Today's Conviction Comes from Galatians

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, OUTBURSTS OF ANGER, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21 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.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (see Romans 6)
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (see again Romans 6)

So, today I was studying Matt. 5:5 "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth."

The definition of gentle, in and of itself, it convicting to me. I know some of you who are in our Monday night class read this, so I won't blow it for you by giving you the defintion. However, in some of your translations it will say meek..so we'll just go with gentle and meek for now. (There's much more when you dig deep into word study, though...so I encourage you to do that.)

I started thinking this morning about Jesus and children.

He was so gentle with them when He was here on the earth. He's still gentle with them, through His presence in their lives by His Spirit.

Children just "get" that He loves them, don't they? They don't over analyze it. They don't question His love. They may question who He is; where He is; why they can't see Him; what He's like...but they don't question that He loves them.

I thought of His example of gentleness this morning, and am quite convicted that mine pales in comparison..but it's not supposed to be that way.

Can you even begin to IMAGINE Him yelling at one of the children in the picture above?!

I am supposed to walk by the Spirit, and then the fruit of the Spirit will be what pours forth from my life.

I think of how quick to anger I can be, when the word says I am to be slow to anger. I think about the fact that I do have outbursts of anger, when the word says that acting like that is not of God..rather is a deed of the flesh, which has been crucified with Christ!

I am convicted by how easy it is to look good to others, yet must ask myself what my children see in me?

When it's all said and done, that's what's most important...am I walking the walk I talk in my everyday homelife?

If it's God's Spirit by which we live, then it must be His Spirit by which we live every moment..every choice.

Now I must go...my babies are awake, and I need to make up for some lost time.

This morning is going to be couch cuddle homeschooling morning. :)

Please pray for me in this area that the Lord wants to work in my life. There is much to be worked on, unfortunately.

Thank you!

In Him,

Jes