? Do you represent Him well? Or are you one of those Christians that put a bad taste in other’s mouth?

We represent the Kingdom.
People are watching; whether you want them to or not! 

So…
Be good for GOODNESS sake!
And do right!

Why?
Matthew 5:16- "... let your light shine before men;that they may see your good works, andglorify your Father who is in heaven."

So God can be glorified ❤

Now just a little Soul Food- please take a moment to read the words of this inspiring song- 

DO RIGHT

From the very start, have purpose in your heart
To do what's right, and never question why.
Never count the cost though everything seems lost

The price for doing right is sometimes very high.

Right is always right and wrong is always wrong
And we must learn to seperate the two.
If you love the right, the Lord will give you light;
So seek the right in everything you do!

Do right till the stars fall.
Do right till the last call.
Do right when there's no one else to stand by you.
Do right when youre all alone.
Do right though it's never known.
Do right since you love the Lord.
Do right! Do right!

A FRUITFUL Christian- Gentleness

The FRUIT of the Spirit in Galatians 5, today we will focus on is Gentleness

Gentleness-
the quality of being kind, tender, or mild-mannered. A softness

Reading John 1: 6-7 and seeing the definition of gentleness just seemed to flow together to me. You can not walk in the Light if you are not being kind, tender, and loving to the people around you.

A close friend of mine recently had a situation at work, the owner of the company made a request that was in conflict of what her supervisor wanted her to do. Following the owners wishes, it put my friend in a tough position with the supervisor and then received terrible treatment from the supervisor- verbal abuse, threatening her, yelling, be-belittling her, terrible texts messages! My friend was shocked at the way this Christian supervisor was handling the situation. It shook her to the core and left her wondering, how could this lady claim to be a Christian and act like this.  Simple- she doesn't have a fruitful heart. Oh, she may claim to have religion, but the truth of the matter, she doesn't have a love relationship with God.

Do you treat the needs of others gently? Are you kind to the people around you? Are you mild mannered and soft in the way you approach people? How do you handle conflicts? How do you react when people let you down? How gently do you care for others thoughts and concerns, their wishes, and their opinions? How tenderly to you reprimand others, or correct others when needed?

Do you care how your words and actions come across others, or do you have  the attitude, “Well, they’ll get over. They need to put their big girl panties on.” Are you so wrapped up in your own life that you no longer care about the well- being of those around you?

Is this how you think God treats you? Does He ignore our needs or act harshly and gruff? When you make a mistake does He belittle you, yell at you , or threaten you? No, sister! He doesn’t. He lovingly showers you with His blessings and favor- even when you don’t desire it.

And this is how we should be. We should try to be more like Christ and treat others the way He treats us. When we show people the love of God, we are pointing them to God❤ 

Do your actions reflect a love relationship with God? Do your gentle actions and reactions show a FRUITFUL heart? Let's be more intentional in being gentle to others, even when they frustrate, disappoint, or hurt us!

Blessings!

A FRUITFUL Christian- Longsuffering

As we continue our study of the fruits of the Spirit, today we will look at long-suffering

Long-suffering-
Having or showing patience in spit of troubles, especially those caused by other people

I’m not sure a word can better describe our Lord.. He is so tolerate of our mistakes and our messes. He graciously picks us back up and loves on us. Day after day, He does this. This is so challenging to me, because I’m not the most patient person! Are you? But aren’t you so thankful God doesn’t treat us the way we treat others.

My,oh my! Could you imagine? He is a wonderful example of what patience should be! And so should we as Christians. The way we show patience with others, and even ourselves is a direct reflection of our love relationship with God.

Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 13:4, remember this where God defines love.

What is the very first action of love in verse 4 _______________________?

YIKES! If you say you have the love of God in your heart but you do not deal patiently with people, you need to reevaluate your heart. If you are moody, easily irritated, if you be-little others, or un-willing to work with others, if you snap at people and treat them badly, if you are treating other people in any way that brings reproach to the name of God; you need to examine your walk with Him. When we act this way, we are not walking the Spirit but in the flesh.

Go to Galatians 5:16-21 not look at verse 24

If we belong to Christ we have crucified the __________________________?

Dear sister, if you have no desire to crucify the flesh, you need to check your salvation! I’m not saying you will never have a moment of weakness and “get in the flesh” but I am saying you can not continually walk in the flesh and not feel remorse or convictions. You should feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit if you have treated someone badly.

Now go read 1 John 1:6-7 and that will lead us to our next personality trait!

A FRUITFUL Christian- Peace

In this series "The Fruitful Christian" we have been discussing the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5. in this passage we are seeing the results or the outcome of a person who chooses to walk in the Spirit. In other words, these are the attributes of a Christian who allows the Holy Spirit to guide their life.

We have talked about LOVE and JOY- now it's time to focus on Peace.

So, let me start of with a question. And I want total honestly.

How peaceful is your heart and mind these days?

How peaceful is your home?

How peaceful is your marriage?

How peaceful are your relationships?

How peaceful is your job?

I want you to consider the level of peace you have in your heart right now. Notice- I didn't ask you to consider your life, your finances, your success, your job, your relationships, your struggles, your trials, your heartaches- I asked you to consider to level of peace you have in your heart right now.

Peace can be found in the midst of heartaches, failures, trials, and tragedies. Just like turmoil can be found in the midst of success, wealth, fame, and amazing achievements.
Peace is the evidence of a love relationship with God.
Peace is not a temporary mood.
Peace is a result of a healthy walk with Jesus.
Peace is not the outcome of a happy situation.

Peace is the consequence of yielding to the Holy Spirit.
Peace is not the effect of a perfect environment.

Peace is a reward for your obedience to God's Word.

Peace is not measured by earthly achievements and success.

You can not find a substitution for PEACE.

The world will offer  temporary satisfaction- but know that is not the same thing. It's a short term substitution. Take Hollywood's most elite for example! Fame, fortune, and extreme wealth can not offer peace.
Read Isaiah 26:3-4

We will dive deeper in this over on Facebook-  Dorothy Hill Gates  today and look at how you can obtain peace in your life.
You can also grab a copy of "Sparkle and Shine" on Amazon (or through me) and read an entire chapter devoted to-
The Quest for Peace

Until next time
Blessings,

A FRUITFUL Christian- Peace and Joy

A FRUITFUL Christian
As we discuss the FRUIT of the Spirit from Galatians 5 its important to point out a few key points. .


1. FRUIT is singular!
These are not individual attributes of the Spirit.  They are not separated.  They are all connected.  One is the direct result of another. They all tie in together! Which means you cant have one without the other. And look at the very first .


2. The Divine Order
God placed  this list in a specific order. It's a DIVINE list you can not take out of order. Meaning- if you desire to have joy and peace in your heart and to be evident in your life- than  you must first have love of God rule your heart.


LOVE is the foundation and joy and peace are the result! .


3. Everything hinges on LOVE.
As a Christian, everything we do points back to our love for God. The way we love others, the way we make decisions, the way we obey Him, the way we follow His commandments, the way we react- it all reflects our love relationship with Him. .


Joy?
Peace?


They are the result of a love relationship with Him!
If you feel like your joy is gone and peace is non- existent...then examine you relationship with God!
How long has it been since you spent time with Him?
When was the last time you read His words?
Has it been a while since you had undistracted quite time with Him?
How long has it been since you had a heart of worship?


Today, go spend some time with Him!
Dont allow busy schedules, the rush of the holidays, lack of discipline, or laziness, rob you from the joy and peace that come from walking with God.
Go open His word and enjoy loving on Him today❤

Blessings
Dorothy Gates

A FRUITFUL Christian- Love = Joy

As we jump into the FRUITFUL christian series today, I want to ask you- "what does JOY mean to you?" The world gives us a tainted image of joy. They say:

Joy= happiness
Joy = success
Joy= wealth
Joy= perfection
Joy= achieving your goals
Joy= weight loss
Joy= attention
Joy= popularity
Joy= acceptance
And now you fill in the blank:
Joy =

What does Joy mean to you?
True joy doesnt come through temporary happiness,  achieving something, obtaining anything,  or arriving somewhere.  Joy comes through a relationship with God and living by His plan.

Last week we saw that in Galatians 5:22, the first fruit of the Spirit is LOVE.

And look now in Matthew 22: 36-39
"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"

Do you want a joyful life, a FRUITFUL life?
Read John 15 10-12! What is the commandment? Love one another! Now read Pilippians 2:2-4
How can your Joy be full? Love one another!
Joy is a result of obedience
Joy is the effect of a love relationship with God
Joy is the outcome of loving others
Joy is the consequence of following His commands

When we follow Gods divine order and love Him then  love His people- the result = Joy!
If we put ourselves first and become self-centered we mess the order all up and find ourselves miserable.
Keep Jesus First!
Others next!
Then ourselves!

Here is a fun song to the tune of Jingle Bells to help you remember the true meaning of JOY:
J O Y
J O Y
this is what it mean
JESUS first
YOURSELF last
And
OTHERS in between!
I will not be held responsible if this gets stuck in your head for the rest of the day!
You're welcome 🤭

Until next time..blessings

A FRUITFUL Christian series

The closer we are to God, the more we resemble Him.

The more time we spend with Him, the more we reflect Him.

Does your life, character,  personality, and heart resemble or reflect Christ?
Do people see Him, hear Him, or feel Him when they are around you?

Do your words sound like His words?
Do your actions look like His actions?
Do you desires reflect His desires?

Does your life bare witness that you are a Righteous Woman?

Matthew 7 declares that by your fruits you shall be known!

People shouldn't have to guess if you are a Kingdom woman! Your life, heart, character and personality should be a testament to that.
I'm going to begin a series called "The FRUITFUL Woman." During this time we will look at the Fruits of the Spirit and see how are lives line up with God.

I pray it will challenge us to look in the Mirror of the Word and see our heart's true reflection.  Does our heart reflect Christ or ourselves?
A Righteously Redeemed woman has a FRUITFUL heart- do you?

The Joy of the Lord is My Strength

Joy is not only a choice, but it's also a direct result of a love relationship with God. If you are not feeling joyful right now- check your relationship with God. 

When you walk with Him- You feed your Spirit- when you feed your Spirit- You develop His fruit- when you develop His fruit you gain love, joy, peace.

(Check out Galatians 5:22-23 for the rest of the fruit) 

That fruit will strengthen your soul, mind, and heart spiritually,  physically, and mentally. .

.

Need a little strength today? I sure do! Go spend some time with the Lord and let His love fill your heart❤ that love will overflow into joy and peace. That joy will be the strength you need to get through your day! 

The joy of the Lord is my strength 😍