Made For Battle

Made For Battle

As Christians, we are made for battle.  God's word tells us clearly that we will have trials and tribulations, or in today's vernacular, challenges and struggles.  

"Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm." Ephesians 6:13

The enemy can NOT win unless we give up, however, sometimes we don't throw in the towel but we do back away from the battle, we retreat to what we think is a safe place and we find that the struggles seem to ease up, the challenges appear to be a bit easier. We convince ourselves that we can take a break without losing any ground. What we don't realize is this is a tactic of the enemy, if he can't get us to surrender, he'll trick us into a powerless position.  Much of our skirmish take place in prayer and study. We need to be on the offense and prayer puts us there. Our goal needs to be to continually march forward into the the battles laid before us.  When we do, we grow and learn personally but we also make a way for those around us to step into their battles.

There may be times when we are overwhelmed and flat out exhausted, when we do not even know how what or how to pray for ourselves. This is why God calls us to live in community with other believers and why He calls us to me merciful, compassionate and full of grace for one another.  When we find ourselves tempted to run for the hills, we need to instead sound the alarm. If we will share with our trusted brothers and sisters in Christ, they can come along side of us or maybe even surround us and battle on our behalf until we are strong enough to join back in. This way, no ground is lost, the enemy gains nothing on us. 

Yes the victory is God's and in the heavenlies, it is already secured but we must still do our part, for ourselves, for our children, for the less fortunate, for the lost and wayward.  Our role is vital and God has given us every tool we need to be successful and advance the battle lines for His glory. Be alert, be aware, be willing to sound an alarm when needed and be ready to respond to the battle cry of those around you.

Prove It!

Prove It!

I love it when The Lord reminds me of a lesson He has been teaching me.  I don't think I will ever master some of them this side of heaven and that's why I need reminders.  Today's reminder came from listening to my favorite morning show on the radio, KCBI with Jeff & Rebecca.  I only get to listen for about 20 minutes in the car as I am taking kiddos to school and I always enjoy every minute of it. It is often a source of inspiration as it was today.  I had been wondering what I was going to blog about and on this morning's program was one of those reminders.

As a child, I had an abusive step-father for many years.  He often said these words to me: "You are so stupid! You are never going to amount to anything when you grow up."  When he said this to me I would think "You just wait until I grow up and we will see who the stupid one is!" For a long time after, it seemed to me that I had been so strong in those moments, that I hadn't allowed his hateful words to crush me.  

Over the years I have come to realize that, although I wasn't crushed by his statements, I was indeed broken because I felt compelled that I needed to prove him wrong.  What he said about me couldn't be right and I would not allow it to be.  That's a lot of pressure to put on one's self. It may look like confidence but it becomes bondage because when you are always striving to prove someone wrong, you are never free to just be who God created you to be. 

That bondage also carried over into other relationships for me.  I ended up in conflict with someone at a church I attended over something I was sure God had called me to do. This wasn't something I had taken lightly, I had sought counsel and prayed over it. Since I was already carrying this big chip on my shoulders, I was deeply wounded and offended when my motives were misjudged and I wanted to rise up and prove them wrong.  God calls us chosen, blessed, redeemed.  He wants us to step out in faith to minister to others.  He gives us gifts and talents to do that so  I also wanted to prove what God says about me was right.  That there was a calling on my life. Because if I could prove God right, then that would definitely prove my ex-step-father wrong. 

As I struggled with this "I'll show you mentality", God began to reveal to me that He already knows my heart. He knows all of my thoughts. He is my perfect judge and advocate. He is my redeemer, creator, loving father.  And then He impressed upon me that I do not have to prove anyone else wrong, because God knows the truth anyways and what do man's opinions really matter? We are not to seek our affirmations from the people around us, we are to look to Christ for our identity, (Galatians 1:10). I also do not have to prove God right either. He is sovereign, almighty, all powerful.  What can I possibly do to defend His honor that He can't do a million times better. What can I possibly do to force His purpose to be fulfilled in my life in my timing? Nothing at all. He is the author and perfecter of my faith, my calling, the purpose He has for my life.  He simply calls me to submit to being remade in His image and to follow His lead.  He is calling you to the same.

God loves you! It doesn't matter what the world thinks or what you are unfairly criticized for as long as you are chasing after Christ. There is nothing any amount of striving can accomplish so believe what God says about you and REST in it. You don't have to prove anything, you don't have to prove anyone wrong and you don't have to prove God right either.

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession..."

1 Peter 2:9a NASB

Cherry Fargo

Being ReMade

Day Nine: GENTLENESS

Day Nine ~ GENTLENESS

Key Bible Verse- 

Psalm 18:35  You have also given me the shield of salvation, And your right hand upholds me and your gentleness makes me great.

Thoughts to ponder- 

God's gentleness in us and working through us makes us great. But not for our own sakes, for the sake of the work He has called us to do in His Kingdom.  Gentleness, like the other fruit of the Spirit, is given to us as a gift, but we must open that gift, learn about it and put it into use for it to fully use it and see it working in our lives.

Some people confuse timidity or frailty with gentleness.  Gentleness is NOT weakness but rather the skill to wield power effectively.  It is using the power of God in us to draw others to Him by dealing with others in firm but tender ways.  When we choose not to respond to others with harshness or severity but in tenderness and kindness we are operating in gentleness.

Gentleness is also tied to humility.  In Matthew 11:29 Jesus tells His disciples "...I am gentle and humble in heart...". I think to be gentle and humble of heart means that we know who we are in Christ and walk in a God-confidence which that knowledge brings.  However, at the same time we do not think too highly of ourselves. We understand that with out Christ we are nothing.  When gentleness becomes developed in our lives, we give up the need to defend or justify ourselves for the sake of being right. As we rest quietly in God and allow Him to work through our gentle actions towards others, He upholds us and makes us great witnesses to His transforming power available to all who believe.

Challenge/Action Step- 

Spend some time in prayer and ask God to show you any areas in your relationships that you tend to respond harshly or severely. Ask Him to reveal to you hoe He would like you to deal with similar situations in the future. Write it down so you will remember!

Prayer for today-

Thank you Lord that you have given us so much!  Help us to understand and realize that every gift we have received from You is for Your glory and help us to find great joy in that as we develop the virtue of gentleness in our lives. ~Amen.

Thanks for joining me today as we continue this 

journey to understand and further develop the

fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Please take a minute to leave a 

comment here or join Cherry Fargo of Being ReMade on Facebook

for further discussion on Living The Fruitful Life.

Day Seven: GOODNESS

Day Seven ~GOODNESS

Key Bible Verse-

Matthew12:35   A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

Thoughts to ponder- 

Goodness is the virtue of being favorable and possessing integrity. Easton's Bible Dictionary describes goodness like this: "Goodness in a man is not a mere passive quality, but the deliberate preference of right to wrong, the firm and persistent resistance of all moral evil, the choosing and following of all moral good."

There is a lot wrapped up in that definition. Simply said, goodness is a state of being AND doing.  It is action and attitude tied together by choice.  As believer's, we look to the Lord as our example.  In Psalm 119:68 the author is speaking to God and says: "You are good and do good. Teach me Your statutes." To cultivate the virtue of goodness we must study God's word to learn about Him and His character since He IS good. We must be diligent students of Christ and avid listeners to the Holy Spirit in order to store up within us the good fruit we want to produce.

From beginning to end, the Bible reveals the moral divide between good and evil. God has even placed a conscience within us to help us determine the differences between the two.  Our level of integrity will often be made know to us by the choices we make when no one else is watching. It is essential that we constantly try to do good things that honor God.

Challenge/Action Step- 

The Bible has so much to say on the topic of goodness that it is difficult to cover well in a short devotional.  Therefore, I would like to encourage you to do a quick word search for the words goodness, good and evil. Try to read about 3 to 4 verses for each word.  Based on the verses you read write a definition for the goodness using your own words.

Prayer for today-

Father, you are good and you have called us to be filled with your goodness as well.  Help us to make the right choices each and every day that are rooted in goodness, integrity and moral excellence.  I pray that you would give us wisdom and understanding as we study your word and hide it in our hearts. ~ AMEN

Day Six: KINDNESS

Day Six ~ KINDNESS

Key Bible Verse- 

Job 6:14 Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

Thoughts to ponder- 

Our scripture verse cautions us to remember what God has done for us.  His great kindness to us was the gift of His Son for the reconciliation of our sins. This was given out of His deep love for us.  Kindness then, is born out of the choice to love others in the same manner that God loves us. It should create in us a profound desire to put that love into action demonstrated by generosity and compassion.

It involves giving of ourselves and our resources to encourage, inspire and brighten the lives of others.  It should give those around us a glimpse of God's own tenderness and mercy. Everyone that we meet is in some stage of overcoming difficulties in this life. We can make a difference by showing kindness. This kind of love in action almost always requires sacrifice on our part. We will give of our time, our energy, our possessions, our finances, but all of these things pale in comparison to the sacrifice that Christ made for us. His example should compel us to do what we can when we can.  

When we live a life showing gentleness and compassion, we will often find this kindness returned to us.  It doesn't have to be difficult or complicated, the concept is as simple as treating others like we want to be treated. 

Challenge/Action Step- 

In what ways have you been shown kindness recently?  Make a list of three ways that you can show kindness to others this week and make a point to follow through.

Prayer for today-

Thank you Lord for the great kindness and mercy you have shown us.  I pray that you will show us  new ways to practice kindness and that as we do, others will be drawn to you.  ~AMEN

Thanks for joining me today as we continue this 

journey to understand and further develop the

fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Please take a minute to leave a 

comment here or join Cherry Fargo of Being ReMade on Facebook

for further discussion on Living The Fruitful Life.

Weekly Recap

Thank you so much to everyone who has joined me on this journey! I hope you have been enjoying this week's posts.  So far our devotionals for Living The Fruitful Life have included:

Day One: Introduction

Day Two: Love

Day Three: Joy

Day Four: Peace

Day Five: Patience

If you are able to this weekend, take some time to review this week's lessons.  Was there one that stood out to you more than the others? I would love to hear your feedback or answer any questions you might have.  Please use the comment feature below to communicate them with me!

Please feel free to share any of the blogs links with anyone you think would benefit from this study.  It is my prayer that you will have a deeper understanding of the fruit of the Spirit, a closer walk with God, and a more developed quiet time habit formed by the end of our 10 study challenge.  It is my honor and privilege to serve you and pray for you.

Many Blessings,

Cherry

Day Five: PATIENCE

Day Five ~ Patience

Key Bible Verse- 

Ephesians 4:1c - 3 

Walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

Thoughts to ponder- 

If love is the embodiment of all of the other fruit of the Spirit as we discussed on day two, then patience is the backbone of the entire group. It is what enables us to be effective in all of these.  It is essential to our character development and yet, it takes time and divine trust to cultivate in our lives.

Patience means to have long suffering and to be slow to become angry. This requires the discipline and determination to put our immediate feelings and desires aside.  Practicing patience is about extending grace to our own circumstances and to the people around us.  In relationships, it means valuing what God wants to do in someone else more than you value what you want to have happen and it involves being tolerant, in love, of where the other person is in their walk with Christ.

Most importantly, patience depends upon trusting that God's timing is is perfect and agreeing in humility with Jesus statement "Father...yet not as I will, but as You will". (Matthew 26:39)

Challenge/Action Step- 

Think about the things that most often cause you to become impatient.  Ask God to help you discern the reasons for it.  What is one thing you can do today to develop greater patience?

Prayer for today-

Father we thank you that you are a patient God and slow to anger. I pray today that You would shine a light on our hearts and help us to discern the reasons we become so impatient at times.  I pray that You would empower us with the discipline and determination to develop the character of patience in our life. ~ Amen

Thanks for joining me today as we continue this 

journey to understand and further develop the

fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Please take a minute to leave a 

comment here or join Cherry Fargo of Being ReMade on Facebook

for further discussion on Living The Fruitful Life.

Day Four: PEACE

Day Four ~ PEACE

Key Bible Verse-

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.  Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Thoughts to ponder-

We live in a world filled with hustle and bustle, comings and goings, people to meet, things to do, life to schedule, organize and control. Many people try to live at the speed of light, to do more, see more and be more. No wonder we find ourselves overcome by worry and anxiety; lacking tranquility and serenity. God left us an answer for all of that through Jesus Christ. He was the embodiment of peace.

In the Bible, we almost always see Jesus portrayed as taking things in stride, very little ruffled his feathers.  Even when He turned over the tables in the temple, we know it wasn't just that He lost His cool  because the Bible says He took time to make a whip. What happened in the temple was peace and strength under control.  The only other time I know of that we see Jesus under strain is in the garden before His crucifixion when He is praying not His will but the Father's.  He submits Himself to the peace of His Heavenly Father.  When everyone else around Him was anxious, He had the ability to quiet their fears and doubts quickly.  When I read Mark 4:39 where it states "and He said to the sea, peace, be still" I often wonder if that wasn't a command intended for the disciples as well.

Peace is quiet tranquility, mental calm and serenity. But most importantly it is a gift of spending time with God and learning to trust Him.  The more we put our confidence in the Lord for every detail in our life and the more we relinquish control of our life to Christ, the more we purposely shift our focus to the things of God,  the more peace is available to us.

Challenge/Action Step- 

Busyness can often interfere with our rest and therefore our peace.  Take an inventory of the areas of your life that are the most stressful. Would more resting in the Lord bring about a greater connectedness to God's peace? Are you able to refocus on Christ in the midst of a chaotic life? Ask God in prayer today to reveal to you His peace and specific ways you can embrace it in your own life.  

Prayer for today-

Thank you Father for sending us your peace in the form of your son Jesus.  May the activity of life fade away enough for us to be able to rest in your peace. Teach us how to bring our thoughts into submission of your will where peace reigns.  Reveal to us your heart for our lives and enable us to trust you with every part of who we are and what we do.  ~ Amen

Thanks for joining me today as we begin this 

journey to understand and further develop the

fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Please take a minute to leave a 

comment here or join Cherry Fargo of Being ReMade on Facebook

for further discussion on Living The Fruitful Life.

Day Three: JOY

Day Three - JOY

Key Bible Verse- 

Hebrews 12:2  "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." NASB

Thoughts to ponder- 

In scripture, joy is an inner result of our outward expression of our relationship with God in service to those around us.  Jesus went to the cross for "the joy set before Him".  It was His outward expression of the Father's love for us.  Our reconciliation to a personal relationship with God was the joy Christ was willing to die for in service to us while we were still undeserving.

In like manner, we are to be in such a close relationship with the Father and Christ that we experience joy in serving others and revealing God's glory to them.  Joy is all about what God has done and is continuing to do in our lives and the lives of those we love.  (Which if you remember from yesterday, loving others is a choice.) Joy differs from happiness in the sense that happiness is often rooted in our circumstances, our personal desires and hopes. To truly experience the calm delight of  joy, we must look beyond our selves and our hardships and walk closely with God for the sake of His purposes.  

Challenge/Action Step- 

Since God puts people in our live for a reason take a minute to think about the people you know that are the most joyful, how are they different from other people you know and what can you learn from them?  Ask God to reveal to you way you can practice joy and make a list of the things He shows you.  Please share one of those things with us in the comments below.

Prayer for today-

Jesus, Lord of all,  thank you for dying on the cross for us.  I pray today that you would give us a deep understanding of your great love for us .  Help us to know the joy of making a difference in the lives of others for your glory. ~ Amen

Thanks for joining me today as we continue this 

journey to understand and further develop the

fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  Please take a minute to leave a 

comment here or join Cherry Fargo of Being ReMade on Facebook

for further discussion on Living The Fruitful Life.

Day Two: LOVE

Day Two: Love

Key Bible Verse-

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

Thoughts to ponder-

Love is listed as the first fruit of the Spirit. As we read the verses listed above, we can see that love embodies most if not all of the other eight virtues included in the fruit of the Spirit.  Many of the others listed could technically be practiced on their own without love.  However, it is impossible to remove all of the other virtues and have love remain.  

The love of God in us and extended through us is vital to a Spirit led life because it is what should identify us as Christ followers.  The ability to love one another, not just our brothers and sisters in Christ but EVERYONE, is central to revealing God's love to those around us.  Jesus puts it to us this way in John 13: 34-35 ~ “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

I have a refrigerator magnet that reminds me "Love is a daily decision". That means even when I don't feel like it, even when people are difficult, it is my responsibility to CHOOSE to love.  By cultivating my relationship with God regularly, I can submit my view of things to Him and allow Him to love through me.  His power to do this is available to all who are willing to receive it.

Challenge/Action Step- 

Identify someone in your life that is difficult for you to love and ask God for the ability to see them as God sees them.  Does this change your willingness to love them? Now think of a very practical way of showing that person God's love and commit to doing that by the end of this challenge. 

Prayer for today-

Dear Lord,  as your children, give us the willingness and desire to follow the examples of love that you have given us.  Empower us with your strength to choose to do as you do and help us to see as you do. May we be a compassionate people and may other be drawn to you because of your great love in us.  ~ Amen.

Thanks for joining me today as we continue this 

journey in developing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  

Please take a minute to leave a comment here or join

 Cherry Fargo of Being ReMade on Facebook

for further discussion on Living The Fruitful Life.