Childlike Godliness is GENTLENESS

The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

Podcast Episode: The Fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT – GENTLENESS #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]

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 in the LOVE Chapter of the book in the Bible – New Testament – 1 Corinthians 13.

In John 14:6-7 NLT says, “6 Jesus told him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me. 7 If you had really known Me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!”

In John 3:16-17 NLT says, “16 “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.”

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Love God, Love People, and Make Disciples,

Pastor Elias Aguilar Busuego Jr PhD DTM

Founding Pastor – Home Fellowship Churches – https://homefellowshipchurches.org

trinityblessings@homefellowshipchurches.org is inviting you to scheduled Zoom meetings.

The Lord Speaks to Samuel

In 1 Samuel 3:1-10 NLT says, “1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. 2 One-night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So, he did. 6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”
Again, Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”
7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. 8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So, Samuel went back to bed. 10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

In Verse 1 describes the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli – Samuel’s age cannot be determined by the Hebrew na’ar, which means lad, and could apply to an early teenager. Josephus, the Jewish historian writing in the first century A.D., says he was twelve. Whether an office of assistant had been specially assigned him, or it arose from the interest inspired by the story of his birth, Eli kept him as his immediate attendant. There would be many housekeeping tasks in a sanctuary visited constantly by worshipers. Or he might be compared to a page or acolyte. the word of the LORD WAS PRECIOUS IN THOSE DAYS; THERE WAS NO OPEN VISION – The Hebrew word haz“n is a common word for prophetic vision (Isaiah 1:1; Daniel 1:17; Obadiah 1:1). “Open” (Hebrew nifrats) means “ordained” (McKane), i.e., from God. This suggests that there were false visions (Jeremiah 14:14; 23:16). Only two prophets are mentioned as having appeared during the entire period of the Judges (Judges 4:4; 6:8). The rarity of authentic vision and the lack of prophets whom the people could consult and from whom they might learn the will of God, caused Samuel’s vision to attract all the greater attention.

In Verse 3 describes the temple – Hebrew, hˆkhal, can be rendered either “temple” or “palace”; here it applies to the tabernacle, since the temple had not yet been built (“Palace,” “temple,” NBD). The tabernacle or tent that sheltered the Ark had been transformed into a more permanent edifice, called the “temple,” since the Israelites were no longer nomads (Mauchline). Ark – Above the Ark is where the Lord manifests His presence and issues His commandments (cf. Exodus 25:22). The Ark housed the two tablets containing the Decalogue. For its physical aspects, see Exodus 25:10-22. Atop the Ark stood two figures called cherubim; between their outspread wings was the “throne” (sometimes called the “footstool”) of the Lord.

The Ark of God was kept in the Most Holy Place, the innermost room of the Tabernacle where only the high priest could enter once a year. In front of the Most Holy Place was the Holy Place, a small room where the other sacred furniture of the Tabernacle was kept (the altar of incense, the Bread of the Presence, the lampstand). Just outside the Holy Place was a court with small rooms where the priests were to stay. Samuel probably slept here with the other priests, only a few yards away from the Ark.

In Verse 5 describes Samuel ran unto Eli, and said, “Here am I” – It is clear from the action that this is not a dream. It is implied that Samuel and Eli slept in adjoining chambers, and that Samuel was accustomed to being called during the night, perhaps because of Eli’s encroaching blindness (1 Samuel 3:2). The three successive calls addressed to the boy convinced Eli of the divine character of the speaker. So, Eli urged Samuel to respond directly to God’s voice the next time.

Although God had spoken directly and audibly with Moses and Joshua, His word became rare during the three centuries of rule by judges. By Eli’s time, no prophets were speaking God’s messages to Israel. Why? Look at the attitude of Eli’s sons. They either refused to listen to God or allowed greed to get in the way of any communication with Him.

Listening and responding is vital in a relationship with God. Although God does not always use the sound of a human voice, He always speaks clearly through His Word. To receive His messages, we must be ready to listen and to act upon what He tells us. Like Samuel, be ready to say “Here I am” when God calls us to action. Amen!

One would naturally expect an audible message from God to be given to the priest Eli and not to the child Samuel. Eli was older and more experienced, and he held the proper position. But God’s chain of command is based on faith, not on age or position. In finding faithful followers, God may use unexpected channels. Be prepared for the Lord to work at any place, at any time, and through anyone He chooses. Amen!

Promises of Israel Restoration

In Isaiah 49:14-15 NLT says, 14 Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us.” 15 “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!”

The people of Israel felt that God had forsaken them in Babylon; but Isaiah pointed out that God would never forget them, as a loving mother would not forget her little child. When we feel that God has forsaken us, we must ask if we have forsaken and forgotten God (see Deuteronomy 31:6).

Gentleness is God’s demeanor in all of the tender ways He relates to us. The prophet’s metaphor here is that of a nursing mother. Can a mother forget her child? Never! But, says the prophet, even she does forget, God will never forget us. God is tender – He is gentle in His relationships to all His children. It is God’s purpose to counter the heinous crimes of tyrants with gentleness. The world is all too often a brutal and ugly place, but God steps into the world’s terror and horror and gently reminds us of His purpose. Amen!

Our Lord Jesus Christ Feeds Five Thousand

In John 6:1-13 NLT says, “1 After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A huge crowd kept following Him wherever He went, because they saw His miraculous signs as He healed the sick. 3 Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with His disciples around Him. 4 (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) 5 Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for Him. Turning to Philip, He asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” 6 He was testing Philip, for He already knew what He was going to do. 7 Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!” 8 Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. 9 “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” 10 “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So, they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered 5,000.) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward He did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. 12 After everyone was full, Jesus told His disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” 13 So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

Our Lord Jesus Christ crossed over the Sea of Galilee, a great body of water (which is actually a lake, thirteen miles by seven miles) given the name the Sea of Tiberias by Herod Antipas in honor of the Roman emperor Tiberias in A.D. 20.

In Verses 2-4 describes our Lord Jesus Christ was popular, and a huge crowd kept following Him, mainly because of His miracles as He healed the sick. Presumably to continue teaching, our Lord Jesus Christ went up into the hills (the Sea of Galilee is surrounded by hills) and sat down with His disciples. John mentions three Passover celebrations in this Gospel: the first in John 2:13 (when our Lord Jesus Christ was in Jerusalem), the second here (when our Lord Jesus Christ remained in Galilee), and the third in John 12:12 (when our Lord Jesus Christ went to Jerusalem and was crucified shortly thereafter).

In Verses 5-6 describe the crowds followed our Lord Jesus Christ right up into the hills. As our Lord Jesus Christ saw them, He asked Philip where they should buy bread to feed all these people. If anyone knew where to get food, Philip would because he was from Bethsaida, a town about nine miles away (John 1:44). Our Lord Jesus Christ was testing Philip to strengthen His faith. By asking for a human solution (knowing that there was none), our Lord Jesus Christ highlighted the powerful and miraculous act that He was about to perform.

John clues us in: our Lord Jesus Christ was testing Philip, for He already knew what He was going to do. In usual use, the word “test” (peirazo) has a neutral meaning. It refers to a proving experience like our Lord Jesus Christ’s testing in the wilderness or Abraham’s test over the sacrifice of Isaac. In all these cases, God allowed the test to occur, not expecting failure, but placing the person in a situation where his or her faith might grow stronger. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not want Philip to miss what He was about to do.

In Verses 7-9 describe what Philip realized that with the number of people climbing in their direction, it would take a small fortune to feed them. But, in fact, Philip did not really answer our Lord Jesus Christ’s question. The Lord had asked him to consider where they could get food; Philip responded with what he perceived as the larger problem – the money it would take to supply the food.

At this point, Andrew (who is usually presented in the Gospels as Simon Peter’s brother and takes a subordinate position to him) took advantage of an opportunity to join the discussion. Apparently, a young boy who had overheard the conversation pulled out his lunch and made it available. It was Andrew who inadvertently answered our Lord Jesus Christ’s original question. He pointed out that the only available food was the boy’s lunch: five barley loaves and two fish. (Barley loaves and fish were food for the poor.) Then Andrew added the disclaimer: “But what good is that with this huge crowd?” Whether Andrew was speaking in humor or hyperbole, we can’t be sure, but we can be fairly certain that he did not expect what followed.

In Verses 10-13 describe what was offered was enough for our Lord Jesus Christ. He told the disciples to have everyone sit down. The men (the Greek word means “male individuals”) numbered five thousand. So, with women and children, there were many more. Then our Lord Jesus Christ took the loaves, gave thanks, and passed them out to the people. The fish were also distributed in like manner. After all, had eaten and were full, they still had leftovers; the disciples filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over. This miracle and these leftovers reveal our Lord Jesus Christ once again as the all-sufficient Lord. Our needs and problems are not obstacles to Him, for His abundant power transcends any need or problem we place before Him. Amen!

True Wisdom Comes from God

In James 3:13-18 NLT says, “13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”

The truly wise person demonstrates his or her understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ by the way he or she lives. Our works show where our hearts are invested (Matthew 6:19-21, 33). Do our attitudes and motives match our actions? While we may not claim to be wise, we can aim at living in wise ways – a life of steady goodness. The guidance given to us in God’s word is dependable wisdom. But as we seek to do good deeds, we must watch out for pride. Pride is having an attitude of self-importance about the talents and abilities that God has given us and using them to set ourselves up as superior or to be divisive in our relationships with others. Wisdom, then, involves both actions and attitudes in living. A wise life will display not only goodness, but also humility.

In Verse 14 describes that being bitterly jealous is misguided zeal that results in contentiousness. It is anger at the accomplishments of others. Whenever we find fault with a leader, we must ask ourselves what is motivating us to feel strongly about that person’s failure. Do we actually share the same weakness? Do we imagine ourselves doing better in that role? Or are we, in fact, simply envious of the abilities or success God has allowed him or her to have? A positive answer to any of these oughts/duties/obligations to make us very careful in how we express our criticisms.

Here and in Philippians 2:3, selfish ambition refers to leaders in the church and/or fellowship who are developing a “party spirit.” This produces factions who are for or against the pastor or certain programs, who take sides on issues not necessarily central to the Christian faith. Selfish ambition is the desire to live for one’s self and no one or nothing else, only for what a person can get out of it. In an attempt to persuade others, the person may lose his/her sense of reason and become fanatical. Having confidence in only his/her knowledge, he/she arrogantly lords it over others. Such a person should not brag about being wise for that is the worst kind of lie.

In James Chapter 3 and Verse 15 describes the source and standards of this kind of wisdom are from the world and not God. Its teachers are self-centered and shallow. This wisdom doesn’t come from faith – it is earthly and unspiritual. “Unspiritual” could refer to the natural man. The term for unspiritual is used in the New Testament for the person who does not have God’s Spirit (James 3:15), or does not accept the guidance that comes from the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). This person teaches only the wisdom of this life, based on human feelings and human reasoning alone. The real source of these thoughts is the Devil whose purposes are always destructive; they can produce a climate in the church/fellowship, at home, and at work that damages relationships. Think of how quickly our words, language, and tone of voice can create a destructive climate (not Climate Change), LOL!.

In Verse 17 describes that people filled with jealousy and selfish ambition think they must be first in everything. They cannot stand to see anyone else in the limelight, or have anyone else cast a shadow on what they do. This leads to desires and strategies for revenge that can lead to disaster. By contrast, the following seven (7) characteristics of heavenly wisdom are strung together like pearls. They are what wisdom is and produces.

1. The wisdom that comes from heaven is . . . pure. To be fruitful for God, we must have moral and spiritual integrity.
2. It is also peace loving. This is peace that goes beyond inner peace; it is opposed to strife. It is peace between people, and between people and God. It must be peace that affects the community. Christians must not only prefer peace, but they should also seek to spread it.
3. It is gentle at all times. This is the opposite of self-seeking. It does not demand its own right. To be gentle is to make allowances for others, to temper justice with mercy. It is the kind of treatment that we would like to receive from others.
4. This wisdom is also willing to yield to others. Heavenly wisdom is reasonable, flexible – willing to listen and to change. Just as good soldiers willingly follow orders from their superiors, people with heavenly wisdom willingly follow God’s orders and respond to His correction.
5. This wisdom is also full of mercy and good deeds. God’s wisdom is full of God’s gracious forgiveness. And His love leads to practical action, helping and serving others. We should be willing to forgive even when the problems we are facing are someone else’s fault.
6. God’s wisdom shows no partiality, meaning single-minded and free from prejudice toward people and without double-mindedness toward God (James 1:5-8).
7. Finally, it is always sincere, meaning “unhypocritical.” God’s wisdom makes people genuine.

Consider the adjectives that James used to describe godly wisdom: “pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” God is gentle, and His gentle wisdom should be our desire. His gentleness is exactly what we need as we minister to others. Amen!

In James 3:18 describes that the Peacemakers are able to plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness. This section gives three (3) suggestions for controlling the tongue:

1. Seek God’s wisdom.
2. Admit jealousy and arrogance without trying to cover them up.
3. Create a climate of peace wherever God leads you.

In Matthew 5:9, our Lord Jesus Christ promises that the peacemakers will be blessed. Their reward will be to see right relationships between God and people. (For more on sowing wisdom and truth and reaping righteousness (see Psalm 1:3; Proverbs 11:30; Galatians 6:7-10; Philippians 1:11.)

We need to feel the impact of these same truths as James in the book of James in the Bible describes situations that are only too true in churches/fellowships today. The quarrels and fights that James observed still characterize the life of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ and seriously hamper the effective communication of the Gospel. Outsiders who look to the church/fellowship as a place of solace and salvation often find it is full of strife. We desperately need God’s wisdom in our churches and/or fellowship.

Heavenly wisdom is imbued with a gentleness that can only be called childlike godliness. Consider the adjectives that James used to describe godly wisdom: “pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” God is gentle, and His gentle wisdom should be our desire. His gentleness is exactly what we need as we minister to others. Amen!

The Healings of the Blind and the Lame by our Lord Jesus Christ How the Children Praise and Worship God by Crying Out It Loud!

In Matthew 21:14-17 NLT says “14 The blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple, and He healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.” But the leaders were indignant. 16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?” “Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’” 17 Then He returned to Bethany, where He stayed overnight.”

It was significant that the blind and the lame came to our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple. Usually, they were excluded from worship in the Temple based on laws stemming from 2 Samuel 5:8. With the coming of the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself welcomed them and healed them there in the Temple. This was also an expected result of the messianic age (Isaiah 35:5). Our Lord Jesus Christ’s actions in the Temple provoked the anger of the religious leaders. The children who were in the Temple were crying out, “Praise God for the Son of David,” echoing the cries made by the crowd along the road to Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9). The religious leaders’ question indicated that they objected to the concept of our Lord Jesus Christ as “the Son of David.” But our Lord Jesus Christ heard what the children were saying and did not stop them, for what they said was true.

With the religious leaders plotting to kill Him, Jerusalem would hardly be a safe place for our Lord Jesus Christ to spend the night. So, when evening came, our Lord Jesus Christ and the disciples left the city and returned to Bethany. Most pilgrims who traveled to Jerusalem for the great feasts found lodging outside the city.

The implication of our Lord Jesus Christ’s Messiahship was heretical to the chief priests and teachers of the law. If the heretics were adults, they could be stoned or burned, but what are we to do with a child heretic? The great thing about Christian truth is its simplicity. Children can celebrate its gentle doctrines as readily as those who are older and sometimes more grudging.

The children want to keep praising our Lord Jesus Christ on that Palm Sunday, but the priests and teachers of the law won’t stand for it. The children have a gentle godliness that comes from innocence-uncorrupted by any ambitious agendas. Children can, indeed, teach us how to worship.

This is a young convert’s assessment of adult theology. Yet, as our Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 11:25, some of the most profound insights are hidden from the scholars and revealed to the children.

But what is the best of all is the gentle praise children offer to our God, our Lord Jesus Christ. It seems as though every Sunday is Palm Sunday to them. They are ever ready to crown our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

So honest and true is their theology that when Karl Barth was asked, “What is the world’s most impressive theological truth?” he replied, “Jesus loves me; this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Amen! I sing this song to my granddaughter all the time.

Now, let’s talk about “Prayer and “Salvation”.

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 (fruit of the Holy Spirit) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 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 the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, the first of the list > 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 FAITHFULLNESS Series of Podcast, we learned the following PURPOSES of this fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT:

• Gives us the idea of forbearance, patience or self-control
• To learn the art of ego displacement
• Helps us to speak of friendliness and cheerfulness
• Learn to humble ourselves like a child
• Know a way of winning others to Christ
• To see that we are considerate in all we do and remember that our Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon
• To receive the healing touch of God

On every Podcast, I always have three (3) questions we can answer from only these two (2) Sources: The Bible and the Guidance of the Holy Spirit. The following are:

First is about our > Observation: What do these passages or Scriptures say to you?

Second is about our own > Interpretation: What do these passages or Scriptures mean to you?

Third is about how we can apply > Application: How do the meaning of these passages or Scriptures apply to you or to your situation?

If you are not sure that you are Born-Again Christian believer or you have relatives, loved ones, friends, neighbors, and people in your circle of influence, please take a look and/or guide them to one of our ministries, “An Invitation to Meet Our Lord Jesus Christ” at https://homefellowshipchurches.org/an-invitation-to-meet-our-lord-jesus-christ/

Let’s give an opportunity for the lost souls to experience on being Born-Again Christian as explained by our Lord Jesus Christ in the book of John 3 in the New Testament of the Bible.

It is as simple as A, B, & C > Admit, Believe, & Confess. All Born-Again Christian believers prayed this simple prayer, we called “Sinner’s Prayer”

“Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge and admit that I am a sinner and I need a Savior. I believe and have faith in Jesus Christ who was born of Virgin Mary, died on the Cross for the penalty of my sins, and rose again that I may have the eternal life. I confess and declare Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord of my life. Please comfort, guide, and help me Holy Spirit to live and grow in my spiritual life according to Your Words, purpose, and perfect will of God, in my Lord Jesus Christ name, Amen!”

If you prayed this, “Sinner’s Prayer” sincerely in your heart, you are Born-Again Christian believer. However, you are a spiritual baby who needs to grow up. (See 1 Peter 2:2). You need to find a church or fellowship to grow spiritually. We are glad to establish or bring the fellowship to your own home if it is safer by appointment.

Now, let me pray for all of you:

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!”

Let’s praise and worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Give all thanks to God for all answered prayers.

Please send your > Praise Reports (answered prayers) and New Prayer Requests via email to: trinityblessings@homefellowshipchurches.org. God bless you all and our families!

A Message to be Blessed:

A Call to Repentance and Be Blessed

In Malachi 3:7-15 AMPC says, “7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’ 8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 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.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse – See 2 Chronicles 31:11; cf. 1 Chronicles 26:20; Nehemiah 10:38; 13:5, 12. If the temple storehouses were empty, it was the people’s fault. God had already blessed them with enough to give a little back to Him.

Instead of destroying our crops (blessings), God would make them come in greater abundance than we had ever imagined possible (Amos 4:9; Haggai 2:19; Zechariah 8:12). The devourer – probably referring to locusts, though the word here is general in meaning (Baldwin). In the Near East, locust swarms are known for their ability to damage huge tracts of agricultural land (see note on Joel 1:4).

A delightsome land – All of the blessings promised to Jacob would come to pass if the people would obey God (Deuteronomy 33:29; Zechariah 8:13). Their land would be a delight to all who saw it (Daniel 8:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:7-12 was the people’s departure from God as reflected by their neglect of tithes and offerings. Two annual tithes were required according to Israelite law – one for the Levites (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:21), and one to be used in worship at the annual feasts in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 14:22). A tithe was required every three years to provide for the needs of the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). There is debate as to whether this tithe for the poor was in addition to or served as a substitute for the tithe used in worship.

The New Testament pattern for tithing is proportionate giving – a person is to give “in relation to what you have earned” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Certainly a tithe should be given proportionate to one’s wealth, but not all proportionate giving is a tithe.

The anticipation of blessing for obedience to God’s command to tithe was based on the Mosaic covenant, which promised blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Malachi 3:10; cf. Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Generally, God will meet the needs of His own people (Psalm 34:9-10; Philippians 4:19), but that is not an unconditional guarantee. There certainly were and are exceptions. Yet, where God chooses not to provide physically, He gives sufficient grace to go without (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The problem in Malachi 3:14-15 was that the people were guilty of arrogant words against God. They were saying, “There is no prophet who is serving God,” and “God is not concerned about justice.” God responded by showing that He did distinguish between the wicked and the righteous. The righteous would be blessed, and the wicked would be judged.

A Call to – Make A Difference – Generous Giving

In 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 NLT says, “1 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in His kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. 3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. 5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. 6 So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. 7 Since you excel in so many ways – in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us – I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. 8 I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches. 9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich. 10 Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. 11 Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. 12 Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. 13 Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. 14 Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. 15 As the Scriptures say, “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.”.

Paul, writing from Macedonia, hoped that news of the generosity of these churches would encourage the Corinthian believers and motivate them to solve their problems and unite in fellowship.

During his third missionary journey, Paul had collected money for the impoverished believers in Jerusalem. The churches in Macedonia – Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea – had given money even though they were poor, and they had sacrificially given more than Paul expected. Although they were poor themselves, they wanted to help. The amount we give is not as important as why and how we give. God does not want us to give grudgingly. Instead, He wants us to give as these churches did – out of dedication to our Lord Jesus Christ, love for fellow believers, the joy of helping those in need, as well as the fact that it was simply the good and right thing to do. How well does your giving measure up to the standards set by the Macedonian churches?

The Kingdom of God spreads through believers’ concern and eagerness to help others. Here we see several churches joining to help others beyond their own circle of friends and their own city. Let’s explore ways that we might link up with a ministry outside our city, either through your church/fellowship or through a Born-Again Christian organization such as Convoy of Hope – The Bridge Church -Hutto, Texas (My adopted local home church). By joining with other believers to do God’s work, we increase Christian unity and help the Kingdom grow. Amen!

The Corinthian believers excelled in everything – they had faith, gifted speakers, knowledge, enthusiasm, and love. Paul wanted them to also be leaders in giving. Giving is a natural response of love. Paul did not order the Corinthians to give, but he encouraged them to prove that their love was real. When we love someone, we want to give that person our time and attention and provide for his or her needs. If we refuse to help, our love is not as genuine as we say.

There is no evidence that our Lord Jesus Christ was any poorer than most first-century Palestinians; rather, our Lord Jesus Christ became poor by giving up His rights as God and becoming human. In His incarnation, God voluntarily became man – the person Jesus of Nazareth. As a man, our Lord Jesus Christ was subject to place, time, and other human limitations. He did not give up His eternal power when He became human, but He did set aside His glory and His rights (see Philippians 2:5-7). In response to the Father’s will, He limited His power and knowledge. Our Lord Jesus Christ became “poor” when He became human because He set aside so much. Yet by doing so, He made us “rich” because we received salvation and eternal life.
What made our Lord Jesus Christ’s humanity unique was His freedom from sin. In our Lord Jesus Christ, we can see every attribute of God’s character. The Incarnation is explained further in these Bible passages: John 1:1-14; Romans 1:2-5; Philippians 2:6-11; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 1:1-3.

The Christians in the Corinthian church had money, and apparently, they had planned to collect money for the Jerusalem church a year previously (see also 2 Corinthians 9:2). Paul challenges them to act on their plans.

Four principles of giving emerge here: (1) Our willingness to give enthusiastically is more important than the amount we give; (2) We should strive to fulfill our financial commitments; (3) If we give to others in need, they will, in turn, help us when we are in need; (4) We should give as a response to our Lord Jesus Christ, not for anything we can get out of it. How we give reflects our devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!