MARKS OF A HAPPY CHURCH!

MARKS OF A HAPPY CHURCH!

Gal 5:22-23 KJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Whenever the church is functioning well you know that the Holy Spirit is working freely. When each member of the fellowship is yielded then you will find a happy church.

LOVE! There are so many ways to say “I love you” that if you aren’t listening carefully you might miss it. Someone said to me: “I always pray that you will have the good sense to take care of yourself!” Now if you aren’t listening carefully you miss the true meaning of this comment. It was said with a smile and followed up with a hug and just so that we understand one another, I love you too.

JOY! Electric, exuberant joy is the result of having nothing that stands between you and God. All sins have been identified, repented of and forgiven. Songs once lazily sung are now sung with great enthusiasm. We’re not sure why or how this happened but we like it.

PEACE! Sometimes the thing that you had once taken for granted becomes a greater treasure than something greatly longed for. Sometimes we ask God for something and He says “no” because He knows that what we already have is better. All that is needed is a change of perspective. Peace is the end of struggle with a God who knows better.

LONGSUFFERING! When the Spirit moves in there is a greater capacity to endure little irritations. We press ahead without grumbling. We see sinners as victims of their own choices and we desire to help them and not to quickly condemn them.

GENTLENESS! I can hardly think of gentleness without thinking of mother’s love. It is tenderness that can’t be detached from love. It is love in action. It soothes the fevered brow and quiets the crying child. It is not offensive. This is present when the Spirit moves in.

GOODNESS! Goodness is doing right and making wise choices. When applied to a relationship goodness intends to benefit and to build up the other.

FAITH! When the Spirit moves in suddenly it is easier to believe in happy endings! Our mind sees a troubled person, adds a large helping of God to the recipe and stirs. Viola! A happy ending takes place. Faith takes a chance on thrown away souls and wins the jackpot.

MEEKNESS! Mr. Vine says that meekness is: “an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God. It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting;”

(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

TEMPERANCE! Ah, self control needs the help of the Spirit but when the Spirit speaks the flesh has to hush. The revived soul is now able to say yes to troublesome duties and no to questionable desires.

Dear Lord, today let the fruit of the spirit grow in me abundantly. AMEN