“The Gentleness and Self-Control of Jesus”
Series: Winning the War Within (Fruit of the Spirit)
Sunday, April 5, 2009: Galatians 5:22-23; John 19:1-16

Introduction: Have I told you about what my children have done lately? You’ve probably heard me say this before. That is because I am very proud of my children. It is one thing however, to be proud of someone else, and another thing to be proud of yourself. There is an interesting balancing act we need to do when it comes to pride. It is important to think well of ourselves, but to temper that with not thinking overly well of ourselves. As the apostle Paul says in Romans 12:3, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”
This morning, we wrap up the series, Winning the War Within, as we look at the last 2 fruit of the Spirit, gentleness (or humility) and self-control. If we let ourselves be too prideful, we will not be humble or in control.

I. The Gentleness of Jesus- (Proverbs 15:1; Matthew 22:15-22, 11:28-30; John 19:1-16)
a. Getting to the root- The fruit of gentleness is also known as
humility, or meekness. It is a difficult word to translate, because there is no English word that adequately corresponds to the Greek word prautes {prah-ot'-ace}. Part of our challenge here, is that if I use the word gentleness, you might think of someone who is kind hearted and very loving in the way they treat people. If I use the word humility, you might think of someone who struggles with their self-esteem or doesn’t seek to dominate a situation. If I use the word meekness, you might think of someone who is weak or who is afraid to speak up. We see that the connotation for each of these words leads us in a different direction; and usually in a negative direction. So to understand this fruit, we need to have the right perspective.
Illus. “Perspective”- One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" “It was great, Dad.” “Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked. “Oh yeah,” said the son. "So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father. The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them." The boy's father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."
The fruit referred to as Prautes, is actually a combination of all 3 of those words. It is important to let the aspects of gentleness, meekness, and humility, come together to understand this eighth fruit. It is about the way we relate to others, the way we think of ourselves, and having an unpretentious demeanor. As we think about this fruit, we need to have the perspective that it is powerful and good, not weak.
To be gentle and humble then is to have a calming affect on the anger of others. As the wonderful proverb reminds us in Proverbs 15:1- “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” To have this fruit is to show kindness and forgiveness, instead of judgment. The fruit of gentleness and humility is displayed in being able to discuss things without losing your temper (especially controversial or conflictual topics).
Aristotle had this to say about the word Prautes: “It is the ability to bear reproaches and slights with moderation, and not to embark on revenge quickly, and not to be easily provoked to anger, but to be free from bitterness and contentiousness, having tranquility and stability in the spirit." (On Virtues And Vices)
b. The humility of Jesus- Jesus Himself had great gentleness and
humility of spirit. Let us look at a couple of examples: the first we see in Matthew 22:15-22, “Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap Jesus in his words. 16They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. ‘Teacher,’ they said, ‘we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?’ 18But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, ‘You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19Show me the coin used for paying the tax.’ They brought him a denarius, 20and he asked them, ‘Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?’ 21’Caesar's,’ they replied. Then he said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's.’ 22When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.” Even though Jesus used the phrase “you hypocrites,” and spoke with authority, it was still the humbleness of a teacher teaching His students. It didn’t say they went away angry, but that they went away amazed. They knew they had been caught in their attempt to trick Jesus, but Jesus used it as a teaching opportunity!
The second we see in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The gentleness of Jesus is seen in how He wants to help unburden us and give us rest. He even says that He is gentle and humble in heart.
The third we see in John 19:8-10, “When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9and he went back inside the palace. ‘Where do you come from?’ he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10’Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said. ‘Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’” We see Jesus holding back here. But His holding back in His not talking was not a sign of weakness, or a sign that Jesus was afraid of Pilate. Jesus had many times confronted the Pharisees and religious rulers. Jesus was being silent out of His strength and His understanding of what was to take place. Jesus knew that there would be the time (and in fact we will see it in the next verse), the time to speak what needs to be said!

II. The Self-Control of Jesus- (James 1:13-20; Luke 9:23; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 4:15; Romans 8:13; John 19:1-16;)
a. Us- The very concept of self-control implies that there is a battle
between a divided self; a self that is struggling with a choice to make. A choice between the right thing God would have us to do, and the wrong thing that Satan would like us to do. So if we were to ask the question, “why do we need self-control?” we would see that we need it because we struggle with what we are called to do, verses what we might be led to do.
In the book of James we are reminded where this battle comes from as we look at James 1:13-14, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” Satan comes to us and places before us that which will entice us. We have this desire inside that because of our sin leads us to make choices against what God would want for us.
If we were to make a list in regards to what might tempt us our list could include things like: anger, language, gossip, smoking, our attitude, lying, cheating, pride, lust, drugs, alcohol, and on and on the list would go. We need self-control because there are a myriad of temptations out there attacking us. The fruit of self-control helps us to be victorious in this battle.
James 1;19-20 gives us a good word: “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” This same sentiment could be said of many other issues, that when we give in to temptation, we do not live the righteous life that God desires for us; that God created for us.
Illus. “How To Catch A Monkey,” Hot Illustrations, (Youth Specialties, p. 118).
Native hunters have a clever way of trapping a monkey. They slice a coconut in 2, hollow it out, and in one shell cut a hole just big enough for the monkey’s hand to pass through. Then they place an orange in the other coconut half before fastening the 2 halves together. Finally, they secure the coconut to a tree with a rope, and then retreat and wait. What happens is that the monkey smells the orange, sticks its hand through the hole and grabs the orange. But when the monkey tries to pull the orange out, the orange won’t fit through the hole. The monkey at any time could let go of the orange and get away. But the monkey persists, and in the time of the struggle, the hunters come and catch the monkey!!
So as not to get caught by Satan, we need to learn how to be in control. How can we have control? Let me give you a couple of verses to help:
Luke 9:23, “Then Jesus said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” Denying ourselves is letting go of the orange, of our selfish desires, and seeking out God and what God has for us. 1 Corinthians 10:13- “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” God always gives us a way out. We just need to recognize it and take it!
b. Jesus- When it comes to Jesus, the good news is that Jesus
understands, and Jesus gives us a wonderful example. One of the reasons Jesus came to this earth was to give us an example of how we are called to live. We read in Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”/ Jesus, because He was human, experienced temptation. But because He was God in the flesh, He was able to perfectly exercise self-control and not sin.
When we look at Jesus, we need to understand that Jesus understands our struggle with temptation, and how we are prone to give in. This is why Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit, and why one of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control!
Jesus gives us the perfect example of what it means to rest in the Spirit of God. With the Spirit of God flowing through Him, He was able to overcome the desires of the flesh. With the Spirit of God flowing through Him, He was able to put to death the misdeeds of the body. This is what the apostle Paul reminded us of in Romans 8:13, when he said: “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
And if there was ever a time when Jesus could have given in to the misdeeds of the body, it was when He was arrested, and then beaten, and then He was put before Pilate. Let us not forget that Jesus was God in the flesh. Let us not forget that Jesus had the heavenly host available to Him. Let us not forget that Jesus had all authority in heaven and earth!
So when Pilate said to Jesus: “…. ‘Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’” Jesus could have laughed at this. Jesus could have swatted Pilate away, or subject Pilate to judgment! Jesus exhibited self-control by refraining from anger while He was being beaten and questioned, and by His answer in John 19:11, “Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.’”
Jesus exhibited self-control because Jesus knew what the result of His actions would be; salvation and restoration of our relationship with God for all who believe.

Conclusion: 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 says: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” We are running in the race of life. To run in a way that we will win requires that we put the Fruit of the Spirit to work in our lives. God has given us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, humility, and self-control so that we could “win the war within.” I pray that you would not just go through this series, and then forget it. If you want a CD of all the talks I would be happy to make you one so that you could keep reminding yourself of how to bring forth this fruit in your life. Praise be to God for giving us a way to be victorious, as we remember on this Palm Sunday how Jesus celebrated like a king; a king who was victorious. So may we hold fast to this truth, this day and every day. Amen.

“The Generosity and Faithfulness of Jesus”
Series: Winning the War Within (Fruit of the Spirit)
Sunday, March 29, 2009; Gal. 5:22-23, John 13:1-17

Introduction: As we near the end of our Fruit of the Spirit series, “Winning the War Within,” we come to the fruit of generosity and faithfulness. The Greek word for generosity is agathosune {ag-ath-o-soo'-nay}. It often is translated as goodness, but it can also be translated “generosity.” This is because it is a goodness that goes far beyond what is expected. In this going “far beyond,” we find the idea of generosity. The generosity comes from being good in character, and good in our actions. Along with generosity, we have faithfulness. This fruit is more straight forward than generosity. We know that at the core, faithfulness is being faithful to something or someone. In our case today it is being faithful to God….This morning I want to look at how we can win the war by going beyond our selfishness, beyond our unfaithfulness, and warm ourselves to the idea of the benefit and blessing that comes from generosity and faithfulness.

I. Being One Who is Faithful- (Galatians 5:22; Jeremiah 29:11;
Psalm 139:16; Matthew 26:42, 25:40; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
a. The meaning of faithfulness- Being faithful to God can be seen in
three different ways; being submissive, being teachable, and being considerate.
1. Being submissive: Being submissive is difficult in our
society, because we tend to learn how to be independent early on in life. So as we get older, and we try to understand our relationship to God more, we learn that we need to not only know God’s will, but be submissive to God’s will. We need to understand that instead of trying to plan our lives on our own, we need to seek out God’s calling and purpose for our lives.
Early on in life we will ask our kids: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Tyler says he wants to be an engineer of some sort, and a professional baseball player. Tiffany wants to be a librarian, and a school teacher. But does this fit in with God’s plan for their lives? We are told in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” AND Psalm 139:16 tells us, “your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” So if God has plans for us, and God has ordained these plans, it would be wise of us to seek to know these plans, and then be faithful to them!
Jesus Himself shows how He was submissive to the will of the Father, in Matthew 26:42, as He contemplates going to the cross: “He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.’”
2. Being teachable: A second way that we are faithful to
God is by being teachable. I’ve told you before how both of our kids got to the place in their life (around second grade) where they felt like they know it all. Of course they didn’t, and I think they realize that now. But kids go through this stage where they feel like they need less and less guidance from their parents.
EX. You’ve probably heard the illustration where kids talk about how when they were young their parents seemed to know it all. But when they got to the teen years, their parents seemed to lose their knowledge, and didn’t seem to know much anymore. But as the kids got to college, it seemed that their parents started to get smarter again. And once the kids were married and had children of their own, the kids would regularly go to their parents for advice, and they were amazed how much their parents knew again!
We are this way with God as well. When we think that we know it all, we tend to go to God less and less for guidance. We do not have a teachable spirit. This goes back to having a submissiveness to God’s will. Until we understand that we need to constantly be in the learning mode, we will fail to learn what God has for us to learn. Don’t forget the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteous-ness, 17 so that all God's people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
3. Being considerate: A third way we show faithfulness to
God is by being considerate. What I mean by this is that faithfulness is about being considerate to the needs of others. To be faithful to God is to be considerate and loving to others. We see this talked about often in the Bible, where Paul tells us in Philippians 2:3-5, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had…” We are to have the same attitude as Christ by thinking of others, and not just ourselves. Jesus talked about this when He said in Matthew 25:40- “The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
God wants us to think about others, to care for others, to be considerate of the needs of others. In this way we are considerate to God; we are faithful to God. Just as we want God to be considerate of our needs, and to care for us rightly, so God calls us to be faithful in our attitude toward those around us.
b. The act of being faithful- So it starts with us having the right
characteristics; submissiveness, teachability, and a considerate attitude. When we have these characteristics, we will see a difference in our behavior and in our actions. Someone who is faithful to God will have a noticeable difference in their behavior. You can easily spot someone who has the fruit of faithfulness.
As we are looking at the life of Jesus, and how He exhibits the Fruit of the Spirit, let us look at a couple of Bible passages that illustrate Jesus being faithful…
1. Luke 4:1-13: Our first example comes from Luke 4:1-13, where
Jesus has just been baptized, He is getting ready to start His ministry, and He has gone to the desert to fast and pray. While there, the devil comes to tempt Him. But we see Jesus stay faithful. Here is the interchange in verses 3-12: “The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'People do not live on bread alone.'" 5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours." 8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'" 9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10 For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; 11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" 12 Jesus answered, "It is said: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'” Jesus was offered food, while He was hungry, worldly power, and the challenge to test God. But in all three temptations Jesus acted faithfully.
2. John 4:27-35: After Jesus had an encounter with the woman at the
well, a Samaritan woman, her life is changed by Jesus, and she runs off to tell everyone about Jesus. Jesus’ disciples, who were in the city, come back and question Jesus. “Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?" 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him. 31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." 33 Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?" 34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” Jesus is not concerned with the customs, (that He wasn’t supposed to talk to a woman, or a Samaritan); Jesus was being faithful to His call to lead all people to Himself, and to bring the non-Jews into the Kingdom of God.
How is it that you and I show faithfulness? Is it by coming to church every week? Is it by reading our Bible every day? It is those things, and much more. Having the fruit of faithfulness is about living out the call of God on our lives regardless of what the customs of the land, or the people around us say. It is following God especially when others are not.
II. Being Good in Character and Action- (Gal. 5:22; John 13:1-17;
Romans 12:15; Matthew 5:16)
a. Being good in character- As I said in the introduction, generosity
is showing a goodness that goes beyond what is expected. This starts with our character; who we are. It is a desire to be good. This desire is there once we have the Holy Spirit, and it comes to bear fruit when we let the Holy Spirit cause it to bloom.
1. Helpful- Those who have the fruit of generosity are
helpful people. Now all of us have been helpful in our lifetimes at one time or another. But those who have generosity are helpful not because they are asked, but because it is in them to offer. It is really about having a servant attitude. We see this in the passage in John that I read as our scripture reading, where Jesus is being helpful to them in several ways: first of all He is cleaning their feet, since there was no servant there to do that; second He is helping them to understand that they too need to be servants to others; third, He is doing this for all of them, even Judas who He knows will betray Him; and finally we read His words in John 13:15-17, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” It isn’t important whether you or a master or not, you are to be helpful to others.
2. Giving- Second, generosity is seen in our giving. There
are people who give, through obligation or expectation, and others who give because it is in their spirit. Having the fruit of generosity is being good in the way that we want others to have what they need to have. Those who are bearing the fruit of generosity receive tremendous joy when they give. It is as natural to them as breathing. They see a need, and they find a way to meet that need, even if it means giving of their own possessions.
3. Genuine care for others- This is similar to what I was
talking about when I mentioned being considerate, under the fruit of faithfulness. This is a generosity of our emotions toward others. Romans 12:15 tells us “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” It is a powerful experience for people when they can tell that you genuinely care about them. Even if you can’t do anything specific to make a difference, the fact that you care touches them deeply.
4. Loving- Fourth, generosity is seen in the way we love.
This is about not just loving those who are easy to love, but those who are difficult to love. Jesus told us to love our enemies; Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him. Jesus showed forth a full and unconditional love for all people. And knowing that there were those who rejected Him grieved His heart deeply.
b. Being good in action- There is a wonderful story, well known to
many of us called “The Good Samaritan.” This is a story that Jesus told when He was asked what it meant to love your neighbor. Let’s watch a video rendition of this story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeyYYmFINm4.
How do we see generosity in this story?
He cared for the man’s wound; he took the man to a shelter for further help; he cared for the man’s needs by paying for his lodging, food, and physical care; he cared for the man in spite of the fact that Samaritans didn’t associate with Jews.
If we want to see the fruit of generosity lived out in our lives we need to be aware of those around us who might have problems; be willing to get involved (so often we don’t want to complicate our lives by getting involved); be aware of the injustices around us and be willing to stand up against the injustice; give generously of ourselves; and share Jesus with those who don’t know Jesus!
It is really about showing the goodness of God that is in us. Jesus put it this way in Matthew 5:16- “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Conclusion: We all desire to live a more spiritual life; to live the life God has designed for us to live. As we bring forth the Fruit of the Spirit, we will win the war that is raging deep inside us, trying to keep us from who God would have us to be, and what God would have us to do. When we are able to manifest the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, especially fruit like faithfulness and generosity, we are manifesting the presence of God in the world.
It is so easy to get caught up in what we want to do. It is so easy to get caught up in who we think we want to be. But all the while we are getting lost in the reality of how God wants to shape us, and the difference we can make for God. God really can influence the world through us. He can do it as we submit to Him and let Him teach and lead us. And as we learn, we become more generous in who we are, and how we care for others. I hope you will give yourself over to these fruit. It is a wonderful path to follow. Amen.

“The Patience and Kindness of Jesus”
Series: Winning the War Within: Fruit of the Spirit
Sunday, March 22, 2009; Galatians 5:22-23, 2 Corinthians 6:3-7

Introduction: As I walk out to start the sermon, say “Excuse me, but I think I forgot my sermon in my office.” (Then walk into my office with my microphone still on pretending to search for sermon, making little comments to myself).
Many of you are probably wondering how I could forget my sermon. How could I just leave you waiting? I did that as a test, to make a point. Most people have trouble waiting. Maybe you get stuck in traffic, or in a long line at the bank. And we have to wait. In our waiting we become impatient. Our goal today is to see how Jesus exhibited patience and kindness so that we can in turn build up these fruit in our own lives.

I. The Virtue of Being Patient- (Luke 8:40-48)
a. Rushing- We live in a society that is fast moving. Because of this
we too have busy and hectic lives. We rarely stop for anything. And if anything stops us prematurely, we can become very annoyed, or even angry. But most of the time we are oblivious to much that goes on around us. Check out this video clip… (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myq8upzJDJc; 2:52).
The backstory to this is that a Washington Post writer did an unofficial sociological study where he wondered if morning subway commuters would take time to listen to a world-class violinist or if they would rush by. As you saw, the majority of people, even though they were hearing a world-class violinist play for them for free, didn’t even bother to slow down to hear him.
Too often in life, we don’t slow down. And if we do have to slow down, we get frustrated, because we are so used to a fast paced life. But in our fast pace, we tune out the voice of the Spirit; we pass by the beautiful things of life; we miss much of what God has for us to see and do.
b. Slowing down- In Luke 8:40-48 we see a wonderful story about
slowing down and being available to the opportunities God gives to us… “Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 45‘Who touched me?’ Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.’ 46But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.’ 47Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48Then he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.’”
Here we see Jesus is very busy: a crowd was all around Him, welcoming Him and trying to listen to Him, and follow Him. Then Jairus, a influential man, a ruler of the synagogue gets Jesus’ attention and asks Him to help his dying daughter. At this point Jesus would want to rush to her aid; right? But something else is happening; a woman, who has been sick, bleeding for 12 years, has faith that all she has to do is touch Jesus, and she will be healed. She fights her way through the crowd, pushes forward, determined to touch Jesus. She is close, but still can’t reach, so she pushes harder against the crowd. Finally, she gets close enough to just barely touch the edge of Jesus’ cloak; and immediately she is healed.
First of all, it is amazing that Jesus even realized that she touched Him, because everyone was pushing in on Him and touching Him. But this was a different kind of touch. Jesus felt the power go from Him to the woman. Second, Jesus could have ignored the whole incident. The woman was healed, why make a deal out of it? Besides, Jesus was in a hurry to go help the dying girl.
Why did Jesus stop and have this encounter with the woman? Jesus understands that without slowing down, without patience for interruptions, we miss the importance of life; we let too much go by us. Jesus also knew that by stopping and connecting with the woman, she would have more than physical healing, more than just a strong body, she would have a strong faith as well! And Jesus affirms her in this when He tells her: “..your faith has healed you..”
How do you respond when you have interruptions? What happens when you find yourself having to wait? I know that I often get frustrated. It might not always be visible, but I feel it inside. This is not an effective way to live. This is not a realistic way to live. Life is going to make us wait. Life is going to have interruptions. We can’t be so stuck on our own agenda that we miss opportunities to be available to others. We must learn how to be patient if we are going to fulfill our call in life: love God, and love each other.

II. The Act of Kindness- (2 Corinthians 6:3-7; John 21:15-17; Leviticus
19:33-34; Proverbs 14:21; Romans 12:15; Galatians 6:1-3)
a. The challenge- Kindness is the act or the state of being kind and
marked by charitable behavior, pleasantness, and concern for others. Kindness is considered to be one of the Knightly virtues and found in the medieval code of honor, and is recognized and valued in many cultures and religions. Actually, patience leads to kindness. You cannot be kind to another, you will not have a pleasant disposition, if you are not patient with people.
The apostle Paul challenges us with these words from 2 Corinthians 6:3-7, “We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left.” In this passage, Paul is talking about the importance of living out his calling for Jesus. He didn’t want to be a stumbling block to anyone in keeping them from Jesus. And part of the behavior he needed to model was patience and kindness.
In the midst of the challenges and struggles of dealing with people, we are going to face difficult situations, and difficult people. But in the midst of that, we still need to find a way to be kind. Paul could do this when he allowed himself to be guided by the Holy Spirit, and the Fruit of the Spirit, and not by his own sinful behavior. And so for us to do this, we must let ourselves overcome our sinful behavior, thinking, and responses, and follow the Spirit’s leading.
Jesus also gives us direction in caring for others in John 21:15-17, “When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’ 16 Again Jesus said, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’ 17 The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ Peter said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.’”
There are a couple of observations that I want to make here. First, this encounter shows us the patience and kindness of Jesus. Even though Peter had denied Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested, Jesus wanted Peter to know that He still believed in Peter. This is why Jesus asks Peter 3 times if he loves Him, to let Peter know 3 times that Jesus had a call for Peter. Jesus wanted Peter to know that he was still going to be the rock, the foundation of the Christian mission. Second, Jesus wants Peter to display kindness to all people. This is why Jesus uses the metaphor of sheep; a shepherd is always kind to his sheep, even when they are stubborn or stray away. And we too need to be kind to those around us when we love them for Jesus.
b. The reward- Story: (Stories for the Heart, p. 15, “The Day Philip
Joined the Group.”) There is a story about a Sunday school class of 8-year-olds, who one day had a boy named Philip join their class. He was different than the rest, not only because he was older, he was 9, but because he had Down’s Syndrome. Because of this Philip looked a little different, and was slower in his responses. One day the teacher gave the students an assignment; to go out and fill a plastic egg with something that resembled “new life.” So out the children went to see what they could find. When they returned, their eggs were to be opened and each child would describe their symbol of new life. One by one the eggs were opened: a seed, representing the new life that would come from the seed; a flower, which was full and alive; and on and on the teacher went opening the eggs. But then the teacher opened an egg that had nothing in it, the teacher wondered for a moment if it was a mistake, so she started to put the egg to the side. Just then Philip tugged on her shirt and said: “That’s mine.” At this all the kids laughed, and said some mean things about Philip thinking that he didn’t understand what he was supposed to do. But then Philip spoke up: “I left it empty because the tomb is empty; I have new life because the tomb is empty!” At this the room fell silent as the kids thought about what Philip had just said. From that day on the kids were kind toward Philip and treated him like everyone else.
Why do kids have to be so cruel? More importantly, why do we have to be so unkind to others? Just because they are different? Just because they do think like we do? Because they are slower or haven’t learned how to love?
Let me read for you a few ways the Bible tells us to be kind:
Leviticus 19:33-34, “When foreigners reside among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigners residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” We are to show kindness to strangers.
Proverbs 14:21- “It is a sin to despise one's neighbor, but blessed are those who are kind to the needy.” We are to be kind to the poor and needy.
Romans 12:15- “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” We are to be kind to those who are happy, and those who are sad.
Galatians 6:1-3, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” We are to be kind to those who have fallen in sin, and those who are burdened…. These are just a few of the many ways we are called to be kind.
And when we are kind, we will touch people’s lives in a deep way. And we will feel so much better about ourselves, because we will know that we are living the way God has called us to live!

Conclusion: In 1 Corinthians 13:4, the passage on love, it starts out “Love is patient, love is kind…” In 1 John 4 we are told that God is love. If we are to be anything like God, we need to love like God loves, and to do this we have to have patience and kindness in the way that we respond to others. Without patience we will lose track of the meaning and purpose of life. Without kindness we will be hardened to the world and lost in ourselves. And in the end we will fail to enjoy this life that God has given to us.
Even though these fruit are hard to live out, they are worthwhile; they are worth the effort. So where do you need to be more patient? Whether it is in one area, or every area, let God fill you with His Spirit and lead you to become a more patient person. To whom do you need to be more kind? Make a list, either physical or mental, and begin to pray that the Holy Spirit would help you to take the steps towards being kind. Let us give ourselves over to patience and kindness, and we will see a transformation in our own lives, and in the lives of those around us. Amen.

“The Peace of Jesus”
Series: Winning the War Within (Fruit of the Spirit)
Sunday, March 15, 2009, Galatians 5:22-23; Philippians 4:4-7

Introduction: Today we tackle the topic of peace. As we battle the “war within,” peace is one of the areas that we struggle with the most. Now peace encompasses many things: there is inner peace; there is peace among people; there is the aspect of being a peacemaker. But in all of these areas, the Greek word comes from the root “eirene.” The peace that is referred to is the same kind of peace. The peace we have within our spirit, is to be the same spirit of peace we are to have with one another. God desires that this fruit of peace be in all, and be practiced by all. It grieves God’s heart to see us not at peace with ourselves, or with others. So this morning I want us to look at what keeps us from having peace, and how we can better achieve this kind of peace in our lives. Let’s start by looking at how anxiety destroys our peace.

I. Anxiety vs. Peace- (Philippians 4:4-7; John 14:27)
a. Anxiety- In Philippians 4:6, the apostle Paul exhorts us with these
words: “Do not be anxious about anything…” Anxiety is not a modern problem. It is not a Western world problem. It has been a problem throughout the ages. If this were not so, Paul would not have had to address this issue. So we see that this is a battle with all people of all ages.
This series is called “Winning the War Within.” It is called this because the battle begins within us. When we are called to love, we have to learn what love is, and how to love ourselves before we can love others. It starts within. The same is true for joy, and peace, and patience… So as we think about “peace,” we need to understand the anxiety, the worry that we possess within us. How can we win the battle over this anxiety?
Well, let’s think for a moment about what causes us to worry: have congregation share their thoughts (things like no job; health issues; conflict…).
These things cause us worry because we want life to go smoothly. And so we begin to try and calculate how these issues can be resolved. If you are in conflict with another, you worry about how can you make it right. Maybe you even go over different ideas or conversations of how to make it better. But by doing this you make yourself all the more anxious. If it is an issue of health, you worry about when you will see the doctor, what treatment or medicine you will have, how this will affect what you are able to do, and again these thoughts cause increased anxiety. If you don’t have a job, or sufficient money, you begin to worry about how you will pay your bills, whether or not you will lose your home, what you can do to get more money. And even again, these thoughts usually increase your stress and anxiety.
All the while, your thoughts have done little to nothing in solving your problem!
b. The peace that surpasses all knowledge- Another aspect that
causes anxiety is playing the “what if” game. This game is where we think about what might have been, or what might be. EX. I did this after our baseball game last Saturday. Tyler pitched for our team, and it was a very close game. We went up 1-0, then they went up 2-1. We tied it at 2-2, and then an inning later we went ahead 3-2. The games are 6 innings long, and after 5 innings we were still ahead 3-2. However, kids at this age are limited in the amount of pitches they can throw, and Tyler was out of pitches after the fifth inning. So I brought in another of my top pitchers; but it was not his day. We had an error and then he walked the next 2 batters. He couldn’t find the strike zone. So I changed pitchers again. They got a couple of hits and won the game 6-3! AFTER THE GAME, throughout the rest of the day, I kept saying to myself: “What if I didn’t have to take Tyler out? What if we would have gotten that one hit, or not made that one error? What if we hadn’t made those 3 running mistakes?” And by doing this, I created a great amount of anxiety for myself.
We do this in so many areas of our lives: What if; if only. We drive ourselves crazy! How can we win with war within? We have to give ourselves over to God. Jesus tells us in John 14:27- “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” And the apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6-7, “…but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
We cannot be at peace on our own strength. We are called to put our trust in God by asking God for help (present your requests to God), and then let God go to work. If there is something we are to do in this situation, then God will lead us to do that. But there are many things out of our control, and for this we give it over to God. For example, you need a job. You pray to God about this. If there are opportunities to work, you take them. If you need to fill out applications and go on interviews, you do that. But you can’t make a job happen for yourself. So in this you have to give it up, and give it to God. Your worry will not make any difference!!
As Matthew 6:27 tells us: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life.”

II. What we dwell upon- (Philippians 4:8-9)
a. Our world situation-Another area of stress, worry, and anxiety, is
our world situation. It doesn’t take watching the news for long, or reading many newspaper articles, to become anxious. Let me just read you a few… (from Press Telegram, Sunday, March 8, 2009): Headlines- “Police seek tips in Long Beach slaying.” “Killings defy Long Beach crime trend.” Internationally: “Probe sought in fatal Zimbabwe crash.” AND, “Economists ask: ‘Where’s the bottom?’”
b. On what should we dwell?- The problem is that if we dwell on this
for too long (violence, murder, robbery, war, recession) we will indeed be anxious. The apostle Paul gives us some important words in Philippians 4:8-9, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Our mind is a powerful tool. We can cause ourselves to get depressed, or to feel happy. We can keep ourselves positive, or become very negative. We can stay optimistic, or become pessimistic. What determines this is what we allow our minds to dwell on. Are we dwelling on those things which are true, and right, and pure and admirable, or are we dwelling on that which is false, deceptive, evil, and despicable?
Now I’m not saying that we purposely do this (although some might). What I am saying is that when we delve into the news too much, or go to violent and vulgar movies, or surround ourselves with trashy books, or listen to gossip, or get caught up in sensationalism, we are not dwelling on those things which are true, right, pure and admirable. Consequently, we will struggle to have peace of mind.


III. Learning to be content- (Philippians 4:10-13)
Illustration: A son asked his father, 'Dad, will you take part in a marathon with me?' The father who, despite having a heart condition, says, 'Yes'. They went on to complete the marathon together.. Father and son went on to join other marathons, with the father always saying 'Yes' to his son's request of going through the race together. One day, the son asked his father, 'Dad, let's join the Ironman together.' To which, his father said 'Yes' too. If you don't know what the Ironman is, it is the toughest triathlon ever. The race encompasses three endurance events: a 2.4 mile ocean swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride, and ending with a 26.2 mile marathon along the coast of the Big Island in Hawaii. Father and son went on to complete the race together. But it isn’t enough for me to tell you about it. Watch this video clip (4:36). [http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513]
Some might say, why do this. They will never have a chance at winning the race. It is risky for the father who has a heart condition. But this clip shows in a powerful way, on the face of the son, the love and joy and peace he feels. You can see that he feels like he accomplished the Ironman competition! And that is how we need to live. So often we are not content in life because we feel like we can’t accomplish many of the things we want to. As we ask the Father to walk with us, He will do many things for us, and in that we will be doing them as well. In this we learn how to be content, that the Father will help us to do what we need to do, and accomplish what we need to accomplish. And in our contentment, we will feel inner peace. And when we have inner peace, we will be able to seek to be at peace with others, and bring more peace into our world!
Philippians 4:11- “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
Philippians 4:13- (the verse we saw at the end of the video clip): “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Conclusion: Hopefully, you understand that “peace” starts within. And the only one who can change us within, is God. That is why the Fruit of the Spirit is such good news; God’s Spirit, who lives within us, is there to change us from within. The Holy Spirit can manifest peace within us. Do you want peace in your life? Do you want to see more peace in the world? Then take this to heart: don’t play the “what if” game. Give your anxiety over to God, lift up your concerns to God, and He will begin to fill you with peace. Next, surround yourself with things and people that are true and pure, noble and admirable, praiseworthy and excellent. And lastly, don’t let the world confuse you about what is important. Let God lead you into the life He wants for you, and be content with your life. If you do these things, you will experience the peace that surpasses all understanding! Amen.

“The Joy of Jesus”
Series: Winning the War Within
Sunday, March 8, 2009; Galatians 5:22-23, Hebrews 12:1-2

Introduction: Today we continue in our series “Winning the War Within” by talking about “joy.” Last week we talked about love. We saw how Jesus loved unselfishly, without worry of how His actions were seen, and with great passion and acceptance. This week we are going to look at how we can have joy in life in the happy times, and in the times when we experience pain and sorrow.
In John 15:10-11, Jesus tells His disciples: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” Just as Jesus gave us a wonderful example of how to love, so Jesus informs us of how and why we experience joy; a joy that can be complete. These are good and important words for us as well; words that can make all the difference in our lives. So let us try and make sense of the joy Jesus wants us to experience.

I. Difference between happiness and joy- (Galatians 5:22; Phil. 4:4)

a. Happiness- We are all seeking joy in our lives. If you were to ask
anyone, chances are that one of their goals in life is to feel a sense of joy. They want to be happy. I don’t know if you noticed, but I just used the words joy and happiness interchangeably. And yet, the truth is, that there is a difference between happiness and joy; they don’t mean the same thing; they are not synonyms. Happiness is based on experiences. When you win a game, when you get your pay check, when you get an “A” on a test, when you have a great moment with your family, when you get a smile out of a baby…these are a few of the many things in life that can make us happy.
But when things don’t go so well, you get sick, you lose your job, you get in an accident, you have a fight with someone…these are some of what cause you to be unhappy. When we say we want joy in our lives, we are really saying that we want to be happy; that we want good things to come to us. I want to show you a video clip about a man named Nick Vujicic. This man has no arms and no legs. That’s right, no arms and no legs. But listen to his message.
EXAMPLE- youtube video of Nick Vujicic [2:40]
Nick Vujicic has an amazing attitude. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know that I could be happy like him if I was in the same situation. I’m sure there are many times when he is unhappy: when he can’t care for himself, when he can’t do what others can do, when he is looked down upon…. But in the midst of his struggles, physically, mentally, emotionally, he is still able to enjoy life greatly! Because of this, he is able to touch people’s lives and help them to enjoy life more.
b. Joy- We are told in Galatians 5:22 that “joy” is one of the fruit of
the Spirit. As I said last week, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are filled with all of the fruit. Which means we have joy in us, we just need to understand how to let it come out. Not only do we have it in us, but the apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:4- “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!” When Paul wrote these words, he was in prison. It seemed as if certain death was awaiting him. And yet he still writes the words “rejoice always.” How is this possible? How can we rejoice when we are in prison? How can we rejoice when there seems to be no hope? How can we rejoice when we don’t know what will happen?
Well, there are many reasons for this, one of which we will talk about in a little later, and that is understanding where joy comes from. But joy can be experienced always, because it is not based on circumstances, but on the Spirit. Because joy is a “fruit of the Spirit,” we have joy already in us. We don’t need to go find it. Christian joy is independent of the things of this earth; it is heavenly, godly.
Going back to “happiness” for a moment. People search for happiness in many ways. Maybe they search for it in status; so they seek to rise up in the company ladder thinking that having a good job with prestige will make them happy. Or maybe they seek it in money; they think that having a lot of money, so that they can buy a lot of things, will make them happy. Or they seek it in pleasure; they think that doing lots of pleasurable things will make them happy.
And while these things can bring some happiness, the happiness is fleeting; momentary. This feeling of happiness will disappear when the experience is done, and especially if hard times come. If your loved one is sick, you are not going to be going off and trying to find some experience of pleasure. You are going to seek to be with your loved one. And if your happiness comes from all these experiences, then you will find yourself in a deep void not knowing where to turn.
You see, if happiness is all there is, then we are in trouble, because we cannot continually do those things that we think will make us happy. And often those things that make us happy, don’t always make us happy. While a good relationship can make you happy, there are many times in relationships where there is difficulty and conflict, and where you are not feeling too happy! NO, we need more than experiences. That is why God fills us with the fruit of joy. Joy is something that we can experience always, through all experiences and situations.

II. Where does joy come from? (Philippians 1:3-4, 18-19, 3:1-8, 4:1, 4, 12;
Romans 8:28; John 15:10-11; Hebrews 12:1-2)
This then leads us to seek to understand where joy comes from. If we are to be joyful in all circumstances, if we are to rejoice always, then we need to know how it is that we can draw from this well of joy.
The Greek word for joy is “chara.” It refers to exultation or delight. Think for a moment about a roller coaster. For those of us who love roller coasters, what we love is not just that it goes fast, but that is goes up and down. The change in direction is what helps to make the ride exciting, and brings delight to the ride. Life is full of ups and down. And Paul wants us to understand that joy can be experienced in the good experiences and the trials. It is about loving life and taking life in stride. But how can this be?
The book of Philippians is filled with this concept. Let’s read some of these passages:
a. Praying with joy- Philippians 1:3-4, “I thank my God every time I remember
you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.” Regardless of what is going on with the person we are praying for, there is joy in knowing that we can
pray for them. This is because we know that we aren’t powerless, but we are able to partner with God as we pray for this person. What a joyous experience it is to pray. We should not take this for granted. In prayer we have access to the God of the universe. In prayer we can make our voice heard to God. In prayer we come alongside God to somehow affect the outcome of situations.
b. Knowing Christ is preached- Philippians 1:18-19 tells us: “But what does it
matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” One of the most important aspects of life is that Christ is preached so that people can be saved. Even when it is from false motives, God can save people when the good news of Jesus Christ is preached. This knowledge should bring us joy.
c. Putting confidence in Christ- In Philippians 3:1-8 Paul tells us that he has
many reasons to boast in himself and to put his confidence in the flesh. But in the end he tells us that putting confidence in ourselves is rubbish and we will be disappointed every time. We must put our confidence in Jesus Christ. And we can be joyful in this, because we know that Romans 8:28 tells us that, “God works all things for the good to those who love Him…” Paul knew this to be true, and that is why even when he was in jail, facing death, he could still write “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Paul put his confidence in the Lord, not in Himself. Once he started doing this, he was able to enjoy life, and “be content in all circumstances.” (Phil. 4:12)
d. Obeying God’s commands- Moving from Philippians and going back to John
15:10-11, we remember Jesus’ words that tell us that joy is experienced when we obey God’s commands.
EXAMPLE- There’s a Calvin and Hobbes comic strip where Calvin walks up to his dad, who is reading, and says: “Hey dad, can I take the gas can for the lawn mower out in the back yard?” To which his dad asks: “What on earth for? It’s 8:00 at night?” Calvin then says: “I want to pour gasoline in big letters on the lawn…and set fire to it so airplanes can read it as they fly over!” This causes a big reaction from his dad, who gets out of his chair, faces Calvin, and says: “NO, you can’t do that! Don’t be ridiculous.” In the last frame his dad is sunken in his chair saying to himself: “I don’t even want to know what he intended to write.” (Scientific Progress Goes Boink, p. 80)
Calvin is often disobedient, and because of this is always in trouble. Life is not much fun if you are always getting yourself in trouble. Being obedient to God’s commands will help us to enjoy life much more.
e. Remaining in God’s love- Earlier, when I was talking about Nick Vujicic, I
was talking about how he enjoyed life so much. If you know anything about Nick, you know that he is a strong Christian. And when you hear him talk, he talks about his faith in Christ that gives him. This faith allows Nick to remain in God’s love, and in this place there is great joy.
Jesus Himself, remained in the Father’s love, and obeyed what the Father told Him to do, and because of this Jesus was filled with joy. And in John 15:11 Jesus tells us that He did that so that we might know this truth as well. It is in the times of great struggle that we need to be in God’s love. And as we remain in this love, the hardships of life will not overwhelm us. Instead, we will be able to experience the joy of God’s working in and through our hearts and minds, caring for us at our deepest and darkest moments. We rejoice in God’s constant presence!
f. Hebrews 12:1-2- Lastly, we see in Hebrews 12:1-2, that Jesus experienced joy
even in the midst of the cross, because He knew what the result would be, and where His ultimate place would be. Hear these words again: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God .”
Jesus knew that by dying on the cross He would provide the way to heaven for all who believe. Experiencing joy in all circumstances is about keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, and the hope of what God will do in and through our lives when we faithfully walk with Him. This hope is what brings us joy!

Conclusion: You and I can live a full life of joy no matter where you are right now or where you have come from. Jesus tells us that our joy can be complete. But this can only come from our being fully vested in Jesus Christ, following the ways he has set for us, and remaining in the love of God.
Read “West Virginia Farm Kid” (see below)
When it comes to enjoying life, perspective is important. For many, life in the marines would seem difficult. To Alice, it was easier than her life on the farm. With Jesus in our lives, and our eyes fixed on Him, we can experience joy always, because we know that Jesus has gone before us, and knows what we need. Let us give praise to God for helping us to have joy at all times and through all circumstances. Amen.


West Virgina Farm Kid
(NOW AT San Diego MARINE CORPS RECRUIT TRAINING)

Dear Ma and Pa,
I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.
I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. But I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.
Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food, plus yours, holds you until noon when you get fed again It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.
We go on 'route marches,' which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A 'route march' is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.
The sergeant is like a schoolteacher. He nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.
This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing.. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.
Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake . I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6' and 130 pounds and he's 6'8' and near 300 pounds dry.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in. Your lovin' daughter, Alice