Motives And Values

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.  John 6:40 NASB

It’s been a deep week, I’ve been home since Sunday night feeling to be honest fairly under the weather - and so felt really grateful for a warm house and the audio version of the NIV Bible on my phone and I was praying about many different things, for many different people, and my own requests and in the midst of off schedule napping I’d catch glimpses of news headlines - ouch - what a cold time it is out there on the surface level of our world - when I read the Bible I feel on fire for God! So ready to share Jesus with anyone God puts on my path! But I was also sombre, thinking about people who are presenting their way with argument, belligerence - basically uncivil - which then of course Holy Spirit checks my spirit because my thoughts could very well have followed down that dark alley - instead He reminded me that Civility is the invitation and commission of God. 

In prayer I asked how can we, as Christians, be civil people in an uncivil time?

How? Because civility is found in the fruit of the Spirit! Hallelujah! 

And for further clarification the Bible describes incivility in:

Galatians 5:19-21 NASB Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

And then by His mercy God guides us, corrects us through His Bible with the best description of civility taught in the verses that follow in:

Galatians 5:22-26 NASB But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

If we are to be people of civility, clearly, we need to be people who welcome, accept, and receive Holy Spirit within us and throughout every aspect of our spiritual and earthly life!!

It’s good to note that "fruit" is singular in these verses —these are nine manifestations of the one "fruit" !!! Holy Spirit at work in our lives - And more importantly they are Holy Spirit's "fruit," not ours. 

We are not called to try harder to make more fruit. Rather, we are to stay surrendered to Holy Spirit so He can produce His fruit in and through us.

Philippians 2:12-16 NASB So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

The urgency of living lives that matter for eternity is underlined by Christ’s words that He is coming soon. He is returning to reward His servants and settle His accounts. 

Revelation 22:10-13 NASB And he *said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.” “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

The rewards and punishments that Jesus will hand out are based on more than what we do – what we believe. Our actions and our words testify to our true motives and values. 

The accountability of knowing that our actions and lives we live out will be evaluated and either judged or rewarded, must change how we live. Knowing God’s ways and priorities becomes essential, literally life saving for us, our families, our friends, our enemies, neighbours across the street, acquaintances at the grocery store, strangers across the continent!