Tag: inspiration

Christian

How to Produce the Fruit of the Spirit in Your Life

Cindy Dawson

Picture in your mind an apple tree loaded with ripe, red apples. Big, juicy apples are weighing down the branches until they brush the ground. Below, dozens have fallen and cover the ground like a quilt. You have no doubt what kind of tree it is. It’s an apple tree!

Then picture another tree. It has no fruit hanging on the branches. There’s no fruit lying on the ground. There’s no fruit anywhere. You don’t know what kind of tree it is!

No fruit!

Galatians 5:16-26 explains how to produce the fruit of the Spirit and cast aside the lust of the flesh.

“16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 

Pay special attention to the bolded words, “walk by the Spirit”. The Greek word for walk is peripateo. It means “follow as a companion”. If we live our lives with the Holy Spirit as our constant companion, we will not entertain those fleshly desires.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (NIV)

Verse 25 says, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

The Greek word translated “keep in step” is stoicheo. It means “to march in military rank, to conform to.”

It’s just like marching in a group. I’ve never served in the military, but I once marched in a band. In the 6th grade I was a majorette. The most exciting event of the summer was the 4th of July parade! I knew I had to keep in step with the others or I would stand out like a sore thumb. (I also had to try really hard not to drop my baton!)

To keep in step while marching means following the voice of the one calling the cadence. You don’t watch your feet! Likewise, keeping in step with the Spirit means following Him, focusing on Jesus and His precious Word.

Doing those things will produce the Fruit of the Spirit in your life and everyone will know what kind of “tree” you are. These are the characteristics that will define you: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Don’t be discouraged if your fruit doesn’t develop overnight. It takes an apple seed 5 to 10 years to make an apple! But when we’re serious about our relationship with God, He will change us into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. Our part is to “keep in step” with the Holy Spirit. God will do the rest!

May God bless you as you yield to His will and follow in His steps, allowing the Lord to develop in you the precious fruit of the Spirit.

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Featured Image Photo by Nathan Hulsey on Unsplash

Christian

Friday's Verse, 4/24/20

Cindy Dawson

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.” Psalm 34:7 NIV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Thursday's Verse, 4/23/20

Cindy Dawson

“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
    and he saved them from their distress.
14 He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom;
    he snapped their chains.
15 Let them praise the Lord for his great love
    and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Psalm 107:13-15 NLT

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Carolina Jacomin on Unsplash

Christian

Tuesday's Verse, 4/21/20

Cindy Dawson

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35 NIV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Sunday's Verse, 4/19/20

Cindy Dawson

“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love” Psalm 33:18 NIV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Friday's Verse, 4/17/20

Cindy Dawson

8 “I have no complaint about your sacrifices
    or the burnt offerings you constantly offer
9 But I do not need the bulls from your barns
    or the goats from your pens.
10 For all the animals of the forest are mine,
    and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird on the mountains,
    and all the animals of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    for all the world is mine and everything in it.…
14 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
    and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
15 Then call on me when you are in trouble,
    and I will rescue you,
    and you will give me glory.” Psalm 50:8-15 NLT

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by mana5280 on Unsplash

Christian

Thursday's Verse, 4/16/20

Cindy Dawson

Jesus said, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing … likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” Luke 15:4-5, 7 NKJV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Tuesday's Verse, 4/14/20

Cindy Dawson

“He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
    He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
    He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.” Isaiah 40:11 NLT

“The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 NKJV

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Gibbon FitzGibbon on Unsplash

Christian

Sunday's Verse, 4/12/20

Cindy Dawson

“Oh, what joy for those
    whose disobedience is forgiven,
    whose sins are put out of sight.
 Yes, what joy for those
    whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.” Romans 4:7-8 NLT

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Anthony Fomin on Unsplash

Christian

Do You Believe God Will Answer Your Prayer?

Cindy Dawson

The Lord impressed something on my mind today that I couldn’t shake. He was asking, “Do you believe I will answer your prayer?”

Why do I bring this up? Because today I was asked to pray for 2 young children who were burning up with a raging fever due to Malaria. They are patients of my missionary friends in Africa.

Although my heart was breaking, I felt like my prayers did little good. If I had more faith, wouldn’t I pray with more conviction? Wouldn’t I feel something?

Not necessarily. If faith depended on feelings, we’d be in a boatload of trouble. I believe faith is believing God’s promises, believing His Word, trusting Him, and knowing that He is love. Whether feelings accompany our prayers or not, God’s Word is still Truth.

Just maybe, when we feel like our prayers aren’t making it out of the room, we need to say, “IT IS WRITTEN!”

After all, prayer is spiritual warfare! Just like Jesus did when Satan tempted Him, we can say those same words and encourage ourselves. Isn’t Satan trying to deceive us into thinking our prayers won’t change anything? He is a liar! So let us say,

It is written! “… whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)

It is written! “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7 )

It is written! “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 NKJV

When someone is desperate, and asks me to pray, I want to know that God hears me and that His will will be done. I want my faith to be strong! I want to experience fervent, effectual prayer!

It is God’s grace that enables us to do anything for God. It is not our own strength, but His. Even in prayer, I must depend on His grace to give me the ability to pray powerfully and with great faith.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 NIV)

So as we approach our loving God in prayer, may we lean on Him and embrace His grace which will teach us to pray in power according to His will. He has given us the privilege of prayer, making us His instruments to bring about His will.

“Our prayers cannot force God to do anything, but He uses them as His own instruments to bring about His will.” ~ R. C. Sproul

SUM IT UP:

  1. Know that God will use your prayers as an instrument to accomplish His will.
  2. Know that prayer is your privilege.
  3. Know He is listening with love and compassion.













ABOUT What A Friend We Have in Jesus : What a Friend We Have in Jesus was written by Joseph M. Scriven. Joseph Scriven’s life was filled with many trials and sorrows. His fiancée died in a drowning accident on the eve of their wedding in 1844. Eventually, he found love again, but his plans for marriage were dashed again when his new bride-to-be died after a short illness in 1855. That same year, he received news from Ireland that his mother was terribly ill. He wrote a poem to comfort her called “Pray Without Ceasing”. It was later set to music and renamed What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Scriven did not have any intentions nor dream that his poem would be published in the newspaper and later become a favorite hymn among the millions of Christians around the world.





Prayer isn’t something we have to do. It’s something we get to do. As the old hymn says, “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.”





With Love,     





Cindy





This Is My Journey Unscripted.










Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?





realchristianwomen.blog  





Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash