Faith Building Blog March Edition 2025
In This Issue...
*Fruit Of The Spirit Series.....Gentleness
* Dying To Self
* 7 Ways To Walk In The Spirit
* True Fasting
* Which Mountain Do You Run Too?
* Surrender
* Lament
```````````````````````````````````````` Health & Wellness
*Spiritual Health.....March On Abigail
*Mental Health.....Facing Hard Things
* Financial Health.....Generosity
* Lifestyles Of The.....Rich & Healthy
Fruits Of The Spirit Series... Gentleness
Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience]
be known to all people. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4 v. 5
Gentleness is one of the Fruits of the Spirit that will be evident to all when you excercise it in your life. It is defined as having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character but, the amplified version of Philippians 4 shows us it is a whole lot more.
It is not just an issue of being kind, tolerant, or patient. It explains in further detail that you should also be gracious, unselfish and merciful as well. Considering that gentleness has multiple meanings and layers of character, I can see how it may be challenging to express gentleness consistently.
Everyone might possibly be kind sometimes or even unselfish, but can everyone be kind and unselfish all the time? This takes a great amount of patience and self-control {which will actually be next month's last Fruit of the Spirit}. I would say the answer to this is, "NO". This is why we need the help of the Holy Spirit.
Additionally, it does require some effort on our part. The bible says in Galations 6 v. 8, "For the one who sows to his flesh [his sinful capacity, his worldliness, his disgraceful impulses] will reap from the flesh ruin and destruction, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. This simply means that you will give into and excercise what you choose to focus on.
As believers, we should excercise a few steps that can help us achieve greater success in displaying gentleness towards others'
1} First, think before you act.
2} Remind yourself of your end result you want to achieve, which should be to express gentleness in the situation your in.
3} Gather up Scriptures pertaining to gentleness and read them when you feel like you don't want to be. Remember Scriptures are your "weapon" to battle against all things.
4} Talk to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give you strength to achieve growth in this area.
5} Put this before God and ask Him to keep it at the forefront of your mind because you will act according to how your think.
Gentleness can become a strength of yours if you truly desire it. Let us choose to seek God, memorize Scriptures and express gentleness towards others.
Dying To Self
"Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny
themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants
to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
Luke 9 v. 23-24
The idea or concept of “dying to self” may be a challenging one for many people, even Christians. As we dive into this idea of what it means for us, you will notice that it is our theme for this month. Many have started the process of giving up something for Lent, in preparation of getting our hearts ready. Our hope is to help prepare our hearts for Jesus in the coming Resurrection month of April. To “die to self” means giving up and/or denying yourself from satisfying your own desires or will. It may be an old way of life, bad habits that don’t serve you well, sinful ways that are destroying you and the people you love or quite frankly, all of the above. It is extremely hard to give up anything that has been part of you for so long. Some things are deeply rooted and have taken up residence in your heart and life that may seem impossible to let go of.
In the book of John 3 v. 3-7, Jesus teaches us that in order to enter the “Kingdom of God” we must be born of water and the Spirit. It is interesting to see how this passage connects to the idea of “dying to self” and shows us that it is not something we can do on our own. Jesus is very clear as he teaches Nicodemus that flesh gives birth to flesh and Spirit gives birth to Spirit. Our flesh cannot try to produce something that only the Spirit can give us the strength to do. This is where we get the concept of learning to rely on God’s strength. We must be willing to acknowledge that it is not by our own strength that we are able to do anything. To be born of water and the Spirit simply means getting baptized and receiving the Holy Spirit who comes and takes up residence in you. The Holy Spirit is who empowers and enables us to live for Christ instead of ourselves. Jesus also teaches that denying oneself is simply choosing to let go of all that is not good and exchanging it for something that is better.
In Matthew 16 v. 24 it reads, “ 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” In Ancient Bible Times when someone would hear these words, “you must deny yourselves and take up your cross” they understood what it meant. The Romans method of execution was by way of crucifixion. This is where condemned criminals would have to carry their cross through the streets all the way to their execution site. So hearers understood that it meant they had to lose their life (give up their own way and will).
True Discipleship implies real commitment and a choice to give up (die to self) your way of life. It is a requirement and Jesus tells us in Luke 14 v. 27, “27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” To truly live out and experience what God has for us, let us consider how and what we must let go of, knowing fully and completely that God has something much better. This month I encourage you as you prepare for our coming Resurrection month, to bring your whole heart to God. Ask Him what you need to sacrifice and/or let go of as you approach this idea of “dying to self”. God is faithful and He will help you through it as you draw nearer to Him with sincere and open hearts. You will be amazed at the fruit that comes from it, the growth you experience, and how it will deepen your relationship with Him.
Hebrews 10 v. 22 confirms this by saying, “22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
7 Ways To Help You Walk In The Spirit
"If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."
Galations 5 v. 25
Have you ever attempted to accomplish something in your life and you found that you always continually hit walls?
You may find yourself frustrated and not understanding why something may not be working in your life. Well, this can be a clear indicator that you are not walking in the Spirit and are walking in your own flesh. The Bible says in Galatians 5 v. 16-18, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
Here are some helpful ways to guide you to follow the leading of “The Holy Spirit” that I have had to learn for myself. I have been someone who always would have this great idea and then run with it. But God was always patient with me as He reminded me, “Did you ask me, first?” I then would back up and start over only this time asking God, What do you think about this or that?” Each time I would have so much more success in what I was doing and I believe you will too.
1. Pray first. Invite God in to everything you want to do. Ephesians 6 v. 18
2. Ask Him if what you are trying to do is His will for you.
James 4 v. 13-17
3. Wait for the Lord to answer.
Psalm 27 v. 14
4. Seek advice.
Proverbs 15 v. 22
5. Wait for confirmation.
Genesis 41 v. 32
6. Be sure that what you’re doing edifies others and/or the church.
Matthew 20 v. 28
7. Pray again.
Luke 18 v.1-6
True Fasting
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor
wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Isaiah 58 v. 6-7
True Fasting is considered a form of “dying to self”. Fasting is something many people do all the time. However, in Isaiah 58 God speaks of this idea of “True Fasting”. As we dive into to truly understand what it means let us look at what the definition of fasting is. In biblical terms, Fasting is a willingness to give up or sacrifice something for something else, expecting God to honor your request and grant you what you are requesting of Him.
In Isaiah 58 God teaches us about what it takes to experience a True Fast. This tells me that it’s worth taking a closer look. I’m sure most of us reading this article has fasted at one time or another in your life. The question is, “Has it been the type of fast that pleases God”. In verses 1-4 there are four things that God tells us we should not do.
* Don’t appear eager to know God without bringing your whole heart and a willingness to be open with Him. * Don’t try to follow a bunch of rules.
* Don’t pretend to want to know God when you are unwilling to follow all of His commands.
* Don’t just try to go through the motions just for the sake of it.
In verse 3 of Isaiah 58 the people were complaining and asking God, “why he hadn’t seen or heard them yet while they had been fasting”? There was no humility in their hearts and they were just going through the motions. Quite frankly they sounded arrogant in their speech towards God. They thought they were doing the right thing but God made it clear in verse 4 where He pointed out a few things to them. He said that they were doing as they pleased and exploited all their workers. Exploit means to treat unfairly, and to prey on other people’s weaknesses. Then He said they were ending their fast in quarreling, strife, and striking of fists. Quarrel means a heated argument or disagreement. Strife means being angry or having a bitter disagreement over fundamental issues or conflict. There is nothing God wants more from us than our whole heart. God is interested solely in the condition of our heart. He is concerned more with why we do what we do than just what we do. 1 Samuel 16 v. 7 reminds us of this when he writes how God only looks at the heart. We should not decide to do a Fast before God and for God if we are not willing to change and/or recognize some things that our going on in our life. Remember, God is in the “Heart” business and is “The Greatest Cardiologist”. Let us consider a few things before we decide to experience our next Fast.
First, let us go humbly before God, acknowledge your sins before God and be willing to be honest as you bring your whole heart. Ask Him what are some things that you should change as you enter into this Fast with Him.
Secondly, let us be open and willing to understand what God wants. Let us not follow a bunch of pre-set man made rules. Thirdly, let us not pretend to want to know God if you are not completely willing to follow His commands and thus just go through the motions.
Lastly, remember that there is nothing we have ever done, are doing now, or will ever do that can be done on our own strength. It can only be done on God’s strength and with His help. God reminds us of this in Matthew 19 v. 26 where it says, “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
As we draw near to the month of April where we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ let us be willing to practice this idea of “dying to self” in March. Humble yourself before the Lord and be willing to open yourself to Him. Be completely honest and consider something you may need to give up. Go to God in prayer and ask Him for his help and He will come through. In Isaiah 58 v. 8-9 God promises what He will do for us if we honor the kind of fast that pleases Him. He says, “ 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” God promises to be there for us, with us and help us with whatever we bring to Him.
Which Mountain Do You Run Too?
The Mountain of Fear or the Mountain of Joy?
Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai.
Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain.
Exodus 34 v. 2
The past couple of years the whole world has had to face the unthinkable, unimaginable, and the overwhelming reality of the political and governmental world. It’s devastating effects plunged with full force into our lives and kept us all in a state of uncertainty. Uncertain of what was happening or even why it was, uncertain of whether or not we would get out from under the oppression that we all knew and so strongly felt. Many have been uncertain of how to cope with their wide-ranging loss of our savings in our bank accounts, money in our business', and more importantly losing our children to this system It proved to be ruthless, as it swept across the world without a prejudice thought and came with a vengeance.
While simultaneously and single handedly wiping out our financial system, businesses' careers, our way of life, our schools, our media, our music and movie industry. For many, fear set in in astronomical waves as it continued to spread full throttle. For others, even in the midst of a chaotic and trembling nation there was peace. It really depended on “Which mountain you ran too”.
In Hebrews 12 v. 18-29 the writer describes the differences between these two mountains. The Mountain of Fear (also known as Mount Sinai where the people were too afraid to go up to hear God)) is described as a place burning with fire, is darkness, gloomy and storm. Darkness is defined as the total absence of light, gloom is a state of depression or despondency and, storm is a violent disturbance of the atmosphere. This mountain describes not just a physical place, but a mental and emotional state of being. It also depicts an understanding of what is was like in the Old Testament.
Oh, but the Mountain of Joy paints a very different picture and is also called Mount Zion. This Mountain is the city where the Living God resides and where thousands of angels are joyfully singing praises to God. It is the church of the firstborn, where everyone who has declared that Jesus is the Lord of their lives have their names written in heaven, It points to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, the New Testament. When you choose the Mountain of Joy you will get to experience God in ways you could never imagine. You will experience joy & peace even amid a pandemic. This is the kind of joy & peace that is not based on your circumstances but despite your circumstances. This mountain is not just a physical place (the Church), but a spiritual state of well being. It is the place you come to experience when you submit your heart to Jesus Christ.
This is the mountain that allows you to see the Goodness of God, His Faithfulness, and His loving care even in the hardships that we have experienced. Psalm 91 v. 1-7 says, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, :”He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare (devil) and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you."
Every one of us has a choice, we get to choose where we want to run when life is happening to us. When life gets tough, and when everything is out of control around us and where not sure what to do. We can be sure of this TRUTH. God is at the Mountain of Joy waiting for you to choose Him, run toward Him as fast as you can. Tomorrow is not promised, so run while you can and experience the love, the power and the might in the Presence of the Living God.
Surrender
“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone
would come after me, let him deny himself
and take up his cross and follow me. For
whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'”
Matthew 16 v. 24-25
Surrender my Spirit
Surrender my Soul
To someone I just met
and don't even know
Surrender my heart
Surrender my love
Feel at peace
And just let go
Surrender my will
Surrender my mind
Trust in the Lord
It will be fine
Surrender my thoughts
Surrender my emotions
Just hear the voice
Of the one in motion
His gentle whispers
His silentt voice
And yet you hear
Above the noise
Remember when he
Surrendered his will
Came down and died for me
Upon that tree
So just believe
And learn to trust
Surrender it all
To the one you've entrusted
Lament
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you
do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.
Psalm 22 v. 1-2
Spiritually the word lament is a way to express grief, sorrow, or regret, and to seek God's love and peace. It can also be a way to praise God through suffering.
In Hebrew, the lament definition is “to wail" and the meaning of lament is expressed in the words “Quwn,” “Caphad,” and “Awbal". All of which mean to cry out, wail, chant a dirge, or lament.
L- Lift up your eyes unto the Lord and
A- Align your heart with His
M- Make amends and move toward his Goodness, Love & Mercy and
E- Engross yourself in His Word
N- Never doubting His faithful promises to you as you completely
T- Trust in every word He says
Isaiah 55 v. 6-7
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.