Fruit of the Spirit - GOODNESS

GOODNESS:

The God is Good. He is good all the time. He never changes.

Hebrews 13:8 NIV
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

James 1:17

New International Version (NIV)

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenlylights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Psalm 34

Good News Translation (GNT)

In Praise of God's Goodness

34 I will always thank the Lord;
    I will never stop praising him.
2 I will praise him for what he has done;
    may all who are oppressed listen and be glad!
3 Proclaim with me the Lord's greatness;
    let us praise his name together!

4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me;
    he freed me from all my fears.
5 The oppressed look to him and are glad;
    they will never be disappointed.
6 The helpless call to him, and he answers;
    he saves them from all their troubles.
7 His angel guards those who honor the Lord
    and rescues them from danger.

8 Find out for yourself how good the Lord is.
    Happy are those who find safety with him.
9 Honor the Lord, all his people;
    those who obey him have all they need.
10 Even lions go hungry for lack of food,
    but those who obey the Lord lack nothing good.

11 Come, my young friends, and listen to me,
    and I will teach you to honor the Lord.
12 Would you like to enjoy life?
    Do you want long life and happiness?
13 Then keep from speaking evil
    and from telling lies.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
    strive for peace with all your heart.

15 The Lord watches over the righteous
    and listens to their cries;
16 but he opposes those who do evil,
    so that when they die, they are soon forgotten.
17 The righteous call to the Lord, and he listens;
    he rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who are discouraged;
    he saves those who have lost all hope.

19 Good people suffer many troubles,
    but the Lord saves them from them all;
20 the Lord preserves them completely;
    not one of their bones is broken.
21 Evil will kill the wicked;
    those who hate the righteous will be punished.

22 The Lord will save his people;
    those who go to him for protection will be spared.

Psalm 23:6

King James Version (KJV)

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

HAVE A GREAT, GOOD AND BLESSED DAY AHEAD

Fruit of the Spirit - KINDNESS

KINDNESS:

1 Peter 5:10

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

10 But God shows undeserved kindness to everyone. That’s why he appointed Christ Jesus to choose you to share in his eternal glory. You will suffer for a while, but God will make you complete, steady, strong, and firm.

God asks us to be kind. He showed us kindness. 

Romans 5:6-8

New International Version (NIV)

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He comforts us, so that we can also comfort all those who need kindness.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

New Living Translation (NLT)

God Offers Comfort to All

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. 

The one Beatitudes of Jesus in - Matthew 5:7 NIV it says you will be shown mercy when you show mercy to others. 
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

In the Parable of Unkind Servant, who fails to be merciful with his servants also teaches us the same lesson.

Matthew 18:21-35

New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b]was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”


The Kindness we show should be that of Jesus. Let us have his attitude.

Philippians 2:5-11

New International Version (NIV)

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus says who the neighbour is, to whom we should help and how

Luke 10:25-37

Living Bible (TLB)

25 One day an expert on Moses’ laws came to test Jesus’ orthodoxy by asking him this question: “Teacher, what does a man need to do to live forever in heaven?”
26 Jesus replied, “What does Moses’ law say about it?”
27 “It says,” he replied, “that you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you must love your neighbor just as much as you love yourself.”
28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you shall live!”
29 The man wanted to justify his lack of love for some kinds of people, so he asked, “Which neighbors?”
30 Jesus replied with an illustration: “A Jew going on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes and money, and beat him up and left him lying half dead beside the road.
31 “By chance a Jewish priest came along; and when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Jewish Temple-assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but then went on.
33 “But a despised Samaritan[c] came along, and when he saw him, he felt deep pity.34 Kneeling beside him the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his donkey and walked along beside him till they came to an inn, where he nursed him through the night. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two twenty-dollar bills and told him to take care of the man. ‘If his bill runs higher than that,’ he said, ‘I’ll pay the difference the next time I am here.’
36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the bandits’ victim?”
37 The man replied, “The one who showed him some pity.”
Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

HAVE A BLESSED AND MERCIFUL DAY

Fruit of the Spirit - FORBEARANCE

Romans 2

English Standard Version (ESV)

God's Righteous Judgment

2 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doingseek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

In the God's Righteous Judgment - Romans 2:1-11, It says that we Judge others for the things that we might do and for self seeking and other things. It also says if we Judge and not repent for our sins, we have not understood God's kindness and FORBEARANCE and patience. For God does not show partiality, when he forgave us our sins, we ought to forgive other as like Christ. If we fail to forgive others, God's wrath will be revealed at the day of Judgement.

Ephesians 4:2

King James Version (KJV)

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Forbearance is resistant, being patience with others, enabling ourselves to be like Christ in attitude towards others when they persecute or when they fail to do their duties. We ought to be patience with them and forgive them. We should take up the responsibility of letting it go, the hurt, the sin and the past. To look forward for a bright future. Forbearance is a fruit of spirit. For those of us who have not yet understood this gift or who have yet to act with such compassion, we are to ask God to give us an understanding of Forbearance.

Colossians 3:13

King James Version (KJV)

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.

HAVE A GREAT AND BLESSED DAY AHEAD

Fruit of the Spirit - PEACE

Our God is God of Peace. We need to acknowledge that he is God of Peace. Paul always reminds us about this.


The God is Peace. When we come to know how much he cares for us, we will have no worries. That Peace stays with us forever, No one can take it away or no one else can give us such Peace.

John 14:27

New King James Version (NKJV)

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The God gives us Peace. Paul also reminds us about the Peace giving God. In Philippians 4:7 he says -

Philippians 4:7

New International Version (NIV)

7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We need to be Peacemakers, as said by Jesus in Beatitudes:

Matthew 5:9

New International Version (NIV)

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.

Peace at the time of trouble. There is no guarantee for the Peace in the World, but God gives us guarantee for our hearts.

John 16:33

New International Version (NIV)

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Romans 15:13

New International Version (NIV)

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Thessalonians 3:16

New International Version (NIV)

Final Greetings

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Fruit of the Spirit - JOY

Luke 2:10-11

New International Version (NIV)

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

The Joy the angel of God said to them is not an ordinary Joy. Its exceeding - great..That can't be compared with any other Joy this world can offer.

Jesus is the JOY to the world. His birth and its significance - As prophesied by various prophets hundreds and thousands of years before his birth. It is God's master plan for the saving of Human race from Sin.

The JOY is not just to those who are considered to be religious or with any other human denominations, but it is to all the world.

Hebrews 12:1-3

New International Version (NIV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverancethe race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

The Word of God gives us the JOY.

As said in Hebrews "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The above verse gives us a clear picture of what it means to enduring pain in our life, if we concentrate about the problems we will fail to realise the beauty of life's greatest gifts - The Joy, The utmost Joy is when it is revealed at the time when we least expect it. Say for example - no one would have thought about an Angel appearing to those shepherds and those shepherds would have never thought while they were keeping watch over their flocks at night. The people and situations are all least expected here, but God's grace was sufficient for them. Therefore, the Angel first said - Not to be afraid - because they were terrified.

Luke 2:8-9

New International Version (NIV)

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

The Joy is not explicable.

Proverbs 14:10 NIV

Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.

Psalm 51:12

New International Version (NIV)

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Galatians 6:9

New International Version (NIV)

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Joy helps promote peace:

Proverbs 12:20

New International Version (NIV)

20 Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.

Joy at Trials and Temptations: Pure Joy - Consideration

James says when we are facing trials of many kinds we need to consider it pure joy.

James 1:2-4

New International Version (NIV)

Trials and Temptations

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

HAVE A GREAT, BLESSED AND JOYFUL DAY AHEAD