19: BREATH OF PATIENCE: The Fourth Fruit

Take My Hand Inspirations

Fruit of the Spirit Series

My Brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces PATIENCE.  But let PATIENCE have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4).

Must be reborn in LOVE

Dear Brethren

Before JOY comes

in the morning, afternoon,

evening and again

spinning round

sole wind inviting

His kiss of PEACE

waking you, wrapped

in cool caresses

. . . til you feel . . .

                              BLESSED

Then old dogged devil

Spews stress

. . . til you feel . . .

S   t   r    e    t    c    h    e    d

like a tiny rubber band

whirling round you in blurry

streaks

forcing from the gut

shreaks . . .

for it all to STOP!

Bodily sickness

Financial unfitness

Psychological weakness

Misguided meekness

Confusion, Despair

Til you just don’t care

What that wind was like

‘cause you just got

it knocked right out of

your spiritual consciousness

By various vicious

TRIALS . . . .

Still playing games

with the tongue

Stunned

in timeless silence

Holy Bible

Clutching my heart

With violence beating,

“Count it all joy, girl,

and push on through

THE PAIN

as PATIENCE

bursts all over you

Perfect, lacking nothing—

No sting from fallen communication

No ring ‘round broken sordid relations

No sling shooting unholy attachments

No thing forcing relentless bad actions .”

Beholding everything

Good when I allowed God

To Be holding me

In His mighty Hand:

“Count it all joy, man,

Even when it hurts

. . . so much.

Strong personalities

That press and crush

Your ideologies,

precious progenies,

Within you they try

to cut you up

And eventually cut you out.

Believe in yourself . . .

Never doubt!”

You must pass the test of PATIENCE

To reap your miracle fruitful blessing

Though tossed and twisted

Yet shaped supernaturally

 in the midst of its

Unfair turbulence

(Or is it hypocritical nonsense?)

But floating atop that truculent wind

are LOVE, JOY, PEACE and me

Exhaling

BREATHS OF PATIENCE,

“I win!”

YOU MUST CHANGE, DEAR ONE, INTO THE IMAGE OF JESUS.  On His way to Gethsemane, our Lord passed through the most excruciating trials, tortures and shame dangling naked before humanity like a sinister criminal under the death penalty.

We are the disciples of Jesus.  The Bible tells us that we shall go through similar persecutions because we are no better than our Master; and we must be made perfect (Matthew 10:22-25a).  After the pain, we gain wisdom and understanding, our faith is fortified and our testimony becomes impenetrable because we overcame that trial.  We did not run back into old worldly ways.  But rather, we made a conscious effort to endure for the “night”.  We passed the test. 

Passing life’s various trials removes the “garbage” inside us making more room for the Holy Spirit to fill us up. Being filled with the Holy Spirit, we lack no thing that will keep us out of heaven.  We now possess all the right tools – the gifts of the Holy Spirit, knowing where and how to walk on the narrow path, bearing the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, and rejoicing as we fulfill our Great Commission.

CHRISTIANITY is not a religion of comfort or mystified ideologies of living a rich lifestyle.  CHRISTIANITY is a lifestyle, a life-long journey of self-sacrifice, always putting yourself on the altar to be changed into CHRIST’S likeness.  Another way the FRUIT OF PATIENCE is described in the Bible is longsuffering.  You may lose “friends”, jobs, family members, materials, popularity, every attachment that hinders your walk toward heaven.

The rich young man said to Jesus, “All these things I have kept [obeying the Word of God] from my youth.  WHAT DO I STILL LACK?”

And Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.” (Read Matthew 19:20-22).

Jesus did not mean you cannot be successful or have wealth.  Each of us has our own “test” to complete.  The young man described above was very rich; and Satan used that “wealth” as a stronghold to keep that young man so comfortable and “happy” that he could not see how to use his money to promote the Kingdom of God.  He rather, saw that money as a “god” (an idol) he could not do without; though he stood before the true GOD, looking into the eyes of Jesus Christ.  He chose to stay shackled instead of following Jesus into freedom.

We each have our individual tests to pass.  And Jesus knows which “exams” to administer to each one of us.  Maybe you must give up bad character, or self-satisfying indulgences like sexual immorality or lust for money.  Perhaps your test involves ceasing the need to always be right, or lack of self-control over your tongue or other body parts, or negative mindset, or petty jealousies, gossiping, backbiting and all other vices of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). 

If you cannot ask Jesus: “What do I still lack?” and allow Him to help you become full, lacking nothing; or you refuse to let sinful practices go, then you will go through various trials to break that debilitating habit or behavior . . . until you become perfect and complete, lacking nothing; and made completely ready to walk into the Kingdom of God to live there for eternity. 

Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy what is good in you because you are a wonderfully made creation of Almighty God.  But Jesus promised us emphatically that: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).  That abundance includes health, wealth and the wisdom to know how to use wealth, success and every good and perfect gift from above (James 1:17).  And that abundance also comes exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to His power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20) if we only allow His Holy Spirit’s FRUIT OF PATIENCE to grow and mature in us.

Dear Young Christians, our grandparents taught us by their actions: DO NOT RUSH IN LIFE for it only leads to heartache and hurt.  Running after quick cash, sexy girls, sly “sugar-daddies or malicious sugar-mommies” (men and women old enough to be your fathers/mothers or even your grandparent’s age giving money to have sex with you), in a hurry to accumulate clothes, cars, phones and any other “pleasures of sin” all end up as “vanity”-- quoted from the richest king who ever lived, King Solomon (in Ecclesiastes).

That’s why Grand Parents are so grand, or important, to us young folk.  They have been tested and tried; and over time and longsuffering have come to know the answers to many of life’s questions we are now asking ourselves.  Experience is the best teacher; and always will be. And those who have grandparents alive right now, humble yourself and appreciate their good advice—it’s one of those perfect gifts from above.

Isn’t God wonderful?  Then trust Him to break you and make you perfect for His Kingdom.  This can only be done through longsuffering which definitely bears the FRUIT OF PATIENCE.  Breathe out . . . 

YOU ARE A WINNER IN CHRIST JESUS!

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