Tuesday, June 27, 2017

God's Holy Fire: 'Deep-Spirited Friends'

If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care — then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.
— Philippians 2:1-2 (Message)

We have so many blessings being in Jesus. One of those blessings is the fellowship we have based on the Holy Spirit. Paul calls this blessing, "being in a community of the Spirit." Our relationship in the Spirit must affect the way we treat each other! As "deep-spirited friends" who are brothers and sisters through the Spirit's work in us, let's agree to treat each other with loving respect and support.
This commitment will be empowered by the Holy Spirit and becomes even more essential when relationships are strained and tough. Being filled with the Spirit is more than just having a special power for difficult times and great opportunities; it also means always treating those in Christ — and, indeed, everyone else also — in ways that honor Christ!

Think it over…

~ You will find, as you look back upon your life, that the moments that stand out, the moments when you have really lived, are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of Love. - Henry Drummond

~ There's no such thing as a successful marriage.  There are marriages that give up, and marriages that keep on trying; that's the only difference. - Garrison Keillor

~ Confusion and impotence are the inevitable results when the wisdom and resources of the world are substituted for the presence and power of the Spirit. - Samuel Chadwick

Psalm 37:1-2

“Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither; like green plants they will soon die away.”

Frustration and envy... hmmm, isn't that our reaction to those who are evil and yet seem to prosper? We're reminded to not let the apparent and short-lived successes of evil people derail our faith or dampen our spirits. Their victories are temporary, their wealth is like a flower that will wilt, and their life is like the grass which withers and is soon gone.

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