Pamela Howell Articles

Previous Articles:

Heeding the Father's Instructions
Honor the Cross You Wear
Preparation & Expecation

“I can do all things through Christ”(Philippians 4:13)

“We are more than a conquerors” (Romans 8:37)

“For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: He puts down one, and sets up another.” Pslam 75:6-7

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.” Phillippians 3:13-15

^“While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." ⁴⁸He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" ⁴⁹Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. ⁵⁰For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10

Wondering how you can gain favor in an unjust world? Turn to God through His word. Look up God’s promises for success, including the following: Hebrews 10:23, 2Peter 3:9, Psalm 9:10, Proverbs 22:4, Dueteronomy 28:11-13, Ecclesiastes 3:13, Proverbs 8:18-18, Psalm 128:2, Psalm 1:3, Dueteronomy 28:2-6. Read them aloud and declare that each scripture applies to your life. The word of God is powerful and it does yield results. So, don’t put your hope in affirmative action, put your hope in the word in action.

Fruit of the Spirit View Slide Show!

A man once made up his mind to live a life more close to the word of God. He sat down and wrote out a list of the qualities he desired in himself. They included calmness, selflessness, joy…etc. As he wrote, it occurred to him that his list sounded like the "fruit of the spirit" in Galatians 5:22-23. "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control". These are the qualities that God has already established for those who want to live according to His will.

But why should we exhibit "fruits of the Spirit"? Because God loved us enough not only to send Jesus to die for us but to send the Holy Spirit as a comforter and guide after Jesus ascended to heaven (John 14:16-17). As Christians, we should always strive to live a life that demonstrates that the Holy Spirit dwells in us. It’s not enough to believe the Christian doctrine, to get baptized, to go to church, or to work in ministry.

God wants us to have evidence or fruit of the Holy Spirit. As the Bible says, "You shall know a tree by its fruit " Matthew 7:20. So if we are really servants of Christ, our life ought to reflect these fruits from Galatians 5:22-23:

Love: This is not just romantic love, and not just attachment to one's own family. God's kind of love means having a genuine concern for others - coworkers, neighbors, and people we encounter in public. It's the propensity to look for the good in others, think the best of others, and going out of your way to help someone.

Joy: The bible says to "be joyful always" (1 Thess 5:16). And you can be joyful even in trying times by setting your mind on things above and not on things of the earth (Colos. 3:2). Just thinking about the glorious time when believers will actually be in the presence of our Lord, is enough to make us joyful. Sometimes joy means pressing your way through tears, trials, and pain by singing, praising, and dancing all by yourself.

Peace: This is manifested in two ways. One: we have a peaceful demeanor free from anxiety and stress. Two: we live peaceably with all people. How do you find the peace of God? Think about good things. The Bible says that when we think about things that are good, noble and excellent God’s peace will be with us. (Phil. 4:8)

Longsuffering: This does not mean that God wants us to suffer. Rather it means patiently enduring wrongs or difficulties. "Count it all joy when you face trails of many kinds because the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:3. "Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." 1 Peter 4:19.

Kindness: This is easy to master. Simply be nice (Colos. 3:12). Use good manners by saying thank you and please. Treat others as you want to be treated, or better yet, treat others as you want them to treat your mother or your child.

Goodness: "Therefore as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all especially those who are of the household of faith" Ephesians 6:10. This scripture tells us to be good to everyone, but especially our fellow Christians.

Faithfulness: We should be filled with faith because "Without faith it’s impossible to please God" (Heb 11:6). The Bible also says that "the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him" (Hebrews 10:38). God wants us to believe even though we cannot see or touch Him. By faith alone we must believe that He exists. Furthermore, our faith should fuel our diligence in seeking and serving Him.

Gentleness: Have a calm and humble attitude towards others. "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient". 2 Tim 2:24

Self Control: A person with self control is one that abstains from drunkenness, fornication, outbursts, lewdness, wild partying and the like. (Ephesians 5: 1-21; Galatians 5:17-21). Self-control means calmness, discretion and propriety.

While it may not be possible to perfectly reflect each of these characteristics every day, this should certainly be our goal. We should each be a tree that is always bearing the fruits of the spirit.