Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?
Worrying about the past is unproductive because you cannot change what has already happened and dwelling on it can negatively impact our present and future by causing unnecessary stress, guilt or regret. It slowly erodes our well being and can leads to anxiety and depression.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:34 not to worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have enough worries of its own.
I always try to stay focused on the present day and what God is doing right now.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose confidence is in the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It’s won’t cease from yielding (bearing) fruit” – Jeremiah 17:7-8
I love the imagery of a thriving tree deeply rooted in God and producing rich, delicious fruit that nourishes other people in these scriptures.
But what does it mean to bear fruit like a flourishing tree? The Bible reveals many ways to do this, but there are four big ones:
The Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 is the best known verses about bearing fruit. Paul tells us,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law.”
These kind of fruit are very real and very valuable, they are not the sort of things we and necessarily see with our eyes. Their existence can be revealed through our thoughts, actions, and demeanors.
Self-control and patience are shown when we resist the urge to spout off a snappy comeback when someone speaks rudely to us. The fruit of joy is this way when we find a happiness in little things even when we’re going through difficult circumstances. And the fruit of peace is exhibited when we are able to lay aside and rest in God‘s promises that he is working all things for our good.
We all have moments when we are definitely not at peace, our joyful and loving is these moments that make us feel painful deficient in the fruit of the Spirit. At times we might wonder if we are growing in the Lord at all. I find that comparing where I am now to where I was several years ago can help me gain an accurate perspective on the growth of the fruit of the Spirit in my life. While I may find myself not as peaceful as I’d like to be, I worry less and I am much more peaceful than I was five or ten years ago. Recognizing this fact, reassures me that I have walked with the Holy Spirit. He has been faithful to produce increasing measures of His fruit in me.
2. The Fruit of Prayer
On the night before Jesus was crucified, He said,
“If you remain in Me and My Words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is my Fathers glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples” – John 15:7-8
Jesus links asking, and receiving with bearing fruit, and then doing so, He reveals the answered prayer is a form of fruit.
Is important to remember that, asking in what we wish in prayer, must be the will of God. We cannot pray ill will for another and it will be done.
In the Bible, there are many examples of this kind of fruit, Isaac prayed for his wife, Rebecca, who was not able to bear children, and she went on to give birth to twins (Genesis 25:21). Moses prayed for water when he was leading the Israelites through the desert, and God provided fresh drinking water (Exodus 15:22-27).
Our persistence is an important ingredient to bury the fruit of answered prayers. In Matthew 7:7 Jesus says,
“Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.”
When we keep asking, we will get what we asked for. When we keep seeking we will find. When we keep knocking the door will be open to us.
When we seek to be fruitful in our prayer life, whether we are praying for guidance, healing, or provision we must not give up. Keep praying, believing, and abiding in Jesus, and trust that He will answer at the proper time.
3. The Fruit of Good Deeds
God has given each of us good work to do (Ephesians 2:10), and when we are faithful to do what God calls us to do it results in fruitfulness. Our “good deeds” will look different than our friends or neighbors’ good deeds. We bear different gifts that lead us to different fruits in a variety of God orchestrate ways.
My neighbor fixes vehicles for people and is an amazing cook which he delivers meals to the needy people he knows. That is not my gift. We each produce different kinds of good deeds.
Our good deeds should have a few things in common. Regardless of our individual gifts, our good deeds should benefit other people in some way, they should point others toward God, and they should be done in love.
4. The Fruit of Praise
Hebrews 13:15 says,
“Through Jesus, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to His name.”
The first thing you probably think of reading this is singing, and that’s a huge way we can praise God. But we can also praise Him for His goodness as we go through our day. We can praise Him when it is a beautiful day. We can praise Him for His provision -for our food, clothing, and other resources. We can praise His attributes -His love, His compassion, His wisdom, His faithfulness. We can praise Him for our salvation He had provided and the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf.
We can praise Him as we pray, as we talk to others, even during problems and challenges. There is no end to the things we can praise Him for. We may not feel like praising Him, but remember the passage says, “to offer up a sacrifice of praise. A sacrifice means it costs us something. Praising when we don’t necessarily feel happy is a sacrifice to God, and is one that pleases and honors Him. By praising Him even in tough situations, we declare that He is bigger than our circumstances and that we believe He will take care of us.
In today’s world it’s more important than ever to constantly be aware of our surroundings and potential dangers, staying alert and mentally prepared for unexpected situations. We don’t need to fear but be observant.
With this recent attack in New Orleans in has reminded me to always be aware of my surroundings. And be ready to react quickly to anything that might happen around us.
Situational awareness means actively scanning our environments to understand potential risks and opportunities.
Keeping our heads on swivel also includes being vigilant about social cues, scammers, and physical dangers.
Keeping your head on swivel is associated with military and law enforcement where maintaining constant alertness is crucial. But with what’s happening in our world today,we need to adopt this into our daily lives as citizens.
The greatest gift someone could give me is time. Time is a finite resource that cannot be regained once spent, making it more precious than any material possession.
Someone spending time to someone else signifies that they are invested in a person and their well being.
Time unlike money or items is unique because people are so unwilling to give it.
The greatest gift is spending time with another person because when someone’s time is given they give you a portion of their life that they will get back.
Strongholds are mental barriers that keep us from reaching the next level in our lives that is God’s will for u. Strongholds keep hold us back from our destiny by convincing us to not do what we know we should, often seemingly reasonable thoughts that are really vain excuses. One example of a stronghold is caring about what other people think of us.
One way strongholds work in us is when we consider doing something good, then the stronghold in our minds instantly comes us with the reasons why we shouldn’t do that thing,
Maybe we consider exercising more or eating better, but then an excuse comes to mind. It can be any good thing we think of doing and then we think of reasons why we shouldn’t.
Strongholds are merely incorrect thinking patterns. They are patterns in our minds that are programmed to think contrary to the truth.
A common scenario I’ve had in my life is where I feel guilty or shameful of my life. I hear my mother’s negative words playing in my head at times. I have to remind myself I am not who she said I was. I am a good person, I deserve to have good things in my life. For 18 years I heard my mother speak awful things to me, and I still struggle with that thought pattern she invoked in me. I was so used to thinking about my mother and my past that it drove me to think everything I did good or bad that I was a failure. That was a stronghold.
Strongholds can and do play a big part of hoe we feel about ourselves. If we think we’re a failure, we will feel like a failure. If we constantly think about our past failures (perceived or not) we will associate ourselves with them. If we think we’re hopeless, we will feel hopeless. If we know God has forgiven us, we will feel forgiven inside. Changing the way we think can make a big difference in the way we feel.
Strongholds are built on deception and lies that we have accepted in our minds. So, how do we counter a lie? With the truth. Where do we find the truth? In the Word of God (the Bible). Our weapon against any stronghold is the “Sword of the Spirit.”
“For though we walk in the flesh, we don’t wage war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds, throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Messiah” -2 Corinthians 10:3-5
This passage says to throw down our imaginations. Satan plants these in our minds when he asks us a question that starts out “What if?” Don’t try to reason things with satan, just throw it out and leave him hanging. Get your mind on God’s Word and off what satan is trying to tell you.
We are also told in this passage to bring every thought into captivity that comes to our minds that opposes the knowledge of God. Since God associates Himself with His Word (1 John 1:1) if anything comes into our minds that is contrary to His Word, throw it out. Don’t waste your time thinking about it or trying to reason with it. If Satan is trying to tell you that God does not want to forgive you, or that you are unworthy of His love, then throw it out. Why? Because His Word says otherwise.
One of the last things satan wants us to know is God’s forgiving and loving nature toward us even after we have messed up.
We don’t need to listen to the garbage satan feeds us. James 4:7 tells us,
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
I attended college in eastern Utah where I studied some Criminal Justice and Psychology.
Life sometimes gets in the way, my children were young and I chose them over further education instead of having to travel 150 miles to continue my education.
I have also taken classes at ULC online to get my credentials in ministry.
No good comes from ungodliness. Engaging in behaviors that are considered morally wrong or against God’s will will not lead to positive outcomes. Essentially, sin or lack of righteousness will not produce good results in our lives.
There are negative consequences that occur when living an ungodly life both personally and in our relationships with others.
Titus 2:12 teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live a self-controlled life, to live upright and godly lives in this present age.”
In the Bible, the Tree of Death is a symbol of the temptation of sin and death, while the Tree of Life represents eternal life.
The Tree of Death
In the Garden of Eden, God placed a tree of knowledge of good and evil, which promised death and sin if Adam and Eve ate from it. Satan convinced Eve that the fruit was beautiful and good, when in reality is was deadly poison.
The Tree of Life
The Tree of Life was also a tree in the Garden of Eden that promised eternal life if Adam and Eve had remained obedient to God. This tree represents God’s blessing and providence, and what Adam and Eve’s life would if they remained obedient.
The Tree of Life reappears in several places in the Bible. Including the Tabernacle, the Temple in Jerusalem, and in the Revelation.
The final chapters of the Bible describe the Tree of Life as a physical life in the center of God’s restored creation. It produces fruit each month, has leaves that heal the nation and sits by a river that comes from the Throne of God.
When Jesus was crucified it was done on a dead tree. Jesus died on a tree of sin and death. (He died for our sins and death). And gave us a tree of life so we could have eternal life with Him.
If we choose the Tree of Life – promises, and blessings come from it. We can also choose the Tree of Death (deny God). The Tree of Death that promises sin and death.
Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?
Now that winter is here I change my outdoor activities to indoor ones. They may include a game a phase 10 with my friends, or just going to an afternoon movie at the theater. Or maybe a lunch or coffee with friends, an afternoon of shopping with my daughter. I also enjoy taking photos of nature.
There’s not much to do in the town I live in, everything is pretty low-key during the colder months.
As we go through life we accumulate countless experiences. Many of these experiences will create wonderful memories, which we will cherish, however some experiences can torment us for years. This is because we are never immune to pain.
Pain is inevitable in life
Most people avoid pain and the emotions that lead to suffering
Pain can be our greatest teacher if we can foster the wisdom to harness the lessons
Our ability to learn and grow even when it involves difficult and uncomfortable experiences can be a valuable asset that should be embraced. Lessons learned can lead to significant personal development, despite the initial pain and discomfort we have to endure.
Pain is a teacher that challenges our situations and setbacks but can serve as valuable learning opportunities, pushing us to grow and adapt.
We when can accept painful learning experiences we demonstrate resilience and the capacity to overcome obstacles. The old saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” comes to mind.
While the initial process of learning might be difficult, the knowledge and skills we gain can provide significant benefits in the long run.
Modern society prioritizes rapid outcomes over effort. The hunger to over perform is indirectly proportional to the pain we are willing to stand. The “no pain, no gain motto seems no longer a thing.
We have come to believe that easy and fast equals better. And the best teachers are those who make learning unchallenging.
Aristotle said “Learning is not child’s play.”
Easy learning is deceiving. Its effects are an illusion, and are anything but long lasting. We have it backwards. When learning is easy, we become over-confident.
Spoon feeding, in the long run, teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon” -E.M. Forster
It’s true that people often give up on their goals because they are stressful. There is a benefit from learning to do something well.
The biggest challenges I face has been following Jesus. Going against the grain of society. In a world that values materialism, and instant gratification. Some people have misconceptions about what it is to follow Jesus. Such as its association with judgement, or fundamentalism. While society is in pursuit of material wealth, and instant gratification, Jesus emphasis on humility, and love.
God’s plan is always best. Sometimes the process is painful and hard. But don’t forget that when God is silent, He’s doing something for you.
Being offended means being upset over minor things, but simultaneously feeling no shame or remorse for one’s own actions which often implies a sense of defiance or disregard for someone’s sensitives.
This person might take offense at the slightest perceived criticism or disagreement, feeling hurt or disrespected.
It’s a willingness to acknowledge any wrongdoing or take responsibility for one’s on behavior.
Ephesians 4:31 tells us to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.
When people are offended, they tend to talk negatively about anyone who hurts us. Instead of trying to resolve any issue peacefully.
