Friday, October 10, 2008

"A MERRY HEART DOETH GOOD LIKE A MEDICINE." Proverbs 17:22 Don't you like to be around someone that is cheerful and laughs? A laugh is really contagious. I remember a couple Christmas's back. We were all sitting on the floor playing with the babies. I don't remember what I got tickled about, but my daughter looked at me and she started laughing. Then my two grandaughters started laughing. Finally when we all calmed down - none of us knew what we were laughing at. The laughs just spread. God's Love produces a laugh in our soul. A Merry Heart! Then if we look at the next two words,"Doeth Good". That brings me to the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 Goodness is listed as part of the fruit. The greek word is "agathosune" Pronounced ag-ath-soo-nay. It is character that is energized to display active goodness. This is good that "does good" toward others and in relationship to others. Goodness is love in action, love with its hand to the plow, love with the burden on its back, love following His Footsteps Who went about continually doing good. (James Hamilton) As Christians we have no alternative but to march to the drumbeat of the Holy Spirit, following the measured steps of goodness which pleases God. We can do good deeds, and by practising principles of goodness can witness to those around that we have something "different" in our lives - perhaps something they themselves would like to possess. We may even be able to show others how to practice the principle of goodness in their own lives. But the Bible says "Your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away." Hosea6:4 True goodness is a "fruit of the Spirit." and our efforts to acheive in our own strength alone can never succeed. We should be careful that any goodness the world my see in us is the genuine fruit of the Spirit and not a counterfeit substitute, lest we unwittingly lead someone astray. -Billy Graham Do you really want to do good and feel good about doing good? I'll tell you one way! A few years back- the church where we were going then -was cooking turkeys for some families. We felt led for them to do a turkey for us, since the pot was hot anyway. (This was whole fried turkey that is known in South Louisiana.) When the turkey was finished we ask someone to drop the turkey off at a certain person's house. (This was a member of the church.) But we had one request. Don't tell them who sent it! We did not understand then, but a couple services later this little lady stood and said "Thanksgiving day came and we did not have a Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing to cook. Then a knock came on our door and said they were sent to deliver a turkey from someone who did not want to be known and it was such a blessing." We knew then that the Lord will lead you if you let Him. She got the blessing of the turkey but we got the blessing of sitting there - not caring who got the credit. We have found since then that if you feel you need to do something good, do it! So do good and feel good about doing good. Watch how the Lord will bless you in your soul!

6 comments:

Deborah said...

Amen!! Great post Aliene!

Charlotte said...

What a wonderful gesture. It certainly is more blessed than to receive. Bless you.

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Karla Cook @ Roads to Everywhere said...

I love to laugh every time I get a chance! It is truly good for us!

[P.S. You know you can delete "spam" comments, don't you?]

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Jerry Bouey said...

About six and 1/2 years ago, one of our missionaries miscarried. I prayed for words to comfort that family, and wrote a poem that I truly didn't think was very good, but at the time I was sure the Lord prompted me to send it to them. I did not hear back from that family - so I assumed I was wrong about what I thought was God's leading, and I just shrugged it off as foolishness on my part.

Last week, we had our annual Missions Conference, and this family was there (they were on furlough). After the service, the wife came up to me and brought up the poem. She said, "Your poem came in a time of great struggle, and the words brought tremendous comfort - more than you'll ever know. I don't read it much anymore as that was a hard time in our life - but I will always treasure that poem. God used it when we needed it most."

Wow! The seed sown years before had borne fruit. I just had to be patient to see its growth and effect. One verse that comes to mind a lot when thinking about doing good to others is:

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Notice the idea repeated seven times - all, every, abound, always - all that we need to do the good He has planned for us will be provided as we walk with the Lord!