Galatians 5:22-23. The fruit of the Spirit consist of nine characteristics. These nine characteristics are evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in a person, and that through Jesus, God has made that person righteous. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." These characteristics are the result (the fruit) that someone has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and that the person has yielded to the Holy Spirit to let sin no longer dominate his or her life. A person cannot achieve the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit unless they accept Jesus' free gift of salvation and yield to the Holy Spirit in their lives. The Nine-Fold Fruit of the Spirit are described as follows:
1. Love - "Agape" love is unmerited favor. Love is something to share with everyone. Regardless of relationship, like and dislike, or situation.
2. Joy - Joy is delight in the hope and promises of Jesus Christ. No matter what the circumstances, a person can have joy in the hope of eternal life and being in right standing with God.
3. Peace - Peace is having eternal security by being in eternal relationship with God because of Jesus' act on the cross.
4. Long-Suffering - Long-suffering is having patient endurance to withstand all of life's trials. Long-suffering is possible because of hope and assurance in God's promises.
5. Gentleness - Gentleness is being kind to others and being unmoved by circumstances. By a person yielding to and being comforted by the Holy Spirit, he or she can be gentle in all situations.
6. Goodness - Goodness is acting like Jesus as He did when He walked on the Earth and doing the things of God. This is a Godly goodness that is defined by God through His Word, the Bible.
7. Faith - Faith is having the hope and assurance in the promises of God. This is a confident and a trust that is not moved by temporary circumstances.
8. Meekness - Meekness is a humility that seeks no revenge. Meekness comes from a person yielding to the Holy Spirit in all circumstances. It is a state of mind where God comes first, and self comes last.
9. Temperance - Temperance is self-control. With the Holy Spirit in a person, they have a higher purpose to serve God. Fleshly desires are secondary to serving God in all things.
GALATIANS 5 BIBLES SCRIPTURE Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
Randall McClure Sr. is author and publisher of http://www.access-jesus.com . Access-Jesus.com helps people learn about, love, and promote Jesus.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Randall_McClure_Sr.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Bad News May Really Be Good News
Have you ever had something happen in your life that, at first glance, looked like a terrible misfortune but looking back you see that it was actually a valuable experience, which taught you something you needed to learn? Sometimes, events that look or feel so terrible at the moment turn out to give us a inspiration or new direction and focus.
A fable that I read many years ago sums up my point perfectly:
A farmer had a horse but one day, the horse ran away and so the farmer and his son had to plow their fields themselves. Their neighbors said, "Oh, what bad luck that your horse ran away!" But the farmer replied, "Bad luck, good luck, who knows?"
The next week, the horse returned to the farm, bringing a herd of wild horses with him. "What wonderful luck!" cried the neighbors, but the farmer responded, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
Then, the farmer's son was thrown as he tried to ride one of the wild horses, and he broke his leg. "Ah, such bad luck," sympathized the neighbors. Once again, the farmer responded, "Bad luck, good luck, who knows?"
A short time later, the ruler of the country recruited all young men to join his army for battle. The son, with his broken leg, was left at home. "What good luck that your son was not forced into battle!" celebrated the neighbors. And the farmer remarked, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
In my own life, as a teenager and into my early twenties, I got involved with drugs and alcohol and ended up broke, literally homeless, and in trouble with the law. I had no hopes, dreams or sense of direction in my life. I was completely lost , at a real crossroads, and in tremendous pain. I felt that there had to be something better than this. So I decided to choose something better for myself.
(Notice that I did not know what to choose, but I knew what I did not want, which was my first step.)
First thing I did was to stop drinking and drugging, get a job, and start looking for a way out, which was not easy for a 22-year old. Boy, did I feel sorry for myself. Looking back nearly 30 years later, what seemed like the end of the world was actually the beginning of a whole new life, which I might never have found had I not crashed and burned at such a young age. I am now living a life I never could have even imagined when I was 22.
Finding Opportunities within Challenges
This morning, I was talking with a dear friend who has just been diagnosed with cancer for the third time. She shared with me that both previous times she underwent diagnosis and treatment for cancer, she learned incredible lessons along the way. While she would not wish this on herself or for anyone, she can recognize the gifts her journey has brought to her.
She went on to say that after the shock of the news that the cancer had reoccurred, she had a realization. While she doesn't know if this third episode will be 'her time" or not, realized that, either way, she needs to address some unfinished business with two of her children. While she would ordinarily prefer to avoid this issue, she now feels she must deal with it. Through her terrible news, once again, comes the urgency and courage to face her toughest issues head on. She has decided to be honest with her children and share what she knows in her heart needs to be said.
Successful people share with me, over and over, similar stories about some perceived terrible events like a divorce or illness or loss that changed the entire course of their lives dramatically. Yet that change may also have brought them to a place that is indescribably better than they could ever have imagined. Had those supposedly terrible experiences not happened, they might not have found the resolve to make other changes happen along the way.
I am not suggesting that there are no such things as tragedies or losses. What I am saying is that loss and pain can be just one aspect of a difficult experience; positives can result from making meaningful experiences out of our challenges. For example, one mother who lost her child to a drunk driver formed Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), an organization that has saved many lives. Helen Keller used a lack of sight or hearing to teach the rest of us important lessons about living. Nelson Mandela spent half his life in prison trying to bring peace to South Africa yet emerged from his prison cell to lead his country as its first post-apartheid president.
The next time you perceive something as really bad, try and remember it could also be just another gift in disguise. It's all in the way you look at it.
"There are no mistakes, no coincidences; all events are blessings given to us to learn from." -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
"Every adversity contains an equal or greater benefit." -Napoleon Hill
Steve Kennedy is a successful entrepreneur, author and professional life & business coach who works with small business owners and professionals helping them to get better results with less effort. To purchase one of his books or to download lots of free stuff or read more articles, go to his website: http://www.winningthegameofbusiness.com or http://www.questforultimatesuccess.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Kennedy
A fable that I read many years ago sums up my point perfectly:
A farmer had a horse but one day, the horse ran away and so the farmer and his son had to plow their fields themselves. Their neighbors said, "Oh, what bad luck that your horse ran away!" But the farmer replied, "Bad luck, good luck, who knows?"
The next week, the horse returned to the farm, bringing a herd of wild horses with him. "What wonderful luck!" cried the neighbors, but the farmer responded, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
Then, the farmer's son was thrown as he tried to ride one of the wild horses, and he broke his leg. "Ah, such bad luck," sympathized the neighbors. Once again, the farmer responded, "Bad luck, good luck, who knows?"
A short time later, the ruler of the country recruited all young men to join his army for battle. The son, with his broken leg, was left at home. "What good luck that your son was not forced into battle!" celebrated the neighbors. And the farmer remarked, "Good luck, bad luck, who knows?"
In my own life, as a teenager and into my early twenties, I got involved with drugs and alcohol and ended up broke, literally homeless, and in trouble with the law. I had no hopes, dreams or sense of direction in my life. I was completely lost , at a real crossroads, and in tremendous pain. I felt that there had to be something better than this. So I decided to choose something better for myself.
(Notice that I did not know what to choose, but I knew what I did not want, which was my first step.)
First thing I did was to stop drinking and drugging, get a job, and start looking for a way out, which was not easy for a 22-year old. Boy, did I feel sorry for myself. Looking back nearly 30 years later, what seemed like the end of the world was actually the beginning of a whole new life, which I might never have found had I not crashed and burned at such a young age. I am now living a life I never could have even imagined when I was 22.
Finding Opportunities within Challenges
This morning, I was talking with a dear friend who has just been diagnosed with cancer for the third time. She shared with me that both previous times she underwent diagnosis and treatment for cancer, she learned incredible lessons along the way. While she would not wish this on herself or for anyone, she can recognize the gifts her journey has brought to her.
She went on to say that after the shock of the news that the cancer had reoccurred, she had a realization. While she doesn't know if this third episode will be 'her time" or not, realized that, either way, she needs to address some unfinished business with two of her children. While she would ordinarily prefer to avoid this issue, she now feels she must deal with it. Through her terrible news, once again, comes the urgency and courage to face her toughest issues head on. She has decided to be honest with her children and share what she knows in her heart needs to be said.
Successful people share with me, over and over, similar stories about some perceived terrible events like a divorce or illness or loss that changed the entire course of their lives dramatically. Yet that change may also have brought them to a place that is indescribably better than they could ever have imagined. Had those supposedly terrible experiences not happened, they might not have found the resolve to make other changes happen along the way.
I am not suggesting that there are no such things as tragedies or losses. What I am saying is that loss and pain can be just one aspect of a difficult experience; positives can result from making meaningful experiences out of our challenges. For example, one mother who lost her child to a drunk driver formed Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), an organization that has saved many lives. Helen Keller used a lack of sight or hearing to teach the rest of us important lessons about living. Nelson Mandela spent half his life in prison trying to bring peace to South Africa yet emerged from his prison cell to lead his country as its first post-apartheid president.
The next time you perceive something as really bad, try and remember it could also be just another gift in disguise. It's all in the way you look at it.
"There are no mistakes, no coincidences; all events are blessings given to us to learn from." -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
"Every adversity contains an equal or greater benefit." -Napoleon Hill
Steve Kennedy is a successful entrepreneur, author and professional life & business coach who works with small business owners and professionals helping them to get better results with less effort. To purchase one of his books or to download lots of free stuff or read more articles, go to his website: http://www.winningthegameofbusiness.com or http://www.questforultimatesuccess.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Kennedy
Achieving Your Full Potential
Do you really know what you want? Does it keep you awake at night? Just as important do you know why what you want is there at all?
No one is born a doctor, a professor, a politician or a bum. What you become is down to choices you have either made or had made for you.
Do you drive your car using only your eyes? Of course not, you have other four senses all of which you use to arrive safely at your destination.
Yet many people have been trying to use the Law of Attraction to resolve their 'wants'. When there are many Universal Laws that are in force around you as you go about your daily life.
I read the other day (on a forum) a post stating that the Law of Attraction doesn't work.
The post went on to state that they had watched the "Secret" DVD several times and put into place all that was suggested with still no result for all their effort.
The principal problem associated with using the Law of Attraction is that it is being used in isolation. There are many Universal Laws (100 plus) and it is due to a prevalent idea that most Laws are Laws based on Physics.
Although there are many Laws of Physics there are also many other Laws that govern our lives and the ability to be in harmony with these Laws determines our wealth, fulfilment, love, happiness, health, success.
You will start to achieve your full potential when the thoughts you have and your ideals, actions, change how you see your present circumstances. You owe it to yourself to search out this knowledge as it is of supreme importance to you.
Your present circumstances are the results of your previous thoughts and actions. If you find yourself in unpleasant circumstances then you only have to examine your past behaviour to know why.
No one likes to change but in this instance it is important that you are at least willing to consider changing. The change you need to make is 'how you think' not surface thinking, the trivial part of life or commonplace thinking, but really to understand that you are a rather unique person, an individual like no other.
What are you thinking right now? Is it trivial thoughts like "Why bother?" if so then those desires you said you wanted are not real desires they are only wishes. To know what you want in life is so much more rewarding than simple wish lists.
Have you ever wondered why you have your desires?
Within each of us there is planted a seed when we are born and it that seed which is making you have these 'desires'. You also need to know that you have within the abilities to fulfil that desire.
All seeds have to not only be planted but they must be nourished with the proper food and environment to grow to their potential.
How often do you eat every day? The food you eat fuels your body for strength and energy, when was the last time your fed your mind. I don't mean watching television or reading magazines but actually reading a book that stimulates your mind into thinking about what your have just read.
To fulfill your potential you need to know what these Universal Laws are and to study how to live in harmony with them. The majority don't realize their potential because they ignore these Laws or they don't know about them.
You however having read this article are no longer a part of the majority and can go about changing your life to live in harmony with the natural Laws and fulfill your destiny.
The only thing you need to do right now is to make a start. The moment you make that start your inner process will guide you into the next step, and the next one after that.
Recognizing that failure can be a requirement for success, I know that is not commonly advised. By recognizing that failure is a part of success when you fail, and every successful person has failed, you pick yourself up dust yourself down and get back to work immediately
A picture is worth a thousand words so if this article on generating a 6 figure income interests you then you need to see the free video I have for you at http://www.affiliate-marketing-system.com Doing so can remove any fears you may have from all this talk of an economic recession, see you when you visit regards
Fred Scott
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Scott
No one is born a doctor, a professor, a politician or a bum. What you become is down to choices you have either made or had made for you.
Do you drive your car using only your eyes? Of course not, you have other four senses all of which you use to arrive safely at your destination.
Yet many people have been trying to use the Law of Attraction to resolve their 'wants'. When there are many Universal Laws that are in force around you as you go about your daily life.
I read the other day (on a forum) a post stating that the Law of Attraction doesn't work.
The post went on to state that they had watched the "Secret" DVD several times and put into place all that was suggested with still no result for all their effort.
The principal problem associated with using the Law of Attraction is that it is being used in isolation. There are many Universal Laws (100 plus) and it is due to a prevalent idea that most Laws are Laws based on Physics.
Although there are many Laws of Physics there are also many other Laws that govern our lives and the ability to be in harmony with these Laws determines our wealth, fulfilment, love, happiness, health, success.
You will start to achieve your full potential when the thoughts you have and your ideals, actions, change how you see your present circumstances. You owe it to yourself to search out this knowledge as it is of supreme importance to you.
Your present circumstances are the results of your previous thoughts and actions. If you find yourself in unpleasant circumstances then you only have to examine your past behaviour to know why.
No one likes to change but in this instance it is important that you are at least willing to consider changing. The change you need to make is 'how you think' not surface thinking, the trivial part of life or commonplace thinking, but really to understand that you are a rather unique person, an individual like no other.
What are you thinking right now? Is it trivial thoughts like "Why bother?" if so then those desires you said you wanted are not real desires they are only wishes. To know what you want in life is so much more rewarding than simple wish lists.
Have you ever wondered why you have your desires?
Within each of us there is planted a seed when we are born and it that seed which is making you have these 'desires'. You also need to know that you have within the abilities to fulfil that desire.
All seeds have to not only be planted but they must be nourished with the proper food and environment to grow to their potential.
How often do you eat every day? The food you eat fuels your body for strength and energy, when was the last time your fed your mind. I don't mean watching television or reading magazines but actually reading a book that stimulates your mind into thinking about what your have just read.
To fulfill your potential you need to know what these Universal Laws are and to study how to live in harmony with them. The majority don't realize their potential because they ignore these Laws or they don't know about them.
You however having read this article are no longer a part of the majority and can go about changing your life to live in harmony with the natural Laws and fulfill your destiny.
The only thing you need to do right now is to make a start. The moment you make that start your inner process will guide you into the next step, and the next one after that.
Recognizing that failure can be a requirement for success, I know that is not commonly advised. By recognizing that failure is a part of success when you fail, and every successful person has failed, you pick yourself up dust yourself down and get back to work immediately
A picture is worth a thousand words so if this article on generating a 6 figure income interests you then you need to see the free video I have for you at http://www.affiliate-marketing-system.com Doing so can remove any fears you may have from all this talk of an economic recession, see you when you visit regards
Fred Scott
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fred_Scott
Go For Your Dreams
Very early in our lives we dream big. We do not limit our imagination to what we see: it flows freely to unknown lands, castles, beautiful princes and princesses. Everything seems tangible, possible, within our reach. Slowly our teachers, parents and anybody else bring us down to earth so we will become like anybody else. "Stop dreaming", "get real", "this is not possible", "forget about it", "can't you just be like anybody else?", - these are just some of the comments that are constantly being repeated to us till we finally "get it" and let go of all our dreams. From that moment on we don't allow ourselves to work towards fulfillment of our deep seated desires - ones that can bring complete satisfaction, help express who we really are and contribute to the world in new ways. We learned that we need to "play safe' and "be as anybody else".
However desires do not disappear; they stay deep in our subconscious mind and express themselves in various ways - different from person to person. Some people start craving different foods, overeat, eat unhealthy food and eat at night so they gain weight at the alarming speed and can't lose it; others become addicted to different substances that destroy their lives or sabotage their lives in different other ways.
The truth is that you have the ability to become whoever you want to be. Nobody is given a deep desire without an ability to achieve it.
The problem is that some people buried their desires so deep that they need some time and soul searching to uncover them. But it is well worth it.
The key to life satisfaction is to uncover your true desires and then follow the goal setting and achieving plan to bring them into reality. This is the only way to live a meaningful life and grow as a human being.
Do you need help to make your dreams come true? Visit http://www.pathstopower.net for a free book and more details.
Are you interested in natural health, weight loss, energy secrets? Visit http://www.nutrifitpower.com/ezine.html for free reports and more details.
Lynn Alex is a Life-Skills Coach, Yoga Teacher and an American Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynn_Alex
However desires do not disappear; they stay deep in our subconscious mind and express themselves in various ways - different from person to person. Some people start craving different foods, overeat, eat unhealthy food and eat at night so they gain weight at the alarming speed and can't lose it; others become addicted to different substances that destroy their lives or sabotage their lives in different other ways.
The truth is that you have the ability to become whoever you want to be. Nobody is given a deep desire without an ability to achieve it.
The problem is that some people buried their desires so deep that they need some time and soul searching to uncover them. But it is well worth it.
The key to life satisfaction is to uncover your true desires and then follow the goal setting and achieving plan to bring them into reality. This is the only way to live a meaningful life and grow as a human being.
Do you need help to make your dreams come true? Visit http://www.pathstopower.net for a free book and more details.
Are you interested in natural health, weight loss, energy secrets? Visit http://www.nutrifitpower.com/ezine.html for free reports and more details.
Lynn Alex is a Life-Skills Coach, Yoga Teacher and an American Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynn_Alex
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