The fruit of Christian living

God has put in place  the means for each Christian to be like a fruitful tree.

The intended fruit is:

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self control.

I think I posted this before. In this time of humanism we need to be reminded again and again

Please read in the Bible, Galatians chapter 5.

John McKee

Discipleship

Being Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ

To follow Him, we need to trace His journey.

His first step – “Here am I send Me” – complete surrender of His will to the will of the father.

Step two – “He was rich, but for your sakes He became poor” – complete emptying of His possessions for others

Step three – “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – entering a ruined humanity.

Step four – “ ...came not to be ministered unto , but to minister and give His life a ransom for many” – washing the feet of others instead of seeking status or dominance.

Step five – “suffered the just for the unjust to bring us to God” – in perfect harmony with the will of God at age 33, He surrenders his life for the life of others. A cross death.

Step six – “by the right hand of God exalted” – the reward of humility.

This is the path the Master trod, should not the disciple tread it too. The teachings of the Lord Himself insist on it. The life of Peter exemplifies it.

Are you ready to be His true disciple?

Best to sit down and count the cost before saying 'I will follow you wherever you go'

The Lord Jesus said to Peter  'Follow Me'    -  and he did.

JRM

Effective evangelism

1 Thessalonians 2  (ESV)

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!

But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.