Psalm 1:1-3 - Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.
Proverbs 11:25 - A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:30 - The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
Proverbs 12:14 - From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.
Isaiah 11:2-3 - The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord-- and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.
Isaiah 32:17-18 - The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.
Devotionals to bring us closer to God.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Promises From God
Sometimes we work tirelessly at getting things accomplished. Sometimes we focus so much on others we forget about ourselves. Sometimes we keep our head down while living the daily grind. We forget to stop and look up. We forget to catch a breath of fresh air. We wonder when someone else will help us.
During studies of how to be more fruitful in God's eyes we also need to hear the promises that God has made to His children. When God instructs us to be fruitful, He also tells us what He will give to us in doing so. He has given us the biggest gift of all at no cost to us- salvation through His son Jesus Christ. He gives us so much for free- grace, mercy, love...the list is unending. When we give our lives to God, the Holy Spirit comes and lives within us. It gives us the yearning to grow and have a deeper relationship with the Lord. We want to be fruitful, and in doing so, He promises us these things:
1. You will prosper- Psalm 1:1-3
2. You will be refreshed- Proverbs 11:25
3. You will be wise- Proverbs 11:30, Isaiah 11:2
4. You will be rewarded- Proverbs 12:14
5. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon you bringing wisdom and understanding, counsel and power, knowledge and delight in fear of the Lord. - Isaiah 11:2-3
6. You will have righteousness which brings peace, quietness and confidence forever.- Isaiah 32:17
7. Live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. Isaiah 32:18
No matter where you are in life, I'm sure you yearn for at least one thing on this list! I know I do and this list is only a FEW of His promises. His love is UNENDING! Come back again to learn more ways to be fruitful and to learn more about his gifts to us.
Blessings,
Jenny
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Scripture for Part 2
Proverbs 11:30- The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matthew 7:15-23 - "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
Matthew 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matthew 7:15-23 - "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
Learning to be Fruitful Part 2
I hope that this post finds you well. I also hope that you had the chance to read the previous post and that it started something turning in your mind. I would love for you to leave comments on how God is speaking to you and what you are doing with His word! I'm going to continue on with my numbering from previous posts (in case you wonder why I start with #3 below, I'm not completely out of it). ;) Let's dive in y'all...
3. Be careful of who you are spending your time with and what you do with your time. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. Psalm 1:1 Let me be clear with my intentions of this post- it is not our place to judge others. I just want us to be reflective on who we give our time and our energy to. Are your relationships helpful or hurtful? Are people dragging you down or lifting you up? And in return, are you lifting others up and helping them? We are called to be witnesses to others and to show love, kindness, mercy and compassion. The Bible says that those who win souls are wise. (Proverbs 11:30) What better gift can we share with others than the gift of Jesus Christ and eternal life? One of my favorite scriptures talks about being a light for Christ. (Matthew 5:14-16) Make sure that when you are giving to others that you take the time to get "filled back up". Running on empty will only hurt you and others. Take time to do things like attend a worship service, read a great devotional, or rest in a relaxing bath. My favorite "me" thing to do is to go get a pedicure. It relaxes me while giving me time to read and reflect. I used to sit there and play on my phone or read gossip magazines. One day I felt led to take a devotional book with me called You Were Made to Make a Difference. I read through several chapters which is something I never took the time to do in one sitting before. It's amazing how God works when we are willing!
4. Take time to read God's word. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:2-3 In previous times I found myself doing devotionals but never taking the time to read my Bible. We can learn great things from wonderful people but it can never compare to the things we can learn from God. The Bible also warns us to watch out for false prophets. (Matthew 7:15-23) Make sure what you believe in comes from the Big Man upstairs. I have always admired people who know so many scriptures. I've realized that I am the only person who is really keeping myself from knowing what they know. By God's grace the scriptures have always been available to me. It's my privilege to have the Bible and it's something I don't want to take for granted anymore. It's a special gift that I also want to continually share with my son. I am so thankful for parents who shared their faith with me. Let's not take our freedoms for granted. Let us not forget to thank the Lord for the gift of His word!
All my best,
Jenny
3. Be careful of who you are spending your time with and what you do with your time. Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. Psalm 1:1 Let me be clear with my intentions of this post- it is not our place to judge others. I just want us to be reflective on who we give our time and our energy to. Are your relationships helpful or hurtful? Are people dragging you down or lifting you up? And in return, are you lifting others up and helping them? We are called to be witnesses to others and to show love, kindness, mercy and compassion. The Bible says that those who win souls are wise. (Proverbs 11:30) What better gift can we share with others than the gift of Jesus Christ and eternal life? One of my favorite scriptures talks about being a light for Christ. (Matthew 5:14-16) Make sure that when you are giving to others that you take the time to get "filled back up". Running on empty will only hurt you and others. Take time to do things like attend a worship service, read a great devotional, or rest in a relaxing bath. My favorite "me" thing to do is to go get a pedicure. It relaxes me while giving me time to read and reflect. I used to sit there and play on my phone or read gossip magazines. One day I felt led to take a devotional book with me called You Were Made to Make a Difference. I read through several chapters which is something I never took the time to do in one sitting before. It's amazing how God works when we are willing!
4. Take time to read God's word. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:2-3 In previous times I found myself doing devotionals but never taking the time to read my Bible. We can learn great things from wonderful people but it can never compare to the things we can learn from God. The Bible also warns us to watch out for false prophets. (Matthew 7:15-23) Make sure what you believe in comes from the Big Man upstairs. I have always admired people who know so many scriptures. I've realized that I am the only person who is really keeping myself from knowing what they know. By God's grace the scriptures have always been available to me. It's my privilege to have the Bible and it's something I don't want to take for granted anymore. It's a special gift that I also want to continually share with my son. I am so thankful for parents who shared their faith with me. Let's not take our freedoms for granted. Let us not forget to thank the Lord for the gift of His word!
All my best,
Jenny
Friday, January 3, 2014
Scripture for Part 1
Be Fruitful
Proverbs 12:14- From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things, as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.
Proverbs 27:19- As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.
Luke 3:11- John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
Proverbs 27:19- As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.
Luke 3:11- John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."
Learning to Be Fruitful in His Eyes
Preface
I've found myself in a situation where I can't live my normal life. Several months ago I was rear-ended on my way back to work from my lunch break. Pain grew daily in my hip and lower back. An MRI showed that my ligament in my hip is torn. The injection from that same MRI sent my pain over the top and left me unable to walk or drive. I've found myself stuck in bed or on the couch for weeks. After watching many complete tv show seasons, I began to think, "What good is all this tv bringing me? Can't I do something more productive with my time?". With surgery coming up next week and facing a 2 month recovery time, I decided to start a blog compiling what I learn from spending time learning from God's word. This is my way of being productive or "fruitful". I want to state this clearly: I, in no way, can claim that I am perfect or know everything. I do not intend this to be a way to point my finger at others. I am a sinner who is saved by God's grace. I just want to share what I'm learning in hopes that someone else could learn God's love too. I encourage you to look up the scripture noted. If you are unable to, I will have another blog post with the corresponding verses.
How can I be fruitful in the Lord's eyes? Part 1
1. Be careful what you say. Speech is an outpouring of the heart. (Proverbs 12:14, 27:19) The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the over flow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 Are your words truthful? Are your words kind? I'm not a person who uses foul language often. Where I struggle most is when I get upset. If I feel hurt or feel like something isn't right, I tend to lash back to hurt the person who hurt me. I spent most of my life being quiet and reserved, just going along with what others said. A few years ago certain occurrences made me feel like I needed to stand up to people and make sure my side is known. I didn't want to feel mistreated anymore. In the process of doing so, I became mean and angry. I immediately feel regret over the anger that pours out of me. I'm trusting in The Lord to teach me to be calm and quiet.
2. Take time to help others. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25 There is an endless amount of ways to help others. The Bible talks about giving away clothes or sharing food. (Luke 3:11) Go clean out your closet. Are you really using everything that is in there? Does every piece of clothing fit you comfortably? Every piece you give away is a piece that another person will treasure. If you have children, what are you doing with their old clothes? Find a family that could benefit from hand-me-downs. Giving away food doesn't always have to be the needy, even though we are called to do that. You can branch out from that and give to a friend in need. Do you know someone who has recently had a baby? Or a family that is too busy to have time to cook and sit down together at the table? Or someone with an illness, surgery, or a death in the family? Even taking a dozen cookies or donuts to a local business can brighten someone's day. Seeing joy on other people's faces is priceless. If those aren't things you can do, find a way to serve by working with your hands. (Proverbs 12:14) Ask your elderly neighbors is you can help them with any household work.
I'm praying that these first two points are helpful and that you will come back and read more!
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