Sunday, July 15, 2012

Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness by Margie

a week behind again 

fruit.of.the.spirit.week.eight
(a few words and lots of scripture)

gentleness...i have learned from Ali.  when she was younger, she reminded me that it wasn't the cashiers fault when i was rude about not getting the price i expected. even now as her gentle spirit matures she reminds me to tap into this beautiful fruit of the Holy Spirit. i'm so proud of her for digging in and not just hearing, but doing! (james1:21-25) 
like each piece of fruit, it is a choice to be gentle.  God has provided all we need to walk in gentleness as a gift, freely given when we accepted Jesus into our hearts and called Him Lord!  also, He reminds us to be gentle by sending gentle, godly, jesus-like people into our lives as an example.  

who has Father God sent to you? 

(just a few of the many He's sent me...  john, ali, chad, karen, mom, lorianne, theresa, christy, isaac, kim, lisa, dena, chris, kristen, brenda, brooke, tracy, jenn, kerry, patty, keith, jamie, cathi...sorry if you were left out, i could go on and on)

please don't skip this next part!
the living word of God has much to say about gentleness... 
"Blessed are the GENTLE, for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NASB)

Let your GENTLE  spirit  be known to all men. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5 NASB)

A GENTLE answer turns away wrath,  But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1 NASB)

In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any  of them  are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be  merely  external-braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but  let it be  the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a GENTLE and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. (1 Peter 3:1-6 NASB)

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, GENTLEness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things  put on  love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms  and  hymns  and  spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed,  do  all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:12-17 NASB)

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to 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. (Ephesians 4:1-3 NASB)

now that's a good word! 
can't go wrong with the Bible!

one more to go...self control. i'm super excited to get #9 out very 
soon. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22, 23 NASB)


1 comment:

  1. This gentleness is really shown to me by this writing. With all the upsets going on in my church right now I am emailing the praise team with portions of Col. 3:12-17. Thanks for the timely, for me, encouragement with gentleness.

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