If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care — then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. – (Philippians 2:1-2)

We have so many blessings being in Jesus.

One of those blessings is the fellowship we have based on the Holy Spirit — “being in a community of the Spirit.”

This blessing must change the way we treat each other! As deep-spirited friends — as brothers and sisters in the Spirit — let’s agree to treat each other with loving respect. This commitment will be empowered by the Holy Spirit and becomes even more crucial when relationships are strained and tough.

Being filled with the Spirit is more than just having special power for difficult times and great opportunities; it also means treating those in Christ in ways that honor Christ!

Prayer : O Father, forgive me for the times my selfishness, ego, or prejudice have kept me from displaying the character of the Holy Spirit toward my brothers and sisters in Christ. I ask that you form me more completely into the person you want me to be by the power of your Spirit. May the fruit of the Spirit be present in my life, I pray, in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

I believe in Miracles and dreams that will come true,
And I believe in happiness And friendship, through and through
I believe that when you cry your tears are not in vain,
And when you’re sad and lonely someone knows that you’re in pain.

I believe that when we laugh a sparkle starts to shine,
And before you know these sparks will spread
From more hearts than just mine.
I believe the gifts you have are there for you to share
And when you give them from the heart, the whole world knows you care.

I believe that if you give, even just to one,
That gift will grow in magnitude before the day is done.
I believe that comfort comes from giving part of me,
And if I share with others, there’s more for all so see.
I believe that love is still the greatest gift of all,
And when it’s given from the heart, Love will conquer all.

Three young men were once given three kernels of corn apiece by a wise old sage, who admonished them to go out into the world, and use the corn to bring themselves good fortune.

The first young man put his three kernels of corn into a bowl of hot broth and ate them.

The second thought, I can do better than that, and he planted his three kernels of corn. Within a few months, he had three stalks of corn. He took the ears of corn from the stalks, boiled them, and had enough corn for three meals.

The third man said to himself, I can do better than that! He also planted his three kernels of corn, but when his three stalks of corn produced, he stripped one of the stalks and replanted all of the seeds in it, gave the second stalk of corn to a sweet maiden, and ate the third.

His one full stalk’s worth of replanted corn kernels gave him 200 stalks of corn! And the kernels of these he continued to replant, setting aside only a bare minimum to eat. He eventually planted a hundred acres of corn.With his fortune, he not only won the hand of the sweet maiden but purchased the land owned by the sweet maiden’s father. And he never hungered again.

——————————- ———————————– —————————–

The more you give, the more you get. However that should NOT be the reason for your giving.

It is possible to give freely to GOD and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. – (Proverbs 11:24)

The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. – (Proverbs 11:25)