Have you ever made home-made soup? Smelling the soup fills the house and one can hardly wait until dinner. My favorite is Minestrone Soup. Starting with beef or chicken broth, adding navy beans, chopped tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, zucchini, spinach, thyme, basil, bay leaves, sage, salt, and pepper and one more ingredient….
Today’s verse reminds me of a recipe for Minestrone Soup. to faith we need to add goodness. In Galatians 5:22 we read about the fruit of the spirit that includes goodness, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. Adding to goodness, knowledge so we read in 2 Peter 1:2, “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. When we know God and the Lord Jesus Christ we have self-control. In 2 Timothy 1:7 one of my favorite verses in the ESV version, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. God does not want us afraid. To self-control we add perseverance, and in Hebrews 12:1 we’re encouraged, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. To perseverance, godliness and 1 Timothy 6:6 says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain.” To godliness, mutual affection and to mutual affection, love. “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:15
[Tweet “These are tall marching orders but not beyond our ability. Beloved, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us.”]
These are tall marching orders but not beyond our ability. Beloved, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us. I’ve a mentor who prays for an immediate out pouring of the Holy Spirit. I pray before I write so that I present my writing within the context of scripture, that I am biblical correct, and relevant. I ask that I never would hurt anyone feelings. So with the Holy Spirit’s help, we can exercise faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.
What is that last ingredient in the Minestrone Soup? It is macaroni or whatever pasta you have in the house. This soup is kind of like having anything you want, you could probably add corn. I did include a recipe if you click on the link. Following Jesus daily is like a recipe, we need to daily pray, read his word, fellowship with believers, tithe our money, praise God from whom all good things come, and give thanks for all of our blessings.
[Tweet “God takes care of the small and big things in life.”]
Life lesson: Soup on a rainy day makes you feel warm inside. God takes care of the small and big things in life.
Song: Count your Blessings
Father God, thank you for the reminder that we can count our blessings. How I trust you? Precious Lord. Thank you for your Son who died on the cross for my sins. Thank you for forgiving all my sins and for loving me despite my mistakes. Lord, I do not know what the future holds, who the President will be, but I know that you are aware of where we are and what is happening in America. I pray for our nation. Lord, I pray for the upcoming election that evil will not dictate the election. Lord I pray for the hate that exist and I ask that it start with us that we faithful pray for our neighbor and those in our communities. Give us a love for our neighbor. Lord I pray for the hopeless, I ask that if I can lend them my hope that they will contact me. Lord I pray for those that feel stressed that they feel less stress as they cast their cares on you Lord just as 1 Peter 5:7 says. Lord, you know our needs, there are women that are afraid, there are women that are lonely, I know besides me there are many of us struggling with health issues. For myself, Lord, give me strength and endurance. Great is your faithfulness. You haven’t taken the headaches away so let me be a good witness of your mercy. Paul prayed three times to have his thorn removed and it wasn’t but he said your grace’s sufficient. Your mercies are new every morning. I praise you even in my pain. Let my sisters claim this same peace and hope that prevails. In Jesus name. Amen
