Written by TWFYT
Sunday March 9
"God created man in His own image...Then...said..."Be fruitful.'" Genesis 1:27-28
A pastor writes: "When God created man, he made him "in his own image.' That was God's original plan, and it has not changed. He wants to make us like himself...godly. He does it by working on our character through his Word, through his Holy Spirit, and through circumstances. The Greek word for 'character'...means 'tested and proven reliable.' It brings to mind the work of a blacksmith, describing something that has gone through the fire, has been beat on...but has stood the test." Notice, one of the first things God said to man was, "Be fruitful." And Jesus tells us how: "If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit" (Jn 15:5 CEV). But fruit takes time to ripen. When you try to rush the process, it doesn't taste as good. Have you ever tasted gassed tomatoes? You buy them at the grocery store. If farmers picked ripe tomatoes and shipped them, they would get smashed en route to market. So, they pick them green, spray them with ethylene gas before they go to the market, and the gas quickly ripens green tomatoes into red. Nothing is wrong with those tomatoes, but if you have ever tasted a vine-ripened tomato, you know there is no comparison. Similarly, it takes time for spiritual fruit to grow in your life. You can'y take a crash course and graduate with spiritual maturity. It requires a lifetime of walking with God, leaning on Him, learning from Him, and loving Him with all your heart. God wants to produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life, so cooperate with Him.
Sunday March 9
"God created man in His own image...Then...said..."Be fruitful.'" Genesis 1:27-28
A pastor writes: "When God created man, he made him "in his own image.' That was God's original plan, and it has not changed. He wants to make us like himself...godly. He does it by working on our character through his Word, through his Holy Spirit, and through circumstances. The Greek word for 'character'...means 'tested and proven reliable.' It brings to mind the work of a blacksmith, describing something that has gone through the fire, has been beat on...but has stood the test." Notice, one of the first things God said to man was, "Be fruitful." And Jesus tells us how: "If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit" (Jn 15:5 CEV). But fruit takes time to ripen. When you try to rush the process, it doesn't taste as good. Have you ever tasted gassed tomatoes? You buy them at the grocery store. If farmers picked ripe tomatoes and shipped them, they would get smashed en route to market. So, they pick them green, spray them with ethylene gas before they go to the market, and the gas quickly ripens green tomatoes into red. Nothing is wrong with those tomatoes, but if you have ever tasted a vine-ripened tomato, you know there is no comparison. Similarly, it takes time for spiritual fruit to grow in your life. You can'y take a crash course and graduate with spiritual maturity. It requires a lifetime of walking with God, leaning on Him, learning from Him, and loving Him with all your heart. God wants to produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life, so cooperate with Him.
Posted in Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2025
January
START BY FORGIVINGEMBRACING UNCERTAINTY AND FOLLOWING GODBLESSING IS PROGRESSIVEIS GOD SHAKING YOU UP?DON'T AVOID--ENGAGEYOU ARE COMMANDED TO LOVEJUST SOW THE SEEDSEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (1)SEE YOURSELF AS VALUABLE (2)PRAY ABOUT IT, THEN TAKE ACTIONTHE IMPORTANCE OF GOD'S WORDTHE LINK BETWEEN DISOBEDIENCE AND STRESSHAVE YOU TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT?KNOW YOUR PURPOSE, KNOW YOUR PARTNERSHOW GOD SEES YOUBE GUIDED BY WISDOM, NOT IMPULSEPAUSE AND REFLECTWHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (1)WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT MONEY (2)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (3)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (4)WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MONEY (5)SEEKING GOD
February
PRACTICE SAYING NO TO YOURSELFTHE BEST IS YET TO COMETHE GRANDFATHER'S MISTAKE BECAME THE GRANDSON'S MIRACLEHOW TO CONQUER THE FEAR OF FAILINGLET'S RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCESPASS IT ON TO OTHERSKEEP TRUSTING GODFEAR IS THE ENEMY OF GROWTHCHANGE YOUR ROUTINEYOU ARE NOT BEYOND GOD'S REACHDON'T LOOK AT CHRISTIANS, LOOK AT CHRISTUNDERSTANDING THE WORD "IMPUTED"GOVERNED BY CHRIST'S LOVE FOR USTODAY EXCEPT GOD'S FAVORGROWTH IS ABOUT ENLARGEMENTFIND PRAYER PARTNERSKEEP PRAYING AND BELIEVINGREFUSE TO WEAR THE LABELJESUS IS THE ANSWERSHAKE IT OFF, AND MOVE FORWARDWHEN OTHERS "DON'T GET IT"RIGHTEOUSNSS IS A GIFT, NOT A REWARD
2024
January
A NEW YEAR, A NEW STARTTHIS YEAR, DO FIRST THINGS FIRSTNEVER STOP LEARNING (1)NEVER STOP LEARNING (2)GET OUT OF DEBT AND STAY OUT OF DEBTDON'T BE SO CONTROLLINGTHE SEVEN-DAY CHALLENGEPARENT, KEEP PERSEVERINGTURNING TWO FAMILIES INTO ONEPUT YOUR HEART INTO YOUR PARTFOUR PRINCIPLES FOR VICTORIOUS LIVINGTAKE CONTROL OF THE SMALL THINGSDON’T GIVE UPLEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (1)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (2)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (3)LEARNING TO LISTEN TO GOD (4)SET OTHER THINGS ASIDE AND SERVEGOD AND WORKHOW TO ENRICH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR RELATIONSHIPSPROPHECY FULFILLEDDON'T SHOUT ABOUT ITYOU'RE GROWING IN GRACEWALKING WITH GODYOUR SECRET PLACEWORK ON GROWING CLOSERARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT RETIREMENT?GIDEON'S GOD IS YOUR GODTO GROW WE MUST KEEP ASKING QUESTIONSBE INTERESTED IN EVERYTHING GOD DOES
February
GOD WILL SPEAK TO YOU–IF YOU LISTENDO THE WORDPRAYING WITHOUT SAYING A WORDSHOW GRACE UNDER FIREHAVING JOB SECURITY (1)HAVING JOB SECURITY (2)HAVING JOB SECURITY (3)HAVING JOB SECURITY (4)THE HOLY SPIRIT PRAYS THROUGH YOUYOUR PERSONAL GUIDESTOP AND ASK FOR DIRECTIONSYOUR HARVEST IS ON THE WAYGIVE YOUR CHILDREN CONVICTIONS TO LIVE BYYOUR LIMITED WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITYPULL DOWN THOSE STRONGHOLDSUSE THE GIFT GO GAVE YOU