The Joy of God’s Creativity

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The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – JOY #1

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against these things.” [Galatians 5:22-23 NLT]

Praise of God’s Revelation

In Psalm 19:1-14 NLT says, “1  The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. 2  Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known. 3  They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. 4  Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. 5  It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. 6  The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. 7  The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8  The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. 9  Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. 10  They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. 11  They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. 12  How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 13  Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. 14  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

A Torah psalm
The great themes of creation (Psalm 19:1-6), the law (Psalm 19:7-11), and the fear of God (Psalm 19:9) are linked together here as the motivation for man’s verbal and heartfelt devotion to God (Psalm 19:14). Without words or voices, the beauty and wonder of creation shouts, “God, the Creator, exists!” In Psalm 19:7-9, David provided a sixfold description of the law, God’s special revelation. The various synonyms emphasize different aspects of God’s word. The “law,” in Hebrew, “Torah,” is God’s instruction to His people; the “decrees” are a witness to God’s truth; the “commandments” are divine directions for man to follow; the “commands” are God’s orders or imperatives; “reverence for the Lord” is the reverence that God’s word fosters; and the “laws” are God’s decisions. “Deliberate sins” (Psalm 19:13) are those sins done knowingly and willfully (cf. Numbers 15:30-31).

In Verse 1 describes the words – glory of God – i.e., that which makes Him impressive. The first section (Psalm 19:1-6) consistently uses the general term for God (Hebrew ‘el), whereas in verses Psalm 19:7-14 the more specific covenantal name for God (Hebrew Yahweh) is used.

In Verses 2-3 describe the words – where their voice is not heard – better, “their voice is not heard” (NIV, RSV, NASB). The revelation that pours forth from the sky powerfully reveals God’s revelation by nonverbal communication. It is not audible.

In Verses 4-6 describe the words – Their line – better, “their call” (Dahood; cf. LXX), which fits well the parallelism with “their words.” tabernacle for the sun – The sun god Shamash was a chief deity of justice in Mesopotamian hymns. The sun god is extolled in Egyptian hymns as well. The tabernacle for the sun was a metaphor for where the sun spent the night (Anderson). Here the sun is not deified but rather becomes a personified witness to the Creator, who is the God of Israel (Craigie). as a bridegroom coming out – The sun, as in Babylonian hymns, is pictured as a bridegroom coming out after his honeymoon night as its morning light dazzles the horizon (Anderson). Some have seen a likeness between this Psalms and Genesis 13 (Craigie).

In Verses 7-11 describe the six titles for God’s special verbal revelation are given: “law of the LORD“ (Hebrew Yahweh), “testimony of the LORD,” “statutes of the LORD,” “commandment of the LORD,” “fear of the LORD,” and “judgments of the LORD.” These six titles are given six different qualities: “perfect,” “sure,” “right,” “pure,” “clean,” and “true.” These six qualities have six different effects on man: “converting the soul,” “making wise the simple,” “rejoicing the heart,” “enlightening the eyes,” “enduring for ever,” and “righteous altogether.”

In Verses 12-14 describe the words – great transgression – i.e., idolatry (Exodus 32:21, 30, 31; 2 Kings 17:21) (Anderson) or the fall (Genesis 3:1.) (Craigie). Given the fact of the universal glories of God’s revelation in nature and His perfections and power to impact men through His special verbal revelation, the psalmist offers a prayer. He acknowledges the moral implications of God’s revelation to him as a sinner who passionately desires to know God as Rock and Redeemer.

The Lord Challenges Job

In Job 38:1-7 NLT says, “1 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: 2  “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? 3  Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. 4  “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 5  Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? 6  What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone 7  as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?”

In light of God grand design, our purpose is to do His work and our response is to live in joy.

Come, rejoice, and offer God this prayer: Father God, we come to you in the name of Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Father God, we know your purposes in our lives are most important. And when we see the works of your hands, we know that you want our hands to create also. We’re here to use our bodies – fearfully and wonderfully made – to create works to honor you. So give us the gift of facing the sin and heartache all around us and doing our part to create the kingdom of God. We want to touch vengeance and rename it love. We want to touch resentment and rename it understanding. We want to touch defiance and rename it submission. Create in us a servant who worships you and cherishes the kingdom Our Lord Jesus Christ died to establish, in Jesus name, Amen!

The “whirlwind” (Job 38:1) represents a theophany, which is an appearance of God in visible form (cf. Ezekiel 1:4, 28). In Job 38:4 and the following verses God is likened to a master builder or architect, and His creation is poetically described. Throughout this section God draws attention to His unsearchable wisdom, power, and sovereignty in order to impress Job with the immensity of Job’s own ignorance and lack of power. The stars that are visible on the horizon in the early morning are Venus and Mercury (Job 38:7). The angels, or the “sons of God,” rejoiced as they witnessed creation (Job 38:7; cf. Job 1:6).

In Verse 1 describes that the Lord appears unexpectedly in the whirlwind which has been building (Job 37:1, 2). The appearance of God is often accompanied by a majestic and awesome response in nature (Judges 5:4; Psalms18:10.; 77:18, 19). Job has challenged God to a debate over his innocence. Now God takes the offensive asking Job a series of rhetorical questions exposing Job’s lack of understanding of creation and the laws governing the universe. How much less able is he to understand God’s moral law. God here confirms Elihu’s sentiment that man should submit to God as a teacher rather than arguing with Him as judge. Man’s submission to God beyond the limits of his understanding and the disciplinary benefit of suffering are the two main lessons to be learned.

In Verse 2 describes the words – words without knowledge – God comes to him as a master teacher exposing his lack of knowledge. He seeks to instruct him rather than to reject Job’s innocence or to punish him. This rebuff must be balanced with God’s affirmation of Job (Job 42:7) (Hartley). God will further instruct Job about what it means to follow Him without the promise of reward (Job 1:9).

In Verse 3 describes the words – Gird up – He challenges Job to tie his robes up into his belt as if to prepare for a wrestling match.

In Verse 4 describes that If man is to understand the causal order of things, he must be present at their origin. How can Job, who has not witnessed the implementation of the initial principles by which the earth was structured, claim to understand its workings.

In Verse 5 describes the words – laid the measures – A surveyor measures out and exactly implements the architect’s plans for a building. These questions seek to move Job away from his personal struggle to the complexity of the order of the universe. This will have the effect of humbling him into silence in the face of the divine mystery and glory.

In Verse 6 describes the word – foundations – The construction of the earth is described as a building raised on a sure foundation with a solid cornerstone. Job, however, is without knowledge of such.

In Verse 7 describes the words and that while Job was not there to witness the building of its foundation, there were heavenly witnesses who responded with praise. morning stars – the stars which are still visible near the horizon just before dawn. They are said to sing praise to God (Psalms 19:1; 148:3). The angels join the chorus in praise of God’s creative acts.

The point was that Job had to see God in relation to the world; this is also true of us Born-Again Christian believers today. Job’s problem was not sin; it was his inability to realize his own limited place in the world in relation to God. The way for Job to receive release from his mental turmoil was not by obtaining justice; it was by becoming aware of and accepting his proper place.

Teaching About Possessions

In Matthew 6:28-30 NLT says, “28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”

Sitting on the grassy hillside, our Lord Jesus Christ may have gestured to the lilies, probably referring generally to the bountiful flowers in Israel, and pointed out that those lovely flowers don’t have to work or make their clothing. As in Matthew 6:26, our Lord Jesus Christ was not condoning laziness while waiting for God to supply. Instead, He wanted His disciples to place their lives and needs in God’s hands, refusing to worry over basic needs. To worry about your clothes shows little faith in God’s ability to supply. God “clothes” the flowers and grass of the field that are here today and gone tomorrow. If His creation clothes the earth with beauty and color so rich that even King Solomon in all his glory could not match it, then He will surely care for you and all of us..

To encounter either the wide grandeur or tiny gem-like creativity of God awakens anthems in our soul. Joy is our response to the creation of God. And it is our Lord Jesus Christ who awakes us to this wonder. It is our Lord Jesus Christ who calls us to marvel at the lilies and then to contemplate what God’s perfect creation means in terms of our ability to depend on Him.

Faith Without Good Deeds Is Dead

In James 2:14-17 NLT says, “14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well” – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”

Joy is the uncontainable expression of our faith. But joy is not something God gives us just so that we can experience a spiritual high. Joy is the consistent response of lives lived in the presence of God’s salvation.

In Verse 14 describes this person who claims to have faith obviously thinks that his belief alone, without any good actions (deeds done in obedience to God), is satisfactory in God’s sight. However, faith not accompanied by deeds has no saving value. Anyone can say he has faith, but if his lifestyle remains selfish and worldly, then what good is that faith? It is merely faith that believes about our Lord Jesus Christ, not faith that believes in Him. That kind of faith can’t save anyone. Instead, the faith that saves is faith that proves itself in the actions it produces.

Two images help us remember the importance of genuine faith:

1. On one side are people who project confidence in their standing before God and yet show no evidence that their faith affects any of their actions. They may even take pride in the fact that they can believe what they want and that no one has the right to challenge their faith. After all, “only God really knows for sure,” they may say.
2. On the other side are people whose lives demonstrate such a frantic flurry of activity that they literally have no time to think or talk about their faith. Those people, whose lives at first exhibit the marks of someone who believes, turn out to have real doubts. They doubt God’s acceptance and feel compelled to work very hard in hopes of gaining that acceptance. But trying hard to build merit with God becomes a substitute for faith.
   James helps us see that genuine faith will always combine deep trust in God and consistent action in the world. It is not the one who claims to have faith, but the one who actually has faith who is saved.
   Someone may ask, “But what if genuine belief never really gets a chance to demonstrate itself in action?” One instance of genuine faith given little time is the case of the thief on the Cross who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 23:32-43). In sight of death, this man acknowledged our Lord Jesus as the Christ. Did even this man’s short-lived, genuine faith lead to real action? Certainly it did! The dying thief said a few words of profound eloquence: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom” (Luke 23:42). The thief could not possibly have known how many times his simple trusting witness during his final agony would give hope to others who felt they were beyond God’s help.
   Most of us have a great deal more time than the thief on the Cross. Do our lives count for as much? Do we declare our faith and then demonstrate its vitality throughout our life?

In Verse 15 describes James gives an example of a hypothetical person who may have been someone in the church fellowship – a brother or sister – who was in real need. To be without food or clothing is to be in a desperate yet all-too-common situation. There is hardly a church today within whose walls there are not persons who live without adequate food and shelter.

In Verse 16 describes that there is something could be done for this needy person. There would be plenty of clothes and food in the fellowship to care for this person, but the person was sent away empty-handed, with a prayer over his head, but no clothing on his back or food in his stomach.
Too often, we in the church offer mere words – prayers, advice, encouragement – when we are being called upon to act. The need is obvious, and the resources are not lacking, yet the help is not given. “What good does that do?” James asks. Faith that does not result in actions is no more effective than a pious wish for the poor person to be warmed and fed. Words without action accomplish nothing.

In Verse 17 describes and explains that a conviction or intellectual belief that refuses to obey the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ is unprofitable – it is dead. Good deeds are the fruit of living faith. If there are no positive actions, then the professed faith is no faith at all – it is dead and useless. The right actions prove our faith to be real faith. Believing involves faith keeping company with action. If those around us note our actions, they should be led to know the faith that motivates them. If others hear us speak of faith, they must also see us act out that faith.

Again, Joy is the uncontainable expression of our faith. Joy is a direct result of our willing service to others. When we see anyone in need of our ministry and fail to help that person, we lose the opportunity to experience joy. The fullest joy comes to us when we know that we have been the agents of God in creating a better life for those needy souls whom God has placed in our way.

God creates life – our lives and the lives of those needy souls to whom He calls us to minister. But the joy that belongs to us cannot develop until we learn to take those lives God has created and give them a better quality of life. Only after we will have taken the time to care will we have earned an honest joy. Caring and healing as Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself did is the shortest path to joy.

The Account of Creation

In Genesis 1:1-5 NLT says, “1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. Then He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.”

Two major and differing translations of Genesis 1:1-2 are believed to be true today. The first reads: “When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth was formless and empty.” This translation focuses on the state of the earth before God began the creative activity that is recorded in the Genesis account. Those who accept this translation believe that God’s historical involvement with creation began after the earth already existed in a formless and empty state. That is, the earth was formless and empty, and then God began to create. According to this view, Genesis does not address how the earth originally came into existence in its formless and empty state, but what God did with a world already in existence.
The second translation reads: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was empty, a formless mass. . . .” This traditional translation teaches that God created everything out of nothing. Therefore, His first step was to create the earth, which prior to that time did not exist, and He created it without form and population (empty). God then proceeded to shape and populate the world He had made as witnessed by the Genesis account.

Although the validity of either translation cannot be proven by grammar and syntax alone, the second translation is preferred for several reasons. First of all, a literary comparison of “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genensis 1:1) and “This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 2:4a) supports the idea that Genesis 1:1 is the first part of a literary framework within which the creation account is presented. Genesis 2:4a stands as the closing phrase for this literary unit and it refers backward, not forward, ending the account of creation begun at Genesis 1:1.

This framework with its beginning and ending statements substantiates the argument for Genesis 1:1 (“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”) being independent of Genesis 1:2 (“The earth was empty, a formless mass”) and standing alone as a comprehensive statement of God’s creative work. Genesis 1:1 is a title that refers to the whole creative process described in Genesis 1:2–2:3. It is not a simple introduction that notes when God began to create. Literary form supports the conclusion that Genesis 1:1 is an independent and general statement of God’s total creative activity from its start to its Sabbath wholeness.

Another argument supporting the second translation points out that the phrase “heavens and the earth,” in Genesis 1:1, functions much like the English idioms “A to Z” or “top to bottom.” It is a phrase that covers not only the “heaven” and the “earth,” but everything in between as well. This reveals that God created, that He created in the beginning, and that His creative work involved the heavens, the earth and everything in between.

God created light so that a cold world could orbit a distant sun and find its silver track warm enough to sustain life. He created light so that lasers, super-novae, and galaxies could all proclaim themselves. He created light to warm and illuminate all things cold and dark.

But light is not merely a physical energy form. Light represents the spirituality of God. He created light because darkness is hopeless stuff. He created light so that despair will have no place to hide. When God said, “Let there be light,” the Angels must have broken into glad hallelujahs. For when there is light, the natural response of all who behold it is joy. Joy cannot survey the marvels of anything God has created and keep silent. AMEN!

Prayer is the key that unlocks and reveals faith. Effective prayer needs both an attitude of complete dependence and the action of asking. Prayer demonstrates complete reliance on God. Thus, there is no substitute for prayer, especially in situations that seem impossible.

So, let our hearts and minds in tune with God, in the power of God, the Holy Spirit. Let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. We as Born-Again Christians have been tried and cleansed, we have moved freely into a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ that is more powerful than it was before our trials. We are at home in the presence and fellowship of God, for we are heirs with our Lord Jesus Christ, more like Him that we could ever have dreamed possible. So, let’s continuously and persistently pray for God’s perfect will be done. Amen!

The principle is that no one has anything of value to bring to God in order to deserve salvation, mercy, justification, or even a second glance from God. The proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored. Acceptance before God cannot be achieved by good deeds, piety, or any amount of self-proclaimed righteousness.

Let’s never get over the effect of God’s saving transformation on people’s lives. People who were lost in sin, filled with anger and bitterness, give up their hatred and become approachable as we have studied and learned last time. That is, of course, why we minister to others. Those of us who minister are not people to whom love, gentleness and self-control comes naturally. We are people who have been remodeled by grace. We thankfully leave our old natures far behind as we embrace gentleness and self-control, the agape love of God, and in our treatment of others. Amen!

Sunday by Sunday as we come to worship, let me encourage our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ, and I want my readers and listeners to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because all, we as Born-Again Christian believers are strong in certain areas and weak in others, we constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others.

In these JOY Series of Podcast, we will learn the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

• To understand and appreciate the creation of God
• Learn how to acquire a positive attitude
• To receive and experience the reward of endurance
• To focus on the higher reality and experience God’s presence

We need to understand that love is the first characteristic of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is well placed at the head of the list, for it permeates all the rest of the attributes. Somehow, if we live a life of love, the other virtues will attend us all the days of our lives. Love is the key that unlocks the entire fruit basket of Galatians 5:22-23, as well as permeating 1 Corinthians 13.

Three (3) Questions we can answer from these Sources: The Bible and Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Observation: What do these passages say to you?

Interpretation: What do these passages mean to you?

Application: How do the meaning of these passages apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer, please take a look of one of our ministries, “An Invitation To Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

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Suggested Prayer: Father God, we come into your presence in our Lord Jesus Christ name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for Your agape love and forgiveness you have done on the Cross of Calvary, and continue to intercede for us in prayer. Thank you Holy Spirit as our Helper and Comforter. Thank you for the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage and strength. We cling, yield, plug-in and tune-in to you Holy Spirit to help us understand God’s Words, obey them, receive Your divine revelation, know the Truth that sets us free, and apply them in our lives, in our Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!

God bless you all and our families!

In Malachi 3:10-12 AMPC says, “10 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it”, says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” [Malachi 2:2.] 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruits before the time in the field,” says the Lord of hosts. 12 “And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight”, says the Lord of hosts.

If the people would obey God, giving as they should, God would flood His people with blessings. There would be an overabundance of God’s blessing if He was given what He requested.