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    • Developing a fruitful life

      Posted at 8:45 am by sneuhofer, on July 17, 2018

      Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

      In the first four chapters of Galatians, Paul writes about the freedom we have when we come to Christ. It is through FAITH we are saved, not following strict laws perfectly. Christ walked a perfect, blameless life on this earth and then took all of our sin on himself to pay the penalty so we could have the freedom to live in him! When we accept him, through FAITH, we are made DEBT FREE. It is a life of FAITH we live… not a life of “law” keeping.

      Throughout this journey of faith, we are guided by, and rely on, the Holy Spirit to help us navigate the uncharted waters of everyday life. As we begin to grow in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit begins to clothe us so we look more like Christ. When we incorporate the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) into our daily life we work toward being more like Christ.

      On my Christian journey through the Holy Spirit’s leading, I have searched my heart to see if I am truly developing the fruits of the spirit within me. Searching myself allows me to take an honest look at each area of my life and determine what I need to change to become more like Christ.

      Allow me to explain. Let’s start with the first fruit. This world would have us to believe that we must look out for number one and love ourselves. It is all about us and not about anyone else. “Love of self” is not a fruit of the Spirit – LOVE is. We must love as Christ loved. Christ loved all and served all. So to be more like Christ we have to look beyond ourselves and love…EVERYONE….yep…even the people who grate on our nerves!

      As I go through the fruits of the Spirit, I find it helpful when I ask myself questions like these:

      • How am I doing with the first (second, third, etc.) fruit of the spirit?
      • Do I love like Christ loves? (this question will relate to the corresponding fruit of the Spirit)
      • Do I love the unlovable in my life? (this question will relate to the corresponding fruit of the Spirit)

      What fruit can you see that needs to be built into your life? Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what the Lord is working on in you and then allow Him to be your guide through the process.

      It helps to remember that developing Christ-like characteristics is a process as we walk deeper in intimacy with Christ. Our It’s a journey – not a check-the-box type thing.

      My God bless you on your journey.

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      Posted in fruits of the Spirit, love all | 0 Comments

    • Servant Living

      Posted at 7:00 am by sneuhofer, on March 28, 2018

      As I continue my journey through the book of John and the events that led Jesus to Calvary’s cross, today I set my focus on chapter 13. In this chapter, Jesus knew what was coming. He knew in just a few short hours he would be nailed to a cross to give his live in exchange for ours. Yet, there he was in the upper room, teaching the disciples the most important lesson of all; servanthood.

      Gathered around the table with his disciples for the evening meal, Jesus knew there was still one more lesson he to teach before leaving. He got up from the table and wrapped a towel around his waist and reached for an empty bowl. Do you think the disciples were watching or wondering what was going on? Do you think they questioned why Jesus had gotten up from the table?

      Jesus reached for some water and filled the bowl and took on the job of the lowest servant in the house. He began washing the disciple’s feet. At that moment what do you think is going through their minds? Peter’s boldness breaks through the silence “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

      Jesus responded to Peter’s bold statement. “Peter, you don’t understand what I am doing now, but you will later.” (John 13:7)

      Jesus was right, Peter didn’t get it. “No Lord you will never wash my feet.”

      “Peter, if I don’t wash your feet you’re not one of my people.”

      I can just see Peter standing there with his arms open wide “Wash all of me, Lord!” (John 13:9) I just love Peter.

      The disciples didn’t yet understand what was happening but they would soon find out. Jesus was about to wash them all clean on Calvary’s cross. “After a person has had a bath,” Jesus said “his whole body is clean. He needs only to wash his feet.” (John 13:10)

      That night, before Jesus ever got up to wash the first foot, he knew that one of his disciples would deny him and one would betray him; yet he washed all of their feet. He cleansed their sin. He forgave them. By morning, Judas betrayed him for thirty pieces of silver and Peter denied even knowing him…not just once, but three times.

      I think it’s important for us to remember who was present in the upper room that night. Knowing who they were and what they were about to do, Jesus humbled himself and served ALL of them. I say that to lead to this question: Have you ever thought that Jesus couldn’t possibly forgive you for the “horrible things” you’ve done? Think again. The men in the upper room that night had walked with Jesus for three years – and He forgave them all…he didn’t just pick and choose.

      This display of service in the upper room should also be a huge example for us. Jesus died for all of us not just the perfect and loveable. Take some time to search within yourself. Are there people you don’t want to be around because you feel you are better than they? What about when it comes to acts of service? Are there people you won’t help because you feel like they are capable of helping themselves? Remember, Jesus served all – even the men he knew were going to betray him.

       

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      Posted in Christ's love, love all, Serving | 0 Comments

    • Love and Service

      Posted at 8:45 am by sneuhofer, on August 17, 2017

      As Christians, Paul challenges us in 1 Corinthians 14:1, to follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts. Each time I settle in do study a specific part of scripture, I like to see how my three favorite translations convey the message. Take a look at  how 1 Corinthians 14:1 is translated below.

      1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV) “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts”

      1 Corinthians 14:1 (MSG) “Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you.”

      1 Corinthians 14:1 (NCV) “You should seek after love, and you should truly want to have the spiritual gifts”

      I really get a great deal from the Message (MSG) paraphrase. This tells me I am supposed to go after a life of love as if my life depended on it and then give myself to the gifts God has given me.

      When I am working through an area of my life I like to break the verse down into workable pieces then turn the “search light” inward. Since the first part of this verse is talking about love, I think it’s a good idea to go back to the LOVE chapter (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) and review what the Bible says the definition of LOVE really is.
      1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (MSG) “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies.”

      Oh yeah…right from the start I can see I have some work to do. Can I just be honest for a moment.  I’ve wanted to “give up” on love a time or two – I mean who hasn’t when the going gets tough. I’ve also been selfish – wanting things my way.  Oh, and that “fly off the handle” part… Yep…I have some work to do.

      I’m not going to beat myself up there, let me quickly go to the second part of 1 Corinthians 14:1. Not only am I suppose to go after LOVE as if my life depends on it, I am also to give myself to the gifts God gave me. Spiritual gifts are those gifts administered by the Holy Spirit and are used for building the church up. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are found in 1 Corinthians 12.

      1 Corinthians 12: 4 – 11 (NCV) “There are different kinds of gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve but the same Lord to serve. And there are different ways that God works through people but the same God. God works in all of us in everything we do. Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom, and the same Spirit gives another the ability to speak with knowledge. The same Spirit gives faith to one person. And, to another, that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. The Spirit gives to another person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy. And he gives to another the ability to know the difference between good and evil spirits. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages and to another the ability to interpret those languages. One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things, and the Spirit decides what to give each person.”
      As I look at love and spiritual gifts through the lens of following Christ, I can see that it’s His example I should follow. Jesus stepped out of the comforts of heaven to come to earth and be a servant to all.

      Jesus loved Father God and he loved the people around him.  Throughout scripture you can see the example Jesus set of trusting the Father’s will for His life. Jesus gave himself away and utilized what the Father had given Him to encourage and build people up while at the same time bringing honor and glory to God.

      My desire is to live a life that always leads with love, and always encourages and builds others up. God has specifically equipped each one of us to accomplish the tasks He has put us on this earth to do. The question is are we using the time he has given us wisely or are we chasing our own selfish dreams and desires.

      It is only when we use the talents and gifts God has given us and love the people he has placed around us that we bring honor and glory to God.

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      Posted in christian living, love, love all, spiritual gifts | 0 Comments

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