Love, Joy, Peace

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

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, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

                                                                                                                        Galatians 5:16-23 NIV

Love - a fruit of the Spirit of God! There are days that I just shake my head in wonder at the lack of love that I witness around me. People using people to get what they want. I believe that everyone wants love but they have no clue that gratifying the desires of the flesh isn't going to get it. Sexual immorality, anger (temper tantrums and tirades), idolatry, etc. isn't going to get you love. Love is of the Spirit, not of the flesh. Love is not self-seeking. Love seeks unity with one's neighbor. Love seeks good for others and not harm.

According to St. Paul: "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." He warns us that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

On the other hand, those who live by the Spirit of God, will have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. They will produce fruit of the Spirit. "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." 

May God help us to love others, even as He loves us. May His Kingdom come; His will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J

That Prophet Jezebel

I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. (Rev 2:19-22 NIV)

Before I go to sleep at night, I usually listen to scripture or a sermon on YouTube. Some of the sermons are good. Others are not so good. I just pick them at random and get what I get. Last night I listened to one about tolerating sexual immorality based on the letter that St. John was told to write to the church at Thyatira. On occasion someone will point out to me that we are not to judge others. I usually point out to them that we are to be discerning and when someone is sinning and in danger of losing their way, as Christians, we are to help them back on the right path and sometimes that means reminding them that what they are purposely doing is definitely a sin.

As I listened to the sermon on the letter to the church of Thyatira I was reminded that we are not to tolerate the woman Jezebel and her teachings. She will lead us on the wrong path as she teaches that what is a sin is not a sin. She encourages sexual immorality. She encourages eating of food sacrificed to idols. That is, she encourages worship and rituals to false gods. 

This letter; although, written to a particular church regarding the teaching of one particular prophet, is a reminder to us all that we are to continue in the way that the Lord has taught and not in the way of those who would preach another gospel to please the itching ears. And, no we do not get to judge the ultimate outcome for anyone. But, we are to discern, by means of scripture, what we are to teach; what we are to believe. We ought to confront sin and not tolerate it. 

May God help us to discern how to live life more fully in Christ; according to the will of Almighty God and not our own self-serving wills.

God's Peace - Pr. J