IN ME...THE SPIRIT OF LOVE

MEDITATION MONDAY

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Our church family has just spent a month focused on prayer. There were groups of people praying at the building from Friday at 6 p.m. until Saturday at 5 p.m. when the church family gathered together for the last hour to pray and praise God.
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Yesterday morning, instead of the regular "sermon", our elders led the congregation in prayers of Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. The last scripture that was shared right at the end of the service really caught my attention:
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Romans 15:30

"Now I urge you, brethren,

by our Lord Jesus Christ

and by the love of the Spirit,

to strive together with me

in your prayers to God..."

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That is just what we have been doing -

by the love of the Spirit,

striving together in prayer!!!

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There is a very special love shared by brothers and sisters in Christ! It is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit that grows within us once we become christians. I have a young friend who I will call, C.D. Her mom is a "transformed mom". Her dad is a man of deep spiritual convictions. Her family, including her older brother and sister, live their lives for Jesus! When a person grows up in such a family, she begins to take on those very characteristics of Christ long before making the decision to become a christian.

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My friend, C.D., stands head and shoulders above many of her peers in her values, morals, and kindness. It was yesterday, though, that she chose to make the great confession, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God!" She publically proclaimed that she wanted to live her life for Jesus, "Repent of her sinful nature and be baptized!"

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Now, the Holy Spirit has taken up residency and presidency in my friend. She is now my sister-in-Christ! This choice does not mean that life will always be easy. What it does mean is that she understands that "christians aren't perfect, they're just forgiven!"


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THE HOLY SPIRIT BEARS WITNESS...
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• Romans 8:16-17 "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him."

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THE HOLY SPIRIT BEARS FRUIT...

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• Galatians 5:22-26 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."

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After I left the church building and headed through the South Jersey countryside towards our life group, I passed miles and miles of orchards. At one time, these trees were just seeds. The seeds have grown into trees. The trees now bear fruit! C.D.'s parents have been planting seeds in her heart for a very long time. Now, she begins her journey, much like these trees,

Psalm 1:1-3

"How blessed is the one

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But her delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law she meditates day and night.

And she will be like a tree firmly planted

by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season,

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever she does, she prospers."

Romans 15:30
"Now I urge you, brethren,

by our Lord Jesus Christ

and by the love of the Spirit,

to strive together with me

in your prayers to God..."