Continuing to Grow in Holiness is the Key to Great Peace and Joy

1 John 4:18-19

" 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because He first loved us.…"

All marriage problems come from fear, fear of losing what we personally want, and fear someone else will be in control.

Fear is at the root of all conflict. When someone refuses to discuss a matter to resolve a problem it is always their fear of having to admit their own fault in the matter, fear of being viewed as weak for having to confess their flaws.

All pride is due to fear. When we have love we do not fear how others view us but we do care what God thinks of our actions and attitudes. He is more important to us than how others view us or treat us.

When we are driven by the love of God it is a small matter to admit we failed at something, it is cleansing producing a growth spurt in us that will last an eternity.

We are not likely to repeat sins and flaws that we have had to face to be cleansed. The cleansing, the clear conscience as well as peace and joy that come from the cleansing bring great strides in our spiritual growth.

1 John 1:9 "

"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

James 1:4-6 "…4Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.…"

In our elderly years, we ought not to be battling the same sins and bad attitudes we did when we were in our youth. If we have not grown emotionally and spiritually into mature human beings then we have not been confessing to be cleansed.

1 Corinthians 13:11 " 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways."

Growing in humility, and all the other fruit of the Spirit takes constant attention to our own attitudes in confession to be cleansed. A lifetime of confession and cleansing will grow us into mature human beings that are a witness to those around us when we pass from this world.

We ought to be growing more in all the fruit of the Spirit. We are never too old to begin again if we have stagnated.

Fruit of the Spirit:

"Galatians 5:22-23

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.

Sure God can Use Sinful People But They will have the Consequences

God may use the sinful thing you do to glorify Himself but He will punish you for the sin you did. Think about it a little!

Friendships are Special and Should be on the Same Path

Proverbs 22:24 "Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:"

Proverbs 22:10 "10 Drive out the mocker, and conflict will depart; even quarreling and insults will cease."

We can live in peace when we are friends with godly people who act in love and kindness.

The angry person will bring nothing but conflict, we are not required to keep company with these people.

There are those who would attempt to guilt us into remaining in company with ungodly angry people. We have no obligation to maintain friendships with anyone who does not live by the fruit of the Spirit.

When we evangelize we can speak the truth as led by the Holy Spirit to those who are perishing, but we are not required to make friends with those who reject Christ or even claim to be Christians but do not walk by the fruit of the Spirit.

Fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23

"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."