r
for the Name," when some of us would have been bemoaning ourselves and
complaining of the hardness of our lot!

Ch. xiii. 50-52: "Stirred up a persecution ... and the disciples were
(being) filled with joy."

Ch. xvi. 25: "Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns unto God."
The heavier the tribulation the more their joy seemed to "overflow" (2
Cor. vii. 4), and of course the heavier the tribulation the more joy they
needed to sustain them. "For the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Neh.
viii. 10).

_Peace_: Acts vi. 15, "Saw his (Stephen's) face as it had been the face
of an angel."

Ch. vii. 59, 60: "They stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying,
Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit, and he kneeled down, and ... fell asleep."

2 Cor, iv. 8, 9: "Troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed,
but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not
destroyed."

Thus we might go through the heavenly list--long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance--and see how richly in Bible times
the fruit flourished in the lives of those who were Spirit-filled. Before
passing on let us notice where it is that Joy grows. It grows between Love
and Peace. It is, as some one has well called it, a sheltered fruit. If
Love withers, Joy is exposed on that side, and it too will fade. If Peace
is interfered with, even though Love is vigorous, Joy is exposed on that
side now, and it will fade away and die. The only way to preserve Joy in
vigorous growth is to see that its sheltering fruits, Love and Peace, are
kept free from blight, and vigorous too.

In his letter to the Ephesian Church, to whom he addressed the command,
"Be filled with the Spirit," Paul points out very clearly what the
results of the Fullness will be.

(1) A singing heart (Eph. v. 19). This is what would bring us and our
lives up to concert pitch. We would no more go "flat." This would drive
away the leaden dullness.

(2) A thankful heart (ver. 20). Such a heart would not be finding fault
with Christ's government; will "find none occasion of stumbling in" Jesus
(Matt. xi. 6); will not be offended at Him, no matter how He may test and
try it. "Blessed is he" that has such a heart in his bosom!

(3) A submissive heart (Eph. v. 21), "in lowliness of mind each counting
other better than himself" (Phil. ii. 3). "The thing (once) impossible
shall be."

(4) Spirit-filled wives will be in subjection to their own husban