"Get you a piece of the sweet life"

“Get you a piece of The Sweet Life". That was the title of the lesson that was shared on Friday, October 5, 2012 in The Sanctuary. We dealt with the last category of the Fruit of the Spirit; Love, Joy and Peace. This last category deals with the soul's well-being. In its most general aspect it portrays a Christian's mind with a special emphasis on one's relationship with God.

What is Love to you?

We often say we love the weather, we love our favorite food, and we love our dog. We have expressed love for ice cream, a certain beer, and pizza, style of house, color, automobile, fashion, performer or team. People say they love an endless number of things. The word love may be the most over used misunderstood common word in the English language because in the popular understanding it is defined by feelings and hormones. People's love of something is merely an opinion, a preference.  A preference is not love, and to use love in this way devalues it.  The most prevalent notion is that love is a warm, topsy-turvy feeling, a thrill one gets in the pit of the stomach or a tingle running up and down the spine or warm sense of regard, a strong desire to be with or be satisfied by someone or something. Some have equated it with caring, benevolent giving or nothing more than sheer emotionalism. To care about something is not love either. One can care to the point of obsession or lust. A measure of caring must be a part of true love, but by itself, that caring feeling or preference is not love. But these kinds of love do not pass the test of true Godlike love.

What kind of love are we talking about here?

We have heard the word charity used synonymous with love. Charity is a practice and a virtue. You can practice charity with benevolent giving and caring or charity can be a virtue displaying unlimited love and kindness.

The Bible refers to four types of love. In the Greek Language there are:

Eros - Erotic Love (Eroctica)
Is based on strong feelings toward another.  Based on physical traits…the weakness of this love is obvious based on self-benefit.  I love you because it feels good…it makes me happy. The keyword is “me”.  When that person doesn’t feel happy anymore…they have fallen out of love. Note that Eros love is natural and important part of relationship. This is part of God’s plan. But we must be careful with this as we must be led by our hearts and minds.

Philia- (Phileo) – Brotherly Love
To have a special interest in someone or something; have affection for, like, consider a friend. Love based on friendship between two people based on mutual give and take. A love two people benefit each other in mutual way….enjoy each other’s character. One partner is still concerned with what they can take but at the same time is also concerned with the other partner and therefore gives back in return.

Storge
Affection felt between parent and off springs. Naturally occurs, it a familial love. It can be between siblings, even husband and wives in a good marriage.

Agape
This love looks at others and values them for who they are regardless of whether they ever return love back. Agape love knows no limits in how far, how wide or how deep it will go to express itself. It is an unconditional love.  It is a divine love. Agape love is the highest word for love! Its distinguishing characteristic is that it is completely unselfish and Agape love can only be obtained by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to live with this self-sacrificing love because he is the divine Person of Love. So this love cannot be based in emotions and feelings but obedience and commitment to the Holy Spirit. John says it so clearly,  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16).

Because love is such an important part of God’s character, love must be important to us too. Anyone who leads a life of love shows that he is joined to God and God is joined to him. This virtue is so important that St. Paul called it greater than faith and hope. St. Paul also gave his practical insight into the virtue of love, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, 

“Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things” 

So essentially this scripture is telling us that:Love does not jealous (feel envy). Love does not parade (boast) itself.  Love is not puffed up (proud). Love is not rude (unkind). Love does not demand to have its own way. Love does not easily become angry. Love does not rejoice in (enjoy) iniquity (sin)….some  translations state that “it keeps no records of wrong. Love thinks no evil (thoughts). 

Love or loving is the principal fruit and it is observed in the habitual behavior of those who readily sacrifice themselves for others, even in difficult circumstances. Jesus proclaimed its importance in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.” And this is demonstrated in the ultimate act of love by Jesus. For 33 years Jesus laid down his life for us that we may enjoy the sweetness of “freedom” and liberty. Authentic and genuine love is an act of the will and has two essential elements: self-sacrifice and commitment and perfect love embraces total self-sacrifice and complete commitment. Does that describe your love?

Our culture throws the word love around so loosely but it really isn’t love because it comes with an expectation. Love has to be real, and to be real it has to be done, not discussed. Every time we respond in love to someone else we are laying down our lives for them. And as Christians this shouldn’t be considered exceptional, but should be quite ordinary Deuteronomy 6:5 is the first and most important commandment. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” The second is “Love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Matthew 22:37–39.)

To love your neighbor as yourself means to love all people with your whole heart it means to take care of someone else the same. The kind of love in this “second commandment” is the same as in the “first" commandment. It is love in action. It requires the will and action of the person who does it. 

We must be careful not to say too quickly that we love. Instead, we need to study carefully how we live and how well we use the principles of love as shown in the Bible. And the practice should begin in your home first. Think for a minute of what our homes would be like if we always practiced the principles of true love. Imagine the blessing of living in a home where the family members are positive and supportive of one another. You may not be able to get others to do this. But if you were to practice these principles, you might just experience how powerful an influence they could have on others.

 But as we are commanded to love our friends and family we are also commanded love the not so lovable. Who do we consider these people to be?  Matthew 5:43- 44, "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"

An enemy doesn’t have to be someone who tries to kill you; you may think this verse does not hold any meaning for your life, especially if no one has threatened to end your life lately.  But an enemy may be an opponent, a rival, a competitor, or a challenger. An enemy is one who hates you or who treats you wrongly. It might even be a spouse or another member of the family. There may be times when a family member that’s not very loving. He or she even may search for ways to make you angry or worse. When that happens, it is easy to get caught in the trap of trying to get even with him or her. Sometimes you may experience a bitter challenge on the job. Those you have worked with side by side over the years may begin to think of you as an enemy. An enemy could be someone you have cared a great deal for or may even be someone in your church. He or she may be anyone who causes us enough bitterness to tempt us to fight back. But if you show that Agape love, you can’t fight against it. Love is the most powerful force in all of creation. People can argue against your religion, your lifestyle, your beliefs, your political view,  your faith—everything. But they cannot argue against unconditional (without limits or end) love. This love is the kind of love shown to the world through Jesus. This love is also the kind of love we can share with others.

It’s no surprise that Paul’s list of the Fruit of the Spirit begins with love. Love is at the top of the list for Christians because it best shows God’s character.  It was love that caused God to create us, to support us, and to make Him known to us. Love also leads God to give us His Son to save us. It should be obvious that we neither have God's love by nature, nor is it self-generated. We receive godly love from its Source, God, by means of His Spirit. Only by knowing God can we have this sweet love, and only by loving can we know Him! Only by learning to love God can we learn His nature, what He is like. We cannot have that love until we first come to know Him and we get to know him by fellowshipping with Him, and then we come to know Him and receive His sweet love. We should then become like Him and we are able to demonstrate this sweet Agape love to others. 

The second sweet fruit that Paul referred to was Joy. The prophet Nehemiah declared: “the joy of the Lord is your strength”  (Nehemiah 8:10).  The author of Hebrews wrote: “Looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right  hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). 
 
Webster's New World Dictionary defines joy as synonymous with "happy," "glad," and "cheerful." A thesaurus relates it to"exultation," "rapture," "satisfaction" and "pleasure." Webster's specifically defines it as "a very glad feeling; happiness; great pleasure; delight." It also refers to the source or cause of delight. Strong's defines this word as "supremely blessed; by extension fortunate, well off, blessed, happy." 
 
So to have joy is to be happy. But don’t we often confuse happiness with joy. 

The Preamble to the Declaration of Independence, one of Americas founding document states that "we are endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." This was written in 1776, and since then, we have been seriously pursuing happiness with greater vigor! Everyone wants to be happy and seeks it in varying ways and intensities. We seek happiness through entertainment, in athletic endeavors, hobbies, travel, dancing, fashion, home improvements, wealth, status, alcohol, food and drugs. For a brief period of satisfaction these all fail. Happiness is fleeting…joy is eternal and internal.

The Greek and Hebrew definitions of the words translated as "joy" and its synonyms are virtually the same as their English counterparts, except for one whose specific definition is not "joy," but "blessed." Hence, when the Bible speaks of joy it is speaking of being blessed. So to be blessed with joy and to experience biblical joy, the fruit of God's Spirit, we need godly inner qualities that we do not possess by nature. As with love—the love that springs from us by nature that is but a pale reflection of God's love and the same rings true for joy. Until we come to the point where by faith we are supremely confident of God's presence in our life, confident of His providence toward us in the past, present and future, we will not experience the enduring fullness of God blessings.

The fruit of joy is a foretaste of the perfectc sweetness, bliss and eternal delight of paradise that God wants us to experience now. The sweet fruit of joy is the awareness that God is our strength and protector because we safely abide in his sweet love. This inner joy is undisturbed by the negative conditions that may surround us. We know Christ has redeemed us, loves us, protects us, and he will never abandon us. God desires us to have joy in our lives even when circumstances become not so sweet like "Job" in the Bible full of Sorrow. 

Job was a prosperous farmer living in Uz. Satan was allowed by God to come in and destroy things around Job as a testing of his faithfulness. Job lost his possessions that made him rich. Job lost his servants because the work was gone.  Job lost his children. Job lost his health which removed him from his ability to
work.  And Job was tested simply because Satan claimed that he was a rich wealthy man. Job was tested and lost material possessions yet he still trusted the Lord. Job was tested when his body developed painful boils and sores. Job was tested when his wife told him that he would have relief if he cursed God and died. Job was tested when his friends told him to confess his sins when he was innocent. But Job had a solid foundation of faith to keep the joy in him. Job built his life on trusting the Lord no matter what happened. Job knew that he could rebuild his life with the  Lord's help. Job knew that his real and lasting joy would come from the Lord. And the key to Job obtaining sweet restoration…was he prayed for his friends, he simply loved his enemies! And the Lord restored his life to full joy and blessings.

So when times are hard we are to still have joy. Psalms 30:5 so assuredly says: For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.  

Suffering and trials may come but we are to walk with confidence trusting in the Lord. God desires us to have joy and he knows  we can lose it from our lives?  Our joy can be lost by our own sinful values and lack of spiritual walk.  We can lose it with the sin of selfishness. Thinking me, me, me and not looking at others.  We can lose it through anger; it can definitely take away joy from one's heart and life. Sin of judging and being critical of others takes away joy and peace of mind. Fault finding can create a feeling of dissatisfaction in one's life. It will destroy joy! Our joy can be lost by not making an effort to spiritually grow. By not reading and studying the Bible will take our joy away. By not taking everything to God in prayer can take our joy away. By not looking at others through the loving eyes of Jesus with love and compassion, by not following and trusting the Lord to help get one through life.  In other words leaning upon one's own power and understanding instead of God's. 

But through all of these things God gave us a wonderful reason to have and regain our joy in our lives no matter what comes our way. And that is the glorious birth of Jesus which brought joy to the world and his glorious resurrection that brought grace and liberty. He proved by his immaculate birth and the miracle of
resurrection that anything is possible with God.  This alone should bring every believer eternal and everlasting joy. 
 
If you start your day praising the Lord and end it praising the Lord for him being the source of your life than you had a good day.  There may have been problems and heartache. You may have even cried but if you end the day always remembering to praise the Lord, than you had a good day.  No matter what problems  that we have throughout our day, we can have real joy in the comfort of His  love. What happens when a forest mighty trees burns down? It starts the regrowth process doesn't it?   Grief and sadness, anxiety, worry and pain is only for a season when you  put your life into proper perspective.  If we allow it, the seeds of tears can grow into new spiritual growth.  Our tragedies of life can become a learning experience if we patiently wait upon the Lord to help us fly again. But this type of joy is a Biblical joy. It is bound up in our relationship with Him. Henceforth our joys must arise from  yielding to God and his great purpose for our lives and seeing it to the end.  This is why we were born! Because of this, we can look forward to hearing Him  say: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were  faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord". (Matthew 25:21)

"That's the sweet life… finding Real Joy!"

The third and final fruit of this series we discussed was the sweet fruit of Peace. When we think of peace we immediately think of  freedom  from war with an opposing faction.  Peace by definition is a general sense,  a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation. It is  freedom from agitation, terror, anger, anxiety or the like; quietness of mind;  tranquility; calmness; quiet of conscience.

Peace is the Greek word 'eirene', which is  probably derived from the verb eiro meaning 'to join'. It is a word describing relationships. "Eirene"  translates into Hebrew word "shalom". Shalom means everything that makes for a man's highest  good."
 
As a champion of peace, Paul wrote in Ephesians  4:3, “endeavoring  to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”. The New Living  Translation states “make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. The Greek word translated “endeavoring” is an imperative, excluding any passivity, any “wait and see” attitude. We must be proactive. If we fight and bicker in our homes, if we fall into factions at church, if we refuse to love and honor others, then we are denying the peace of God in Jesus Christ, which He established on the cross. 
 
How ironic that you have to fight for peace. Eleanor Roosevelt said, “It isn’t enough to talk about peace; one must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it; one must work at it.”The peace that Christ won for us also requires effort, hard work, and constant self-examination. And we have to examine our relationship in the following areas.

•Peace with God
•Peace in our relationships. 
• Peace in the home. 
• Peace in our churches.

How do you find this peace? Matthew 11:28-29 says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls’ 
 
What is Jesus saying to us here? How can we  experience for ourselves the reality of this wonderful promise? From what Jesus  is saying in these verses, He is proposing to give us peace as a gift. He is  teaching that personal peace is a result of some cause and inviting us to learn  that cause from Him. 

People are increasingly frustrated in their  search for personal peace and the frustration is because of the lack of  surrender to self that brings unrest. Those who take Christ at His word, and  surrender their souls to His keeping, their lives to His ordering, will find  peace and quietude. Nothing of the world can make them sad when Jesus makes them  glad by His presence. In perfect submission there is perfect rest.  The Lord says, ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because ye truseth in Thee.’ (Isaiah 26:3) The peace of the Holy Spirit is the inner tranquility, even amid great  hardships, that comes from our reliance on God who is all-powerful and always  faithful. Genuine peace comes from living confidently in the present moment  with God rather than trying to wrestle anxiously with tomorrow’s problems.  Therefore to find that peace we have to deal with those areas. 
 
Peace is found through a right relationship with  God. Salvation through the Gospel of Peace is the key to the good news of  restoring a right relationship with God.   When Adam and Eve fell peace was lost on the earth when Jesus came to  earth the message was peace on earth. A right relationship with God brings confidence in approaching God.  

Peace is found through right relationships with  one another, being one body in Christ. The body of Christ is not hierarchical or  competitive. Every member of the body is necessary for the body to function properly. 
 
Peace is found in forgiving one another.  We must forgive others so that our  prayers will be answered. Wrong relationships through unforgiveness will prevent  our prayers being answered. We must always seek to be at peace with those around  us.

Peace is found when we find peace in ourselves. Stress is a major problem. When we are free from worry and anxiety and allow the peace of God to keep our heart –  it will prevent heart attacks, and will keep the mind from mental breakdowns. Philippians 4:6-7 says,  Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' 

The peace of God is the guide of the believer. Now we may feel uneasy because we are nervous after something, note this is not loss of peace.  We just have to learn andrecognize the leading of the peace of God.  A peaceful spirit is of great value in the Lord's sight.  
 
Peace is found when we find peace in the Church, Matthew 5:23-24 says, “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift’
 
Why do we find it so hard to implement this principle in our lives? It is evident that Jesus takes more seriously our relationships with one another than we do. It is not uncommon for bitterness and  resentment to exist for years between members of a church or family members.  Imagine how different things would be if we all followed this teaching.

The fruit of the Spirit is the peace of being in right relationship with God, with others, in Church and in ourselves.  It is not dependent upon how others feel about us. 
 
When we are at peace with God through being  brought into a right relationship with Him it is the sweet life. When we are in  right standing with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, we are at peace in our  relationship with others and it is the sweet life. When we are peace in our churches and are one body in Christ; forgiving  to those who are saved or unsaved it is the sweet life. When the fruit of peace means we can even be at peace with those who are opposed to us that is the sweet  life. When we are at peace in the innermost part of our being because Christ  lives in us and we are a part of the family of God that is the sweet life.  When we are at peace in the inner person letting the Holy Spirit be our guide and keep us from worry and anxiety that is the sweet life. 

Releasing the sweet life of peace has more to do  with how you handle all the challenges and situations than with the situations themselves. Peace has to do with the deepest trust in a loving and caring God  who knows what you are going through and has promised not to forsake you, no matter what comes your way.

 What is the essence of the spiritual sweetness  that God wants you to enjoy and vicariously for others to enjoy through you? How do we release the flow of sweetness through our lives? It is found in  Galatians 5:22,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,  longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law”

Having the fruit of the Spirit’s presence in and through our lives is summed up in two words SWEET LOVE! All the other fruits that were mentioned in Galatians 5 verse 22 are simply attributes or facets of love. 

What is love? Love loves others without thinking of self. What is joy? It is looking at God in spite of self. Patience is suffering through one’s own hardship. Peace is disregarding one’s loss. Kidness and Goodness is forgetting one’s merits and becoming a servant to those who cannot serve you. Gentleness is overlooking one’s rights. Faithfulness is elf-restraint. Self-control is getting you under control of God. 
 
As we examine each of these virtues, which  express Christian witness, we see that other than being delivered from self or  being forgetful of self, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is determined by one  principle alone: the losing of self totally…losing ME from your vocabulary. And  the common denominator in all of this is love and this love can be only found in our source God! It doesn’t matter what your personality traits are, or how you were brought up, or what your gender is; if you have had a real encounter with Jesus Christ you cannot help but love, because God in essence is SWEET LOVE. 
 
Psalm 34:8
"O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him."

If you enjoyed this blog, please consider sharing it!