Beginning this spring, I have been working on a Beth Moore study on the Fruits of the Spirit. My sister had given it to me as a birthday gifts years ago, when I was a nursing student. With so many things to read and so much homework to do, I chose not to do it other than the first few lessons.
A couple of weeks ago I finished the study. I was hoping once I finished the end, the one on self control, I would actually have acquired some! That's the thing; you can learn about the Bible all you want, but if you don't actually apply it to your life, you are like the man who looks in the mirror and immediately forgets what he looks like.
I did learn a lot from the study and I will be rereading the materials soon I think. Now I am studying Hebrews with a group of ladies at a local church near my house on Tuesday mornings. For me Bible study is energizing and inspiring. I enjoy singing and praying with the ladies who attend and the fellowship of believers from all different churches is amazing!
As I read today in Jesus Calling, in devotion to Jesus there is a danger of it turning into "another form of works" (Sarah Young, 270). We must come into the presence of God "joyfully and confidently" for we have "nothing to fear" (Young, 270). Perfect love, drives out all fear, because fear has to do with punishment.
As believers, we will be held accountable before Jesus for how we lived our lives. However, Jesus forgives us all our sins and failures. At the Great White Throne, he will give us our rewards for the things we did in this world to help others and advance his kingdom. Some of the things we did from impure motives or mistakenly will merely be burned like straw or stubble. We will all be judged by the quality of our craftmanship. I think I want to build with stone, mortar, gold, and costly stones. What about you?
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