Praying The Fruit Of The Spirit For Our Kids

The Fruit of the Spirit – Joy: Foundation for a Positive Life

Wouldn’t you to experience deep and enduring joy? Wouldn’t you to be joy-full? Please be assured— you can.

The world has a woeful shortage of joy and a surplus of fear, worry, discouragement and depression. Even the “pursuit of happiness” and obsessive pleasure-seeking do not bring deep and lasting joy.

Let’s first understand the difference between joy and happiness. Happiness is an emotion, and God never intended for people to be in that emotional state all the time. There is “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

Biblical joy—the true joy—comes from filling the spiritual void with good relationships, primarily an intimate relationship with the One who is pure joy. Jesus put it this way: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5). That fruit includes much joy!

The Bible speaks much more often of joy than of being happy. “Hap” means chance and is the root of several words— happen, happening, haphazard (dependent on mere chance), hapless, happenstance (a chance circumstance) and happy.

Think of joy as a strong foundation that supports a variety of healthy emotions, including happiness. The long-range evidence of joy is general gratitude, contentment, optimism, a sense of freedom and other positive attitudes.

Joy looks out and up, not inward

A common mistake is to think that getting something will make you happy. We tell ourselves, “If only …” But joy and happiness come much more from giving and serving than from getting.

The apostle Paul reminded his listeners that Jesus Christ had taught this very thing: “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” (Acts 20:35, Today’s English Version).

To grow in joy, we must resist not only self-pity but also being self-centered and self-absorbed. For joy to flourish, we must focus on loving others and especially on loving God.

Joy is largely composed of gratitude —gratitude for the wonderful things God has done for us and His “exceedingly great and precious promises” for our future (2 Peter 1:4). Gratitude produces joy (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). And our gratitude should be for other people’s blessings as well as for our own (Romans 12:15).

Try to follow this biblical formula: Add to your life gratitude, humility, forgiveness, faith, hope, patience and love. Take away resentment, anger, fear, worry, materialism, greed, jealousy, complaining and pride. The result? Joy!

Joy is spiritual, supernatural and essential

God is joyful—far more than any human being ever was! It’s tragic that many people think of God as somber and stern rather than cheerful and smiling with a great sense of humor. He is enjoying His creation, and especially the delightful anticipation of many new “sons of God” (Romans 8:14; Romans 8:19).

True followers (imitators) of God will be joyful also. Psalms 68:3 says, “Let the righteous be glad; … let them rejoice exceedingly.” God desires that we serve Him “with joy and gladness of heart” (Deuteronomy 28:47).

Paul spoke of the “joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). It is through His Spirit that God shares and communicates His joy.

Being second in the list surprises many people who mistakenly think joy is spiritually unimportant. Some religious people even shun joy, at least subconsciously, thinking that pious people should instead be solemn. A few even choose asceticism, which God abhors.

Joy is a major topic in the Bible. In the King James Version, “joy” appears 158 times and “rejoice” 198 times (not counting other variations such as joyful, joyfully, joyous, jubilant, happy and glad ).

Rejoice is the verb form of joy, meaning to feel or have joy! Clearly there is great emphasis in the Bible on feeling and expressing joy. That explains why the Bible also emphasizes prayers and songs that praise (celebrate) God (James 5:13; Colossians 3:16-17).

Joy is not optional. The Bible repeatedly commands us to rejoice! The most emphatic exhortation is in Philippians 4:4, where Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

Is it wrong to have sorrow?

The Bible describes two kinds of sorrow. “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Those who have joy frequently experience godly sorrow at the same time. It can be the sorrow of repentance toward God. Those who feel the worst about their sins feel the greatest joy about their forgiveness and God’s amazing grace.

Another example is mourning over the suffering of others while having the joy of knowing that God will eventually solve all problems (Matthew 5:4).

Isaiah’s prophecy said Jesus would be “a Man of sorrows”—sorrows over mankind’s sins and suffering (Isaiah 53:3). Yet He was also prophesied to be “anointed … with the oil of gladness more than [His] companions” (Hebrews 1:8-9; Psalms 45:6-7). And indeed, Christ had great joy and also experienced great sorrow (John 17:13; Matthew 26:37-39).

Grieving is a healthy response when a loved one dies. However, if we believe the truth of the resurrection, we also have comfort and joy because we know our loss is only temporary. The grief is much more painful for those “who have no hope” in a resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Joy because of trials?

God’s joy continues to flow through His people even during their suffering because of their rock-solid hope. They know that all suffering is limited to this short life, and the time will soon come when “there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4). They “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

We also have good reason to rejoice because of our trials when we understand how God is using those trials to help us build godly character. “And we know that all things [even severe trials] work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

More specifically, Paul wrote that “we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4, New International Version).

James wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance”—perseverance in remaining faithful to God (James 1:2, NIV).

And because Christ suffered for each of us, we should have a special joy when we are persecuted for our faith. Jesus said, “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:11-12).

The number one key to joy: God’s Spirit

Supreme joy is God’s nature and character! We see proof everywhere in God’s creation—birds singing, animals leaping, flowers blooming, brooks babbling and the sun shining! Many people would be less depressed if they would spend more time outside. God “gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).

Since God is exceedingly joyful, His servants should also be joyful! Sadly, many who claim to be His disciples are austere, sour and dour. But take note of Luke’s description of true disciples: “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52).

How can we be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit? “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’ ” (Acts 2:38).

God’s Spirit is a tree of life, producing life-giving fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). That fruit includes great joy.

Jesus prayed for His followers “that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves” (John 17:13).

He also teaches us to pray for joy and for all our needs. As He tells us in John 16:24, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full!”

Источник: //www.ucg.org/the-good-news/the-fruit-of-the-spirit-joy-foundation-for-a-positive-life

Fruit of the Spirit: Goodness

We get mixed messages today about what is “good.” Some people say that it is “good” for those who are having marriage problems to have an illicit affair to spice things up. Some people say that it is “good” to enjoy and role play any fantasy, no matter how depraved or unnatural, as long as you don’t actually do what you are fantasizing about.

Is this what God thinks is good? No!

Notice Psalm 33:4-5: “For the word of the LORD is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD” (emphasis added throughout).

God wants the earth to be full of His goodness. What He considers good is clearly spelled out in the Bible. However, since the creation of Adam and Eve, humanity under Satan’s influence has chosen to come up with its own definition of goodness.

Think about some of the other words associated with goodness in the Bible, such as truth, righteousness, justice and light. Ephesians 5:8-10 uses some of these synonyms: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.”

Most people decide what is right and wrong not what God has taught us, but on whatever mood, feeling or biased “research” they’ve experienced on the matter.

Psalm 52:1 tells us that “the goodness of God endures continually.” What is that goodness? It includes an absolute commitment to good over evil and right over wrong. The fruit of the Spirit of goodness mentioned in Galatians 5:22 also includes generously doing good to others.

Why does God want us to demonstrate goodness?

God is good, and He wants us to grow in the fruit of goodness so we can be Him.

A phrase that is repeated several times in Psalm 107 reads: “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” The rest of the psalm mentions many aspects of God’s goodness, such as He delivered His people from distress and afflictions brought on by their sins and He led them the right way (verses 6-8).

Our goodness should be something that other human beings can be thankful for, just as we are thankful for the amazing goodness God has shown to us.

What is the alternative? What is the opposite of goodness? What happens when we decide what is right or wrong the values of a world twisted by the devil who hates us?

John 8:44 tells us that Satan “was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

Do we really think the father of lies is going to tell the world what it really means to be “good”? Not ly. As an example, Satan lied to Adam and Eve, convincing them that they would benefit by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And to this day, the world has been influenced by the devil’s deceptions concerning what is good and what is evil.

God wants us to demonstrate His goodness His commandments, His character. Deuteronomy 6:24 reveals that “the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day.”

God knows what is best for us, because He created “good.” We must continue in God’s goodness that He has shown toward us if we are to avoid being cut off from a coming kingdom defined by goodness (Romans 11:22).

Ultimately, God wants us to show goodness because He is good, and He wants us to be Him—and to be His children forever (Romans 8:16-17)!

Examples of goodness to follow

Two kings of Judah are specifically mentioned as having “goodness.”

The first king—Hezekiah, whose story is found in 2 Chronicles 29 through 32—inherited the kingdom from a very wicked ruler: his father. As soon as he began to reign, Hezekiah cleansed the temple from all the neglect and contempt that had been shown to it, restoring the true worship of God. He also kept the Passover festival, another neglected commandment of God.

Then Hezekiah systematically got rid of all the horrific pagan influences in the land. He also stood up to the most powerful king at that time, Sennacherib of Assyria, who had mocked God and everything He had told His people.

“Good” King Josiah (whose story is found in 2 Chronicles 34 and 35) followed the same pattern as Hezekiah. He inherited the kingdom after two very wicked kings destroyed what Hezekiah had put in place.

Josiah purged the land again of all the terrible pagan practices. He also found the Book of the Law and became determined to follow it closely.

As with Hezekiah, he restored true temple worship and prepared a very memorable Passover.

The examples of these two kings show us that even if all the influences around us (even inside our own families) are not “good,” we can still show goodness by clinging to God’s standards.

An example to avoid

So what happened between the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah? Why did Josiah basically have to redo everything Hezekiah had done?

Unfortunately, Hezekiah’s son Manasseh (whose story is found in 2 Chronicles 33) was not known for his goodness. Although Manasseh repented at the end of his life, for many years he did irreparable damage and evil in the land.

He brought back all the disgusting pagan influences and practices to the land, including child sacrifice, sorcery, witchcraft and the occult.

Manasseh even went so far as to build a pagan altar in God’s temple! Manasseh’s son Amon also encouraged these evil practices when he became king.

These examples may seem extreme, but Manasseh was simply doing what everyone else around him was doing. However, by following others’ definitions of right and wrong, he was seducing Judah to do evil (verse 9), which is the opposite of God’s standard of goodness.

We must evaluate this world’s ideas of “good,” and then think about Isaiah 5:20: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.”

Goodness self-examination questionnaire

1.  Is the “good” I do God’s standards in His Bible, or society’s standards and standards I’ve created?
2. How do my actions show God’s right way of life? How do my actions show God’s law?
3. Would God call what I am about to do “good”? If yes, what evidence from the Bible shows it?
4. Am I just? Am I fair? Am I obedient to God’s commandments? Am I generous in doing good to others?

How do we demonstrate more goodness?

If we are to be walking billboards for God and His goodness, then we need to think very carefully about our actions, thoughts and speech. How do we make sure we are demonstrating God’s goodness? We should:

• Do the research and get the facts about activities, traditions or philosophies we are involved in. Dig into the background and the application of these areas of our lives and decide if they are pleasing to God or not. For example, many traditional holidays celebrated today, claiming to praise God, involve the same ancient, pagan traditions that the Bible clearly says God hates.
• Pray for understanding to effectively discern between the twisted versions of “goodness” we see around us every day and the true goodness that comes from God.
• Examine our choices in life through the lens of the two great commandments. Ask: When I do this, am I loving God with all my heart and strength (the First through Fourth of the 10 Commandments)? And, when I do this, am I loving my neighbor as myself (the Fifth through 10th Commandments)?

Jesus Christ, our perfect example for all the different fruit of the Spirit, was the model and definition of goodness demonstrated by a human being. Now, no longer human, He sits at the throne of God eager to help us in our lives. Let us all use His example and help to strive to truly grow in the fruit of goodness.

Learn more about what Christ taught and did in the section about “The Sermon on the Mount.” For more about the rest of the fruit of the Spirit, see our article “The Fruit of the Spirit” and the links to the other eight.

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Источник: //lifehopeandtruth.com/god/holy-spirit/the-fruit-of-the-spirit/fruit-of-the-spirit-goodness/

Fruits of the Spirit Lessons for Kids

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. – Galatians 5:22-23

I had extensive Bible training growing up. My family memorized all sorts of scriptures and Bible text.

I can even remember playing games and challenges with scriptures. One of the most talked about sections of the Bible for a Christian is the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. And one of the scriptures I can still recite from memory is:

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to Him both now and forever, Amen! – 2 Peter 3:18

As parents, we usually start our children off with this text as it helps reinforce the behaviors we desire then to display as they are growing up. We want to do our best to help them grow in their knowledge of Christ. However, kids are kids, and they often spend more time doing the opposite of the fruit they should be displaying.

If the Fruits of the Spirit really were fruit, my boys would be throwing them instead of using them!

So I have a confession. I don’t dogs! After having one bad experience of being chased by a St. Bernard, that pretty much ruined any chances of my kids ever getting a dog as a pet. But my resistance to dogs hasn’t stopped my children from loving them or asking to get one. So when I came across the new book, Pups of the Spirit, I knew my kids would love it.

Let me start by saying it is now one of our favorite books! In this picture book, nine lovable canines romp through the pages displaying the important Fruit of the Spirit traits. It is so cute. My kids (even the older ones) really got into it and started selecting the pups that were most them.

My youngest even took it to share with her preschool class, which just happened to be studying the fruits of the spirit at the same time.

We always want to make sure that we use materials that will reinforce our faith to our children. Having things that meet them where they are and capture their attention is always most effective. This book is definitely one that does. So what are some ways we can help our children practice the Fruits of the Spirit?

These outward signs of the Holy Spirit are called “fruit” because fruit is only produced in a healthy, living plant. As you grow in the Spirit, others should see the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

These are all the good qualities that God wants us to have!

Ways to Teach Children about the Fruits of the Spirit

1. Apply the Fruits of the Spirit in real-life situations. For instance, when my oldest daughter, who is 12, has an issue with a friend at school I often ask her how she can pursue peace in the situation or practice patience.

2. Create a Fruits of the Spirit praise jar in your kitchen for a month and write down whenever you catch your child in action showing one of the fruits. Set a goal and at the end of the month go out for banana splits or FroYo with fruit toppings!
3. Use age-appropriate material to reinforce this Bible lesson, the book Pups of the Spirit.

   Try anything that is easy for a child to understand and easy for them to remember!

4. Make some Fruits of the Spirit crafts. There are so many great ideas on Pinterest! Many of them also incorporate easy Bible lessons.
5. Don’t forget to have fun! We to play Fruits of the Spirit Jeopardy.

   Sample: The restaurant was taking a long time with my food. Instead of getting mad, I continued to wait. Answer: What is Patience?

There are so many ways to help our children learn the Fruits of the Spirit. Even as adults we need reminders ourselves as we go about our daily lives.

The traffic at my local DMV alone is a constant battle against my faith and my need to walk in the fruits of patience and self-control! (Perhaps I should just keep this book with me in the car.)

Your Turn

How do you practice the Fruits of the Spirit? What creative ways do you use to teach your kids to walk in the Fruits of the Spirit?

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Источник: //www.faithgateway.com/fruits-spirit-lessons-kids/