225) The seeds and the fruits

In 2Corinthians 9:10, now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness. (King James Version)  

When the seed of God’s words receives the spiritual water of love and the nutrients, it is ready to flower. When it applies into our daily lives naturally, it bears the fruits. There is the beautiful aroma of Christians, who have contained the spiritual seeds in their hearts and practices them into their lives. They cultivate the fields of their hearts with God’s words, praises and prayers. Their words and actions are from Holy Spirit. It is the spiritual water and the bread.    

When a doctor says something and behaves as a doctor, it is true and natural. Until people recognize this habit, he has been trained for many years. Whether people see him or not, he has walked one way. The reason that others cannot imitate the attitude of the expert easily is to take a long time with the practices. There is the scent of people who have received the clinical training for many years. Nobody resembles this character for one day.    

There are the characters that are trustworthy, sincere, true and heavy. There are some others that are hot-tempered, light and double-minded. I wonder the correlation between the characters and the foods. If some people eat the fast foods in a hurry, do they influence their attitude of lives? If some eat the slow foods in a tempo of largo, do they give an effect to their lifestyle? If some eat the fast foods slowly or some eat the natural foods speedily, what effect exists?  

I think that there is the meaning of the masticatory movements and the appreciation. If someone eats something in a hurry, there is the difference of the time between the brain’s satisfaction and the stomach’s satisfaction. The brain might feel hungry still. After you eat the spiritual foods, it needs the process of the meditation and the application. The input of God’s words with love and the output with the fruits of lives has the harmony. It has the good quality.

224) The covenant

In Hebrews 10:16, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the LORD, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. (King James Version).  

It is the covenant of love between the LORD and us. The baptism is the holy marriage to keep faithful. The words from the Lord are the compass for our lives. It is meaningful when we apply them into our daily lives. We exist in the history of God’s eternal love. We find our true identity in this relationship. God is our spiritual anchor, home and refuge.  

I saw the movie of [The vow]. The title and the poster were in my favor. In the sky, there was a beautiful couple that looked at each other in love. It was based on the true story. It dealt with the memory of love. Even though she forgot this memory, his faithful love has kept the vow of love forever. In this modern society, this pure love is rare and precious. So, it touches the audience. The main character’s eyes are true, pure and right.  

This beautiful couple vowed in the wedding. The contents of the vow were sincere and good. Furthermore, the better part was that Leo has kept this vow actually after the accident. He has fulfilled the covenant of love in the hardest time. Because of the accident, her spirit lost the way, the home and the identity. Just as a computer erased the particular files of the recent four years, her mind forgot the memory of true love with Leo. Her unconsciousness remembered the bond of old family. The time setting was back to the moments that she lived with her parents. She needed to arrange her mental confusion.    

In Genesis 2:24, therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. In order to become a new family, a man and a woman leave the bond of old family. With the love from God, they keep the covenant and establish their sweet relationship.  

223) The natural treasures from God

In Exodus 28:17~19, and thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. (King James Version).  

In Old Testament, the priest wore the robe that these 12 treasures were embedded in the breast. They presented 12 tribes. It meant that the priest embraced the spirits of 12 tribes and cherished them as the jewels from God. These 12 treasures appeared again in Revelation. The priest was the representative of God’s heart. So, his heart contained 12 tribes. The location of the breast meant the heart.  

I believe that God embedded a treasure in everybody. Someone can find a sapphire in his left brain. Someone has a diamond in his right brain. Someone has a ruby in her heart. Someone has an agate in her hands. Someone has an amethyst in her appearance. When a miner discovers diamonds, gold and treasures, he requires the delicate insight, the careful investigation and the exact observation. Just like that, when we find our treasures inside or outside, it needs the accurate research for a long time.  

If the case is the glided appearance, it can be detected easily in the earlier days. However, there are many cases to find other treasures inside. In this case, it will take long time. Even they cannot recognize their own merit by themselves. The close people who have the wisdom, the discernment and the insight can tell them about their beautiful merits. Usually, elders, a sweetheart, teachers, mentors, parents and friends take charge of this role.  

When a rabbit dwells in the group of rabbits, it does not know that it has the peculiar ability to hear with the big ears. When a brilliant person is in the group of the very smart people, he/she does not know the talent sometimes. To know the natural treasure is the way to find a vision and a direction of life.  

222) The righteousness

In Psalm 145:8, the Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

In Proverbs 14:29, He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. (King James Version).    

Since God hates the sin, the wicked, the unfaithful and the falsehood, He is slow to anger sometimes. He corrects the creatures’ words and behaviors. Because God is perfect, holy and righteous, He has the right to judge between the good and the evil. When people point out others’ faults, the basic condition is their exemplary lives as the light and the salt. Then, there is the power of the sincerity. People who have lived their lives honestly in front of God’s eyes have the right to be slow to the righteous wrath in the LORD.    

There are the righteous occupations like the judge, the soldiers, the officers, and the security guard. They are the side of the righteousness and fight against the evil doers. Their minds have the right value system. Their words and actions have the clear standard with the courage. The priority is the armor of the spirit. If they share the common ground of the unrighteousness and are delighted with the injustice, they have no right to be slow to anger. Their swords are useless.    

In Genesis 39, 7~9, and it came to pass after these things, that is his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I, neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou are his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? At the critical moment, Joseph remembered God’s existence.    

God commanded us to become peacemakers. However, it means the peace in the righteousness with God. For Joseph rejected the plea of master’s wife, he stirred up her disorder. Sometimes, people confront the situation to choose one between the righteousness with the war and the compromise with the fake peace. There is one right choice for the holiness.  

221) The sequential process

In Luke 9:24, for whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.  

In Galatians 2:20, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (King James Version).  

There is the order. After the cross, there is the resurrection. When we crucify our secular desires, we can receive Holy Spirit from Our God. Usually, people say that we lose something when we gain something. Would you see the case of Job in Old Testament? He received the blessings in his earlier days. Suddenly, he lost all things, including his family, the wealth and the health. He experienced the bottom, the futility and the empty space in his spirit, heart and home. After he realized the existence of God’s unfailing love, he received the double portions.  

There is the sequential process. It does not mean that we gain one and lose one, but we lose one and gain one. What is the difference? The previous procedure includes the steps of one factor, two factors and one factor. There is no experience of the emptiness. Because they have no time to feel the absence, they are lacking in the time for the introspection. They do not take care of the status of their spirits. During the process, they just learn the greed to grasp two things at the same time. They avoid the tranquil time to reflect his spirit in front of God alone.  

The latter procedure includes the steps of one factor, zero and one factor. There is the experience of the emptiness, the bottom, the humility, the limit and the rest. They have the time for the self-examination in front of God’s eyes. They confront God’s existence alone. They do not afraid of the situation that they have nothing except God’s eternal love. After we empty out our spirits, God sanctifies it and pours Holy Spirit into us. The faith requires our whole hearts and lives. After we lose our old secular lives, we can gain the new spiritual lives from God.    

220) Love and faithfulness

In Psalm 85:10, mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (King James Version).    

God taught us about the wisdom of the balance. It meant the mercy with truth, the righteousness with the peace and love with faithfulness. If someone shows the mercy without the truth, it will not last long. If someone displays the truth without the mercy, he might become a cool machine without a heart. The love without faithfulness is the passion. The faithfulness without love is the coldness. There is the big difference of the temperature.    

The difference between the love and the passion is the source. The love is from the true heart with the responsibility. The passion is from the instinct without the self-control. There is no focus, no direction and no faithfulness. The distinctive feature is the excessiveness. It is like a car without the brakes. The true love considers a lover’s heart, mind and situation prudently. It includes the loyalty and the faithfulness for a long time. A good couple knows the proper balance in the LORD.    

For a short, it is love without faithfulness = passion.  

It is faithfulness without love = machine.        

There are some combinations of these people. It becomes the relationship between a master and a slave. The passionate people do whatever they want. The robotic people follow any commandments. Finally, some are satisfied with their desires. Some should endure everything in silence. Some are delighted with the power to control others. Some cannot enjoy the tranquil freedom. When the excessive emotional people meet the cold rational people, this relationship might start.    

Love with faithfulness and righteousness with peace is the basic foundation. After that, they respect each other’s opinion and the proper freedom in the calm peace, this healthy relationship can continue for a long time.   

219) Satisfaction

In Proverbs 19:23, the fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. (King James Version).  

Christians have the spiritual well that will not get dry forever. We are satisfied with His love, faithfulness, words and instructions. We are wealthy spiritually. Before we ask the help for God, our sincere gratitude for the previous provisions is the first. The righteous God gave us the same amount of the happiness and the suffering. Everybody has the merit and the weakness. All circumstances have the excellence and the problems. People who can feel happy here and now are the blessed.  

Some people who are hungry might think that the wealth can solve all the problems. If they become rich, they will find another problem. Top positions require the tremendous patience, the self-control and the wise decision. It needs the strong spiritual muscle to endure the vast psychological pressure. It is not easy work to reach an agreement for the contrary characters, the diverse hopes and every position.    

Usually, when a beggar approaches to people for a help, they become stingy. Sometimes, they give a small gift to their superiors. In fact, their bosses do not ask for a gift nor need it desperately. I know that it is the expression of the gratitude. When people give the money to a beggar, we do not call it as the bribe. The bribe means that someone gives the excessive amount to the powerful from the dishonest motive. The difference between a gift and a bribe is whether there is a heart that expects the reward or not.  

Materials, heart, love and dolls are sent to a star that does not need them. There is no doll to the orphanage. To some people who are satisfied with the present situation, many things are accumulated. To some people who have the hungry heart to ask for something always, nothing follows them. To trust in God with the satisfaction is the first.