 The Fruit of the Spiritby the editor of www.georgemuller.org The Fruit of the Spirit “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23). The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 marks the qualities and the characteristics of the child of God while the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 marks the qualities and the characteristics of the unregenerate. There are nine fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. These alone are produced in us by the Holy Spirit upon conversion and during sanctification as God conforms us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). The nine fruits of the Spirit are: 1. LOVE Love is on the top of the list because love is the most important Christian virtue. The Apostle Paul says if we have all kinds of Christian virtues and all kinds of spiritual gifts and yet lack in love, then we are nothing. (1 Corinthians 13). The two greatest commandments are based on loving God with all our heart, with all of our soul, with all of our mind and with all of our strength and also loving our neighbor as ourselves. (Mark 12:30). “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:40). “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. 13:10). 2. JOY Joy is another Christian virtue produced in us by the Holy Spirit. True joy only comes through a saving knowledge of Christ. The world knows nothing of the joy that Christ gives. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). a. Jesus gives fullness of joy “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). b. We have joy in answered prayer “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24). c. We have fullness of joy in his presence “You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence” (Acts 2:28). d. We have joy in trials and persecution “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thess. 1:6). e. The Joy God Gives Is Inexpressible “Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8). 3. PEACE Peace is another Christian virtue that only the Christian possess. “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). a. We have peace with God through Christ “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). b. Christ gives us His peace “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). c. Christ give us peace in the midst of tribulation “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). d. That peace is beyond all human understanding “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7). 4. LONGSUFFERING (Patience) Longsuffering literally means “long-tempered”, that is one has self-restraint when anger is stirred up within him. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” (Col. 3:12-13). “With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2). 5. KINDNESS Kindness is another Christian virtue which the Christian shows from a pure heart and from a pure motive. We are exhorted to put on kindness and to add to our faith, kindness. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12). “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). 6. GOODNESS We are saved by grace alone through faith alone apart from works (Ephesians 2:8). But “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). “Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another” (Rom. 15:14). “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Eph. 5:9). 7. FAITHFULNESS Faithfulness marks the life of the Christian. a. We are to be faithful as stewards of God “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Col. 1:2). “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2). “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord’” (Matt. 25:21). b. We are to be faithful until the end “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). 8. GENTLENESS Gentleness is another virtue of the child of God. The Christian ought to be full of meekness and humility. “Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5). “With all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2). “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (1 Tim. 6:10-11). 9. SELF-CONTROL (Temperance) Self-control is the virtue of one who masters his sinful desires and passions. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good” (2 Tim. 1:1-3). “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness” (2 Peter 1:5-6).
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 Romans 12 – A Practical Guide for the Believerby the editor of www.georgemuller.org Romans 12:1-21 Verse 1 – Give yourself and your life completely to God. That is the reasonable thing to do. We are not our own. We were bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We should no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died for us (2 Cor. 5:14-15). Verse 2 – Do not be conformed to this world. Love not the world or the things in the world (1 John 2:15-16). Verse 3 – Be humble and not puffed up. All your gifts and talents are from God. (1 Cor. 4:7). Verse 4-8 – God gave to each one of us spiritual gifts. Do you know what your gift is? Are you using it? If you don’t know what your gift is, then ask God to reveal it to you. Verse 9-10 – Love each other with a sincere heart and from a pure motive. Verse 11 – Be diligent in serving the Lord! Verse 12 – Rejoice in trials and afflictions. Pray during times of suffering. (James 1:2-4) and (James 5:13). Verse 13 – Help the brothers and sisters in need and show hospitality. (Titus 3:14). Verse 14-21 – Love your enemies. Do not take revenge. Leave in peace with all men. Overcome evil with good. (Matt. 5:9-12; Heb. 12:14). 
14 CONDITIONS OF ANSWERED PRAYER by the editor of www.georgemuller.org The following are conditions of answered prayer that I have found through out the Bible: 1. HAVE THE GLORY OF GOD IN MIND Ask yourself: “Is what I am praying for going to bring glory to God?” If it will not bring glory to God, God will not answer. “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). 2. GO TO GOD IN PRAYER THROUGH JESUS God will not accept you unless you go to Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5). 3. ASK IN JESUS NAME Ask in the name and authority of His Son, the Lord Jesus, who alone is worthy. “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:13-14). 4. ASK ACCORDING TO HIS WILL Ask according and in submission to perfect His will by saying “Not my will, by thy will be done” (Luke 22:42). “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1 John 5:14-15). 5. OBEDIENCE If you live a life of disobedience and rebellion, God will not answer. “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:22). 6. ABIDE IN CHRIST If you abide in Christ, you will surely have the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16) and ask things pleasing to God. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7). 7. BELIEVE We must believe that God is able to do what we ask Him. God does not like unbelief. “So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:22-24). “Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:6-8). “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Heb.11:6). 8. DON’T ASK AMISS (IN THE WRONG WAY & WITH WRONG MOTIVE) If we ask for something that is not for our spiritual good and for the glory of God, God will not answer. “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:2-3). 9. DON’T HARBOR SIN If we have unconfessed sin, God will not hear. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18). "Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1-2). "When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood" (Isaiah 1:15). 10. FORGIVE OTHERS Make sure you are not harboring unforgiveness towards someone before coming to God in prayer. "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mark 11:25-26). 11. ABIDE IN THE WORD OF GOD If you abide in the Word of God, you will surely ask things that are in the will of God. “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination" (Prov. 28:9). “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7). 12. BE PERSISTANT Persevere and be persistent in your prayers! "And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Luke 11:5-10). "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”" (Luke 18:1-8). "Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour" (Matt.15:21-28). 13. DELIGHT IN GOD Delight in Him! Let Him be your chief delight and the joy of your heart. “Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). 14. WAIT ON GOD Wait on God! His timing is best! "For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him" (Isaiah 64:4). "Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14). "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass" (Psalm 37:7). 
7 PRINCIPLES OF PRAYER by the Editor of www.georgemuller.org 1. CONFESS “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Prov. 28:13). 2. THANK “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). 3. SUPPLICATE “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18). 4. PERSEVERE “…Being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18). 5. PERSIST “I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs” (Luke 11:8). 6. WAIT “For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him” (Isaiah 64:4). 7. SUBMIT “…Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). 
How to Know the Will of God? By the Editor of www.georgemuller.org All of us have questions about our life. We want to know what education path to take; we want to know what career to pursue; we want to know where to live; we want to know who to marry, etc. How do we know God’s perfect will for our lives? There are three ways by which we can know God’s will: 1. Prayer By prayer and waiting on God, one can ascertain the will of God. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind" (James 1:5-6). 2. The Word of God God never contradicts His word. The handbook for our lives is the Bible. Everything revealed in the Bible is God’s will for our lives. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). "Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors" (Psalm 119:24). 3. Godly Counsel Sometimes we are blind to our situation and we need a mature brother or sister in the Lord to correct us and to guide us. God gave the elders of the church extra wisdom and discernment and it is beneficial for us to listen to their counsel for they watch out for our souls (Heb. 13:17). "Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety" (Prov. 11:14). "The ear that hears the rebukes of life will abide among the wise. He who disdains instruction despises his own soul, But he who heeds rebuke gets understanding" (Prov. 15:31-32). "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you" (Heb. 13:17). 
The Biblical View of Money What the Bible has to say about money Complied by the editor of www.georgemuller.org GOD OWNS EVERYTHING: "I will not take a bull from your house, Nor goats out of your folds. For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. “If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness" (Psalm 50:9-12). "The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen" (Rom. 11:36). THE STRENGTH TO WORK TO ACQUIRE WEALTH IS FROM GOD: "“Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day" (Deut. 8:11-18). THE GIFT OF GOD: "As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God" (Eccl. 5:19). "The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it" (Prov. 10:22). "The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up" (1 Sam. 2:7). "Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all" (1 Chron. 29:12). THE UNCERTAINTY & WRONG VIEW OF MONEY: "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy" (1 Tim. 6:17). "Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly away like an eagle toward heaven" (Prov. 23:4-5). "Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them" (Psalm 39:6). "Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased; For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him" (Psalm 49:16-17). "He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage" (Prov. 11:28). "Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil" (James 4:13-16). "And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God”" (Luke 12:15-21). "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out" (1 Tim. 6:7). "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Tim. 6:9-10). THE PROPER VIEW OF MONEY: "“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money]" (Matt. 6:24). "...If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them" (Psalm 62:10). "Now godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). "And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content" (1 Tim. 6:8). "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need" (Phil. 4:11-12). "But you, O man of God, flee these things [the love of money] and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness" (1 Tim. 6:11). WE ARE STEWARD'S OF HOW WE USE GOD'S MONEY: "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2). "On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come" (1 Cor. 16:2). "Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim. 6:18-19). "Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:5-7). "As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever”" (2 Cor. 9:9). "Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need" (Eph. 4:28). "But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). "distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality" (Rom. 12:13). "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tim. 5:8). THE PROMISE OF GOD'S PROVISION: "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work" (2 Cor. 9:8). "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19). Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold. Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee. |
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"The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts."
- George Muller
- George Muller