MEEKNESS! FOLLOW PEACE! FORBEARANCE!
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
THE FRUIT OF GOD’S SPIRIT IS CLEAR… MORE THAN TOLERANCE? FORBEARANCE! SEEK LOVE NOT MANIPULATION..
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
HE WHO WOULD CORRECT OTHERS, OFTEN NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED HIMSELF?
I had a friend that loved fish. He bought an old aquarium at a yard sale for $5.00. The aquarium was complete. It had the gravel, the filter and the pump all for $5. The aquarium was dirty and it smelled bad. So the man used bleach and strong detergent to clean the bowl. It was so shiny. The family went and picked out some gold fish and filled the aquarium with water and put the new goldfish in the tank. Soon one of the gold fish died. Then another and another until all the fish were dead. At the pet shop the owner inquired what had happened. The man at the pet shop said, did you adjust the temperature of the water? Well, NO! Did you allow the chlorine in the water to neutralize? Well, NO! When you cleaned the aquarium what did you use to clean it with? The man replied bleach, detergent and some stronger cleaner. The shop owner said: YOU KILLED THE FISH. The items you cleaned with were so strong, you killed the gold fish with strong cleaners and not allowing the fish to acclimate to the new water temperature. You must float the plastic bag with the water in it until the temperatures are the same. Sir, I know you thought you were doing right but your harsh chemicals and not allowing adjustment to the fresh water killed the fish.
Often seems we throw out the baby with the dirty bath water. We see the need to correct and clean up the externals before we allow God to clean up the internals. We can develop judgmental, critical, mean spirts and demand immediate change. DOES YOUR CRITICAL WORDS, SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUDGMENTAL ATTITUDES DRIVE PEOPLE AWAY FROM GOD…BE KIND! DON’T BE HARSH! BE MILD! WORK WITH A GRADUAL ATTITUDE.
ARISTOTLE TAUGHT THE GOLDEN MEAN, TO STRIVE FOR BALANCE BETWEEN TWO EXTREMITIES. HAVE WE LEARNED TO RESTRAIN THE FLESH WHILE WE ARE UNDER PROVOCATION? JESUS TAUGHT US TO LIVE A BALANCED LIFE…
Philippians 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Let us focus and be clear, be patient with people. May others see Jesus in you? Jesus is coming! Are we ready? BE CONSIDERATE…
ARISTOTLE’S GOLDEN MEAN: SATAN’S BEST TOOL IN HIS TOOL BOX IS DEALING IN THE EXTREMES… OUT OF BALANCE… MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!
THERE ARE NO LAWS AGAINST DOING WHAT IS RIGHT! WHAT KIND OF FRUIT ARE WE BEARING? NO FRUIT? LITTLE FRUIT? MORE FRUIT? MUCH FRUIT?
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
THERE ARE MANY QUALITIES GOD LOVES IN HIS PEOPLE. GOD LOVES PATIENCE, TEMPERANCE, ENDURANCE, PERSISTENCE, TOLERANCE, KINDNESS, GENTLENESS AND MODERATION…
LONGSUFFERING IN THE GREEK MEANS LONG TEMPERED… KEEP YOUR TEMPER, NO ONE ELSE WANTS IT…
JESUS DOES NOT WANT US TO RETALIATE AND GET EVEN… DO YOU HAVE A LONG FUSE?
Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3:12 (NIV) Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:12 (NLT2) Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
LIFE IS ABOUT CHANGE VS STAYING THE SAME… WE ALL KNOW LIFE IS A CHALLENGE… ARE YOU THE RIVER OR THE ROCK? EXPLAIN THE BATTLE OF THE ROCK AND THE FLOWING WATER? WHICH ONE WINS?
EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE: 1. DO I HAVE TO… VS 2. DO I WANT TO…
A student asked me if he had to do his work… I ANSWERED: NO YOU GET TO… We often say: DO I HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH? DO I HAVE TO PAY TITHES? The answer is NO! You get to. IS FORBEARANCE A FOE? IS IT OUR FRIEND? WHAT DO I NEED TO CHANGE? BE HONEST?
*CALM: peaceful, cushion, gentle, be slow, be careful,
*FORBEARANCE: NOT HARSH, NOT STERN, NOT ABRASIVE, SOFT, SOOTHING,
In the Bible forbearance means to delay repayment of a debt. It can also mean abstain, hold back,
*MEEK: Mild, absences of a bad temper, voluntary forbearance
WE UNDERSTAND THE BIBLE IS TRUE… IF WE DO NOT LEARN FROM THE WORD WE WILL LEARN THE HARD WAY! TOO OFTEN? WHAT IS TOO OFTEN? THERE IS A LESSON FEW EVER LEARN UNTIL THE PAIN IS SO GREAT. WE MUST LEARN TO MAKE ALLOWANCES FOR INDIVIDUAL’S FAULTS, OPINIONS AND QUIRKS.
Proverbs 25:17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.
There is a lesson we must learn--- friends can pay a dear price … IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO A GOOD THING AND WEARY OTHER PEOPLE… WHEN YOU WEARY PEOPLE--- THE END PRODUCT WILL BE HATRED… We need wisdom… WE NEED BALANCE… People wonder what happened. Listen to wisdom.
We can wear our welcome out.
FORBEARANCE? I DESIRE MERCY BUT I REFUSE TO GIVE MERCY…
MATTHEW 26: 18 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
CONCLUSION:
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
There is magic knowing and living the word of God. We are blessed when we give what we would desire to receive. We are blessed when we are kind with kindness. When we care others will care. We find God when we are patient, calm and practice forbearance.
Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Don’t worry! Don’t give way to depression and stress! The Holy Spirit of God desires us to rise above LONELINESS, FEAR --- TO COME AND FIND PEACE AND JOY AND COMFORT.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
DO WE TRUST GOD’S PLANS? By faith we need to trust God knows what is going on… and he knows what he is doing. God has from the beginning to the end all planned out— In his plans he has promised to take care of us. He will never abandon his people. His plans are to give us hope, joy, peace.
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Just think what God can do in you if you practice calmness, joy, peace, forbearance, patience and meekness.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Check out my YouTube.
