Love, Joy and Peace
December 6, 2007 — lrubin39Hey all you miserable Christians…
I want to remind you of something: Love, Joy, and Peace are to be visibly evident in the lives of those who are genuinely Spirit-filled!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Gal. 5:22-23 KJV)
If you really are Spirit-filled, then your life should be one that demonstrates the fruit of that Spirit. Nobody really cares how right you are, nor how well you abstain from “sinful” behavior. And nobody wants to be around people who are overly critical, judgmental, and grouchy.
There are too many people concerned about presenting an image for other people that they haven’t fully engaged the true Spirit of God. When that Spirit is engaged, it comes out in ways stated in the verse above.
Especially during this Christmas season…let the Love, Joy, and Peace shine through.
December 6, 2007 at 11:37 pm
There seems to be two extremes for Christians. One is struggling through life waiting for heaven, and the other is super success and prosperity. I have a problem with both of those perspectives. For anybody, Chrisitian or not, life is filled with ups and downs.
December 6, 2007 at 11:43 pm
this should be interesting
what do you mean by miserable christians? i When you are spirit filled, you have a certain image you have to uphold. We were all sinners saved by grace. While being “saved” god is working on us. So ofcourse you have to uphold a certain image. This is my opinion ofcourse. As Christians their is a “image”. It’s not being phoney or fake. it’s being respectful. when you walk, you are representing God. People should be able to see God all in you. If that means me not wearing my every emotion, my every struggle on my sleeve, then so be it. If I am truly miserable, the next person doesnt have to know that. God is yet working on me. And who is to say that person is trying to present a certain image? The only judge is God. SO who is anyone to say that the next person has not fully engaged the spirit of God? Unless God speaks to you about that person. If that is so, i’m sure that in the meantime, you have worked on yourself as well so you can be fully engaged by the sprit of God
December 7, 2007 at 12:23 am
Lee,
I totally agree with the statement about some people being preoccupied with presenting an image rather than actually living the Word or the faith. I know many people who you can tell are filled with Grace and live accordingly. They do not care what people think about them or say about them, but they are usually held in high regard by all who know them because of the way they LIVE, not because of what they say or the image they try to project.
To me, if you are truly filled with the Spirit and live your life accordingly, THAT is what comes out and there is no need to present an image. Of course you will make mistakes, but that is human and none of us are perfect.
I guess in my mind, in whatever you do in life, if you truly enjoy something or are truly engaged…it comes easy. You don’t have to think about it or work to present it in a certain way. If you are a hard worker, you don’t have to present an image, it just is and everyone will know it. If you are a slacker, yet try to cover it up and present an image of being a hard worker, that also comes through. You may fool people for a while, but it usually reveals itself over time.
December 7, 2007 at 2:18 am
I have visited a number of churches in the ATL area, and most of the people seem so miserable. Even the people “acting” excited seem to be faking so that nobody knows how much pain they are really in. And to be honest, it doesnt really make me want to go to church.
December 7, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Searching…
I am compelled to say something in response to your post because I hear hopelessness in the words there.
Being from the ATL area as well, I must say that I have found a good church with people who love God and are striving to please him in our lifestyles. There are ups and downs and a lot of normal days in this walk too.
If you are interested in hearing if there may be hope there for you let me know.
In the meantime I pray that God will lead you to a place where you will see his love, grace and peace personified in his people.
December 7, 2007 at 11:32 pm
the reason why (in my opinion/experience) people like “searching” get the feeling of fake-ness from “church folk”, is because the truth is, life is NOT always a bowl of cherries… and when you constantly run in to people and they instantly throw on the very obvious fake smile (to the discerning spirit) and start talking about how great God is - it’s like “well dang, obviously i’m missing something so i might as well give up now”. God is always good and that’s a given!!! but truth is (the way i see it) that what people NEED to see is the fact that we (spirit filled people) can go through struggles and STILL praise the LORD… NOT pretend there are no struggles.. how is that helpful?
i am NOT at all saying we should always be talking about how terrible things are either, or that we need to tell everybody - everything… i AM saying that if God presents an opportunity for us to WITNESS to someone (especially newcomers or nonbelievers), then we should.
there is NOTHING wrong with expressing emotion… even ones that WE would consider negative (like anger)… because it’s not the emotions that are positive or negative, it’s HOW you express it that make them positive or negative… God has emotions, even anger, and we should always express them as HE does - in LOVE.
it’s not about US presenting an “image” because if WE are doing the presenting, then how is that being LED BY THE SPIRIT? it’s US presenting an image.. if it’s TRULY God’s spirit then it should come by NO effort on our parts because we are supposed to put US into submission and let the Spirit lead.
in LOVE