SCRIPTURE:
“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:5)

OBSERVATION/INTERPRETATION:
I asked myself the significance of verse 5?
I found verse 5 so profound because the Apostle Paul is writing after he has been roughed up in prison, whipped with lashes, and shackled in chains. Yet, he writes to the Philippians to tell them to let their gentleness be evident to all.

What stuck out to me is ‘evident to all’. He is not telling them just to let their gentleness be evident to those whom they know or those who treat them well but everyone who comes across them. Wow! He wants everyone to notice their gentleness.

I asked myself how can Paul be talking about gentleness after what he has been put through?
For me the answer became evident when Paul stated, “The Lord is near.”

No matter what they are facing, he wanted them to be gentle knowing the Lord is at hand to help them. He wanted them to be an example of Christ to those around them and leave the judgment to the Lord.

IMPLICATIONS:
I saw important implications for my own life. It is not anything great for me to be gentle with those who are gentle with me. Anybody can do that. I need to be gentle with everyone especially those who irritate me, annoy me, and give me pain even if I do not want to! Yup, I have faced all those things and sometimes still face them. I need to remember that my actions will reflect how people who know me as a Christian will view Jesus Christ. If my attitude is the way Jesus wants me to be, that will be evident to all and the credit will go to Jesus and not to me.

I want my actions to reflect the credit going to Jesus Christ. I need to be focused on the Lord knowing He is at hand no matter what I am facing.

HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY REGARDING G.E.N.T.L.E.N.E.S.S:
When I became a follower of Christ, and was leaving one school for another, a person wrote, "Ramesh, you are someone I know who does not have even a hate bone in his body". I gave the credit to Jesus because it is all about Him and not me. Unfortunately, that statement cannot describe my whole life as a Christian because I have hated and not let my life be governed by the love of Jesus all the time. Through hate, I have not always been gentle.  One time my mom remarked to me and asked me, 'Ramesh, what ever happened to the Ramesh who never had a hate bone in his body'. I tried to justify my hate but there is no justification for hate or for not exhibiting the quality of gentleness. But, I can say gentleness was not evident to all because of my selfishness walking in the lust of the flesh instead of walking in the Spirit.

I am so convicted of Paul exhorting the Philippians to show gentleness that will be evident to all that they are followers of Christ and I want to do that too. I cannot on my own because only the Fruit of the Spirit will give me that gentleness. Help me Jesus. Others can then see that gentleness daily. It can happen in my life only when I depend on the Lord Jesus to help me show gentleness all the time towards anyone. It is a measure of gentleness given to me by the Lord. Thank you Jesus!

I ask you now dear friend what measure of gentleness do you have?
Dear friend, take it from me it is not easy being gentle especially when we are wronged and hurt. I know because I have been there and no matter what I did, I still felt isolated and hurt. This made me angry and resentful but what happened to me is nothing compared to what happened to Paul. Regardless, I am touched how Paul is able to talk about gentleness in his confinement. I do not know how much gentleness is evident to others from your life but it can be evident friend. All you need is Jesus and remembering no matter what you are faced with, the Lord is at hand.

Today, I was so blessed to read Psalm 56 and mediate on few of the verses!

"When I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you!" (Psalm 56:3)

Nothing happens without the Lord’s knowledge and He can change any situation around. I don’t know why some things are not changed right now but I am going to wait on the Lord, ‘for they that wait upon the Lord will mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, walk and not faint’ as stated in Isaiah 40:31

Maybe stuff happened to you that the pain is too much to bear and the last thing you want to be is gentle towards people. The Lord sees your pain friend. Stuff happened to me in the past that I wanted to isolate myself from everybody. In a way I acted cold but it did not help anybody including myself. It only allowed bitterness to build on the inside and have ‘them against me’ attitude!

What gives me console is that the Lord is at hand and near no matter what we are facing. He can give us the strength to endure and if the Lord wants our gentleness to be evident to all, there is a reason. I cannot question that but faithfully pray and act that way depending on my Lord Jesus Christ! When you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior, He will give you the spirit of gentleness for the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, meekness, and self-control.

May your gentleness flow in people’s lives as you turn to the Lord at hand! Amen!

"Gentleness Enters Noticeably Through Lord’s Empowerment, Now Enabling Seeking Saints! (G.E.N.T.L.E.N.E.S.S)/”What measure of gentleness do you have?”

PRAYER: 
Jesus, as I read your Word, I learn the importance of gentleness. I am also reminded that it is one of the Fruit of the Spirit. I want to exhibit gentleness to everyone around me especially when things don’t go my way. I cannot do it on my own for my flesh takes over when I am upset and don’t turn to you. Help me Jesus to seek you always and let my gentleness be evident to all including those that have hurt me. Please Lord for that is the attitude you want us to have. It is hard but you say it in your Word and I want to obey. Help us Lord in our lives to exhibit that gentleness so that others can see your love in us and come to you. May we be your instruments of peace and sow love where there is hatred, peace where there is discord as St. Francis of Assisi once prayed. Thank you Lord you are at hand and we can know we are never out of your love and never out of your reach. You know what happens to us so help us to hold on to you and trust you even when we don’t understand. Please Jesus. Thank you so much Jesus for your help. Thank you Jesus for hearing us and answering us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace, Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! (Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to LIVE out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo SHARED this example one Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is aLIVE and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and LIVE with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and RESTORE us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!