verbs 4:23 (NIV) Above all else guard your heart, because everything you do flows from it.
Deuteronomy 4:9The Message Just make sure you stay alert. Keep close watch over yourselves. Don’t forget anything of what you’ve seen. Don’t let your heart wander off. Stay vigilant as long as you live. Teach what you’ve seen and heard to your children and grandchildren.
| Keep your hope in the Lord So often, we want to move at our own pace but fail to move at God's. God makes it clear that whatever you desire of Him, if you keep your hope in Him, He will renew your strength. Sometimes waiting on God can be challenging. We are saying, "God when? God why? God, what are you doing with me? God, I don't quite understand it." No good thing will be withheld from you It is not for us to know when, why or even to understand His plans for our lives. It is more relevant to understand He loves us so much He will not leave or forsake us, read Hebrews 13:5. He even loves us so much that He will not hurt us and He only desires the best for us. He will not withhold anything good from us, read Psalm 84:11. Isn't this great to know? God is like a virus protector. He will make certain it does not come your way! There is hope If you find yourself waiting on God today, stand on His Word. He says there is hope in your future, read Jeremiah 31:17. Just hold on, knowing you will live a full life here on earth. Wait for Him and quietly place all your hope in the Lord, see Lamentations 3:26. In doing so, He will provide you with the strength to keep going and give you victory. Reflection: If there is something you have been waiting for from the Lord, begin to declare right now God is working it out for you and it will come in God's time! Hebrews 13:5 Psalms 84:11 Jeremiah 31:17 Lamentations 3:26 January 13th, Day 15 of the 21 Day plan Psalm 139 I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me. Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt. "Often in life, you will hear the devil speak to you, saying things like you are too fat, too skinny, too poor, not smart or even not beautiful enough. You must recognize these voices are of the devil. But remember, God made you beautiful (refer to Psalm 139:14). God had a plan for me See, I understand what you are going through. I too used to listen to these voices and what is even worse, started to believe them. Although God already had a plan for my life, I mean a big plan beyond my thoughts. The devil knew if I believed the lies he had construed in my head, it would stop me from moving into the direction God already had for me. God knew my future and more importantly He deemed I would have success." Jeremiah 29:11 - 13: "For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity... Fight back with God's Word "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12 KJV). When those voices come against me, I have to fight back with the Word of God. It is the most powerful weapon I will ever own. Therefore, it is important to memorize the Word and be able to recite it immediately. I may find yourself in situations where my Bible may not be accessible and in order to obtain success, I must quickly fight back with the Word. COMMIT TO no longer allowing the lies of the devil to linger. Declare God's Word and I will win each and every time. Whose report will I believe? Have I received any negative reports lately? Speak against these reports, proclaiming the powerful Word of God. January 14th, Day 16
Trust Him even when you can't trace Him
Sometimes, we face life's issues and wonder why God has not stepped in to help. Perhaps He has already helped us, but we may not see it yet. Even more so, we do not know how God intends to work out our issues because it is not how we expected it.
Lean not to your understanding
When we don't quite understand what is going on in our lives it is important to put it in God's hands. Refer to Proverbs 3:5. It tells us, lean not to our own limited understanding, but stand confident knowing we can both trust and depend on God. Do you believe He is working it out for your good? I promise He is. And when this trial is over, you will understand, with the help of the Holy Spirit, God's wisdom and knowledge for your life. Trust Him no matter what Begin today letting God know you trust Him no matter what it looks like. God knows when to step in at the right time and turn things around. Remember, He knows and sees all. Therefore, the direction you desperately want to travel, God may instruct you that it may not be time just yet. Or the person you are praying for may need a little growing first. Whatever it is, God knows best. God will remain faithful knowing He will bless you just when you put it all in His hands, but first you have to trust God. Proverbs 3:5 With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. And the verse of the day: Jesus then told the crowd and the disciples to come closer, and he said: If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me and for the good news, you will save it.
Mark 8:34-35
January 15th, Day 17 of the 21 Day Plan Asking God for wisdom and guidance - as if I haven't been doing this for months now!! *sigh "Ask Him to lead you It was laid on my heart today to ask God for His guidance and allow Him to lead me. Sometimes in life, we have an idea of how we want our lives to unfold, but God already knows what is in our future. Read Jeremiah 29:11-12. It reminds us, God already has a plan for our lives. We simply need to ask Him to reveal it to us, get on board and trust Him to be our source and light! Reflection: If you are unclear regarding the direction of your life, ask God what does He desire for you. And whatever He reveals to you ask Him for His grace to do His will. Jeremiah 29:11-12 "I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering. You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer your prayers." (CEV) Day 18 and 19 January 17th Just because it looks like nothing doesn't mean God isn't up to something 1 Kings 18:43-44. Elijah believed God would end the drought therefore, he continued to pray for rain. I bet people thought he was crazy because he kept believing when it really looked like a dead situation. However, he trusted God would stay faithful to His promise. Persistence is key We can apply this lesson in our lives today. Are we willing to be persistent and continue to pray in a land of drought? In this passage, we see persistence plus prayer is key. Elijah was not only persistent but he did not take “no” for an answer. Each time his servant came back to report there was no sign of rain, he instructed him to go back a total of seven times before there was even a small sign of cloud. Many times in life we give up too easily – when the doctor says “no,” when we have one bad day, an opportunity falls through or our kids are acting a certain way. But, we must realize our prayers are providing a constant and powerful breakthrough. God sent Elijah a small sign – a cloud and soon after there was a heavy rain. Although I may not see huge progress today, God is forming small clouds on my behalf. So is there an area in your life you have given up? Are you just another touch away from victory? Stand strong knowing God is forming clouds for you! Praying about something and ignoring the small progress? Begin to thank God for the small victories in your life. These small victories will certain to bring about a big movement in the future. Receiving the praises of God John 12:43 "And besides, the leaders liked praise from others more than they liked praise from God". It speaks of receiving the praise of God and not of man. Most often as we go about our days, we may seek several likes on our social media page, hope to be retweeted on our status bar, or simply wishing friends and family would validate who we are. What is even worse, we also seek the praises from those we do not like, hoping for a "good job," "you are the best" or "I appreciate you," but instead, we should seek the praises of our Heavenly Father. Follow His will So, how do we get the praises from God up above? Begin by seeking and implementing God's will for our lives. Love doing what is right and follow His commandments. Let go of any idols you have placed above God. Knowing if we follow His will, we will not only have a fulfilled life, but we will obtain the praises of the Heavenly Father. He has started a good work "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God had ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10 KJV). God expects us to walk into the good work He has already implemented in our lives. We have been created and designed for God's use. Begin today listening to your heart, asking God how your life can be used to give Him praise. Cease to live a self-fulfilled life, and let God begin to use you for His purpose. Then you will begin to receive the praises of God. Day 20 Psalm 27:9 - 10, The Message: "You’ve always been right there for me; don’t turn your back on me now. Don’t throw me out, don’t abandon me; you’ve always kept the door open. My father and mother walked out and left me, but God took me in." 2 Corinthians 4:17: "So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever." Romans 8:26 - 28 "Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good." Day 21 of '21 Days of Powerful breakthroughs' He wants all of me "For such a long time, I thought giving God most of me was good enough. I thought since I prayed, attended church and would attempt to do what is right, that was enough for God. The reality is, God wants all of our lives, not just a part of it. Mark 12:30 "The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.’ And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ There is no other commandment that ranks with these.” Partial obedience = disobedience What does it mean to give God your all? It means to stop clinching your fists and to stretch out your hands to God. For so long, I put things, people, relationships, and careers over God. I thought if I was a little obedient, or if I took a short cut, I would still receive the promises of God. But, when God says obey, He will not settle for partial obedience. For this reason, anytime I would step out of the will of God; I would immediately be convicted and corrected. But anytime I was obedient, God truly blessed me beyond my belief. Refer to Isaiah 1:19:If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; Surrender When you decide to give God your all, it requires surrendering every area of your life to Him. Even when it does not make sense, I have learned to obey Him. You know what really amazes me? Every time I let go of something, He usually gives it right back, but with lagniappe. Lagniappe is a word often used in New Orleans, which means a little something extra! Obedience is better than sacrifice I love the passage in the Bible that speaks about Abraham preparing to sacrifice his one and only son. As soon as he prepares his son for sacrifice, God exclaims, "Do not lay a hand on the boy," He said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son" (Genesis 22:12 NIV). The angel of the Lord proclaimed, "I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars...your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me" (Genesis 22:17-18 NIV). God is no different in our lives. The moment you follow Him, surrender, and let go, God promises He will bless you. I have to trust that God knows what is best for me. If something is not working in your life, you have to give it up to Him. When you surrender and align your plans with His, it may hurt for a moment, but God will turn your sadness into joy and give you strength. Nehemiah 8:10: "Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ "You will get to a place and wonder, why didn't I trust God in the first place? He will give you more than your heart could have ever imagined. I promise, you will obtain peace, which the world cannot give to you. Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you have not been obedient? Ask God to help you to be obedient in this area. Request the Holy Spirit to give you the grace to be obedient. Let the Holy Spirit reveal what steps you should take as you become more like Christ. This plan is comprised of excerpts from the book 21 Days of Powerful Breakthroughs by Kemberley Washington. Copyright © 2013 by Kemberley Washington. Published by 21daysof.com. All rights reserved. | |
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Reposting this brilliant little explanation of the fruits of the spirit from Devotionals Daily - link at the bottom of the page.
The
Fruit of the Spirit
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 But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. — Galatians
5:22-23 (NIV)Fruit is the delectable product of that which is created by the inner life of the vine. On the eve of the Crucifixion, the Lord Jesus put it thus: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). Earlier on a Galilean hillside, He had said, “By their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:20). The fruit we bear as believers is evidence of His abiding on the throne of our lives. At first glance, there appears to be a grammatical error in this verse. Note carefully: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace . . .” The truth is that the fruit of the Spirit is love. Love, period. The nine fruits listed here are a cluster describing the evidence of the life of Christ within us. The fruit is singular here because it is the outcropping of one’s life within. The fruit represents what we are rather than what we do. Here we are reintroduced to the principle of being before doing. What we do is determined by who, or whose, we really are! The fruit described in Galatians is a triad: three clusters with three fruits each. They are reflected in a countenance that is obvious, conduct that is orderly, and a character that is obedient. A COUNTENANCE THAT IS OBVIOUS “love, joy, peace” Certain individuals seem to have a countenance of love, joy, and peace. The word translated “love” here is agape, God’s own love. This is the highest level of love, the kind that always seeks the other’s highest good. It is the same word we found back in the John 3:16 statement that “God so loved the world.” It is no coincidence that love is first on the list of nine pieces of fruit here. It is the fountain of all others. Everything good issues out of God’s love. Next comes joy. It is the inner joy of Christ that reveals itself through our very countenance. This is the joy spoken of by Christ to His disciples on His last night in their presence: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). If ever there were an attribute deserving of a place next to love, it is joy. Peace makes up this triad of characteristics that are obvious in the countenance of the Spirit-controlled believer. Inner peace is God’s very special gift to us. Again, on the evening before His death on the cross, Jesus speaks these words: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). When we are abiding in the Spirit, the natural outcome is love, joy, and peace. It becomes obvious in our very countenance. A CONDUCT THAT IS ORDERLY “longsuffering, kindness, goodness” Longsuffering is synonymous with patience. This translates from a compound word in Greek meaning “far from anger.” This type of conduct, which is virtually void of a spirit of retaliation, cannot be worked up. It is produced from within. In our fast-paced, self-seeking world, patience does not seem to be in high demand. Like all the others in this cluster of fruit, longsuffering arises from love. Love’s greatest triumph is not always in what love does but—more often than not—in what love refrains from doing. The conduct of one who is abiding in Christ is also characterized by kindness. This same Greek word appears in the Ephesian epistle: “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). Since Christ shows His kindness to us and He abides within us, we are to pass this kindness on to others in a conduct that is orderly. Paul then introduced the fruit of goodness. Jesus “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). There is a genuine sense of goodness about those who are abiding in Christ and being controlled by His Spirit. This orderly conduct is seen in the lives of many who have come to Christ. Where once they may have been impatient, now they have supernatural patience. Where once they were self-centered, now they show kindness toward others. Where once they may have been self-seeking, now their actions are characterized by goodness. A CHARACTER THAT IS OBEDIENT “faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” What better could be said of someone than that he or she is characterized by faithfulness to God! Jesus reminded us that “he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). When we live a life of faithfulness, there is something inherent about it that strengthens our own sense of self-worth. Another fruit that issues out of the abiding life in Christ is gentleness. This is the same word we translate “meek” in Matthew 5:5. On the surface it sounds a bit weak. However, it is one of the strongest character traits that can exist. The word picture is of a stallion that has been domesticated. Or, as the cowboys here in Texas would say, “The horse has been broken.” Once it was a bucking bronco and now it has a gentleness about it. This Greek word speaks of power on a leash. It describes an animal that has come under the control of a master. Gentleness is the natural outflow of that life within. Finally, we come to the last piece of fruit in our cluster— self-control. It is impossible to achieve the highest level of self-control apart from God’s abiding Spirit within us. Self- control does not come by the outworking of mere fleshly energy and effort. Like all the rest of the fruit, self-control is the outcropping of the life of the Holy Spirit within us. When we come to know Christ as a personal Savior, the Father sends the Holy Spirit not only to seal us, indwell us, and fill us, but also to produce fruit through us. Your Turn But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. — Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) Memorize this verse and meditate on a few questions: What about my countenance? Do others see love, joy, and peace in me? What about my conduct? Are patience, kindness, and goodness characteristic of who I am? What about my character? Do I exhibit faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? The fruit of the Spirit is love! Allow Christ’s love to reign and rule in you and through you today. Being comes before doing, for what we do is always determined by who we are. * * * Please feel free to share your thoughts on today's devotional in the comments section of our blog. ~ Devotionals Daily |
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