iSteve [movie]: "You must DEMOstrate the PATIENCE..." [Mmmm hmm... V _ _ _ _ _]

From Galatians 5:

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh [g]sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you [h]please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: [i]immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, [j]factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 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. 24 Now those who [k]belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also [l]walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Footnotes

1. Galatians 5:1 Some authorities prefer to join with 4:31 and render but with the freedom of the free woman Christ set us free
2. Galatians 5:4 Or would be
3. Galatians 5:5 Lit by
4. Galatians 5:5 Lit out of
5. Galatians 5:10 Lit toward
6. Galatians 5:12 Or cut themselves off
7. Galatians 5:17 Lit lusts against
8. Galatians 5:17 Lit wish
9. Galatians 5:19 I.e. sexual immorality
10. Galatians 5:20 Or heresies
11. Galatians 5:24 Lit are of Christ Jesus
12. Galatians 5:25 Or follow the Spirit

[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205&version=NASB1995]

A friend I've come across in recent years, and out of respect for his high level of privacy desire, I will not even go with the convention of including his first initial had quoted me the passage above. However, I feel he used it slightly out of context in the sense that he didn't quote the entire passage and I am "highlighting" [RW] the context I am writing from instead today.

It is my sincere hope that given the context of our current times that God now has a means to possibly fulfill something like a https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=and+then+the+end+shall&version=NRSV type context, within our generation that we ought to be mindful of what may be in store in a Genesis 5–10 context. So now I will follow the same "style" and cut off part of a Christian song in the area I would also like to highlight. 

Michael W. Smith – The Wonderful Cross Lyrics

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My Richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

See from His head His hands His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Oh the wonderful cross (2x)
Bids me come and die and find
That I may truly live

[https://www.lyricsfreak.com/m/michael+w+smith/the+wonderful+cross_10180229.html]

For you Tomlin fans like my friend AL: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/christomlin/thewonderfulcross.html

I have learned throughout the pandemic that what is important isn't how or what we're doing through it. As the following verse goes, it doesn't matter how much or how little you may have, what matters most is how you're using it:

Poverty and Riches

9 Let the believer[c] who is lowly boast in being raised up, 10 and the rich in being brought low, because the rich will disappear like a flower in the field. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the field; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. It is the same way with the rich; in the midst of a busy life, they will wither away.

Trial and Temptation

12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord[d] has promised to those who love him. 13 No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14 But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.[e]

17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.[f] 18 In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1&version=NRSV]

Like 'AJ' pointed out in the past and I was reminded about recently by a psychotherapist, it is important to take a look back at our lives and recognize the things we can be grateful for, so though for privacy reasons I will only include an excerpt of the date I am working from:

"Sept. 17th, 2018

I've been meaning to start this entry for days now but there are a lot of things on my mind. Including who or which team have have won the ICSL tournament as my 'main means of distraction'" .... ... ... ... 

And now we're at present day 01/08/21. I have a good feeling about 2021, even though it is still ridden with challenges with Covid and everything else going on, it is also a good opportunity for me perhaps to announce my plans to reopen WITK (based on my idea also it is like the WIT of K WIT-K, wink, oh yeah!!! K might know a little something about this =D ). If God blesses it enough, I in turn can bless others by hiring on more people to do tasks that aren't as pleasing to my heart as others, like accounting for example, I already have friend(s) such as those N_ people who may have some interests if they are looking to tack on additional work if I don't really need full-time staff right now. After all, one would say "reopening" is very thematic during these times! But that's a whole other story in itself, "heheeeee...." [BC].  I guess I'll just leave it there for now with one closing remark that as Christians we need to remember what we do matters, in other words like that WS movie [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0], our "Legacy" lives on [LOL, I guess, "I work for Braga now...", yet from another movie, but too many spoilers LOL!]. I certainly have seen that happening in a church I am a part of recently and it's been really sweet so far, even in their use of following my tactic in one of their songs that had a Ghost of Ex Girlfriends past theme as that is one main song from that movie, "Time After Time". Yes, I've noticed now, "...not afraid anymore" [K], "How beautiful!"–כֹּל [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120596/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2] 

Isaiah 52

New Revised Standard Version

Let Zion Rejoice

52 Awake, awake,
    put on your strength, O Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments,
    O Jerusalem, the holy city;
for the uncircumcised and the unclean
    shall enter you no more.
2 Shake yourself from the dust, rise up,
    O captive[a] Jerusalem;
loose the bonds from your neck,
    O captive daughter Zion!

3 For thus says the Lord: You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money. 4 For thus says the Lord God: Long ago, my people went down into Egypt to reside there as aliens; the Assyrian, too, has oppressed them without cause. 5 Now therefore what am I doing here, says the Lord, seeing that my people are taken away without cause? Their rulers howl, says the Lord, and continually, all day long, my name is despised. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name; therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I.

7 How beautiful upon the mountains
    are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
    who announces salvation,
    who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

.....

Salvation Is for All

5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say?

“The word is near you,
    on your lips and in your heart”

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because[b] if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!

[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10&version=NRSV]